Source: http://www.freshpatents.com/-dt20130207ptan20130036376.php
Timestamp: 2015-04-19 03:11:35
Document Index: 133028273

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 238', 'art 238', 'art 238', 'art 238', 'art 238', 'art 238', 'art 238', 'art 238']

Management System For Aeronautical Information (Boeing) FreshPatents Stats1 views for this patent on FreshPatents.com2013: 1 viewsUpdated: March 10 2015 TOP 200 Companiesfiling patents this week
Management system for aeronautical information Management system for aeronautical informationA method and apparatus for displaying navigation objects for managing operations of a vehicle. A number of navigation objects for managing the operations of the vehicle is displayed in a graphical user interface to form a display of the number of navigation objects. Responsive to a user input to the number of navigation objects, the display of the number of navigation objects in the graphical user interface is changed to include one or more navigation objects identified based on the user input. The navigation objects in the number of navigation objects have a number of associations with each other. The display of the number of navigation objects includes a number of graphical indicators providing a visualization of the number of associations for the number of navigation objects.Related Terms: Graphical User Interface User Interface Associations Graph Navigation User Input Visualization Browse recent The Boeing Company patentsUSPTO Applicaton #: #20130036376 - Class: 715764 (USPTO) - 02/07/13 - Class 715 Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Williams The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20130036376, Management system for aeronautical information.
The present disclosure relates generally to navigation and, in particular, to navigation information for vehicles. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for managing a display of aeronautical information.
Pilots rely on charts to operate an aircraft. A chart is a map including information used in the navigation of an aircraft. These charts may include areas over which an aircraft will fly. For example, charts of an airport and the area surrounding the airport also may be present.
These charts include many different types of information. For example, without limitation, the charts may include geographic boundaries, VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) navigation aids, procedures for landing, identification of runways, communications frequencies used by airports, waypoints, and other suitable information. These charts may be in paper or electronic form.
With the numerous amounts and types of information present, identifying information that a pilot needs to operate the aircraft for a particular flight plan or flight path may be difficult to find. A pilot may need to look for information needed for a particular flight plan from information that may not be applicable to the current flight. Information also may include notices to airman (NOTAMs). As a result, more time and effort than desired may be needed to identify information for use in operating an aircraft.
Therefore, it would be illustrative to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.
In one illustrative embodiment, a method for displaying navigation objects for managing operations of a vehicle is provided. A number of navigation objects for managing the operations of the vehicle is displayed in a graphical user interface to form a display of the number of navigation objects. Responsive to a user input to the number of navigation objects, the display of the number of navigation objects in the graphical user interface is changed to include one or more navigation objects identified based on the user input. The navigation objects in the number of navigation objects have a number of associations with each other. The display of the number of navigation objects includes a number of graphical indicators providing a visualization of the number of associations for the number of navigation objects.
In another illustrative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a display system and a computer system. The computer system is configured to display a group of navigation objects for managing operations of a vehicle in a chart within a graphical user interface to form a display of the group of navigation objects. The computer system is further configured to change the display of the group of navigation objects in the chart in the graphical user interface to include the navigation objects having associations with each other based on a user input in response to the user input to the group of navigation objects. The display of the group of navigation objects includes a number of graphical indicators providing a visualization of associations within the group of navigation objects.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a navigation information environment in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a block diagram of a navigation information system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a block diagram of associations for aeronautical objects in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 4 is an illustration of a number of graphical indicators in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a graphical user interface in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 6 is an illustration of aeronautical objects displayed in a graphical user interface in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 7 is an illustration of a change in display of aeronautical objects in response to user input in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 8 is an illustration of a graphical user interface with the display of aeronautical objects in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 9 is an illustration of a graphical user interface with aeronautical objects in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 10 is an illustration of a graphical user interface with aeronautical objects in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 11 is an illustration of a display of information associated with an aeronautical object in a graphical user interface in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 12 is an illustration of building a route from aeronautical objects in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 13 is an illustration of a calculation in a graphical user interface in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 14 is an illustration of a flowchart of a process for displaying aeronautical objects for managing operations of an aircraft in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 15 is an illustration of a flowchart for identifying aeronautical objects in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 16 is an illustration of a flowchart of a process for displaying aeronautical objects in a graphical user interface in accordance with an illustrative embodiment;
FIG. 17 is an illustration of a flowchart of a process for managing aeronautical information in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; and
FIG. 18 is an illustration of a data processing system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.
The different illustrative embodiments recognize and take into account a number of different considerations. For example, the different illustrative embodiments recognize and take into account that one manner in which the amounts of information may be reduced for use by a pilot is to place different types of information on different charts.
The different illustrative embodiments recognize and take into account that by placing different types of information on different charts, the amount of information on a particular chart is reduced. This approach, however, may require more effort and time than desired if a pilot needs information that cannot be found from a single chart. As a result, a pilot may need to refer to multiple charts to find the desired information. A pilot may need to switch between screens or paper charts to find the desired information. Also, the pilot has to remember which charts contain which types of information.
The different illustrative embodiments recognize and take into account that another solution involves having a pilot select different types of information for display on a single electronic chart. For example, landing procedures and approaches are two types of information a pilot may select. This approach also reduces the amount of information that may be displayed at any one time. However, information that may not be relevant to a current route for an aircraft is still present. For example, the landing procedures and approaches include ones that may not be used by the pilot for the particular route of the aircraft.
The different illustrative embodiments also recognize and take into account that in making changes to aeronautical information, an operator may analyze the information to identify what changes are to be made. The different illustrative embodiments recognize and take into account that the different associations between aeronautical objects in the aeronautical information may be difficult to track. In particular, the impact of a change on one aeronautical object to other aeronautical objects that may be associated on different hierarchical levels may be more difficult to identify than desired.
Thus the different illustrative embodiments provide a method and apparatus for managing aeronautical information. In one illustrative embodiment, a number of aeronautical objects for managing operations of an aircraft are displayed in a graphical user interface to form a display of the number of aeronautical objects. The display is changed in response to a user input to the number of aeronautical objects. The display of the aeronautical objects in the graphical user interface is changed to include one or more aeronautical objects based on the user input. Aeronautical objects in the number of aeronautical objects have a number of associations with each other and the change in the display includes a number of graphical indicators providing a visualization of the number of associations for the number of aeronautical objects.
As used herein, a number with reference to items means one or more items. For example, a number of aeronautical objects is one or more aeronautical objects.
This type of display of aeronautical objects may be performed in a different manner from the manner in which aeronautical information is currently displayed. The display provides a dynamic view of aeronautical information in which aeronautical information is selected in a manner that allows the operator to view aeronautical information related to an operation that the operators are performing. This view is provided without the operator having to view other information that may be unrelated to the current operation. As a result, the operator may spend less time and effort performing an operation.
With reference now to the figures and in particular with reference to FIG. 1, an illustration of a navigation information environment is depicted in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. As depicted, aeronautical environment 100 includes aircraft 102, dispatching facility 104, air traffic control tower 106, aeronautical information management facility 108, and other suitable locations. Different illustrative embodiments may be used in different locations in aeronautical environment 100.
In one illustrative example, aeronautical information may be displayed in aircraft 102 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. The display of aeronautical information in aircraft 102 may be made to provide information to a pilot operating aircraft 102. The aeronautical information displayed is aeronautical information that is relevant to the operations performed by the pilot operating aircraft 102. The pilot may navigate through aeronautical information in a manner that reduces a display of undesired aeronautical information in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.
Additionally, aeronautical information also may be displayed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment in dispatching facility 104, air traffic control tower 106, or a combination of the two. A dispatcher in dispatching facility 104 may perform routing and other operations using aeronautical information displayed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Air traffic controllers in air traffic control tower 106 may manage traffic and provide instructions to aircraft such as aircraft 102 using aeronautical information displayed in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.
As yet another illustrative example, the aeronautical information displayed using an illustrative embodiment may be displayed in aeronautical information management facility 108. An operator may navigate aeronautical information using an illustrative embodiment. The operator may validate, update, and/or manage the aeronautical information using an illustrative embodiment.
The different illustrative embodiments provide different operators at different locations an ability to see aeronautical information in a manner that requires less time and effort as compared to current systems for displaying aeronautical information. An object is displayed for use in aeronautical objects containing aeronautical information performing different operations such as those illustrated in FIG. 1.
With reference now to FIG. 2, an illustration of a block diagram of a navigation information system is depicted in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Navigation information system 200 is an example of a navigation information system that may be implemented in aeronautical environment 100 in FIG. 1.
In this illustrative example, navigation information system 200 comprises computer system 202 and display system 204. Computer system 202 comprises number of computers 206. In these illustrative examples, when more than one computer is present in computer system 202, those computers may be in communication with each other.
Further, computer system 202 may be in a single location or distributed throughout different locations. For example, computer system 202 may be located in aircraft 102, dispatch facility 104, air traffic control tower 106, aeronautical information management facility 108, or some combination thereof.
Display system 204 comprises number of display devices 208. Display system 204 is configured to display aeronautical information 210.
In these illustrative examples, operator 211 interacts with computer system 202 using number of input devices 212. As depicted, operator 211 generates user input 213 through number of input devices 212. Number of input devices 212 includes at least one of a keyboard, a touch screen, a mouse, a joystick, and other suitable types of input devices.
Information module 214 is located in computer system 202 in these illustrative examples. Information module 214 may be hardware, software, or a combination of the two. Information module 214 is configured to display navigation information 209 on display system 204 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.
In these illustrative examples, navigation information 209 is information used to operate a vehicle. In this one illustrative example, navigation information 209 takes the form of aeronautical information 210. Aeronautical information 210 is information used to operate an aircraft.
Navigation information 209 includes navigation objects 215. A navigation object in navigation objects 215 is a grouping of information in navigation information 210.
In these illustrative examples, navigation objects 215 take the form of aeronautical objects 216. An aeronautical object in aeronautical objects 216 is a grouping of information in aeronautical information 210. The grouping may be, for example, with respect to a particular topic or subject. For example, an aeronautical object may be an airport, a procedure, a waypoint, a navigation aid, a VHF omnidirectional radio (VOR) range station, a runway, a terminal, an aircraft, and other suitable items.
As yet another example, the grouping may be based on a similarity of attributes for aeronautical objects 216. For example, a grouping of aeronautical objects 216 may include runways with hard surfaces.
In these illustrative examples, aeronautical information 210 may be located within computer system 202 or some remote location depending on the particular implementation. For example, aeronautical information 210 may be in a database within computer system 202. In other illustrative examples, aeronautical information 210 may be located in a database or other organizational mechanism in another computer system that is in communication with computer system 202.
As depicted, information module 214 displays aeronautical information 210 in graphical user interface 218 on display system 204. In particular, information module 214 displays number of aeronautical objects 219 from aeronautical objects 216 in graphical user interface 218. Responsive to user input 213, information module 214 changes the display of aeronautical objects 216 in graphical user interface 218. In these illustrative examples, the change in display of aeronautical objects 216 may include adding one or more aeronautical objects identified based on user input 213.
For example, information module 214 displays first group 220 of aeronautical objects 216 in graphical user interface 218 on display system 204. As used herein, a group when used with reference to items means one or more items. For example, first group 220 of aeronautical objects 216 is one or more aeronautical objects in number of aeronautical objects 219. In this illustrative example, first group 220 of aeronautical objects 216 is displayed in graphical user interface 218 using first number of graphical indicators 221. First number of graphical indicators 221 is visual representations of first group 220 in aeronautical objects 216.
As depicted, second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 is displayed in graphical user interface 218 using second number of graphical indicators 225. Second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 may be additional aeronautical objects in number of aeronautical objects 219. Second number of graphical indicators 225 is a visual representation of the aeronautical objects in second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216.
Second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 is displayed in graphical user interface 218 in response to user input 213 selecting aeronautical object 224 from first group 220 of aeronautical objects 216. Second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 has association 227 with aeronautical object 224. Aeronautical object 224 is displayed using graphical indicator 226.
In these illustrative examples, when aeronautical objects are described as being displayed in graphical user interface 218, the aeronautical objects are displayed in graphical user interface 218 using graphical indicators. Various types of graphical indicators may be used. For example, icons, images, and other types of graphics may be used. In these illustrative examples, a selection of an aeronautical object occurs through a selection of the icon representing an aeronautical object that is displayed in graphical user interface 218. In this manner, graphical user interface 218 and the icons displayed in graphical user interface 218 allow for a manipulation or other interaction with aeronautical objects 216.
Information 228 also may be displayed in response to selection of aeronautical object 224. Information 228 is information about aeronautical object 224.
In the illustrative examples, association 227 is just one association within associations 230 in aeronautical information 210. Associations 230 provide an identification of relationships or connections between different aeronautical objects within aeronautical objects 216 in aeronautical information 210.
The association of second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 to aeronautical object 224 is made using number of graphical indicators 232. Number of graphical indicators 232 identifies association 227 between aeronautical object 224 and second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216. More specifically, number of graphical indicators 232 provides a visual association between first number of graphical indicators 221 and second number of graphical indicators 225 in graphical user interface 218.
In this illustrative example, aeronautical object 224 is displayed in graphical user interface 218 using graphical indicator 226 in first number of graphical indicators 221.
Number of graphical indicators 232 may take a number of different forms. For example, without limitation, number of graphical indicators 232 may include at least one of a line, text, an icon, an arrow, and other suitable types of indicators.
In these illustrative examples, the display of second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 with respect to aeronautical object 224 in graphical user interface 218 is made in a manner that indicates spatial relationships between the different aeronautical objects in second group 222 and aeronautical object 224. A spatial relationship specifies how an aeronautical object is located in space in relation to another aeronautical object.
For example, aeronautical object 234 in second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216 may be displayed with a spatial relationship 236 with respect to aeronautical object 224 in first group 220 of aeronautical objects 216.
Spatial relationship 236 indicates a location of aeronautical object 234 with respect to aeronautical object 224. In other words, display of aeronautical object 234 is in a location relating to aeronautical object 224 in graphical user interface 218. Thus, the operator may see aeronautical object 234 and aeronautical object 224 in graphical user interface 218 without changing pages or screens.
Further, the display of aeronautical object 234 in the location relative to aeronautical object 224 may be representative of the position and/or distance between physical objects represented by aeronautical object 234 and aeronautical object 224. The display of aeronautical objects 216 also may be displayed with respect to routes or paths that may be taken by an aircraft, as well as boundaries for airspace and other suitable information that may be represented in an aeronautical object in aeronautical objects 216.
For example, if aeronautical object 224 is an airport and aeronautical object 234 is a waypoint, the display of aeronautical object 234 in graphical user interface 218 may be made by displaying graphical indicator 226 on chart 238 in graphical user interface 218.
Chart 238 is a map that includes information. For example, a chart may show at least one of facts, conditions, and geographical aspects used for navigation. In these illustrative examples, a map is a representation of features on the earth or in the sky. Chart 238 is used in operating an aircraft such as aircraft 102 in FIG. 1. In these illustrative examples, the display of aeronautical objects 216 on chart 238 in graphical user interface 218 provides aeronautical information 210 for operator 211.
The location of graphical indicator 226 for aeronautical object 234 may correspond to a geographic location of aeronautical object 234 and its location in chart 238. In a similar fashion, aeronautical object 224 is displayed on chart 238 with respect to its geographic location. As a result, an operator may see spatial relationship 236 between aeronautical object 224 and aeronautical object 234.
If chart 238 is not displayed, aeronautical object 224 may be displayed in graphical user interface 218 in a location with respect to aeronautical object 234. This location may allow for spatial relationship 236 to be identified between these two aeronautical objects. In other words, spatial relationship 236 may not be with reference to geographic coordinates on chart 238. Instead, spatial relationship 236 may rely on the locations of aeronautical object 224 and aeronautical object 234 with respect to each other.
In this manner, operator 211 may use navigation information system 200 in a manner that provides aeronautical information 210 that is relevant to operation 244 being performed by operator 211. The identification of aeronautical information 210 that may be relevant to operation 244 may be performed without seeing other aeronautical information within aeronautical information 210 that may not be of interest in performing operation 244.
In these illustrative examples, operation 244 may take various forms. For example, operation 244 may be information management 246, flight management 248, or other suitable types of operations.
In one illustrative example, information management 246 may include updating, adding, removing, or otherwise changing aeronautical information 210. Flight management 248 may include changing procedures or routes of an aircraft such as aircraft 102 in FIG. 1. Flight management 248 may be performed by an operator located at aeronautical information management facility 108 in FIG. 1 or any other suitable location.
Flight management 248 may include, for example, creating routes, performing calculations, operating an aircraft, and other suitable operations. Flight management 248 may be performed by a dispatcher at dispatch facility 104, an air traffic controller at air traffic control tower 106, a pilot in aircraft 102, or an operator at some other suitable location.
Thus, navigation information system 200 may be used by a pilot before a flight to plan a flight, during a flight, and during other phases of operation of an aircraft. Navigation information system 200 may be used by a dispatcher in dispatch facility 104 to provide information and adjustments to flights as well as planning future flights. Navigation information system 200 may be used by an operator in air traffic control tower 106 to manage air traffic.
In this manner, navigation information system 200 provides a mechanism to navigate and visualize associations between aeronautical objects 216. This visualization and navigation may be performed more easily as compared to currently used charts displaying aeronautical information 210 or as compared to searching for individual aeronautical objects in aeronautical objects 216 and inferring associations between the individual aeronautical objects by manually comparing attributes or spatial relationships.
With navigation information system 200, aeronautical information 210 not selected by operator 211 through user input 213 and aeronautical information 210 not related to information selected through user input 213 is not displayed in graphical user interface 218 by information module 214. As a result, the amount of aeronautical information 210 displayed in graphical user interface 218 may be directed toward information needed by operator 211 to manage the operation of aircraft 102.
In this manner, operator 211 may find and view aeronautical information 210 more efficiently as compared to currently available systems. In particular, this efficiency may occur when operator 211 is capable of finding and viewing aeronautical information 210 without the visual clutter that is present in currently available systems.
The illustration of navigation information system 200 is not meant to imply physical or architectural limitations to the manner in which an illustrative embodiment may be implemented. Other components in addition to and/or in place of the ones illustrated may be used. Some components may be unnecessary. Also, the blocks are presented to illustrate some functional components. One or more of these blocks may be combined and/or divided into different blocks when implemented in an illustrative embodiment.
For example, navigation information system 200 may be configured to provide information for other types of vehicles in addition to, and/or in place of, aircraft 102. For example, navigation information system 200 may provide navigation information 209 for a vehicle selected from one of an aircraft, a ship, a spacecraft, ground vehicle, and other suitable types of vehicles. Navigation information 209 may be stored in a navigation database or other suitable structure for storing information.
In another illustrative example, navigation information system 200 may be used to generate charts for particular flights. As a result, aeronautical information may be used during planning, during flight, and after a flight in the different illustrative examples.
In yet another illustrative example, a third group of aeronautical objects 216 may be displayed in graphical user interface 218 in addition to first group 220 and second group 222. This third group of aeronautical objects 216 may have an association with second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216. The third group of aeronautical objects may not have a spatial relationship with at least one of aeronautical object 224 and second group 222 of aeronautical objects 216.
Turning next to FIG. 3, an illustration of a block diagram of associations for aeronautical objects is depicted in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. As depicted, associations 230 for aeronautical objects 216 may take a number of different forms. Associations 230 may be used to implement taxonomies and ontologies for aeronautical objects 216.
In the illustrative examples, associations 230 may be based on at least one of hierarchical associations 300, use associations 302, relationship associations 304, attribute associations 306, and other suitable types of associations between aeronautical objects 216. Hierarchical associations 300 are associations in which aeronautical objects have a hierarchy with respect to each other. One aeronautical object may be on a higher level than another aeronautical object.
For example, a first aeronautical object may be an airport. Other aeronautical objects may be on a lower hierarchy to the first aeronautical object. For example, a second aeronautical object that may be on a lower level than an airport may be runways. Runways may be an aeronautical object having additional aeronautical objects on a lower level. For example, aeronautical objects representing specific runways may be on a level lower in the hierarchy than the second aeronautical object for runways.
Use associations 302 are associations based on one aeronautical object using another aeronautical object. For example, one aeronautical object may be an airport with another aeronautical object being a procedure used by the airport.
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Patent InfoApplication # US 20130036376 A1Publish Date 02/07/2013 Document # 13196087 File Date 08/02/2011 USPTO Class 715764 Other USPTO Classes International Class 06F3/048 Drawings 16 Graphical User InterfaceUser InterfaceAssociationsGraphNavigationUser InputVisualization
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