Patent Description:
There is a direct relationship between the distance traveled along a flight plan and the fuel consumed for the flight. Therefore, if any shortcuts can be implemented along the flight plan, fuel may be conserved.

However, there can be many technical problems with respect to implementing shortcuts. First, there may be a corridor that the aircraft must stay within. In some examples, the corridor the aircraft must stay within is a RNAV <NUM> (area navigation five nautical miles on either side of the flight plan) corridor; it can also be a RNAV <NUM> (area navigation ten nautical miles on either side of the flight plan) corridor, a +/- <NUM> mile corridor, a +/-<NUM> mile corridor, and etc. Additionally, in many populous areas, the respective air traffic control (ATC) authority may determine that the traffic is too dense to accommodate a deviation from the flight plan.

Accordingly, improved aircraft systems and methods that provide technical solutions for modifying flight plans to implement micro-shortcuts, defined as shortcuts that do not exceed RNAV <NUM> boundaries, are desirable. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

<CIT> discloses a similar method for flight plan modification.

This summary is provided to describe selected concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the Detailed Description.

Provided are a and system for flight plan modification in an aircraft according to claims <NUM> and <NUM>. Further details are specified in the dependent claims.

Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the [system/method] will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the preceding background.

<FIG> is a schematic block diagram of an aircraft system <NUM> with a system for flight plan modification <NUM>, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The illustrated embodiment of the aircraft system <NUM> includes, without limitation: at least one processing system <NUM>; an appropriate amount of data storage <NUM>; a displays system <NUM>; a user interface <NUM>; control surface actuation modules <NUM>; other subsystem control modules <NUM>; a flight management system (FMS) <NUM>, a navigation system <NUM>, a system for flight plan modification <NUM> and a communication module <NUM>. These elements of the aircraft system <NUM> may be coupled together by a suitable interconnection architecture <NUM> that accommodates data communication, the transmission of control or command signals, and/or the delivery of operating power within the aircraft system <NUM>. It should be understood that <FIG> is a simplified representation of the aircraft system <NUM> that will be used for purposes of explanation and ease of description, and that <FIG> is not intended to limit the application or scope of the subject matter in any way. In practice, the aircraft system <NUM> and the host aircraft will include other devices and components for providing additional functions and features, as will be appreciated in the art. Furthermore, although <FIG> depicts the aircraft system <NUM> as a single unit, the individual elements and components of the aircraft system <NUM> could be implemented in a distributed manner using any number of physically distinct pieces of hardware or equipment.

The processing system <NUM> may be implemented or realized with one or more general purpose processors, content addressable memory, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, any suitable programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination designed to perform the functions described here. A processor device may be realized as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine. Moreover, a processor device may be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a digital signal processor core, or any other such configuration).

As described in more detail below, the processing system <NUM> may implement a flight plan modification algorithm and, when operating in that context, may be considered the system for flight plan modification <NUM>. In various embodiments, the system for flight plan modification <NUM> is integrated within an enhanced flight management system (FMS), and hence the flight plan modification algorithm is executed within the enhanced FMS. In accordance with various embodiments, processing system <NUM> is configured to execute the flight plan modification algorithm so as to break an initial flight plan into segments, identify a segment of interest with the initial flight plan, determine, for the identified segment of interest, an associated geographical environment, and then determine a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment. In addition, the processing system <NUM> may generate commands, which may be communicated through interconnection architecture <NUM> to various other system <NUM> components. Such commands may cause the various system components to alter their operations, provide information to the processing system <NUM>, or perform other actions, non-limiting examples of which will be provided below.

The data storage <NUM> may be realized as RAM memory, flash memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. In this regard, the data storage <NUM> can be coupled to the processing system <NUM> such that the processing system <NUM> can read information from, and write information to, the data storage <NUM>. In the alternative, the data storage <NUM> may be integral to the processing system <NUM>. As an example, the processing system <NUM> and the data storage <NUM> may reside in an ASIC.

In practice, a functional or logical module/component of the aircraft system <NUM> might be realized as an algorithm embodied in program code that is maintained in the data storage <NUM>. For example, the processing system <NUM>, the displays system <NUM>, the control modules <NUM>, <NUM>, and/or the communication module <NUM> may have associated software program components that are stored in the data storage <NUM>. Accordingly, as used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and/or processor device, individually or in any combination, including without limitation: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. Generally, modules of aircraft system <NUM> are stored in data storage <NUM> and executed by processing system <NUM>.

The displays system <NUM> includes one or more lateral displays, vertical displays, and multi-function displays and associated graphics processors. Processing system <NUM> and displays system <NUM> cooperate to display, render, or otherwise convey one or more graphical representations, synthetic displays, graphical icons, visual symbology, or images associated with operation of the host aircraft. An embodiment of the aircraft system <NUM> may utilize existing graphics processing techniques and technologies in conjunction with the displays system <NUM>. For example, displays system <NUM> may be suitably configured to support well known graphics technologies such as, without limitation, VGA, SVGA, UVGA, or the like.

User interface <NUM> is suitably configured to receive input from a user (e.g., a pilot) and, in response to the user input, to supply appropriate command signals to the processing system <NUM>. The user interface <NUM> may include any one, or any combination, of various known user interface devices or technologies, including, but not limited to: a cursor control device such as a mouse, a trackball, or joystick; a keyboard; buttons; switches; knobs; levers; or dials. Moreover, the user interface <NUM> may cooperate with the displays system <NUM> to provide a graphical user interface. Thus, a user can manipulate the user interface <NUM> by moving a cursor symbol rendered on a display, and the user may use a keyboard to, among other things, input textual data. For example, the user could manipulate the user interface <NUM> to initiate or influence execution of the speech recognition application by the processing system <NUM>, and the like.

In an exemplary embodiment, the communication module <NUM> is suitably configured to support data communication between the host aircraft and one or more remote systems <NUM>. For example, the communication module <NUM> may be designed and configured to enable the host aircraft to communicate with a plurality of regional air traffic control (ATC) authorities <NUM>, automatic terminal information service (ATIS), other ground and air communications, etc. In this regard, the communication module <NUM> may include or support a datalink subsystem that can be used to provide ATC data to the host aircraft and/or to send information from the host aircraft to a regional ATC system <NUM>, preferably in compliance with known standards and specifications. In certain implementations, the communication module <NUM> is also used to communicate with other aircraft that are near the host aircraft and optionally also with ground vehicles. For example, the communication module <NUM> may be configured for compatibility with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology, with Traffic and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) technology, and/or with similar technologies.

Flight management system <NUM> (FMS) (or, alternatively, a flight management computer) is located onboard an aircraft and is included in aircraft system <NUM>. Flight management system <NUM> is coupled to displays system <NUM> and may include one or more additional modules or components as necessary to support navigation, flight planning, and other aircraft control functions in a conventional manner. In addition, the flight management system <NUM> may include or otherwise access a terrain database, navigational database (that includes airport diagrams, STAR, SID, and en route procedures, for example), geopolitical database, taxi database, or other information for rendering a navigational map or other content on displays system <NUM>, as described below. The FMS <NUM> is capable of tracking a flight plan and also allowing a pilot and/or autopilot system (not shown) to make changes to the flight plan, as described below.

The navigation system <NUM> is configured to obtain one or more navigational parameters associated with operation of an aircraft. The navigation system <NUM> may include a global positioning system (GPS), inertial reference system (IRS) and/or a radio-based navigation system (e.g., VHF omni-directional radio range (VOR) or long range aid to navigation (LORAN)), and may include one or more navigational radios or other sensors suitably configured to support operation of the navigation system, as will be appreciated in the art. In an exemplary embodiment, the navigation system <NUM> is capable of obtaining and/or determining navigation data, including but not limited to: the current location of the aircraft (e.g., with reference to a standardized geographical coordinate system); the heading of the aircraft (i.e., the direction the aircraft is traveling in relative to some reference); the ground speed; and, the orientation (roll, pitch, yaw) of the aircraft. The navigation system <NUM> provides the navigation data to the interconnection architecture <NUM>, from which other system <NUM> components, such as the processing system <NUM>, may receive and process the navigation data.

Control surface actuation modules <NUM> include electrical and mechanical systems configured to control the orientation of various flight control surfaces (e.g., ailerons, wing flaps, rudder, and so on). Processing system <NUM> and control surface actuation modules <NUM> cooperate to adjust the orientation of the flight control surfaces in order to affect the attitude and flight characteristics of the host aircraft.

Processing system <NUM> also may cooperate with other subsystem control modules <NUM> to affect various aspects of aircraft operations. For example, but not by way of limitation, the other subsystem control modules <NUM> may include, but are not limited to, a landing gear actuation module, a cabin environment control system, a throttle control system, a propulsion system, a radar system, and a data entry system.

<FIG> is an illustration of an application of an embodiment of the system for flight plan modification. In <FIG>, with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the aircraft system <NUM> described above may be implemented by a processor-executable method for flight plan modification <NUM>. For illustrative purposes, the following description of method <NUM> may refer to elements mentioned above in connection with <FIG>, and objects with reference to <FIG>. In practice, portions of method <NUM> may be performed by different components of the described aircraft system <NUM>. It should be appreciated that method <NUM> may include any number of additional or alternative tasks, the tasks shown in <FIG> need not be performed in the illustrated order, and method <NUM> may be incorporated into a more comprehensive procedure or method, such as within the enhanced FMS, having additional functionality not described in detail herein. Moreover, one or more of the tasks shown in <FIG> could be omitted from an embodiment of the method <NUM> as long as the intended overall functionality remains intact.

The method starts, and at <NUM> the processing system <NUM> is initialized. Initialization may comprise uploading or updating into data storage <NUM>, or directly into the processing system <NUM>, instructions and applications and a flight plan modification software program. In operation, the processing system <NUM> that is located onboard the aircraft and comprises a processor and a memory device, determines that the aircraft is operating on an initial flight plan (<NUM>). In <FIG>, some of an initial flight plan <NUM> is depicted, as may be displayed on a lateral navigation map. To identify potential micro-shortcuts for the initial flight plan <NUM>, the initial flight plan <NUM> is viewed as a plurality of sequential segments, and some of the segments may be suitable for a micro-shortcut. A segment of interest that is a portion of the initial flight plan <NUM> that is believed may be suitable for a micro-shortcut. A segment of interest can be identified in various ways (at <NUM>). In some embodiments, the segment of interest is defined by (i) a starting location and (ii) an ending location that is (iii) a distance from the starting location. In some embodiments, the segment of interest is defined by (i) a starting waypoint and (ii) an ending waypoint. In yet other embodiments, the segment of interest is defined by a current position and an amount of time.

It is to be appreciated that the word "initial," as used herein, distinguishes a first flight plan from a subsequent/second, modified flight plan;. In various embodiments, the initial flight plan may be referred to as a preceding flight plan, a former flight plan, or a past flight plan. In other words, the initial flight plan is a first iteration, however, once the initial flight plan is modified (becoming a subsequent/second flight plan), the modified (or subsequent/second) flight plan may become the initial flight plan in a second iteration of calculating and applying a second micro-shortcut in the figures and methods described herein.

In <FIG> a segment of interest <NUM> is defined as being from waypoint <NUM> to waypoint <NUM>, for which the initial flight plan passes through waypoints <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. In the example, the initial flight plan <NUM> is bounded by a corridor that is an RNAV <NUM> corridor depicted by <NUM> and <NUM>. As mentioned, in various embodiments, the corridor can be plus/minus other distances. The processing system <NUM> then determines a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest (at <NUM>).

As used herein, the geographic environment means a regional boundary, such as a country boundary, that has its own unique air traffic control (ATC) authority. As may be appreciated, each time the aircraft enters into a new geographic environment, it will be expected to check in and follow the rules of the regional ATC. As may be appreciated, on a given flight plan, the aircraft may fly in one or more geographic environments. In some embodiments, determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest is based on human input. Human input may be received via the user interface <NUM>. The timing of the reception of human input may be prior to the start of the flight, or during flight, such as, contemporaneous with identifying the segment of interest <NUM>. In some embodiments, determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest <NUM> is based on the processing system <NUM> referencing a predefined map; such a map could be stored in a database included within the data storage <NUM> component. In yet other embodiments, one of the other subsystem control modules <NUM> includes a flight assistance tool/application, optionally connected to a ground system, that determines the geographical environment associated with the segment of interest <NUM>.

Once the segment of interest is identified, a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment is determined (at <NUM>). In some embodiments, determining a relevant ATC for the geographical environment is based on human input, received via the user interface <NUM>. In some embodiments, determining a relevant ATC for the geographical environment is performed by the processing system <NUM> after referencing one or more databases.

At <NUM>, permission is requested, from the relevant ATC, for a predetermined amount of deviation. The predetermined amount of deviation is a lateral plus/minus distance from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest <NUM>. As mentioned, the amount of deviation may be a pre-programmed +/- nautical mile(s) number, and it is understood to be less than the corridor in which the initial flight plan <NUM> is operating. In some embodiments, at <NUM>, communication with the relevant ATC may be via the communication module <NUM>. In some embodiments, at <NUM>, the processing system <NUM> prompts the pilot, via the user interface, to verbally communicate with the relevant ATC at <NUM>. In other embodiments, the processing system <NUM> formats the request and utilizes a datalink or other communication protocol to transmit the request to the relevant ATC at <NUM>.

In various embodiments, when the aircraft has precise navigation capabilities, such as RNP <NUM>, meaning it is precise to plus or minus one nautical mile, so long as the corridor (e.g., shown by <NUM> and <NUM>) is larger than the precision of the aircraft navigation capabilities, the step of requesting ATC permission (at <NUM>) may not be required.

Regardless of the amount of deviation requested, the processing system waits until it obtains permission (at <NUM>) from the relevant ATC, for the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan <NUM> for the segment of interest <NUM>. Responsive to obtaining from the relevant ATC, permission for the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest, the processing system <NUM> uses at least the amount of deviation to calculate a shortest path (at <NUM>) from the beginning of the segment of interest <NUM> to the end of the segment of interest <NUM>. What is meant herein by "uses at least the amount of deviation" is that the processing system <NUM> may also use, in calculating the shortest path, other inputs, such as weather data and terrain data; it does not mean that the shortcut will use a deviation of more than the requested amount. Further, it is to be understood that the shortest distance, as used herein, is an air distance. With reference to <FIG>, the shortest distance (a micro-shortcut) from waypoint <NUM> to waypoint <NUM> is calculated to be a modified route from waypoint <NUM> to waypoint <NUM> to waypoint <NUM>, then waypoint <NUM>, and waypoint <NUM> before aligning back with waypoint <NUM> at the end of the segment of interest <NUM>.

The processing system <NUM> automatically modifies the initial flight plan for the segment of interest <NUM> (at <NUM>) and at <NUM>, may command the FMS <NUM> to fly the aircraft accordingly; i.e., the processing system <NUM> may command the FMS <NUM> to implement the shortest path or micro-shortcut for the segment of interest <NUM>.

As may be appreciated, this feature may be implemented multiple times during the aircraft flight along the flight plan, by returning to step <NUM>. For example, referring back to <FIG>, prior to reaching the ending waypoint <NUM>, the processing system <NUM> can identify a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest; determine a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment; request, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest; obtain, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest; use at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and modify the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

Likewise, when the segment of interest is defined by a starting location and an ending location, the processing system <NUM> may, prior to reaching the ending location, identify a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest; determine a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment; request, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest; obtain, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest; use at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and modify the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

Further, when the segment of interest is defined by a current location and an amount of time, the processing system <NUM> may, prior to an expiration of the amount of time, identify, by the processing system, a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest; determine, by the processing system, a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment; request, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest; obtain, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest; use at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and modify the initial flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.

In some embodiments, each of the steps in <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may individually or in combination be based on human input, received via the user interface <NUM>. In various embodiments, each of the steps in <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may individually or in combination be based on the processing system <NUM>: (i) prompting the pilot for input via user interface <NUM>, (ii) receiving pilot input via user interface <NUM>, responsive to the prompt, and (iii) processing the pilot input. For example, the processing system <NUM> may prompt the pilot to enter a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment at <NUM>; For example, the processing system <NUM> may prompt the pilot to enter the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan and/or to verbally request, from the relevant ATC, the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest at <NUM>; For example, the processing system <NUM> may prompt the pilot to affirm (verbally or alphanumerically) that permission was obtained from the relevant ATC for the amount of deviation from the initial flight plan for the segment of interest at <NUM>.

In various scenarios, a pilot flying an aircraft equipped with the aircraft system <NUM> is flying on micro-shortcuts provided by the flight plan modification algorithm described herein and wishes to cease flying on the micro-shortcuts. The pilot may stop using the micro-shortcuts at any time by switching it off, via the user interface <NUM>. Upon receiving input via user interface <NUM> to exit, the aircraft system <NUM> employs the FMS <NUM> to compute a flight path back to the initial flight path and flies the aircraft to merge back onto the initial flight path. In an embodiment, the flight path back may be computed using a most fuel efficient route.

Flying the shortest path for the segment of interest <NUM> results in an objective technical benefit of a faster and more fuel-efficient flight along the initial flight plan <NUM>. Flying a modified initial flight plan as provided by the system <NUM> may also deliver a subjectively smoother ride experience for passengers in the aircraft.

As mentioned, the steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two.

Claim 1:
A method for flight plan modification in an aircraft, comprising:
determining, by a processing system comprising a processor and a memory device, that the aircraft is operating on a flight plan;
identifying a segment of interest within the flight plan, wherein the segment of interest is defined by a starting location and an ending location that is a distance from the starting location; by a starting waypoint and an ending waypoint; or by a current position and an amount of time;
determining a geographical environment associated with the segment of interest;
determining, by the processing system, a relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the geographical environment;
requesting, from the relevant ATC, an amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest;
obtaining, from the relevant ATC, permission for the amount of deviation from the flight plan for the segment of interest;
using at least the amount of deviation to calculate a shortest path for the segment of interest, wherein the shortest path is an air distance;
modifying the flight plan for the segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the shortest path for the segment of interest; and, prior to reaching the ending location, the ending waypoint or an expiration of the amount of time, the method further comprises the steps of identifying, by the processing system, a second geographical environment associated with a second segment of interest;
determining, by the processing system, a second relevant air traffic control (ATC) for the second geographical environment, the second relevant ATC being different from the relevant ATC;
requesting, from the second relevant ATC, a second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
obtaining, from the second relevant ATC, permission for the second amount of deviation from the flight plan for the second segment of interest;
using at least the second amount of deviation to calculate a second shortest path for the second segment of interest; and
modifying the flight plan for the second segment of interest such that the aircraft flies the second shortest path for the second segment of interest.