Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Honeywell Interntaional Inc.

Christine Marie Haissig

Ruy C Brandao

Eric A Euteneuer

Kevin J Conner

Joseph J Nutaro

Ruy L Brandao

Keith Hughes

John R Weed

John Howard Glover

Tomas Marczi

Paul Samanant

David C Vacanti

Stephen D Whitlow

David W Meyers

Willard R True

Daniel Eugene Lewis

Michael L Olive

Michal Polansky

Scott I Snyder

Michael A Woessner

Dale Frederick Enns

Mike Jackson

Stephane Marche

Michael R Jackson

Jan Flasar

Jarold Weiser

William R Corwin

Rosa Maria Nicole Weber

Juliana Sevcikova

Dimitris K Pirovolou

Methods and systems are provided for enhancing the functionality of an airborne separation assurance system (ASAS) by modifying it to cooperate with a required time of arrival (RTA) functionality. The system comprises an autopilot configured to execute a trajectory of an aircraft and a flight management system (FMS) in operable communication with the autopilot. The FMS includes a required time of arrival (RTA) system that is configured to determine an RTA aircraft trajectory of the aircraft based on a required time of arrival of the aircraft at a waypoint along the flight plan. The system also includes an airborne separation assurance system (ASAS) in operable communication with the RTA and is configured to determine a spacing trajectory based on a spacing interval from a first reference aircraft.

Airborne separation assurance system and required time of arrival function cooperation

Systems and methods for displaying a location reference indicator (LRI) associated with an ownship icon are provided. In various embodiments, an airport moving map (AMM) is displayed, and the ownship icon is displayed in the AMM, where the ownship icon represents the ownship. A degree of zoom of the AMM is determined. In response to a determination that the degree of zoom is not within a range of center referenced threshold values, a first LRI is displayed that indicates that the icon representing the ownship is not to scale with other objects displayed in the AMM. In response to a determination that the degree of zoom is within the range of center referenced threshold values, a second LRI is displayed.

Systems and methods for improving positional awareness within an airport moving map

In some examples described herein, a runway location is determined based on aircraft state information from at least one aircraft. For example, a processor may determine the coordinates of one or more points of a runway based on aircraft state information generated by one or more aircraft using the runway. In some examples, the processor may aggregate coordinates determined from the aircraft state information provided by a plurality of different aircraft in order to determine the location of the runway. The processor can be located onboard an aircraft providing the state information, onboard a different aircraft, or external to any aircraft.

Runway location determination

Provided are methods and systems for the automatic calculation and presentation of data on a display device alerting a pilot that a change in flight plan is desirable, possible and administratively compliant under air traffic control protocol. The methods and systems may automatically request the flight clearance over a data link or the pilot may override the data link.

Automated decision aid tool for prompting a pilot to request a flight level change

In some examples, a processor is configured to control a ground obstacle collision alerting system of an aircraft to deactivate delivery of ground obstacle collision alerts in response to determining the aircraft is in a designated ground area. In some examples, the processor is configured to determine the aircraft is in the designated ground area based on user input, based on a geographic location of the aircraft, or both. The processor is further configured to control the ground obstacle collision alerting system to automatically reactivate the delivery of the ground obstacle collision alerts in response to determining the aircraft is outside of the designated ground area. In some examples, the processor is configured to determine the aircraft is outside of the designated ground area based on a geographic location of the aircraft, a ground speed of the aircraft, or both.

Ground obstacle collision alert deactivation

A high-integrity auto-guidance and control method for use in conjunction with an aircraft electric taxi drive system comprises obtaining taxi path data generating in a plurality of processors taxi path guidance and control information from the taxi path guidance data, and sending commands derived from the taxi path guidance and control information from one of the plurality of processors based on a predetermined priority scheme to at least one electric taxi controller.

High integrity, surface guidance system for aircraft electric taxi

An auto-guidance and control method and system are provided for use in conjunction with an aircraft electric taxi system, wherein electric taxi guidance may be performed in a manual mode by a crew or in an auto-mode by an auto-guidance and control system. First, aircraft status data and airport feature data are accessed. A processor, in response to at least the aircraft status data and the airport feature data, generates taxi guidance information and renders the taxi guidance information on a display. A guidance route is manually navigated utilizing guidance information on the display in the manual mode. In the auto mode, taxi-path commands, generated by the processor, are applied to taxi path guidance controllers in the auto-mode.

Electric taxi auto-guidance and control system

An auto-guidance and control method and system is provided for use in conjunction with an aircraft electric taxi system. Aircraft status data is obtained, and airport feature data accessed. A processor generates taxi path guidance and control information including at least taxi speed guidance information, and sends commands derived from the taxi speed guidance information by the processor directly to an electric taxi controller to regulate the taxi speed of the aircraft.

System, method and computer program product for determining bearing using ADS-B and TCAS standard reply bearing estimates are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for determining bearing based upon ADS-B signals includes receiving ADS-B signals and standard transponder reply signals. A first bearing estimate is based on the ADS-B signal. A second bearing estimate is based on the standard transponder reply signals. A database is developed according to the first and second bearing estimates via the ADS-B and standard transponder reply signals. In one embodiment, where ADS-B signals are unavailable, associated ADS-B signals associated with the standard transponder reply previously stored in the database are used to determine bearing.

Methods and systems of determining bearing when ADS-B data is unavailable

Vehicle position keeping systems and methods. The system reduces vehicle congestion by maintaining a position of a first vehicle relative to a second vehicle, determining guidance corrections based on a track state referenced to the second vehicle that take into account a tracking position error indicative of the error in the position of the first vehicle. The guidance corrections maintain desired spacing between the first vehicle and at least the second vehicle.

Vehicle position keeping system

Systems and methods for reducing radar target processing. The systems include a processor configured to receive a first input from a cooperative surveillance source and a second input from a radar device. The first input includes cooperative target information, the second input includes cooperative and non-cooperative target information, and the processor is configured to process the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input to generate a modified radar output for use by an output device. The methods include receiving a first input including cooperative target information from a cooperative surveillance source, receiving a second input including cooperative and non-cooperative target information from a radar device, processing the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input, and generating a modified radar output based on the processed first and second inputs.

Radar target processing reduction systems and methods using cooperative surveillance sources

A device for determining the bearing of a vehicle using Inertial Reference Unit (IRU) and Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) data. The device includes a means to communicate with the vehicle such as a transmitter, receiver, and antenna. The device also includes a processor configured to receive the IRU and TCAS data from the vehicle via the communication means and then generate a bearing value using the received data.

Traffic alert collision avoidance system (TCAS) devices and methods

A position keeping system, useable to maintain a position of a vehicle in a vehicle formation, to keep all formation members flying at a specified velocity and altitude, and to perform commanded maneuvers, determines guidance corrections based on a track state referenced to a leader or a virtual leader of the formation and on a formation position error indicating the error in the position of the vehicle in the formation. The guidance corrections are required so as to maintain the vehicles in the formation.

Systems, methods and protocol for assuring separation of aircraft during parallel approaches. The systems, methods and protocol function in cooperation with existing TCAS to facilitate approaches of multiple aircraft on closely-spaced parallel runways. The systems, methods and protocol utilize data transmissions from equipped aircraft to obtain tracking information which is used in separation algorithms to generate alerts to an observer of possible threats. The systems, methods and protocol facilitate parallel approaches to closely-spaced parallel runways under Instrument Approach Procedure.

Growing community of inventors

Chanhassen, MN, United States of America

Christine Marie Haissig