US 11,790,789 B2
Gliding vertical margin guidance methods and systems
Kiran Venkataramana, Bangalore (IN); Kalimulla Khan, Bangalore (IN); and Raghu Shamasundar, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Morris Plains, NJ (US)
Filed on Aug. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/983,881.
Claims priority of application No. 202011023637 (IN), filed on Jun. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0383703 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. G08G 5/00 (2006.01); B64D 43/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/04 (2006.01); G01S 19/53 (2010.01); G01S 19/42 (2010.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 5/003 (2013.01) [B64D 43/00 (2013.01); G01S 19/42 (2013.01); G01S 19/53 (2013.01); G05D 1/042 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); G08G 5/0047 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of assisting operation of an aircraft, the method comprising:
identifying a reference point in advance of a runway at an airport;
dynamically determining an anticipated lateral trajectory from a current aircraft location to a location corresponding to the reference point, wherein the anticipated lateral trajectory deviates from a flight plan;
dynamically determining an estimated vertical height margin representing an anticipated vertical difference between an altitude criterion associated with the reference point and an anticipated altitude of the aircraft at the reference point resulting from a gliding vertical trajectory for the aircraft descending along the anticipated lateral trajectory gliding en route to the reference point forward from a current altitude of the aircraft at the current aircraft location for a lateral distance corresponding to the anticipated lateral trajectory; and
providing, on a primary flight display, an estimated vertical margin indicator indicative of the estimated vertical height margin, wherein the estimated vertical margin indicator dynamically updates as the aircraft deviates from at least one of the anticipated lateral trajectory and the gliding vertical trajectory, wherein the estimated vertical height margin decreases as the aircraft deviates from the anticipated lateral trajectory to increase the lateral distance.