Honeywell International Inc.

Thomas F McGuffin

Thomas D Judd

Tom D Judd

Reetu Gupta

Willard R True

Patrick Ludwig

Michael D Holder

Randy T Durand

Mark C Erwin

Divya Swarup Giriyappa Srinivasan

Justin Schassler

Kathryn Bates Hill

Scott James Redmond

Michael J Kayser

Prapon Sae-Chim

Pankaj Bhutani

Bryan L Rowe

A vehicle communication management unit is provided that includes at least one configurable communication interface, at least one memory and a communication controller. Each configuration communication interface is configured to interface signals between a communication link and the vehicle communication management unit using a select communication protocol. The memory is used to store operating instructions of the communication management unit including an interface configuration table. The interface configuration table includes communication operating parameters for select communication protocols. The communication controller is used to control communication operations of the communication management unit. The communication controller is configured to determine a type of communication protocol used in a communication link coupled to the at least one configurable communication interface. The communication controller is further configured to configure the at least one configurable communication interface with communication operating parameters stored in the configuration table associated with the determined type of communication protocol.

Communication management unit with configurable interface

A method for processing Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages at a Communications Management Unit (CMU) on an aircraft is provided. The method includes, for an ACARS downlink message, receiving a message at the CMU from an application on a computer external to the CMU onboard the aircraft, reading a field in the message that indicates a message type for that application, determining an ACARS label associated with the message type, using the determined ACARS label instead of the industry standard ACARS label/sublabel associated with the onboard application external to the CMU, and sending the ACARS downlink message encoded with the determined ACARS label to a ground system to be delivered to a peer ground application.

Processing messages for an application running on a computer external to a communications management unit (CMU)

A system to distribute an Aircraft Operations Communication (AOC) application is provided. The system includes communication components in a vehicle, and an AOC database. The communication components include one of: a Communication Management Unit (CMU); or a Communication Management Function (CMF); and at least one of: at least one electronic flight bag (EFB); and at least one cabin terminal. The AOC database includes an operational configuration for aircraft operations communication for the communication components in the vehicle. The AOC database is loaded into at least one of: the CMU, the CMF, the at least one EFB; the at least one cabin terminal; and a database device. The AOC database configures the operation of the communication components in the vehicle.

Systems and methods to distribute an aircraft operations communication (AOC) application to communication components in a vehicle

A communication system in an aircraft is described. The communication system includes a CMU that is coupled to at least one safety subnetwork and an AOIP computing device. The AOIP computing device is coupled to at least one non-safety subnetwork. The AOIP computing device determines whether ACARS messages received from the CMU are ACARS safety messages or ACARS non-safety messages. The AOIP computing device monitors CMU status messages from the CMU. In response to the AOIP computing device receiving an ACARS safety message, the AOIP computing device periodically transmits a second status message indicating that the AOIP computing device is unavailable. In response to determining that at least one safety subnetwork is available, the AOIP computing device stops periodically transmitting the second status message and transmits a first status message indicating that the AOIP computing device is available.

ACARS over IP system for non-safety messages

In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method comprises: receiving a selection of at least one of: an initial air traffic control (ATC) message communications protocol and an initial controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) system; determining if a second communications protocol was selected; if the second communications protocol was selected, trapping at least one of a received ATC message in a first communications protocol, and a to be sent ATC message in the first communications protocol; and at least one of sending an ATC message in the selected communications protocol and receiving an ATC message in the selected communications protocol.

System and method for sending and receiving air traffic network messages using different protocols

Systems and methods for enhanced subnetwork preference logic are herein provided. In certain implementations, a method for transmitting messages over a datalink communication system includes identifying a location of a first communication unit; and identifying an altitude of the first communication unit. Further, the method includes selecting a sub-network preference for the first communication unit for communicating between the first communication unit and one or more other communication units, wherein the sub-network preference is selected based on the location and the altitude of the first communication unit, wherein the sub-network preference identifies one or more sub-networks in order of preference; and transmitting one or more messages to the one or more other communication units through a sub-network that is a most preferred sub-network as indicated by the selected sub-network preference and available for communications.

Systems and methods for enhanced subnetwork preference logic

A method for vehicle communications is disclosed. The method comprises monitoring, in a vehicle during travel, line of sight (LOS) datalink messages sent to one or more other vehicles from one or more ground stations in a LOS datalink network coverage area, and calculating a rate in which the LOS datalink messages are sent to the other vehicles. The method detects that the vehicle is substantially out of the LOS datalink network coverage area, when the LOS datalink messages rate drops below a threshold value. Messages are transmitted from the vehicle over a different available network when the vehicle is substantially out of the LOS datalink network coverage area.

Method to detect when vehicle is out of LOS datalink network area so messages from vehicle can be proactively directed to different available network

A method for minimizing datalink message propagation time comprises determining whether a datalink TPDU ready for transmission requires an acknowledgement; transmitting the TPDU, starting a transport retry timer, and setting a transmission count to one, when acknowledgement is required; determining whether acknowledgement is received after transmitting the TPDU; determining whether the retry timer has expired if acknowledgement not received; determining whether a hold mode is in effect when the retry timer has expired; determining whether a transport inactivity timer has expired when the hold mode is in effect; determining whether the hold mode is still in effect when the inactivity timer has not expired; when the hold mode is no longer in effect, incrementing the transmission count by one; and retransmitting the datalink TPDU and restarting the retry timer, when the transmission count is less than a predetermined maximum value and the inactivity timer has not expired.

Minimizining message propagation times when brief datalink interruptions occur

Embodiments for detecting when a datalink application is available at an airport are disclosed. In one embodiment, an avionics computer installed onboard an aircraft comprises: a processing device; and a memory device communicatively coupled to the processing device and including instructions which, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to: send a request to a datalink applications database, wherein the request includes a query as to whether an airport is equipped with at least one datalink application; receive a response from the datalink applications database, wherein the response indicates whether the airport is equipped with the at least one datalink application; and send a message via datalink if the response indicates the airport is equipped with the at least one datalink application.

Systems and methods for detecting if a datalink application is available at an airport

A method for minimizing propagation time of at least one queued-up datalink TPDU comprises determining whether a current TPDU ready for transmission requires acknowledgement; transmitting the current TPDU, starting a retry timer, and setting a transmission count to one, when acknowledgement required; determining whether acknowledgement received after transmitting the current TPDU; determining whether a pending TPDU is awaiting transmission when acknowledgement is not received; when a pending TPDU is awaiting transmission, determining whether elapsed wait time of the current TPDU is greater than a preselected minimum; incrementing the transmission count by one when elapsed wait time is greater than the preselected minimum; determining again whether there is a pending TPDU awaiting transmission when the transmission count is less than a predetermined maximum and an inactivity timer has not expired; and when there is still at least one pending TPDU awaiting transmission, retransmitting the current TPDU and restarting the retry timer.

Minimizing propagation times of queued-up datalink TPDUs

An avionics system comprising a human machine interface configured to display a user interface and a control device is provided. The control device coupled to the human machine interface, wherein the control device is configured to send and receive controller/pilot data link communications (CPDLC) messages and adjust the user interface based on a first CPDLC version of an established first CPDLC session.

Enhanced flight crew display for supporting multiple controller/pilot data link communications (CPDLC) versions

An avionics messaging system comprises a memory configured to store a plurality of pre-defined avionics message elements; a display unit configured to display data; a user input device configured to receive input from a user; and a processing unit configured to output a user-customizable list of pre-defined avionics message elements to the display unit, the user-customizable list comprising at least a subset of the plurality of pre-defined avionics message elements; wherein the processing unit is further configured to update the user-customizable list based on input received from the user input device; wherein the processing unit is further configured to provide a message composition screen to the display unit based on user input received from the user input device; and wherein the message composition screen corresponds to a pre-defined avionics message element selected from the user-customizable list of pre-defined avionics message elements.

Avionic data dictionary based messaging system and method

Systems and methods for detecting a loss of communications between an aircraft and a ground station are provided. In one embodiment, a system for detecting a loss of communication for an aircraft comprises: a communication detection software module resident as an application on an aircraft communication management unit (CMU); a CMU message router in communication with the communication detection software module; at least one radio coupled to the communication management unit; a statistical model of communications traffic density for an RF zone associated with a ground station; wherein the communication detection software module performs a statistical analysis of a current communications traffic density of radio communications observed by the at least one radio to determine when the aircraft has a lost a communications link with the ground station.

Systems and methods for detecting a loss of communication using statistical analysis

Systems and methods for providing an active prompt for a timed response are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises a human machine interface that presents controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) information to a user, and a CPDLC computer configured to process received CPDLC messages. In certain embodiments, the CPDLC computer comprises a memory device that stores received CPDLC messages, and a processing unit that starts a timer when a CPDLC message is received, wherein the timer counts a response period for responding to the CPDLC message. Further the processing unit instructs the human machine interface to display a time remaining in the response period when the timer reaches a message expiration warning period.

Systems and methods for an active prompt for timed response controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) messages

A system to reduce head-down time for a flight crew member is provided. The system includes a functional module that includes a set of screens used to receive and send controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC) messages between an aircraft and a ground-based system; a message composition screen communicatively coupled to the functional module; and a shortcut interface communicatively coupled to the functional module, wherein a shortcut prompt is displayed when one of a response timer expires or a negative uplink response message is received responsive to a previously-sent downlink request message, wherein an implementation of the shortcut interface generates a 'when can we expect . . . ' message related to the previously-sent downlink request message.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Thomas F McGuffin