초록 ▼

A system and method for displaying aircraft traffic information on an onboard display element of a host aircraft are provided. The system obtains current flight status data of the host aircraft and current flight status data of a second aircraft that is near the host aircraft, and processes the curr

A system and method for displaying aircraft traffic information on an onboard display element of a host aircraft are provided. The system obtains current flight status data of the host aircraft and current flight status data of a second aircraft that is near the host aircraft, and processes the current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft to determine an in-trail procedure (ITP) opportunity region for the host aircraft. The ITP opportunity region is associated with conditions that satisfy ITP criteria for the host aircraft. The system renders, on the onboard display element, an ITP display comprising graphical representations of the host aircraft and the second aircraft positioned in accordance with the current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft. The ITP display further includes a graphical representation of the ITP opportunity region.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for displaying aircraft traffic information on an onboard display element of a host aircraft, the method comprising: obtaining current flight status data of the host aircraft and current flight status data of a second aircraft that is near the host aircraft via an aircraft-to-aircraft co

1. A method for displaying aircraft traffic information on an onboard display element of a host aircraft, the method comprising: obtaining current flight status data of the host aircraft and current flight status data of a second aircraft that is near the host aircraft via an aircraft-to-aircraft communication module;a processor which processes the current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft to determine an in-trail procedure (ITP) opportunity region for the host aircraft, the ITP opportunity region being associated with conditions that satisfy ITP criteria for the host aircraft;rendering, on the onboard display element, an ITP display comprising graphical representations of the host aircraft and the second aircraft positioned in accordance with the current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft, and the ITP display further comprising a graphical representation of the ITP opportunity region; andwherein the processor further analyzes the current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft to determine whether the ITP criteria has been satisfied;wherein the ITP display is rendered such that at least a portion of the graphical representation of the host aircraft is displayed in contact with or in the graphical representation of the ITP opportunity region when the ITP criteria is satisfied; andwherein the ITP display is rendered such that no portion of the graphical representation of the host aircraft is displayed in contact with or in the graphical representation of the ITP opportunity region when the ITP criteria is not satisfied. 2. The method of claim 1, the ITP display further comprising an altitude scale for the host aircraft and the second aircraft. 3. The method of claim 1, the ITP display further comprising a lateral distance scale for the host aircraft and the second aircraft. 4. The method of claim 3, the lateral distance scale being expressed in ITP distance. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the current flight status data of the second aircraft comprises receiving the current flight status data of the second aircraft directly from the second aircraft using aircraft-to-aircraft data communication. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring a requested flight level that is different than a current flight level of the host aircraft, wherein determination of the ITP opportunity region is influenced by the requested flight level. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating, from the current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft, an estimated time to reach ITP criteria satisfaction for the host aircraft, wherein the ITP display further comprises a graphical representation of a timing marker that indicates the estimated time. 8. A method for displaying aircraft traffic information on an onboard display element of a host aircraft, the method comprising: receiving, from a reference aircraft other than the host aircraft, current flight status data of the reference aircraft via an aircraft-to-aircraft communication module;acquiring a requested flight level that is different than a current flight level of the host aircraft;a processor which determines an opportunity region for the host aircraft, the opportunity region being associated with conditions required to request a change in flight level from the current flight level of the host aircraft to the requested flight level, the opportunity region being determined based on the current flight data of the reference aircraft, the requested flight level, the current flight level, and current flight data of the host aircraft;displaying a graphical representation of the opportunity region on the onboard display element; andwherein the processor further analyzes current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the reference aircraft to determine whether the conditions have been satisfied;wherein the graphical representation of the opportunity region is displayed such that at least a portion of the graphical representation of the host aircraft is in contact with or in the graphical representation of the opportunity region when the conditions have been satisfied; andwherein the graphical representation of the opportunity region is displayed such that no portion of the graphical representation of the host aircraft is in contact with or in the graphical representation of the opportunity region when the conditions have not been satisfied. 9. The method of claim 8, the opportunity region being determined based on a measure of distance between the host aircraft and the reference aircraft. 10. The method of claim 8, the opportunity region being determined based on a groundspeed differential between the host aircraft and the reference aircraft. 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying, on the onboard display element, a graphical representation of the host aircraft at a first position on a lateral distance scale of in-trail procedure (ITP) distance, wherein the graphical representation of the opportunity region is displayed on the lateral distance scale. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying, on the onboard display element, a graphical representation of the reference aircraft at a second position that is different than the first position. 13. A flight deck display system for a host aircraft, the system comprising: an aircraft-to-aircraft data communication module that receives current flight status data of a second aircraft;a processor coupled to the aircraft-to-aircraft data communication module, the processor being configured to obtain and process the current flight status data along with current host aircraft flight status data to determine an opportunity region for the host aircraft, the opportunity region being associated with criteria that must be satisfied to request a change in flight level from a current flight level of the host aircraft to a new flight level, and the processor being configured to generate image rendering display commands based upon the current flight status data, the current host aircraft flight status data, the current flight level, and the new flight level; anda display element coupled to the processor and configured to receive the image rendering display commands and, in response thereto, to render an in-trail procedure (ITP) display that includes graphical representations of the host aircraft, the second aircraft, and the opportunity region;wherein the processor is further configured to analyze current flight status data of the host aircraft and the current flight status data of the second aircraft to determine whether the criteria has been satisfied;wherein the graphical representation of the opportunity region is rendered such that at least a portion of the graphical representation of the host aircraft is in contact with or in the graphical representation of the opportunity region when the criteria has been satisfied; andwherein the graphical representation of the opportunity region is rendered such that no portion of the graphical representation of the host aircraft is in contact with or in the graphical representation of the opportunity region when the criteria has not been satisfied. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the criteria comprises ITP criteria associated with a measure of distance between the host aircraft and the second aircraft. 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the criteria comprises ITP criteria associated with a groundspeed differential between the host aircraft and the second aircraft. 16. The system of claim 13, wherein: the processor calculates an estimated time to reach satisfaction of the criteria, from the current flight status data, the current host aircraft flight status data, the current flight level, and the new flight level; andthe ITP display includes a graphical representation of a timing marker that indicates the estimated time.