Patent Publication Number: US-9886860-B2

Title: Systems and methods for processing concatenated datalink messages

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Increasingly, communications between commercial aircraft and air traffic control (ATC) ground stations are carried out through digital media such as Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) messages. During the course of a commercial air flight, a significant number of lot of messages are exchanged between the aircrew and controllers at the ATC ground stations. These messages may be related to matters such as traffic avoidance or weather avoidance or enhanced route, or other reasons. Many of these messages may be formatted as a concatenated message (CM) meaning that the transmitted message serves as an envelope that carries multiple message elements, each communicating diverse items of information to the flight crew. Such concatenated messages may include both loadable message elements (meaning that the contents of the element may be directly loaded into the aircraft&#39;s flight management system) and non-loadable message elements (meaning that the contents of the element describe an action which must be manually performed by the pilot either immediately or at some future point in time). With current ATC messaging systems once a concatenated message is accepted by the pilot, the loadable message elements may be loaded into the flight management system. However, it remains the pilot&#39;s responsibility to keep track of actions that must be manually performed as specified in any non-loadable message elements. 
     For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for alternate systems and methods for processing concatenated datalink messages. 
     SUMMARY 
     The Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for processing concatenated datalink messages and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. 
     In one embodiment, a method for processing concatenated datalink messages, comprises: receiving an ATC concatenated message from an ATC ground center, the ATC concatenated message comprising a plurality of message elements; presenting the ATC concatenated message in a first message log display page on a human machine interface display; when the ATC concatenated message is selected from the first message log display page, presenting the ATC concatenated message in a first message display page on the human machine interface display; categorizing the plurality of message elements of the ATC concatenated message into loadable and non-loadable elements; monitoring flight parameters obtained from an aircraft&#39;s flight management system to determine an action status for each of the non-loadable elements; and displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with at least one non-loadable message element. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the description of the preferred embodiments and the following figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart illustrating a processes of one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a system of one embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  are example human machine interface display screens for embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote like elements throughout figures and text. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of specific illustrative embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
     With embodiments of the present disclosure, once a concatenated message is received by an aircraft&#39;s communication management system from an ATC ground station, it is processed by a concatenated message processor implemented using on-board avionics hardware and/or software. The concatenated message processor identifies which elements are loadable and which are not. Those message elements that are loadable may be loaded into the flight planning system of the aircraft&#39;s Flight Management System which will then automatically act on the contents of those elements when flight parameters indicated by the loadable elements are met. Those message elements comprising actions that are not loadable are monitored so that a pilot is provided with information regarding 1) yet to be completed actions that need to be manually taken by the flight crew, 2) upcoming action windows associated with those yet to be completed actions, 3) actions that have been completed, and 4) missed actions that should have been taken in the past, but were not. 
       FIG. 1  is a flow chart illustrating a method  100  for processing concatenated datalink messages of one embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, method  100  may be implemented using avionics hardware systems onboard an aircraft such as the avionics system  200  shown in  FIG. 2 . Avionics system  200  comprises a communication management system (CMS)  210 , a flight management system  230  and a human machine interface (HMI)  240 . As the term is used herein, a “communication management system” is intended to encompass avionics implemented in an aircraft which are typically referred to as either the “communication management system” or “communication management function” for the aircraft. Similarly, as the term is used herein, a “flight management system” is intended to encompass avionics implemented in an aircraft which are typically referred to as either the “flight management system” or “flight management function” for the aircraft. The human machine interface  240  any device or combination of devices on-board the aircraft which may be used to convey information from avionics to the flight crew, or that permits the flight crew to enter information into the avionics. For example, in one embodiment the human machine interface  240  may comprise a touch-screen display that displays data to the flight crew and enables the flight crew to enter data or make selections from options presented on the display. In other embodiments, the human machine interface  240  may comprise a display used in conjunction with a pilot controlled cursor (via a joystick or trackpad, for example), or an aircraft multi-function display (MFD), or any other element or set of elements of the cockpit display system (CDS) which may function as a human machine interface. With elements of the present disclosure, the communication management system  210  comprises a concatenated message processor  214  which may be operated as described with respect to the method  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , method  100  begins at  110  with receiving an ATC concatenated message from an ATC ground center. In one embodiment, this may be performed by the ATC Uplink Message Receiver  212 . The ATC concatenated message comprises a plurality of message elements which may include loadable message elements and non-loadable message elements. In some embodiments, the ATC concatenated message from the ATC ground center are Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) messages. 
     The method proceeds to  112  with presenting the ATC concatenated message in a new message log display page. In one embodiment the arrival of the ATC concatenated message is displayed via Human Machine Interface  240  as a new (meaning that is was not previously opened) concatenated message such as illustrated at  301  in  FIG. 3A . For example, in one implementation, the concatenated message processor  214  receives the new ATC concatenated message from the ATC Uplink Message Receiver  212  and adds that message to a new uplink message log  213  managed by CMS  210 . HMI manager  220  is a function which may be implemented within communication management system  210  in various ways to manage the display of information from CMS  210  onto HMI  240 , and process pilot entries entered into HMI  240  for use by CMS  210 . As such, in various alternate implementations, HMI manager  220  may simply be an integrated function of CMS  210  or implemented as a distinct separate element either within or external to CMS  210 . When the pilot utilizes HMI  240  to access the new uplink message log  213 , HMI manager  220  processes that request by generating an ATC New Message Log display page  310  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The ATC New Message Log display page  310  presents a collapsed form  320  of the ATC concatenated message (shown at  322 ) which may show a one-line summary of each of the plurality of message elements contained within the ATC concatenated message. The ATC New Message Log display page  310  also provides a user selectable “New Message” prompt  322  which allows the pilot to open and read the full content of the ATC message. 
     The method may then proceed to  114  with presenting the ATC concatenated message in a message display page, wherein the message display page comprises a pilot response prompt. When the pilot selects the New Message prompt  332 , HMI Manger  220  opens and presents the ATC concatenated message onto HMI  240  in a message display page  312 . As shown generally at  302  in  FIG. 3B  message display page  312  presents the pilot with an expanded form  330  of the ATC concatenated message that displays detailed content of the message elements of the ATC concatenated message. Here, a first message element decoded from the ATC concatenated message is expanded and displayed at  322 - 1 , a second message element decoded from the ATC concatenated message is expanded and displayed at  322 - 2 , and a third message element decoded from the ATC concatenated message is expanded and displayed at  322 - 3 . The detailed content of the several message elements may fit within the space available of a single display page (as shown in  FIG. 3B ), but if the detailed content contains too much data to present on HNI  240  as a single page, HMI  240  may implement page scrolling or page turning to provide access to the full text of each of the message elements to the pilot. In addition to displaying the ATC concatenated message in the expanded form  330 , message display page  312  further presents a pilot response prompt  340 . Pilot response prompt  340  may provide multiple individually selectable response prompts, and as shown in  FIG. 3B , may include at least an ACCEPT prompt  341 , a STANDBY prompt  342  and a REJECT prompt  343 . Selection of the STANDBY prompt  342  can be used to indicate to the ATC controller that the pilot is aware of the uplink message, but not immediately ready to accept or reject the contents of the message. Selection of the REJECT prompt  343  will indicate to the ATC controller that the pilot, for whatever reason, does not agree with one or more actions set forth in the ATC concatenated message, in which case the ATC controller may replace those actions with alternate actions via a subsequent ATC concatenated message. Selection of the ACCEPT prompt  341  indicates that the pilot concurs with the actions specified in the ATC concatenated message and sends the response to the ground station. 
     The method may then proceed to  116  with categorizing the message elements of the ATC concatenated message into loadable and non-loadable elements, which may occur either before or after the message is accepted. In one embodiment, this categorizing is performed by a CM Element Categorization Function  216  within the concatenated message processor  214 . As mentioned above, loadable message elements are elements that can be loaded directly into the flight planning system of the aircraft&#39;s flight management system  230  so that the flight management system  230  may automatically initiate the actions specified by those elements when certain flight parameters are achieved. In one implementation, after the ACCEPT prompt  341  is selected by the pilot, if the ATC concatenated message includes any loadable message elements, a LOAD prompt  344  will appear or otherwise become active so that it may be selected by the pilot. When the pilot selected the LOAD prompt  344  (shown at block  118 ), any loadable message elements will be loaded into Flight Management System  230  (shown at block  120 ). 
     If the ATC concatenated message includes any non-loadable message elements, then method  100  will proceed to  122  with monitoring flight parameters obtained from an aircraft&#39;s flight management system to determine an action status for each of the non-loadable elements, and to  124  with displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with at least one non-loadable message element. In one embodiment, this monitoring is performed by a Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  within the concatenated message processor  214 . More specifically, Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  loads various flight parameters from the Flight Management System  230  to determine when a manual pilot action specified by a non-loadable message element has been completed, and if it has not been completed, the remaining margin (e.g. in flight time or distance) before the action needs to be completed. If the time for taking the action has passed without the action being taken, the Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  determines the elapsed flight time and/or distance that has elapsed since the action should have been taken. 
     In one embodiment, as shown generally at  303  in  FIG. 3C , the Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  (via action status update data provided to HMI Manger  220 ) provides an updated message display page  314  which displays to the pilot the current status of each message element of the ATC concatenated message. Within display page  314 , ATC concatenated message is shown in expanded form  350  along with the current status of each message element. For example, the action required by a first message element  351 - 1  is displayed textually at  352 - 1  next to a status field  354 - 1  for that element. In this example, the first message element  351 - 1  comprises a loadable message element “UM46—CROSS [SEA] At [12000]” and as indicated by the status shown its associated status field  354 - 1 , that message element has already been “LOADED” into the Flight Management System  230 . Thus, the pilot is made aware that no further manual action by the flight crew will be needed to address that message element. The action required by a second message element  351 - 2  is displayed textually at  352 - 2  next to a status field  354 - 2  for that element. Here, the second message element  351 - 2  comprises a non-loadable message element “UM190—FLY HEADING [120]” and as indicated by the status shown its associated status field  354 - 2 , the manual action required by that message element has already been “COMPLETED” by the flight crew so that no further manual action by the flight crew will be needed to address that message element. The action required by a third message element  351 - 3  is displayed textually at  352 - 3  next to a status field  354 - 3  for that element. Here, the third message element  351 - 3  comprises a non-loadable message element “UM19—MAINTAIN [18000]” which, as indicated by the status shown its associated status field  354 - 3  has an action status of “MONITOR” meaning that the manual actions required of the flight crew have yet to be completed, and therefore the Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  continues to monitor and update that element status based on flight parameters and characteristics from the flight management system  230 . Further, because the third message element  351 - 3  is in MONITOR status, the updated message display page  314  may further display next to the status field  354 - 3  a margin indication  355 . This margin indicate  355  may, for example, display an estimated flight time until the pilot need to take the specified action, or an estimated distance (e.g. in nautical miles) until the pilot need to take the specified action, or both. Similarly, if the point in time where the pilot should have taken a manual action passes without the action being completed, margin indicator  355  may instead display an elapsed time or distance since the action should have occurred. 
     As shown at block  126 , in some embodiments, the Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  may optionally initiate pilot reminders at specified points to remind the pilot when an action point for performing an upcoming required manual action is within a threshold proximity of an action point associated with the action. That is, the pilot may be reminded by a message displayed on HMI  240  (or alternately on any cockpit display) anytime an action remains uncompleted within a set number of minutes or a set distance from an action point for the action specified in the non-loadable message element. For example, if a non-loadable message element instruct the pilot to climb to 9000 feet upon reaching waypoint SEA, then Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function  218  may generate a reminder message/alert to the pilot (even when an unrelated page is currently being displayed on HMI  240 ) when the aircraft is within, for example, 1 minute or 2 nautical miles of waypoint SEA. 
     In one embodiment, concatenated message processor  214  may also provide action status updates on a per ATC concatenated message as shown generally at  304  in  FIG. 3D . In  FIG. 3D , HMI  240  displays an ATC Message Log display page  316  listing multiple uplink ATC messages  360 ,  362 ,  364  and  366 . Page  316  lists each ATC concatenated message in compressed form along with a status of actions associated with the message elements within each message. For example, a first ATC concatenated message  360  is displayed in compressed form with a summary of each message element. Action status indicator  360 - 1  shows the pilot that at least one manual action for a non-loadable has yet to be completed for message  360 , and associated margin indicator  360 - 2  indicates the time and distance remaining until the next action from that message needs to occur. Similarly, a second ATC concatenated message  362  is displayed in compressed form with a summary of each message element. Action status indicator  362 - 1  shows the pilot that at least one manual action for a non-loadable has yet to be completed for message  362 , and associated margin indicator  362 - 2  indicates the time and distance remaining until the next action from that message needs to occur. 
     The third ATC concatenated message  364  is displayed in compressed form with a summary of each message element, but in this case, action status indicator  364 - 1  informs the pilot that at least one manual action specified by a message element in message  364  was not completed and missed. Associated margin indicator  364 - 2  indicates the time and distance which has elapsed since the action point for that action was missed. If more than one non-loadable message element action within an ATC concatenated message has been missed, the elapsed time for the oldest missed action is displayed. In some embodiments, different colors or other display attributes may be used to display action status indicators and/or margin indicators on HMI  240  that vary depending on the status condition associated with the non-loadable message element. For example an action status indicating a completed status condition could be displayed using a first color, an action status indicating a yet to be completed (but not yet missed) status condition could be displayed using a second color, and an action status indicating a missed action status condition could be displayed using a thirds color. Similarly, the margin indicators can change color depending on the remaining time or distance to an action point, and when the action point has been missed. 
     Finally, the fourth ATC uplink message  366  only is displayed in compressed form, but only includes a single message element which was a loadable message element. Here, action status indicator  366 - 1  informs the pilot that the loadable message element has been loaded to the flight planning system of the Flight Management System. 
     EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     Example 1 includes a method for processing concatenated Air Traffic Control (ATC) datalink messages, the method comprising: receiving an ATC concatenated message from an ATC ground center, the ATC concatenated message comprising a plurality of message elements; presenting the ATC concatenated message in a first message log display page on a human machine interface display; when the ATC concatenated message is selected from the first message log display page, presenting the ATC concatenated message in a first message display page on the human machine interface display, wherein the first message display page comprises a pilot response prompt; categorizing the plurality of message elements of the ATC concatenated message into loadable and non-loadable elements; monitoring flight parameters obtained from an aircraft&#39;s flight management system to determine an action status for each of the non-loadable elements; and displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with at least one non-loadable message element. 
     Example 2 includes the method of any of examples 1, wherein when the ATC concatenated message comprises at least one message element categorized as a loadable message element, the method further comprises: loading the at least one message element categorized as a loadable message element into a flight planning system of the aircraft&#39;s flight management system. 
     Example 3 includes the method of any of examples 1, wherein the ATC concatenated message is an uplink Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) message comprising the plurality of message elements. 
     Example 4 includes the method of any of examples 1, wherein the ATC concatenated message is displayed in a collapsed form on the first message log display page and displayed in an expand form on the first message display page. 
     Example 5 includes the method of any of examples 1, wherein the flight parameters obtained from the aircraft&#39;s flight management system comprises data indicative of at least one of: a position of the aircraft, an estimated flight time to reach a waypoint identified in at least one non-loadable message element, or an estimated distance to reach a waypoint identified in at least one non-loadable message element. 
     Example 6 includes the method of any of examples 1, wherein monitoring flight parameters obtained from the aircraft&#39;s flight management system further comprises: determining whether an action associated with at least one of the non-loadable elements is either completed or not completed. 
     Example 7 includes the method of example 6, wherein monitoring flight parameters obtained from an aircraft&#39;s flight management system further comprises at least one of: determining a flight time until an action point associated with at least one of the non-loadable elements will be reached; or determining a distance to the action point associated with at least one of the non-loadable elements. 
     Example 8 includes the method of any of examples 6-7, wherein monitoring flight parameters obtained from an aircraft&#39;s flight management system further comprises: determining when an action associated with at least one of the non-loadable elements has been missed. 
     Example 9 includes the method of any of examples 1-8, wherein displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with at least one non-loadable message element further comprises: displaying a reminder of an action associated with the at least one non-loadable message element when the aircraft is within a threshold proximity of an action point associated with the action. 
     Example 10 includes the method of any of examples 1-9, wherein displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with each non-loadable message element further comprises: displaying the action status associated with each of the plurality of message elements of the ATC concatenated message on a second message display page. 
     Example 11 includes the method of any of examples 1-10, wherein displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with each non-loadable message element further comprises: displaying the action status associated with at least one of the plurality of message elements of the ATC concatenated message on a second message log display page. 
     Example 12 includes the method of any of examples 1-11, wherein displaying on the human machine interface display the action status associated with at least one non-loadable message element further comprises: displaying at least one action status on the human machine interface using a color assigned to represent a specific status condition. 
     Example 13 includes an avionics communication system, the system comprising: an air traffic control uplink message receiver; a flight management system; a human machine interface; and an on-board avionics system coupled to the air traffic control uplink message receiver and the human machine interface, the on-board avionics system comprising a concatenated message processor that includes a concatenated message element categorization function and a non-loadable element status monitoring function; wherein the air traffic control uplink message receiver is configured to receive air traffic control concatenated messages via the air traffic control uplink message receiver and the concatenated message processor is configured to input the air traffic control concatenated messages received by the air traffic control uplink message receiver; wherein each air traffic control concatenated message comprises a plurality of message elements, and the concatenated message element categorization function is configured to categorize each of the plurality of message elements as either loadable elements or non-loadable elements; and wherein the non-loadable element status monitoring function is configured to determine an action status for each of the plurality of message elements categorized as non-loadable elements based on an action defined within in each of the non-loadable elements and flight parameters obtained from the flight management system. 
     Example 14 includes the system of example 13, wherein the concatenated message processor is configured to load each of the plurality of message elements categorized as loadable elements to a flight planning system of the flight management system. 
     Example 15 includes the system of any of examples 13-14, wherein the flight parameters obtained from the aircraft&#39;s flight management system comprises data indicative of at least one of: a position of the aircraft, an estimated flight time to reach a waypoint identified in at least one non-loadable message element, or an estimated distance to reach a waypoint identified in at least one non-loadable message element. 
     Example 16 includes the system of any of examples 13-15, wherein concatenated message processor is configured to display on the human machine interface a first action status associate with a first message element of a first air traffic control concatenated message, the action status indicating at least one of: whether an action associated with the first message element is either completed or not completed; a flight time until an action point associated with the first message element will be reached; a distance to the action point associated with the first message element; when an action associated with the first message element has been missed. 
     Example 17 includes the system of any of examples 13-16, wherein the non-loadable element status monitoring function is configured to display a reminder of an action associated with the at least one non-loadable message element when the aircraft is within a threshold proximity of an action point associated with the action. 
     Example 18 includes a concatenated message processor, the processor comprising: a concatenated message element categorization function; and a non-loadable element status monitoring function; wherein the concatenated message processor is configured to receive air traffic control concatenated messages via an air traffic control uplink message receiver, the air traffic control concatenated messages each comprising a plurality of message elements; wherein the concatenated message element categorization function is configured to categorize each of the plurality of message elements as either loadable elements or non-loadable elements; wherein the non-loadable element status monitoring function is configured to determine an action status for each of the plurality of message elements categorized as non-loadable elements based on an action defined within in each of the non-loadable elements and flight parameters obtained from a flight management system; and wherein the concatenated message processor is configured to display an action status for at least one of the plurality of message elements via a human machine interface. 
     Example 19 includes the processor of example 18, wherein for a first message element of the plurality of message elements, the action status indicates at least one of: whether an action associated with the first message element is complete or is not complete; a flight time until an action point associated with the first message element will be reached; a distance to the action point associated with the first message element; or when an action associated with the first message element has been missed. 
     Example 20 includes the processor of any of examples 18-19, wherein the concatenated message processor is configured to load each of the plurality of message elements categorized as loadable elements to a flight planning system of the flight management system. 
     In various alternative embodiments, system elements, method steps, or examples described throughout this disclosure (such as the communication management system, the concatenated message processor, the CM Element Categorization Function, the Non-Loadable Element Status Monitoring Function, or sub-parts thereof, for example) may be implemented on one or more computer systems, field programmable gate array (FPGA), or similar devices comprising a processor and memory hardware executing code to realize those elements, processes, or examples, said code stored on a non-transient data storage device. Therefore other embodiments of the present disclosure may include such a processor and memory hardware as well as elements comprising program instructions resident on computer readable media which when implemented by such computer systems, enable them to implement the embodiments described herein. As used herein, the term “computer readable media” refers to tangible memory storage devices having non-transient physical forms. Such non-transient physical forms may include computer memory devices, such as but not limited to punch cards, magnetic disk or tape, any optical data storage system, flash read only memory (ROM), non-volatile ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable-programmable ROM (E-PROM), random access memory (RAM), or any other form of permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary memory storage system or device having a physical, tangible form. Program instructions include, but are not limited to computer-executable instructions executed by computer system processors and hardware description languages such as Very High Speed Integrated Circuit (VHSIC) Hardware Description Language (VHDL). 
     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.