US6122570A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for assisting the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1998-06-19
•
Granted: 2000-09-19
•
Expires: 2018-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A terrain awareness system (TAS) provides LOOK-AHEAD/LOOK-DOWN as well as LOOK-UP terrain advisory and warning indications to the pilot of an aircraft of a hazardous flight condition. The TAS includes an airport data base as well as a terrain data base that is structured to provide various resolutions depending on the topography of the particular geographic area of interest. Navigational data from a satellite-based navigational system, such as a global positioning system (GPS), is used to provide a LOOK-AHEAD/LOOK-DOWN and LOOK-UP terrain advisory and terrain warning indications based upon the current position and projected flight path of the aircraft. Since the terrain advisory and the warning signals are a function of the flight path of the aircraft, nuisance warnings are minimized.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans R. Muller
- 👤 Kevin J. Conner
- 👤 Steven C. Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:15
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/04; G05D1/06; G05D1/0607; G05D1/0653; G05D1/0676; G01; G01C; G01C5/00; G01C5/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
206 words
A system for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents comprising: (a) a database of stored terrain information; (b) a signal processing device, coupled to receive signals representative of a position of the aircraft, a flight path of an aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and coupled to said database, for: (i) defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; (ii) defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; (iii) defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; and (iv) outputting an alert signal when a subset of the stored terrain information is located with in the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes; and (c) a display, coupled to receive a subset of said terrain information, for displaying terrain in a vicinity of the aircraft.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
206 words
A system for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents comprising: (a) a database of stored terrain information; (b) a signal processing device, coupled to receive signals representative of a position of the aircraft, a flight path of an aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and coupled to said database, for: (i) defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; (ii) defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; (iii) defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; and (iv) outputting an alert signal when a subset of the stored terrain information is located with in the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes; and (c) a display, coupled to receive a subset of said terrain information, for displaying terrain in a vicinity of the aircraft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said display comprises an EFIS display.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said display comprises a weather radar display.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said display comprises a flight management system (FMS) display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said signal processing device comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
188 words
A system for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents comprising: (a) a database of stored terrain information; (b) a signal processing device, coupled to receive signals representative of a position of the aircraft; a flight path of an aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and coupled to said database for: (i) defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; (ii) defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; (iii) defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; (c) a display, coupled to said signal processing device for displaying at least a subset of said stored terrain information located within the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
188 words
A system for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents comprising: (a) a database of stored terrain information; (b) a signal processing device, coupled to receive signals representative of a position of the aircraft; a flight path of an aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and coupled to said database for: (i) defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; (ii) defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; (iii) defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; (c) a display, coupled to said signal processing device for displaying at least a subset of said stored terrain information located within the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said display comprises an EFIS display.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said display comprises a weather radar display.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said display comprises a flight management system (FMS) display.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said signal processing device comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said display depicts said subset of terrain using a plurality of colors, each one of said colors representative of a different severity of terrain threat.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said display depicts said subset of terrain using a variable density dot pattern and wherein said density varies as a function of a severity of terrain threat.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said display depicts said subset of terrain using a variable density dot pattern that varies as a function of the aircraft altitude relative to said terrain.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents comprising the steps of: receiveing signals representative of a position of an aircraft, a flight path of the aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and terrain data; defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; outputting an alert signal when a subset of the stored terrain information is located with in the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes; and displaying at least a portion of said terrain data.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents comprising the steps of: receiveing signals representative of a position of an aircraft, a flight path of the aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and terrain data; defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; outputting an alert signal when a subset of the stored terrain information is located with in the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes; and displaying at least a portion of said terrain data.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents compromising the steps of: receiveing signals representative of a position of an aircraft; a flight path of the aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and terrain data; defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; and displaying at least a subset of said stored terrain information located within the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for assisting in the prevention of controlled flight into terrain accidents compromising the steps of: receiveing signals representative of a position of an aircraft; a flight path of the aircraft and a speed of the aircraft, and terrain data; defining a look ahead distance as a function of the speed of the aircraft; defining a first alert envelope, indicative of a first severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said first alert envelope are determined as a first function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance, and a terrain floor boundary; defining a second alert envelope, indicative of a second severity of terrain threat, wherein boundaries of said second alert envelope are determined as a second function of the flight path angle, said look ahead distance and said terrain floor boundary; and displaying at least a subset of said stored terrain information located within the boundaries of at least one of said first and said second alert envelopes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of using a plurality of colors, each one of said colors representative of a different severity of terrain threat.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of depicting said subset of terrain using a variable density dot pattern and wherein said density varies as a function of a severity of terrain threat.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of depicting said subset of terrain using a variable density dot pattern that varies as a function of the aircraft altitude relative to said terrain.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR272E
Cited
US3715718A
Cited
US3936796A
Cited
US3958218A
Cited
US3944968A
Cited
US4063073A
Cited
US3947808A
Cited
US3947810A
Cited
US3934221A
Cited
US3958219A
Cited
US3934222A
Cited
US3925751A
Cited
CA1033828A
Cited
US4030065A
Cited
US4060793A
Cited
US4224669A
Cited
US4215334A
Cited
US4319218A
Cited
US5140532A
Cited
US4484192A
Cited
US4567483A
Cited
US4675823A
Cited
US4646244A
Cited
WO1985003566A1
Cited
US4642775A
Cited
US5526000A
Cited
US5220322A
Cited
US4987413A
Cited
US5153588A
Cited
US4835537A
Cited
US4894655A
Cited
US4903212A
Cited
US4912645A
Cited
US4914436A
Cited
US4924401A
Cited
US4914733A
Cited
US4947164A
Cited
US4916448A
Cited
US4954959A
Cited
US5136512A
Cited
US5086396A
Cited
US5155688A
Cited
US5157615A
Cited
US5293163A
Cited
US5265025A
Cited
US5257195A
Cited
US5337242A
Cited
US5442556A
Cited
US5252978A
Cited
US5285391A
Cited
US5196847A
Cited
FR2689668A1
Cited
US5638282A
Cited
US5488563A
Cited
GB2266286A
Cited
US5202690A
Cited
US5519392A
Cited
US5414631A
Cited
DE4304561A1
Cited
US5495249A
Cited
DE4327706A1
Cited
US5608392A
Cited
US5661486A
Cited
US5486821A
Cited
FR2721130A1
Cited
US5677842A
Cited
US5581259A
Cited
US5798712A
Cited
US5839080A
Cited
US5839080B1
Cited
EP0790487A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-09-19 | 2004-03-20 | 2004-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-09-19 | 2008-03-20 | 2008-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-09-19 | 2012-03-20 | 2012-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |