EP0257702A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Navigational apparatus and methods for displaying aircraft position with respect to a selected vertical flight path profile
Assignee: Boeing Co
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Filing: 1987-08-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-08-14
Abstract
Abstract An aircraft navigational system for providing a geometic display to the pilot of the vertical position of the aircraft relative to a selected vertical flight path profile as the aircraft progresses between its departure and destination. The vertical profile, which has a climb portion, a cruise portion and a descent portion, is formed by a number of navigational points, each of which is defined by an altitude component and a geographical position component. The profile points which form the climb and descent profiles are calculated from controller assigned altitude and waypoint constraints as well as from airspeed and altitude operating limitations which define various selected aircraft performance climb and descent modes.
Inventors
- 👤 Ethmer Wesley King
- 👤 David Sadao Yotsuuye
- 👤 Robert Charles Kircher, Jr.
- 👤 Mohammed Reza Radfar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:54
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C5/00; G01C5/005; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/04; G05D1/06; G05D1/0607; G05D1/0653
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
An aircraft navigational system for generating a cockpit display of a vertical position of the aircraft relative to a vertical flight path, the navigational system comprising: a. position locating means for determining a geographical location and altitude of said aircraft, and for generating a first output of said geographical location and altitude; b. computing means, responsive to said first output, for i) defining a location of the aircraft by an altitude component and a geographical component, ii) generating a plurality of navigational points which form a selected vertical flight path having a climb portion, a cruise portion and a descent portion in a manner that each of the navigational points is defined by a altitude component and a geographical component, and iii), comparing the altitude component of a selected one of the navigational points of the vertical flight path with the altitude component of the aircraft location to generate a second output of a difference between said altitude components, and for comparing the geographical component of the selected navigational point with the geographical component of the aircraft location to generate a third output of a difference between said geographical components; and c. display means for generating a first visual symbol of said aircraft position and a plurality of second visual symbols of said navigational points which form a visual flight path, and for displaying said first symbol and said second symbols at relative locations to each other in response to said second output and said third output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
An aircraft navigational system for generating a cockpit display of a vertical position of the aircraft relative to a vertical flight path, the navigational system comprising: a. position locating means for determining a geographical location and altitude of said aircraft, and for generating a first output of said geographical location and altitude; b. computing means, responsive to said first output, for i) defining a location of the aircraft by an altitude component and a geographical component, ii) generating a plurality of navigational points which form a selected vertical flight path having a climb portion, a cruise portion and a descent portion in a manner that each of the navigational points is defined by a altitude component and a geographical component, and iii), comparing the altitude component of a selected one of the navigational points of the vertical flight path with the altitude component of the aircraft location to generate a second output of a difference between said altitude components, and for comparing the geographical component of the selected navigational point with the geographical component of the aircraft location to generate a third output of a difference between said geographical components; and c. display means for generating a first visual symbol of said aircraft position and a plurality of second visual symbols of said navigational points which form a visual flight path, and for displaying said first symbol and said second symbols at relative locations to each other in response to said second output and said third output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
146 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said computing means includes 1) input means for receiving a plurality of geographical points which form a horizontal flight path; 2) means for calculating said geographical component of said aircraft location as a first distance along said horizontal flight path from a selected one of said geographical points, 3) means for calculating said geographical component of each of said navigational points at respective distances along said horizontal flight path from said selected geographical point, 4) means for determining the position of said aircraft between two of said navigational points by comparing said first distance with said respective distances of said navigational points, and 5) means for generating said third output by calculating a difference in distance between said first distance and said distance of one of said two navigational points from said selected navigation point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said computing means includes means for calculating the geographical component of at least one of said navigational points which represents a location at which there is a change in aircraft speed at a known altitude.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said computing means includes means for calculating the geographical component of at least one of said navigational points which represents a location at which there is a change from a first aircraft speed to a second aircraft speed at a known altitude, as a function of a projected horizontal distance travelled by said aircraft along said vertical flight path at said first aircraft speed until reaching said known altitude.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said computing means includes means for generating the climb portion of the vertical flight path which has a known beginning geographical point, said climb portion generating means including 1) means for selecting a climb performance mode which includes at least one transition point between said beginning geographical point and an end point, having an upper altitude, of said climb portion so that said transition point occurs due to a change from a first aircraft airspeed to a second aircraft airspeed at a known transition altitude, 2) means for calculating a geographical component of said transition point as a function of a projected horizontal distance travelled by said aircraft at said first airspeed from said beginning geographical point to said transition altitude, and 3) means for calculating a geographical component of the end point of said climb portion as a function of a projected horizontal distance travelled by said aircraft at said second airspeed between said transition altitude and said end point upper altitude.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
162 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said computing means includes means for generating the descent portion of the flight path which has a known geographical descent end point, said descent portion generating means including 1) means for selecting a descent performance mode which includes at least one transition point, which is located between said geographical end point and an upper end point, having an upper altitude, of said descent portion, as a result of a change from a first aircraft airspeed to a second aircraft airspeed at a known transition altitude, 2) means for calculating a geographical component of said transition point as a function of a projected horizontal distance travelled between said transition altitude and said geographical end point, and 3) means for calculating a geographical component of said upper end point as a function of a projected horizontal distance travelled by said aircraft at said first airspeed between said upper altitude and said transition altitude.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 1 wherein: a. said computing means includes means for calculating a projected location of said aircraft at a selected future time as a function of a current aircraft airspeed and flight path angle, and providing a third output thereof; and b. said display includes means, responsive to said third output, for displaying said projected location of said aircraft as a third visual symbol which is located relative to said first visual symbol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The aircraft navigational system as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said display means includes means for displaying fourth symbols which represent values of altitude in a manner that the location of said fourth symbols relative to said first symbol and said second symbols provides a quantitative visual display of aircraft altitude and the difference between altitude components.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
221 words
A method for generating a cockpit display of a vertical position of an aircraft relative to a vertical flight path, the method comprising the steps of: a. determining a geographical location and altitude of the aircraft, and generating a first output of the geographical location and altitude; b. defining, in response to the first output, a location of the aircraft by an altitude component and a geographical component; c. generating a plurality of navigational points which form a selected vertical flight path in a manner that each of the navigational points is defined by an altitude component and a geographical component; d. comparing the altitude component of a selected one of the navigational points of the vertical flight path with the altitude component of the aircraft location to generate a second output of a difference between the altitude components; e. comparing the geographical component of the selected navigational point with the geographical component of the aircraft location to generate a third output of a difference between the geographical components; and f. generating a visual symbol of the aircraft position and a plurality of second visual symbols of the navigational points which form a visual flight path, and displaying the first symbol and the second symbols at relative locations to each other in response to the second output and the third output.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
221 words
A method for generating a cockpit display of a vertical position of an aircraft relative to a vertical flight path, the method comprising the steps of: a. determining a geographical location and altitude of the aircraft, and generating a first output of the geographical location and altitude; b. defining, in response to the first output, a location of the aircraft by an altitude component and a geographical component; c. generating a plurality of navigational points which form a selected vertical flight path in a manner that each of the navigational points is defined by an altitude component and a geographical component; d. comparing the altitude component of a selected one of the navigational points of the vertical flight path with the altitude component of the aircraft location to generate a second output of a difference between the altitude components; e. comparing the geographical component of the selected navigational point with the geographical component of the aircraft location to generate a third output of a difference between the geographical components; and f. generating a visual symbol of the aircraft position and a plurality of second visual symbols of the navigational points which form a visual flight path, and displaying the first symbol and the second symbols at relative locations to each other in response to the second output and the third output.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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