Electric taxi auto-guidance and control system
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsKeith Hughes, Joseph Nutaro, Christine Marie Haissig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An auto-guidance and control method and system is provided for use in conjunction with an aircraft electric taxi system. Aircraft status data is obtained, and airport feature data accessed. A processor generates taxi path guidance and control information including at least taxi speed guidance information, and sends commands derived from the taxi speed guidance information by the processor directly to an electric taxi controller to regulate the taxi speed of the aircraft.
Claims19
An auto-guidance and control method for use on-board an aircraft in conjunction with an aircraft electric taxi drive system, comprising:
- obtaining aircraft status data;
- accessing airport feature data;
- generating, with a processor, taxi path guidance and control information including at least taxi speed guidance information and taxi direction information;
- sending commands derived from the taxi speed guidance information by the processor directly to at least one electric taxi controller to regulate the taxi speed of the aircraft;
- and
- applying steering commands derived from the taxi direction information by the processor directly to a nose wheel steering mechanism to steer the aircraft.
A guidance and control system for use on-board an aircraft equipped with an electric taxi mechanism, the system comprising:
- a first source of aircraft status data;
- a second source of airport feature data;
- a third source of taxi direction information;
- a nose wheel steering mechanism;
- an electric taxi controller;
- and
- a processor coupled to the first, second, and third sources, to the electric taxi controller, and to the nose wheel steering mechanism and configured to (1) generate taxi path guidance and control information including at least taxi speed guidance information and taxi direction information, and (2) send commands derived from the taxi speed guidance information directly to the electric taxi controller and to the nose wheel steering mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.