Risk-based flight path data generating system, device, and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9542849-B1
Application number	US-201514814760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A system, device, and method for generating and employing risk-based flight path data are disclosed. The system for employing risk-based flight path data may include one or more one avionics systems and/or remote aircraft operator systems configured to receive risk-based flight path data from a route generator (RG). The RG may acquire navigation data representative of one or more waypoints, acquire risk object data based upon the navigation data, determine the risk-based flight path data representative of a risk-based flight path as a function of the acquired navigation data, the acquired risk data, and a route generating algorithm, and provide the flight path data to the one or more avionics systems and/or remote aircraft operator systems. In some embodiments, the risk object data may include a plurality of risk clearance altitudes. In other embodiments, the risk object data may include a plurality of risk clearance elevations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for generating risk-based flight path data, comprising:
at least one of an avionics system and a remote aircraft operator system configured to:
receive risk-based flight path data provided by
a path generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code and configured to:
acquire navigation data representative of a plurality of waypoints;
acquire risk-based, elevation data based upon the navigation data and comprised of
 first data representative of a plurality of risk elevations of a plurality of elevation cells of a digital risk model of elevations, or
 second data determinative of a plurality of risk elevations of a plurality of elevation cells of a digital risk model of elevations, where
 a value for each of the risk elevations of the first data or the second data is based upon a plurality of surface elevations of a plurality of surface elevation cells of a digital elevation model adjusted for a level of risk of a crash of an aircraft and a cost corresponding to harm or injury to at least one person, at least one object on the ground, or both arising from the crash;
determine a risk-based flight path for the aircraft based upon the acquired navigation data, the acquired risk-based, elevation data, and a route generating algorithm;
generate flight path data representative of the risk-based flight path; and
provide the flight path data to at least one of an avionics system and a remote aircraft operator system, wherein
 a first avionics system comprised of at least one system of an autoflight system of the aircraft is configured to receive and employ the flight path data,
 a second avionics system comprised of a display system of the aircraft is configured to receive the flight path data and present risk-based flight path information to a viewer located inside the aircraft, or
 the remote aircraft operator system is configured to receive the flight path data and present risk-based flight path information to a viewer located outside the aircraft.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the second data is comprised of
the plurality of surface elevations of the plurality of surface elevation cells of the digital elevation model, and
a plurality of risk clearance altitudes of a plurality of risk clearance altitude cells of a digital risk model of clearance altitudes.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of risk clearance altitudes is based upon a probability curve of a probability distribution function applied to the portion of the plurality of risk clearance altitudes.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of risk elevations is based upon a probability curve of a probability distribution function applied to the portion of the plurality of risk elevations.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the risk-based, elevation data is further comprised of third data representative of a plurality of risk ceilings of a plurality of risk ceiling cells of a digital risk model of ceilings.

6. A device for generating risk-based flight path data, comprising:
a path generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code and configured to:
acquire navigation data representative of a plurality of waypoints;
acquire risk-based, elevation data based upon the navigation data and comprised of
first data representative of a plurality of risk elevations of a plurality of elevation cells of a digital risk model of elevations, or
second data determinative of a plurality of risk elevations of a plurality of elevation cells of a digital risk model of elevations, where
a value for each of the risk elevations of the first data or the second data is based upon a plurality of surface elevations of a plurality of surface elevation cells of a digital elevation model adjusted for a level of risk of a crash of an aircraft and a cost corresponding to harm or injury to at least one person, at least one object on the ground, or both arising from the crash;

determine a risk-based flight path for the aircraft based upon the acquired navigation data, the acquired risk-based, elevation data, and a route generating algorithm;
generate flight path data representative of the risk-based flight path; and
provide the flight path data to at least one of an avionics system and a remote aircraft operator system, wherein
a first avionics system comprised of at least one system of an autoflight system of the aircraft is configured to receive and employ the flight path data,
a second avionics system comprised of a display system of the aircraft is configured to receive the flight path data and present risk-based flight path information to a viewer located inside the aircraft, or
a remote aircraft operator system is configured to receive the flight path data and present risk-based flight path information to a viewer located outside the aircraft.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein
the second data is comprised of
the plurality of surface elevations of the plurality of surface elevation cells of the digital elevation model, and
a plurality of risk clearance altitudes of a plurality of risk clearance altitude cells of a digital risk model of clearance altitudes.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of risk clearance altitudes is based upon a probability curve of a probability distribution function applied to the portion of the plurality of risk clearance altitudes.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of risk elevations is based upon a probability curve of a probability distribution function applied to the portion of the plurality of risk elevations.

10. The device of claim 6 , wherein the risk-based, elevation data is further comprised of third data representative of a plurality of risk ceilings of a plurality of risk ceiling cells of a digital risk model of ceilings.

11. A method for generating risk-based flight path data, comprising:
acquiring, by a path generator including at least one processor coupled to a non-transitory processor-readable medium storing processor-executable code, navigation data representative of a plurality of waypoints;
acquiring risk-based, elevation data based upon the navigation data and comprised of
first data representative of a plurality of risk elevations of a plurality of elevation cells of a digital risk model of elevations, or
second data determinative of a plurality of risk elevations of a plurality of elevation cells of a digital risk model of elevations, where
a value for each of the risk elevations of the first data or the second data is based upon a plurality of surface elevations of a plurality of surface elevation cells of a digital elevation model adjusted for a level of risk of a crash of an aircraft and a cost corresponding to harm or injury to at least one person, at least one object on the ground, or both arising from the crash;

determining a risk-based flight path for the aircraft based upon the acquired navigation data, the acquired risk-based, elevation data, and a route generating algorithm;
generating flight path data representative of the risk-based flight path; and
providing the flight path data to at least one of an avionics system and a remote aircraft operator system, wherein
a first avionics system comprised of at least one system of an autoflight system of the aircraft is configured to receive and employ the flight path data,
a second avionics system comprised of a display system of the aircraft is configured to receive the flight p

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Bertram Joshua R
• Vogl Thomas L
• Wolford Brian R

Classifications

• G01C21/20

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G08G5/003 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title

• G05D1/101

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/0069

  Physics · mapped topic