Inspection of a navigation aid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823580-B2
Application number	US-201815953833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2018
Priority date	Jan 19, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A method of inspecting a navigation aid, the method comprising: receiving navigation data relating to the navigation aid from a plurality of vehicles; statistically analyzing the received navigation data; determining the accuracy of the navigation aid based on the statistically analyzed navigation data; and calibrating the navigational aid based on the determined accuracy of the navigation aid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of inspecting a navigation aid, the method comprising:
receiving navigation data relating to the navigation aid from a plurality of vehicles, wherein the navigation data includes measurement of at least one parameter;
statistically analyzing the received navigation data;
determining the accuracy of the navigation aid based on the statistically analyzed navigation data; and
calibrating the navigational aid based on the determined accuracy of the navigation aid.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting the plurality of vehicles generate and send the navigation data relating to the navigation aid.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of vehicles are commercial aircrafts.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter is location data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the accuracy is done dynamically as additional navigation data is received.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the accuracy is done in real-time.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation aid comprises at least one of an Instrument Landing System (ILS), a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), a Very High Frequency Omni-direction Range (VOR) and a Global Positioning System (GPS).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the accuracy of the navigation aid based on the statistically analyzed navigation data further comprises:
receiving measurements of the at least one parameter from a second independent navigation system, wherein the second navigation system is unrelated to the navigation aid; and
comparing the measurements of the at least one parameter received from the second independent navigation system to the navigation data relating to the navigation aid received from the plurality of vehicles.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second navigation system is an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving navigation data relating to the navigation aid from a plurality of vehicles further comprises receiving navigation data via a communication link, wherein the communication link includes at least one of a satellite communication, radio communication, aircraft communication addressing and reporting system (ACARS), wireless avionics intra communication (WAIC) and datalink communication.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein calibrating the navigational aid based on the determined accuracy of the navigation aid further comprises:
extending time for formal inspection of the navigation aid;
formally inspecting the navigation aid using a flight inspection vehicle; and
calibrating the navigational aid based on the formal inspection by the flight inspection vehicle.

12. A navigation aid inspection system comprising:
a data center in communication with at least one communication link to receive navigation data relating to the navigation aid from a plurality of vehicles, the data center including:
at least one memory to store at least operating instructions and navigation data received from the plurality of vehicles,
at least one processor configured to execute the operating instructions to:
statistically analyze the received navigation data;
determine the accuracy of the navigation aid based on the statistically analyzed navigation data; and
cause a calibration of the navigation aid when the determined accuracy of the navigation aid is beyond a set threshold to achieve a desired accuracy.

13. The navigation aid inspection system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one communication link is at least one of a satellite communication, radio communication, datalink communication and wireless avionics intra communication (WAIC).

14. The navigation aid inspection system of claim 12 , wherein the data center comprises at least one of a ground station and a cloud storage unit.

15. The navigation aid inspection system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the accuracy of the navigation aid in real-time.

16. The navigation aid inspection system of claim 12 , wherein the navigation aid comprises at least one of an Instrument Landing System (ILS), a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), a Very High Frequency Omni-direction Range (VOR) and a Global Positioning System (GPS).

17. The navigation aid inspection system of claim 12 , wherein the processor configured to determine the accuracy of the navigation based on the statistically analyzed navigation data further comprises:
receive measurements of at least one parameter from a second independent navigation system, wherein the second navigation system is unrelated to the navigation aid; and
compare the measurements of the at least one parameter received from the second independent navigation system to the navigation data relating to the navigation aid received from the plurality of vehicles.

18. The navigation aid inspection system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one parameter is location data.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program having instructions stored thereon, executable by a processor, to perform a method for inspection of a navigation aid, the method comprising:
receiving navigation data relating to the navigation aid from a plurality of vehicles, wherein the navigation data includes measurement of at least one parameter;
statistically analyzing the received navigation data;
determining the accuracy of the navigation aid based on the statistically analyzed navigation data; and
calibrating the navigational aid based on the determined accuracy of the navigation aid.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein determining the accuracy of the navigation aid based on the statistically analyzed navigation data further comprises:
receiving measurements of the at least one parameter from a second independent navigation system, wherein the second navigation system is unrelated to the navigation aid; and
comparing the measurements of the at least one parameter received from the second independent navigation system to the navigation data relating to the navigation aid received from the plurality of vehicles.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Ahlbrecht Mark A
• Stangeland Rod
• Love Jeffrey E

Classifications

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/50

  Navigation or guidance aids · CPC title

• G08G5/54

  for approach or landing · CPC title

• G08G5/727

  from a ground station · CPC title

• G08G5/22

  located on the ground · CPC title