Patent ID: 7714744

Claim:
A system for generating an alert signal in an aircraft system, said system comprising: a data source for providing input factor data; a data source for providing airspace data; a data source for providing navigation data; an alert processor, electronically coupled to receive data from a data source, wherein such processor receives input factor data, wherein input factor data comprises data representative of at least one input factor; receives navigation data representative of aircraft position, receives airspace data corresponding to the aircraft position, defines an airspace clearance surface as a function of the airspace data and at least one airspace clearance distance criterion, defines at least one aircraft airspace alert surface, where each aircraft airspace alert surface is defined as a function of at least one criterion programmed to include first input factor data, wherein the airspace data is received from a database storing data as a function of at least one second input factor data, wherein the function defining each airspace alert surface includes at least one airspace clearance distance criterion is programmed to include a third input factor data, generates an airspace alert signal if the airspace clearance surface penetrates an aircraft airspace alert surface, and provides the airspace alert signal to a crew alerting system; and a crew alerting system, electronically coupled to receive an alert signal, for receiving the airspace alert signal.