APPARATUS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR THE GENERATION AND USE OF A RUNWAY FIELD CLEARANCE FLOOR ENVELOPE ABOUT A SELECTED RUNWAY

WIPO Patent Application WO/2000/048159

A2

The present invention provides apparatus, methods, and computer program products that monitor the altitude of an aircraft with respect to a selected runway. If the altitude of the aircraft is below a minimum glideslope with respect to the selected runway, the apparatus , methods, and computer program products of the present invention alert the flight crew, such that the altitude of the aircraft can be increased. This, in turn, increases time for reaction to abrupt changes in elevation near the selected runway. Specifically, the apparatus, methods, and computer program products of the present invention define a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway that represents different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway. The apparatus, method, and computer program products of the present invention compare the altitude of the aircraft with respect to the selected runway to the runway field clearance floor envelope. If the altitude of the aircraft is less than the minimum altitude indicated for the aircraft at the given distance, the apparatus, method, and computer program products of the present invention provide an indication to the flight crew.

JP2010249665	GROUND HEIGHT MEASURING DEVICE OF AERIAL CABLE
JP60025413	METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LEVELING ROD SCALE DETECTION IN LEVELING
WO/2007/015772	APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING A GLASS SHEET

Bateman, Donald C. (1825 - 180th Ave. N.E. Bellevue, WA, 98008, US)
Johnson, Steven C. (4237 245th Avenue S.E. Issaquah, WA, 98029, US)
Gremmert, Scott (15728 N.E. 105th CT Redmond, WA, 98052, US)
Ishihara, Yasuo (11226-30th Ave. S.E. Everett, WA, 98208, US)

PCT/US2000/002565

August 17, 2000

February 01, 2000

Click for automatic bibliography generation  

HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. (101 Columbia Road P.O. Box 2245 Morristown, NJ, 07962-2245, US)

G01C5/00; G08G5/02; (IPC1-7): G08G5/04; G08G5/02

Criss, Roger H. (Honeywell International Inc. 101 Columbia Road P.O. Box 2245 Morristown, NJ, 07962-2245, US)

View/Download PDF      PDF Help

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1.

A method for use in a ground proximity warning system for determining whether an aircraft is located at a desired position with respect to a selected runway, wherein said method comprises the steps of : defining a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway; comparing the position of the aircraft to the runway field clearance floor envelope; and providing an indication if the aircraft is positioned below the runway field clearance floor envelope.

2.

A method according to Claim 1, wherein said comparing step comprises the steps of : comparing a distance between the aircraft and selected runway to the runway field clearance floor envelope; determining a preselected altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway based on the runway field clearance floor envelope; comparing the preselected altitude to the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway; and providing an indication if the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway is no more than the preselected altitude.

3.

A method according to Claim 1, wherein said defining step comprises defining the runway field clearance floor envelope dependent upon at least two boundaries, and wherein said defining step defines at least one of the boundaries based on at least one of a runway position quality factor, an altitude data quality factor, and an aircraft position quality factor.

4.

A method according to Claim 3, wherein said defining step comprises the steps of : summing the runway position quality factor, altitude data quality factor, and aircraft position quality factor to define an inner boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope at an inner position proximate to the selected runway; and summing the runway position quality factor, the altitude data quality factor, the aircraft position quality factor, and a predetermined outer distance representing a predetermined distance from the selected runway to define an outer boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope at a second position.

5.

A method according to Claim 4, wherein said defining step further comprises after said summing steps the step of defining the runway field clearance floor envelope to have a preselected inner boundary altitude at the inner boundary and a preselected outer boundary altitude at the outer boundary to thereby define a runway field clearance floor envelope having a slope defined by the inner and outer boundary altitudes and positions.

6.

A method according to Claim 2 further comprising the step of storing a database containing position and elevation data for at least one selected runway, and wherein said determining step comprises the steps of : accessing the elevation data related to the selected runway stored in said storing step; and subtracting the elevation of the selected runway from the altitude of the aircraft.

7.

A method according to Claim 6, wherein the altitude of the aircraft is a calculated geometric altitude representing the altitude of the aircraft above sea level, and wherein said subtracting step comprises subtracting the stored elevation data related to the selected runway from the geometric altitude of the selected aircraft.

8.

A method according to Claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of : defining a terrain clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected minimum altitudes of the aircraft above terrain located below a current position of the aircraft for different distances between the aircraft and the selected runway; comparing the altitude of the aircraft above the terrain below the current position of the aircraft to the minimum altitude indicated by the terrain clearance floor envelope for the distance between the aircraft and selected runway; and providing an indication that the aircraft is below the terrain clearance floor envelope if the altitude of the aircraft above the terrain is no more than the minimum altitude.

9.	A method according to Claim 8 further comprising the step of generating a ground proximity warning alert if the aircraft is below at least one of the runway field clearance floor envelope and the terrain clearance floor envelope for more than the predetermined time.

10.

A method according to Claim 9, wherein if the aircraft is below the runway field clearance floor envelope for more than a predetermined time, said method further comprises the step of increasing an altitude value indicating the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway by a selected amount, such that the aircraft must decrease in altitude by the selected amount before said generating step will generate a next ground proximity alert.

11.

A method according to Claim 9, wherein if the aircraft is below the terrain clearance floor envelope floor for more than a predetermined time, method further comprises the step of increasing an altitude value indicating the altitude of the aircraft by a selected amount, such that the aircraft must decrease in altitude by the selected amount before said generating step will generate a next ground proximity alert.

12.

A method according to Claim 1 further comprising the step of storing a data base containing preselected altitudes that an aircraft should maintain above a selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway, and wherein said defining step comprises defining the runway field clearance floor envelope based on the preselected altitudes at respective distances stored in said storing step.

INTERNATIONALSEARCHREPORT IrrationalApplicationNo Intormatun on patont tamily members PatentdocumentPublicationPatentfamilyPublication citedinsearchreportdatemember(s)date US5488563A30-01-1996FR2689668 A 08-10-1993 AT147869 T 15-02-1997 CA2093546 A 08-10-1993 DE69307377 D 27-02-1997 DE69307377 T 03-07-1997 DK565399 T 14-07-1997 EP 0565399 A 13-10-1993 ES2099391 T 16-05-1997 GR3022297 T 30-04-1997 JP6024393 A 01-02-1994 RU2124760 C 10-01-1999 US 5638282 A 10-06-1997US 5638282 A 10-06-1997

Previous Patent: ROAD SAFETY DEVICES

Next Patent: DEVICE FOR STUDYING THE SOUND EMISSION OF MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS