The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 18, 2014
Filed:
Apr. 15, 2010
David Garrido-lopez, Colmenarejo, ES;
Ramon Gomez Ledesma, Madrid, ES;
David Garrido-Lopez, Colmenarejo, ES;
Ramon Gomez Ledesma, Madrid, ES;
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods of controlling the flight path of an aircraft to follow as closely as possible a predetermined four-dimensional flight path, such as when flying continuous descent approaches. A method of controlling an aircraft to follow a predetermined four-dimensional flight path is provided that comprises monitoring an actual along-track position and an actual vertical position of the aircraft relative to corresponding desired positions on the predetermined flight path. Throttle commands are generated based on deviations of the actual vertical position of the aircraft from the desired vertical position. Elevator commands are generated based on the deviation of the actual along-track position from the desired along-track position and on the deviation of the actual vertical position from the desired vertical position.