Systems and methods for displaying position sensitive datalink messages on avionics displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10330493-B2
Application number	US-201414559755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying position sensitive datalink messages on avionics displays are provided. In one embodiment, a flight deck instrument display system for an aircraft comprises: a flight plan display screen that displays a graphical representation of at least a part of an aircraft's planned flight path together with symbology representing a position of the aircraft with respect to the aircraft's planned flight path; wherein the flight plan display screen further displays at least one symbol positioned along the graphical representation of at least a part of the aircraft's planned flight path that indicates a point of applicability for a received uplink datalink message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument display system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
a flight plan display screen that displays a graphical representation of at least a part of an aircraft's planned flight path together with symbology representing a position of the aircraft with respect to the aircraft's planned flight path;
wherein the flight plan display screen further displays at least one symbol positioned along the graphical representation of at least a part of the aircraft's planned flight path, wherein the flight plan display screen locates the at least one symbol at a position that indicates a point of applicability along the aircraft's planned flight path for a received uplink datalink message;
wherein the received uplink datalink message includes a conditional clearance request; and
wherein the at least one symbol on the flight plan display screen indicates a margin until a condition specified by the conditional clearance request is met based on current aircraft conditions.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one symbol is positioned along the aircraft's planned flight path at a waypoint specified in the received uplink datalink message.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a human-machine interface;
wherein when a user selects the at least one symbol on the flight plan display screen using the human-machine interface, the flight plan display screen displays contents of the uplink datalink message with one or more applicable action buttons.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the point of applicability for the received uplink datalink message is derived from contents of the received uplink datalink message.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the point of applicability for the received uplink datalink message is selectable by a pilot.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further includes a human-machine interface;
wherein when a user selects the at least one symbol on the flight plan display screen using the human-machine interface, the flight plan display screen displays an action specified by the conditional clearance request.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one symbol on the flight plan display screen indicates a position where the condition specified by the conditional clearance request is predicted to become satisfied.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one symbol further includes an action alert when the aircraft comes within a predefined threshold of satisfying the condition, wherein the action alert displays the action specified by the conditional clearance request.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the margin is expressed as a time margin, a distance margin, or an altitude margin.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one symbol further includes one or both of a vertical error symbol and a lateral error symbol;
wherein the vertical error symbol and the lateral error symbol indicate a tolerance for satisfying the condition when the aircraft has deviated from the aircraft's planned flight path.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan display screen is implemented in one of either:
on-board aircraft avionics; or
an air traffic control center.

12. A method for contextual displaying uplink messages on a flight plan display screen, the method comprising:
receiving an uplink datalink message;
associating the uplink datalink message with a point of applicability along a planned flight path;
displaying a representation of the planned flight path on the flight plan display screen; and
positioning a symbol on the flight plan display screen along the representation of the planned flight path at a position indicating the point of applicability;
wherein the received uplink datalink message includes a conditional clearance request; and
wherein the at least one symbol on the flight plan display screen indicates a margin until a condition specified by the conditional clearance request is met based on current aircraft conditions.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
displaying additional contents of the uplink datalink message on the flight plan display screen when the symbol is selected using a human-machine interface.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the symbol indicates a position where a condition specified by the conditional clearance request is predicted to become satisfied.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the symbol on the flight plan display screen further includes an action alert when the aircraft comes within a predefined threshold of satisfying the condition, wherein the action alert displays an action specified by the conditional clearance request.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the symbol on the flight plan display screen further includes one or both of a vertical error symbol and a lateral error symbol;
wherein the vertical error symbol and the lateral error symbol indicate a tolerance for satisfying the condition when the aircraft has deviated from the aircraft's planned flight path.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Shamasundar Raghu
• Piradi Prasad Rao
• Judd Thomas D
• Pepitone David
• Gupta Abhishek
• Bouanani Adib
• Ramanna Prashanth

Classifications

• G01C23/005 Primary

  Flight directors (indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32) · CPC title

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G08G5/26

  Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/53

  for cruising · CPC title