Abstract:
Systems and methods for improving the reception and delivery of an In-Trail Procedures (ITP) altitude change request. An example system located on board a host aircraft includes a communication component, a display device and a processor unit that is in signal communication with the communication component and the display device. The processor unit presents a user interface on the display device. The user interface includes a plurality of fields for receiving In-Trail Procedures (ITP) altitude change request information. The processor sends the ITP altitude change request information received within the plurality of fields to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility via the communication component. An ITP unit having a display receives an altitude selection and presents ITP altitude change request information if the received altitude selection is determined to be valid.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to require airborne Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) applications to provide improved benefits to operators. One of the benefits of ADS-B is the In-Trail Procedures (ITP). In addition to increasing flight crew awareness of the traffic around them, ITP displays offer information for safely climbing or descending through altitudes. 
         [0002]    Currently, datalinking allows digital text messaging between controllers and pilots. ITP using Controller-Pilot Datalink Communication (CPDLC) for datalinking requires the use of structured and defined message sets consisting of uplink and downlink messages. A major concern with using CPDLC in general is the amount of heads-down time in the cockpit. It is critical that heads-down time be mitigated. Part of this mitigation is a requirement that pilots be able to quickly find, compose, and send ITP requests to Air Traffic Control (ATC). Also, wrongly formulating the ITP datalink messages by, for example, not adhering to the standard message formats, not providing all required ITP information, or entering the wrong variables will result in communication errors and delays. Evidence of this problem is mentioned in a NASA study titled “Enhanced Oceanic Operations Human-In-The-Loop In-Trail Procedure Validation Simulation Study” (NASA/TP-2008-215313). 
         [0003]    Currently a touch panel display on an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) display device is used for composing and sending ITP altitude change requests to ATC. The setting up and sending of an ITP clearance via an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) device is cumbersome and because free text is used, it can be prone to error. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides systems and methods for improving the reception and delivery of an In-Trail Procedures (ITP) altitude change request. An example system is located on board a host aircraft. The system includes a communication component, a display device and a processor unit that is in signal communication with the communication component and the display device. The processor unit presents a user interface on the display device. The user interface includes a plurality of fields for receiving In-Trail Procedures (ITP) altitude change request information. The processor sends the ITP altitude change request information received within the plurality of fields to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility via the communication component. 
         [0005]    In one aspect of the invention, the system includes an ITP unit having a display. The ITP unit receives an altitude selection and presents ITP altitude change request information if the received altitude selection is determined to be valid. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the invention, the display device includes a Multipurpose Control Display Unit (MCDU). 
         [0007]    In still another aspect of the invention, the plurality of fields include the selected altitude, direction of the host aircraft to the selected altitude, aircraft identification for one or more reference aircraft, distance of the one or more reference aircraft from the host aircraft and location information of the one or more reference aircraft relative to the host aircraft. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary system formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an exemplary process performed by the system shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a portion of user interface components of an exemplary Multipurpose Control Display Unit (MCDU) formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a screen shot of an In-Trail Procedures (ITP) display; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a user-completed ITP request template on the MCDU; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates an ITP request in free-text form displayed on a window of the MCDU. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary schematic block diagram of an In-Trail Procedures (ITP) system  30  located on an aircraft. The ITP system  30  includes a Flight Management System (FMS)  34 , an ITP display unit  36 , a Multipurpose Control Display Unit (MCDU)  38 , an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) component  40 , a communication component  42 , and an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)  44 , which are all connected to an Avionics Standard Communication Bus (ASCB)  32 . The EFB  44  includes ITP standards information in accordance with applicable airline standards. The ITP standards information is communicated along the ASCB  32  to the ITP display unit  36 . The ITP display unit  36  presents free text of an ITP altitude change request as processed according to the ITP standards information, data received from the FMS  34  and other proximate aircraft information received via the ADS-B system  40 . The pilots then enter the displayed free text of the ITP altitude change request into an ITP altitude change request template provided by the MCDU  38 . Upon entry of the ITP altitude change request into the ITP altitude change request template on the MCDU  38 , the pilots then send the ITP altitude change request to an Air Traffic Controller (ATC)  50  via the ASCB  32  and the communication component  42 , which is in communication with the ATC  50 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary process  80  performed by the system  30 . First, at a block  84 , the pilot views ITP altitude change request information on the ITP display unit  36  after the pilot has selected a valid altitude via a user interface associated with the ITP display unit  36 . Next, at a block  86 , the pilot enters the ITP altitude change request information into an ATC ITP altitude change request template accessed on the MCDU  38 . After the pilot has successfully entered the ITP altitude change request information into the ATC ITP altitude change request template, the pilot selects viewing of the ATC ITP altitude change request, see block  90 . At this step, the MCDU  38  retrieves the data entered by the pilot into the ATC ITP request template and creates a free-text ITP altitude change request and displays it to the pilot on the display of the MCDU  38 . Next, at a block  92 , if the pilot believes that the displayed ATC ITP altitude change request is accurate, then the pilot activates a send button, thereby causing the MCDU  38  to send the ATC ITP altitude change request to the ATC  50  via the communication component  42 , see block  94 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  illustrates an ATC comm page  112 - 1  that is displayed on a display  110  of the MCDU  38  upon pilot selection of an ATC communication (ATC COMM) button  140  (shown below in  FIG. 6 ) located below the display of the MCDU  38 . Also shown in  FIG. 3  are a first column of six buttons  120  located adjacent a left side of the MCDU display  110  and a second column of six buttons  130  located adjacent a right edge of the MCDU display  110 . The buttons  120 ,  130  are referred to as Left/Right Line Select Keys that are identified as 1L-6L and 1R-6R. The keys provide access to the on-side data the left and right data fields. The keys transfer data from a scratch pad (not shown—located below button  126 ) to the line next to the key if scratch pad data is acceptable. 
         [0018]    The ATC comm page  112 - 1  includes left and right columns of selectable items/fields. The selectable items/fields are populated by desired data entered into the scratch pad after activation of an associated button from one of the first or second button columns  120 ,  130 . This interface construct is used throughout operation of the MCDU  38 . The ATC comm page  112 - 1  includes a first selectable item  142  that is selected upon activation of a first button  131  in the second column of buttons  130 . The activation of the first selectable item  142  titled “WHEN CAN WE” opens a template for sending acceptable clearances to ATC, e.g. WE CAN ACCEPT FL340. 
         [0019]    The user interface  112 - 1  includes a second selectable item  144  titled “ITP” that is associated with a second button  132  in the second column of buttons  130 . Activation of the second button  132  presents a Controller-Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) template  112 - 2 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and described in more detail below. Also included in the user interface  112 - 1  is an “ERASE ALL” selectable item  150  that is activated upon selection of a fourth button  134  located in the second column of buttons  130 . Activation of the fourth button  134  erases all data that has been entered into any of the fields located in the user interface  112 - 1 . The user interface  112 - 1  also includes an ATC message (MSG) selectable item  156  that is associated with a fifth button  135  located in the second column of buttons  130 . The number displayed in the [ ] adjacent to “ATC MSG” indicates the number of unread ATC messages. Selection of the button  135  presents the first (in order received) unread ATC message to the user on the MCDU. Below the ATC MSG selectable item  156  is a “VERIFY” selectable item  158  associated with a sixth button  136  of the second column of buttons  130 . Activation of the sixth button  136  displays the ATC message to be sent to ATC based on the information entered in the template for verification prior to sending. Activation of the button  126  adjacent to an “ATC COMM” selectable item, returns the MCDU to a main page index for ATC COMM. 
         [0020]    The other fields in the user interface  112 - 1  allow for quick sending of a request to ATC (including concatenated ones e.g. ALT+SPEED) without having to go through detail pages which may require further information such as reasons for the request. 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates the ITP altitude change request or ITP CPDLC template  112 - 2  for entering ITP altitude change request information. The ITP CPDLC template  112 - 2  includes on a left side of the display  110  an altitude field  164  that allows a user, upon activation of a first button  121  in the first column of buttons  120 , to enter the altitude that the pilot requests. Adjacent to the field  164  in the same row is a climb and descend (CLB/DESC) selection item  168  which is associated with the first button  131  in the second column of buttons  130 . The first button  131  in the second column of buttons  130  is selected by the pilot in order to toggle a selection between either climbing or descending, which is an indication of whether the aircraft will need to climb or descend to the altitude entered in the altitude field  164 . Below the altitude field  164  is a first reference aircraft ID field  174  that is associated with a second button  122  in the first column of buttons  120 . Upon activation of the second button  122  in the first column of buttons  120 , the user enters the flight ID of a first reference aircraft that was presented in the ITP display unit  36  or included in the free text of the ITP altitude change request. In a corresponding row with the reference ID field  174  is an ahead/behind item  178 , which is associated with the second button  132  in the second column of buttons  130 . Upon activation of the second button  132  in the second column of buttons  130  the pilot can identify whether the current (ITP) aircraft  174  is either ahead of or behind the aircraft associated with the reference ID entered into the first reference aircraft ID field. Below the first reference aircraft ID field  174  is an ITP distance field  180  associated with the first reference aircraft ID. The first reference aircraft ITP distance field  180  is associated with a third button  123  in the first column of buttons  120 . Upon pilot activation of the third button  123 , the pilot can enter the associated ITP distance information into the ITP distance field  180 . 
         [0022]    The ITP CPDLC template  112 - 2  includes fields  184 ,  186 ,  190  for entering information for a second reference aircraft. The fields  184 ,  186 ,  190  are associated with buttons in the first and second columns of buttons  120 ,  130  and function in a similar manner as the fields associated with the first reference aircraft, as described above. 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates a screen shot of an ITP display  220  after the pilot has selected an altitude on a vertical profile section of the ITP display  220 . In an ITP request section  222  of the ITP display  220  free text of an ITP altitude change request associated with the user flight level selection is displayed. The free text displayed in the ITP request section  222  is used by the pilot when filling out the ITP user interface template  112 - 2 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates a completed ITP altitude change request template  112 - 3  that has been filled out by the pilot after viewing the free text presented on the ITP display  220 . After the user has entered the information into the ITP altitude change request template  112 - 3 , the user selects button  136  associated with VERIFY in order to display free text of the ITP altitude change request. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a window  112 - 4  of the free text of the ITP altitude change request based on the information entered in the ITP altitude change request template  112 - 3  shown in  FIG. 6 . Activation of the sixth button  136  in the second column of buttons  130  sends the displayed free text to be sent to the ATC  50  via the ASCB  32 . 
         [0026]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.