Patent ID: 9423799
Filing Date: 2016-08-23
CPC Classification: G05D,G08G

Claim Text:
1. A method, with a processor of an information processing system, for adaptively selecting an aircraft descent flight path for a particular aircraft that executes descents based on a kinematic-defined descent altitude profile including a descent fixed-flight-path angle, such particular aircraft being unequipped with a performance-based flight management system that calculates and constructs a descent profile that guides a pilot of such particular aircraft through near-idle descents, the method comprising: receiving user input comprising a set of flight adaptation parameters for the particular aircraft, the set of flight adaptation parameters comprising: aircraft flight descent time period; aircraft flight descent airspace region; and aircraft flight descent flyability constraints; querying a plurality of flight data sources, based at least on the received set of flight adaptation parameters, and retrieving flight information therefrom including the following: winds and temperatures aloft data for the aircraft flight descent time period and the aircraft flight descent airspace region; airspace/navigation constraints for the aircraft flight descent time period and the aircraft flight descent airspace region; aircraft performance model for the particular aircraft, including the rate of fuel consumption as a function of aircraft flight velocity and acceleration; and airspace traffic demand corresponding to the aircraft flight descent time period and the aircraft flight descent airspace region; and calculating and constructing a set of candidate descent profiles, based on the retrieved flight information and the set of flight adaptation parameters, the calculating and constructing performed at a location physically separate from the particular aircraft, where for each candidate in the set of candidate descent profiles constructing a four dimensional trajectory defined by position, altitude, and time, for the particular aircraft descent flight path, the aircraft flight descent time period, and the aircraft flight descent airspace region, each candidate descent profile comprising: a descent profile value defined by at least one of a flight path angle and a descent rate for the particular aircraft, the descent profile value being within a range of values from a minimum descent profile value to a maximum descent profile value, in defined descent profile value increments; an aggregated total fuel consumption value for the particular aircraft following the calculated trajectory for the candidate descent profile, based on the aircraft performance model for the particular aircraft and the descent profile value for the candidate descent profile; and a flyability constraints metric for the calculated trajectory for the candidate descent profile; and selecting a best candidate descent profile from the set of candidate descent profiles, the best candidate descent profile having the least fuel consumption value while the flyability constraints metric for the descent profile remains within the aircraft flight descent flyability constraints.