초록 ▼

A vertical situation display system for use in a vehicle such as, for example, an aircraft, is provided. A side view of an intended route of flight may be shown with altitude restrictions, airspace and instrument approach information, a projected flight path and range to airspeed symbol. The system

A vertical situation display system for use in a vehicle such as, for example, an aircraft, is provided. A side view of an intended route of flight may be shown with altitude restrictions, airspace and instrument approach information, a projected flight path and range to airspeed symbol. The system may show terrain, weather, and traffic information along the intended route of flight. The system may be used in conjunction with a navigational display to enhance situational awareness. The system includes a computer, an electronic display device, an electronic entry device, a memory and a database. The database may contain terrain, airspace and flight planning data and may be updatable.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for managing an aircraft's vertical flight path in a flight information display system, comprising: processing an aircraft position and a terrain information in relation to a planned flight path;processing an energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes whe

1. A method for managing an aircraft's vertical flight path in a flight information display system, comprising: processing an aircraft position and a terrain information in relation to a planned flight path;processing an energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes wherein said attainable range of altitudes is a range of altitudes that the aircraft can attain without increasing the aircraft's kinetic energy from a current position forward;displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the terrain information in relation to a corridor along the planned flight path wherein the corridor width gradually increases from the current position forward; anddisplaying on the VSD the attainable range of altitudes along the planned flight path wherein a top limit of the attainable range of altitudes indicates an altitude profile with a plurality of the aircraft's engines at idle and a plurality of speed brakes stowed and a bottom limit of the attainable range of altitudes indicates an altitude profile with the plurality of the aircraft's engines at idle and the plurality of speed brakes deployed. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a waypoint information, the planned flight path, and terrain information along the planned flight path for a descent management using the attainable range of altitudes. 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the attainable range of altitudes as a shaded area on the VSD. 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the top limit of the attainable range of altitudes and the bottom limit of the attainable range of altitudes in different colors. 5. A method for managing an aircraft's vertical flight path in a flight information display system, comprising: processing an aircraft position and a terrain information in relation to a projected flight path;processing an energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes wherein said attainable range of altitudes is a range of altitudes that the aircraft can attain without increasing the aircraft's kinetic energy from a current position forward;displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the terrain information in relation to a corridor along the projected flight path wherein the corridor width gradually increases from the current position forward; anddisplaying on the VSD the attainable range of altitudes along the projected flight path wherein a top limit of the attainable range of altitudes indicates an altitude profile with a plurality of the aircraft's engines at idle and a plurality of speed brakes stowed and a bottom limit of the attainable range of altitudes indicates an altitude profile with the plurality of the aircraft's engines at idle and a plurality of speed brakes deployed. 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising displaying a waypoint information, the projected flight path, and terrain information along the projected flight path for a descent management using the attainable range of altitudes. 7. The method of claim 5 further comprising displaying the attainable range of altitudes as a shaded area on the VSD. 8. The method of claim 5 further comprising displaying the top limit of the attainable range of altitudes and the bottom limit of the attainable range of altitudes in different colors. 9. A method for managing an aircraft's vertical flight path in a flight information display system, comprising: processing an airplane position and a terrain information in relation to a planned flight path;processing an airspace information to calculate a vertical profile of an airspace altitude restriction;displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the terrain information in relation to a corridor along the planned flight path wherein the corridor width gradually increases from the current position forward; anddisplaying on the VSD the vertical profile of the airspace altitude restriction along the planned flight path. 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising displaying a waypoint information, the planned flight path, and the terrain information along the planned flight path for vertical navigation management in relation to the airspace altitude restriction. 11. The method of claim 9 further comprising: processing an energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes wherein said attainable range of altitudes is a range of altitudes that the aircraft can attain without increasing a kinetic energy from a current position forward; anddisplaying on the VSD the attainable range of altitudes to depict an interaction between the attainable range of altitudes and the airspace altitude restriction. 12. The method of claim 9 further comprising updating the airspace information and acquiring a weather information by a datalink. 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising processing an updated airspace information to calculate a vertical profile of an updated airspace altitude restriction and displaying the updated airspace altitude restriction and the weather information on the VSD. 14. A method for managing an aircraft's vertical flight path in a flight information display system, comprising: processing an aircraft position and a terrain information in relation to a projected flight path;processing an airspace information to calculate a vertical profile of an airspace altitude restriction;displaying on a vertical situation display (VSD) the terrain information in relation to a corridor along the projected flight path wherein the corridor width gradually increases from the current position forward; anddisplaying on the VSD the vertical profile of the airspace altitude restriction along the projected flight path. 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising displaying a waypoint information, the projected flight path, and the terrain information along the projected flight path for vertical navigation management in relation to the airspace altitude restriction. 16. The method of claim 14 further comprising: processing an energy management information to calculate an attainable range of altitudes wherein said attainable range of altitudes is a range of altitudes that the aircraft can attain without increasing the aircraft's kinetic energy from a current position forward; anddisplaying on the VSD the attainable range of altitudes to depict the interaction between the attainable range of altitudes and the airspace altitude restriction along the projected flight path. 17. The method of claim 14 further comprising updating airspace information and acquiring a weather information by a datalink. 18. The method of claim 14 further comprising processing an updated airspace information to calculate a vertical profile of an updated airspace altitude restriction and displaying the updated airspace altitude restriction and the weather information on the VSD.