Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Timothy R Fannin

Eric N Anderson

Keith A Stover

Matthew P Corbett

Nicholas H Bloom

Sarah Barber

Carlo L Tiana

Weston James Lahr

Geoffrey A Shapiro

Felix B Turcios

Jason R Owen

Robert A Armstrong

Russ D Uthe

James E Walton

Andrew R Markofski

Brian A Reynolds

A system and method for offloading Future Air Navigation System (FANS) and Automated Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) functionality from the flight management system (FMS) to an aircraft-based communications management unit (CMU) receives intent data outputs from the FMS, each intent data output including aircraft state and trajectory intent data. Based on the received intent data outputs, the CMU generates a dynamic route representation approximating the aircraft route, inferring and connecting waypoints without otherwise querying the FMS or the pilot for additional data. The CMU receives inbound messages related to ADS-C contracts established with the aircraft by air traffic control (ATC) ground stations and, based on the dynamic route, generates and transmits any necessary ADS-C reports to the ATC ground stations. Further, the CMU queries aircraft-based absolute and relative navigational systems to verify navigational system availability and accuracy status with each ADS-C report.

Communication management unit (CMU) based support for automated dependent surveillance-contract (ADS-C) fulfillment

A system and related method operates to receive autopilot selection and monitor aircraft systems to control which autopilot is actively flying the aircraft. During certain flight operations in which a single autopilot is in use, the system reverts to the next available autopilot should the active and selected autopilot disconnect for any reason (e.g., faults and/or failures). The system maintains a redundant ability for pilot use of each pilot selectable mode of each autopilot channel including altitude hold, speed hold, heading hold, etc. For an indication to a pilot or remote operator that the system has reverted to a second autopilot, the system commands a momentary aural warning and a visual message/lights. For failures resulting in timely but necessary maneuver requirements, the system maintains autopilot control laws, control authority and roll authority.

Autopilot availability for reduced crew operations system and method

A system may include a display and a processor. The display may be configured to present images to a user, the display in an ownship. The processor may be communicatively coupled to the display and in the ownship. The processor may be configured to: receive aircraft traffic data and ownship data; at least one of determine or adjust a threshold range based at least on the aircraft traffic data and the ownship data, the threshold range representing a time or distance threshold to designated traffic; generate and update a graphical threshold indicator, the threshold indicator representing a time or distance from the threshold range to the designated traffic; and output the graphical threshold indicator as graphical data to the display. The display may be configured to display the graphical threshold indicator to the user.

Aircraft system and method to provide graphical threshold range indicator

A system and method operate to leverage high assurance positioning systems to determine a hybrid deviation from an expected position, altitude, and path to generate a lateral and vertical signal indicating deviation from a desired position. As a filtered or alternative to conventional precision landing systems, the hybrid positioning system receives sensor data from a plurality of sensors and compares the received sensor data to known values to determine a deviation of position and trajectory. Extending the capability of existing auto-land systems, relative-to-runway sensors and/or filtered high assurance hybrid solutions are employed as an alternative to conventional precision landing systems. The sensors provide position data that is compared to an expected position and path to provide deviations in lateral, vertical, and speed augmenting traditional RF-based systems. The result includes a system capability for all weather landing leveraging traditional flight control systems to extend capabilities at all airports.

Guidance deviation derivation from high assurance hybrid position solution system and method

A system may include a display and a processor. The processor may be configured to: receive aircraft traffic data and ownship data; generate and update a linear map based on the aircraft traffic data and the ownship data; and output the linear map as graphical data to the display. The display may be configured to display the linear map to a user. The linear map may depict a one-dimensional relationship between an ownship and designated traffic. The linear map may convey a range between the ownship and the designated traffic and may convey a closure rate between the ownship and the designated traffic. The linear map may include: a graphical threshold indicator; a graphical ownship indicator; a graphical scale; and a graphical designated traffic indicator.

Aircraft system and method to provide linear map of traffic

An LCD is described. The LCD includes an LCD panel and a backlight. The LCD panel includes a plurality of LCD elements arranged in an array, each element configured to change its light transmission based on a voltage applied to the LCD element. The backlight is configured to provide light to the LCD elements of the LCD panel. The backlight includes one or more visible light elements providing visible light to the LCD panel, and includes one or more non-visible light elements, different from the visible light elements, providing non-visible light to the LCD panel at a wavelength such that the non-visible light increases the photoconductivity of the LCD elements.

Solution for LCD image persistence

An aircraft computer system includes segregated processing elements, each executing an autonomous agent. Each autonomous agent receives a set of data pertaining to aircraft events and processes the data to identify a set of instructions for resolving the event. Each autonomous agent then compares all competing solutions to determine if each autonomous agent agrees; if so, the solution is implemented, if not, the disparity is resolved either automatically via a voting algorithm or with the intervention of a human decision maker.

Dual independent autonomous agent architecture for aircraft

Transparently executing applications among cores in a multi-processor system includes monitoring elements associated with each processor which align execution of threads within corresponding cores of the processors. Alignment is accomplished by monitoring system resource utilization by each core, comparing process counters associated with corresponding cores, and comparing data sets in and out during application frame switching. In a further aspect, inputs are coordinated by a synchronization element. Likewise, outputs for corresponding cores are compared to ensure no corrupted data is propagated.

High integrity multi-core processing

A decentralized Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) architecture configured for onboard avionics processing eliminates centralized computing cabinets and distributes avionics processing capabilities to a network of smart switching devices positioned throughout the aircraft, each smart switch including a multicore processing environment (MCPE) for generalized application hosting in addition to the switching elements. The smart switching network can be scaled up or down for smaller or larger aircraft, or organically grown by adding more processing components. Additional real-time multicore processors may be located in smart remote data concentrators (RDC) for handling I/O and routing of network data between external remote units and aircraft systems and the hosted applications on the smart switches. The real-time environments executing on the smart RDCs may be reserved for low-latency closed-loop functions, or may host additional general-purpose avionics processing.

Decentralized integrated modular avionics (IMA) processing

A system and method for debugging a partitioned avionics computer which uses a debugging dump memory and a debugging dump memory controller which take control of the main system bus of the computer for a predetermined amount of time.

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Urbana, IA, United States of America

Timothy R Fannin