Enhanced vertical path (VPATH) inhibit logic for vertical situation display (VSD)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10139246-B1
Application number	US-201615372009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A system and related method for enhancing situational awareness by providing, via a vertical situation display (VSD), real time feedback to the pilot when the vertical path (VPATH) of the aircraft diverges or deviates from its desired trajectory. The VSD may display the divergent trajectory to the pilot as well as advise whether the divergence from the desired VPATH can be recovered without exceeding the performance parameters of the aircraft. If the divergence is recoverable, the VSD may display a suggested recovery trajectory and recovery speed associated with reacquiring the desired VPATH based on the performance characteristics of the aircraft.

First claim

We claim:

1. An avionics system incorporating a vertical situation display (VSD), comprising:
a flight management system (FMS) including at least one processor configured to:
receive vertical distance information of the aircraft from at least one vertical distance source;
determine at least one desired vertical trajectory of the aircraft, the desired vertical trajectory including at least one desired vertical path (VPATH);
determine a vertical containment region associated with a range proximate to the at least one desired VPATH;
determine at least one of a current trajectory of the aircraft and a vertical position of the aircraft based on the vertical distance information;
determine at least one of a convergence, a recoverable deviation, and an unrecoverable deviation of the current trajectory relative to the at least one desired VPATH;
in response to the at least one convergence, determine a nominal status;
in response to the at least one recoverable deviation:
determine at least one of: 1) a first recovery trajectory associated with a recapture of the at least one desired VPATH, 2) a first recovery speed, and 3) a recoverable status;

in response to the at least one unrecoverable deviation:
determine at least one of: 1) a second recovery trajectory, 2) a second recovery speed, and 3) an unrecoverable status; and

a vertical situation display (VSD) coupled to the FMS and configured to:
display the desired vertical trajectory, the vertical position, and the vertical containment region;
in response to the at least one convergence, display the nominal status;
in response to the at least one recoverable deviation, display at least one of the current trajectory, the first recovery trajectory, the first recovery speed, and the recoverable status; and
in response to the at least one unrecoverable deviation, display at least one of the current trajectory, the second recovery trajectory, the second recovery speed, and the unrecoverable status.

2. The avionics system of claim 1 , wherein the VSD is configured to display the nominal status by at least one of:
displaying the at least one desired VPATH in a first state corresponding to the nominal status; and
displaying the vertical containment region in a second state corresponding to the nominal status.

3. The avionics system of claim 1 , wherein the VSD is configured to display the recoverable status by at least one of:
displaying the at least one desired VPATH in a third state corresponding to the recoverable status; and
displaying at least one of the vertical containment region, the first recovery trajectory, and the first recovery speed in a fourth state corresponding to the recoverable status.

4. The avionics system of claim 3 , wherein the VSD is configured to display the first recovery trajectory and the first recovery speed in at least one of a first color corresponding to the recoverable status and a second color corresponding to a reacquisition of the at least one desired VPATH.

5. The avionics system of claim 1 , wherein the VSD is configured to display the unrecoverable status by displaying at least one of the vertical containment region, the second recovery trajectory, and the second recovery speed in a fifth state corresponding to the unrecoverable status.

6. The avionics system of claim 5 , wherein the VSD is configured to display at least one of the second recovery trajectory and the second recovery speed in a third color corresponding to the unrecoverable status.

7. The avionics system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one vertical distance source includes at least one of an air data system (ADS), a radar altimeter system, and a global navigation satellite system.

8. The avionics system of claim 1 , wherein the VSD is configured to display the vertical containment region by displaying at least one limit of the proximate range, the limit including at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit.

9. A method for enhancing situational awareness via vertical path (VPATH) display, the method comprising:
determining, via a flight management system (FMS) of an aircraft, a desired vertical trajectory of an aircraft, the desired vertical trajectory including at least one desired vertical path (VPATH);
displaying, via a vertical situation display (VSD) of the aircraft, one or more of the at least one desired VPATH, a vertical containment region, and a nominal status associated with the at least one desired VPATH, the vertical containment region associated with a predetermined range proximate to the at least one desired VPATH;
receiving, via the FMS, vertical distance information of the aircraft from at least one vertical distance source;
determining, via the FMS, at least one of a current trajectory of the aircraft and a vertical position of the aircraft based on the vertical distance information;
displaying, via the VSD, the vertical position;
determining, via the FMS, at least one of a recoverable deviation and an unrecoverable deviation of the current trajectory relative to the at least one desired VPATH, based on at least one of the current trajectory and the vertical position;
in response to the at least one recoverable deviation:
determining, via the FMS, at least one of a first recovery VPATH, a first recovery speed, and a recoverable status; and
displaying, via the VSD, at least one of the current trajectory, the first recovery trajectory, the first recovery speed, and the recoverable status; and

in response to the at least one unrecoverable deviation:
determining, via the FMS, at least one of a second recovery trajectory, a second recovery speed, and an unrecoverable status;
and
displaying, via the VSD, at least one of the current trajectory, the second recovery trajectory, the second recovery speed, and the unrecoverable status.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein displaying, via a vertical situation display (VSD) of the aircraft, one or more of the at least one desired VPATH, a vertical containment region, and a nominal status associated with the at least one desired VPATH, the vertical containment region associated with predetermined range proximate to the at least one desired VPATH includes:
displaying the at least one desired VPATH in a first state corresponding to the nominal status; and
displaying the vertical containment region in a second state corresponding to the nominal status.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein displaying, via the VSD, at least one of the current trajectory, the first recovery trajectory, the first recovery speed, and the recoverable status includes:
displaying the at least one desired VPATH in a third state corresponding to the recoverable status; and
displaying at least one of the vertical containment region, the first recovery trajectory, and the first recovery speed in a fourth state corresponding to the recoverable status.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein displaying at least one of the vertical containment region, the first recovery trajectory, and the first recovery speed in a fourth state corresponding to the recoverable status includes:
displaying the first recovery trajectory and the first recovery speed in at least one of a first color corresponding to the recoverable status and a second color corresponding to a reacquisition of the at least one desired VPATH.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein displaying, via the VSD, at least one of the current trajectory, the second recovery trajectory, the second recovery speed, and the unrecoverable status includes:
displaying the vertical containment region in a fifth state corresponding to the unrecoverable status; and
displaying the second recovery traject

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Reddy Bandi Bharat Kumar
• Mcgaughy Ellen L
• Geels Timothy J

Classifications

• G01C23/00 Primary

  Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration · CPC title