WO2009035757A2

WO2009035757A2 - Flight management system having interactive flight plan selection arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2009035757A2
Application number: PCT/US2008/069880
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerald J. Block
Original assignee: Sandel Avionics, Inc.
Priority date: 2007-07-11
Filing date: 2008-07-11
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Also published as: WO2009035757A3

Abstract

A flight management system for aircraft includes a navigation database that stores data representative of flight plans and a user interface for receiving user inputs. The system also includes a processor adapted to receive and convert, in response to the user inputs received from the user interface, the data from the navigation database into a format representative of images of the flight plans. A display device is operatively coupled to the processor to render the images of the flight plans. The user interface includes a rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element for causing the flight plan images to be displayed on the display device in a prescribed sequence that does not omit any intervening flight plans arising in the sequence.

Description

FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HAVING INTERACTIVE FLIGHT PLAN

SELECTION ARRANGEMENT

Statement of Related Application

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/959,277, filed July 11, 2007, entitled "Interactive Device and Method For Waypoint Selection", which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to flight management systems used on aircraft, and more specifically to a flight management system that allows a pilot or other user to conveniently and interactively select and display a flight plan.

Background of the Invention

[0003] A flight plan is the detailed description of the route to be followed by an aircraft in the context of a planned flight. It comprises a chronological sequence of waypoints named and described by their position, their altitude and the time they are flown over. The waypoints constitute the reference path to be followed by the aircraft for the purpose of complying as well as possible with its flight plan. This reference path is a valuable aid both to the control personnel on the ground and to the pilot, for anticipating the movements of the aircraft and thus to ensure an optimum safety level, in particular in the context of maintaining criteria relating to the separation between aircraft. The flight plan is currently managed on board aircraft by a Flight Management System (FMS), which makes the reference path available to the flying personnel and to other on-board systems, such as display and acquisition interfaces.

[0004] The aircraft flight displays employed in the FMS continue to advance in sophistication, achieving increasingly higher levels of information density and, consequently, presenting a greater amount of visual information to be perceived and understood by the operator. In many applications, it is important that visual displays provide a proper cognitive mapping between what the operator is trying to achieve and the information available to accomplish the task. As a result, such systems increasingly utilize human-factor design principles in order to build instrumentation and controls that work cooperatively with human operators.

[0005] Unfortunately, flight management systems have not adequately profited from advances in graphical user interfaces. Current flight decks typically are designed with separate, dedicated controllers for avionics interface, such as, for example, radios, FMS, weather radar, display controllers, and the like. These controllers typically are installed in various locations across the flight deck and are operated by push buttons contained on the controller device. Although current-generation FMS systems generally have a dedicated controller and display called the MCDU (Multifunction Control Display Unit), flight plan entry and editing continues to be performed using cumbersome, text-based techniques that have not changed significantly in the last decade. As a result, flight crews frequently complain that current flight management systems are non-intuitive, difficult to interpret, and require too much "heads-down" time. Indeed, due to the high cockpit workload involved, many flight crews abandon the FMS altogether, choosing instead to fly the aircraft using the autopilot.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, a flight management system for aircraft includes a navigation database that stores data representative of flight plans and a user interface for receiving user inputs. The system also includes a processor adapted to receive and convert, in response to the user inputs received from the user interface, the data from the navigation database into a format representative of images of the flight plans. A display device is operatively coupled to the processor to render the images of the flight plans. The user interface includes a rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element for causing the flight plan images to be displayed on the display device in a prescribed sequence that does not omit any intervening flight plans arising in the sequence.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element may be a rotary knob.

[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element may be a slider. [0009] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a period of time that each of the flight plan images are displayed on the display device may decrease as a rate of displacement of the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element increases.

[0010] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a period of time that each of the flight plan images are displayed on the display device may decrease as a rate of displacement of the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element increases until a prescribed minimum period of time is reached, after which additional increases in the rate of displacement of the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element do not cause additional decreases in the period of time below the prescribed minimum period of time.

[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the prescribed minimum period of time may be equal to a frame refresh rate of the display device.

[0012] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, tactile feedback may be provided in response to the user inputs each time a different flight plan image is rendered on the display device.

[0013] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, audio feedback may be provided in response to the user inputs each time a different flight plan image is rendered on the display device.

[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a time interval between receipt of a user input displacing the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element by an amount sufficient to cause a particular flight plan image to be rendered on the display device and a time at which the particular flight plan image is first rendered on the display device may be less than about 100 milliseconds.

[0015] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the time interval may be less than about 50 milliseconds.

[0016] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the user interface may further comprise a second rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element for causing a cursor symbol to be scrolled along a flight plan image that is currently being rendered on the display device.

[0017] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a second database may be provided that includes flight hazard data for various locations along the flight plans. The flight hazard data for a selected one of the various locations on a particular flight plan may be displayed on the display device when the cursor symbol is located at the selected location on the image of the particular flight plan.

[0018] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element and the second rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element may comprise concentric knobs.

[0019] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least one additional rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element may be provided for panning along, or zooming-in or zooming-out of, a flight plan that is being rendered on the display device.

[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for displaying flight-related data on a display in an aircraft. The method includes receiving a user input that rotationally or linearly displaces a positioning element. In response to receipt of the user input, flight plan images are caused to be displayed on a display device in a prescribed sequence that does not omit any intervening flight plans arising in the sequence.

[0021] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the positioning element may be displaced in magnitude by a first amount and a number of flight plan images that are displayed is proportional to the first amount.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative flight management system.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an example of a display of the flight management system on which flight plans may be presented.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows knobs, integrated with a keyboard, that may be used by a pilot or other user to select, display and interact with flight plans.

[0025] FIGs. 4 and 5 show displays with lateral view flight plans that are selected by rotation of a knob that for illustrated purposes are superimposed on the display.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows a display of a lateral view flight on which a cursor symbol is shown, which cursor symbol is controlled by a knob or other rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element. Detailed Description

[0027] Turning now to the description, and with reference to FIG. 1, an illustrative flight management display system will be described. The system 100 includes a user interface 102, a plurality of flight hazard detection sensors, a processor 104, and a display device 118. The user interface 102 is in operable communication with the processor 104 and is configured to receive input from a user 109 (e.g., a pilot) and, in response to the user input, supply command signals to the processor 104. The user interface 102 may be any one, or combination, of various user interface devices including, but not limited to, a cursor control device (CCD) 107, such as a mouse, a trackball, or joystick, and/or a keyboard, one or more buttons, switches, or knobs. In the depicted implementation, the user interface 102 includes a CCD 107 and a keyboard 111. The user 109 uses the CCD 107 to, among other things, move a cursor symbol on the display screen, and may use the keyboard 111 to, among other things that will be detailed below, input textual data. [0028] The flight hazard detection sensors either store, receive, and/or generate data that can be supplied to the processor 104 for processing and generating commands to the display device 118. The flight hazard detection sensors include one or more terrain databases 106 and weather data sources 110, aircraft sensor systems, such as a terrain avoidance and warning system ("TAWS") 112, a traffic and collision avoidance system ("TCAS") 114, and other various sensors 116. The terrain databases 106 include data representative of the terrain over which the aircraft is flying, such as elevation data. The navigation databases 108 include various types of navigation-related data. These navigation-related data include various flight plan related data such as, for example, electronic aeronautical charts that show waypoints, distances between waypoints, headings between waypoints, data related to different airports, navigational aids, obstructions, special use airspace, political boundaries, communication frequencies, and other information that may be related to aircraft en route, aircraft arrival, aircraft approach, and or aircraft departure. Although the terrain databases 106 and the navigation databases 108 are, for clarity and convenience, shown as being stored separate from the processor 104, all or portions of either or both of these databases 106, 108 could be loaded into the on-board RAM 103, or integrally formed as part of the processor 104, and/or RAM 103, and/or ROM 105. The terrain databases 106 and navigation databases 108 could also be part of a device or system that is physically separate from the display system 100.

[0029] The weather data 110 supplied to the processor 104 may be representative of at least the location and type of various weather cells. The TAWS 112 supplies data representative of the location of terrain that may be a hazard to the aircraft. The data supplied from the TCAS 114 includes data representative of other aircraft in the vicinity, which may include, for example, speed, direction, altitude, and altitude trend. The avionics data that is supplied from the sensors 116 includes data representative of the state of the aircraft such as, for example, aircraft speed, altitude, and heading. The sensors 116 may also sense real-time aircraft positioning data that may be supplied to a global positioning system or an inertial reference system.

[0030] It will be appreciated that the above-described flight hazard data may be received and/or stored in a georeferenced format or a non-georeferenced format. Georeferenced formatted data are based, at least in part, on global positioning data, and are thus stored or received as one or more geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude). Specific examples of data typically received as or stored in a georeferenced format include electronic aeronautical charts that depict flight routes, airport maps, and global positioning of fixed objects at the airport, such as runway locations, hangar locations, control locations, and the like that may be related to aircraft en route, approach, arrival, and/or departure. Non- geo-referenced formatted data are stored or received in any format other than a geographic coordinate. For example, non-georeferenced formatted data may be in a bearing/distance format. In some cases, georeferenced formatted data may be associated with non-georeferenced formatted data, such as altitude, heading, direction, or other trajectory data.

[0031] In addition to the above-mentioned flight hazard detection sources, other external systems may also supply hazard related data to the processor 104. For example, these external systems may include a runway awareness and advisory system (RAAS) 126. The RAAS 126 provides improved situational awareness to help lower the probability of runway incursions by providing timely aural advisories to the flight crew during taxi, takeoff, final approach, landing and rollout. The RAAS 126 uses global positioning data to determine aircraft position and compares aircraft position to airport location data stored in the navigation database 108. Based on these comparisons, the RAAS 126, if necessary, issues appropriate aural advisories. The aural advisories the RAAS 126 may issue inform the pilot 109, among other things of when the aircraft is approaching a runway— either on the ground or from the air, when the aircraft has entered and is aligned with a runway, when the runway is not long enough for the particular aircraft, the distance remaining to the end of the runway as the aircraft is landing or during a rejected takeoff, when the pilot 109 inadvertently begins to take off from a taxiway, and when an aircraft has been immobile on a runway for an extended time.

[0032] The processor 104 may be any one of numerous known general-purpose microprocessors or an application specific processor that operates in response to program instructions. In the depicted embodiment, the processor 104 includes on-board RAM (random access memory) 103, and on-board ROM (read only memory) 105. The program instructions that control the processor 104 may be stored in either or both the RAM 103 and the ROM 105. For example, the operating system software may be stored in the ROM 105, whereas various operating mode software routines and various operational parameters may be stored in the RAM 103. It will be appreciated that this is merely exemplary of one scheme for storing operating system software and software routines, and that various other storage schemes may be implemented. It will also be appreciated that the processor 104 may be implemented using various other circuits, not just a programmable processor. For example, digital logic circuits and analog signal processing circuits could also be used.

[0033] The display device 118 is used to display various images and data, in both a graphical and a textual format, and to supply visual feedback to the user 109 in response to the user input commands supplied by the user 109 to the user interface 102. It will be appreciated that the display device 118 may be any one of numerous known displays suitable for rendering image and/or text data in a format viewable by the user 109. Non- limiting examples of such displays include various cathode ray tube (CRT) displays, and various flat panel displays such as, various types of LCD (liquid crystal display) and TFT (thin film transistor) displays. The display may additionally be based on a panel mounted display, a HUD projection, or any known technology.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a display 220 of the display device 118, which includes multiple graphical and textual images that may be simultaneously displayed, preferably in different sections of the display 220. For example, the display 220 may include a lateral view 202, a vertical profile view (or "vertical profile") 204, and a textual display area 206. The textual display area 206 displays text that may need to be communicated to the pilot 109. For instance, in FIG. 2 the textual display area 206 includes a list of waypoints associated with the current flight plan. The lateral and vertical profile views show a flight or reference plan.

[0035] Vertical profile 204 suitably shows a flight or reference plan that includes a side- view aircraft symbol 208(b), one or more waypoint symbols 212(b), line segments 209(b) connecting waypoint symbols 212(b), a horizontal axis 218 representing lateral position and/or time, and a vertical axis 216 designating altitude. A second vertical axis 222 indicates if the aircraft is ascending or descending according to its current flight path. The dashed line segment 209(b) extending from the aircraft intersects the right hand vertical axis 222 and thereby indicates the angle at which the aircraft is flying. [0036] Lateral view 202 suitably shows a flight or reference plan that includes various graphical elements ("symbols") representing, among other things, the lateral position of the aircraft with respect to the ground. Lateral view 202 may also include various map features, including terrain, political boundaries, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, lateral view 202 includes a top view aircraft symbol 208(a), one or more waypoint symbols 212(a), and line segments 209(a) connecting waypoint symbols 212(a), wherein waypoint symbols 212(a) are associated with the current flight path of the aircraft. Display 220 may also include one or more cursor symbols 210 positioned in accordance with input from one or more users 109 (see FIG. 1) received via one or more cursor control devices 107 associated with user interface 102 (see FIG. 1). While certain details of the user's interaction with lateral and vertical views 202 and 204 will be discussed further below, in general, cursor 210 may be suitably positioned by the user in order to select and graphically edit data elements appearing on display 220. [0037] For a variety of reasons, it may be necessary to change or modify the flight plan while in flight, either at the request of the pilot or ground control personnel. For example, the reference path can bring the aircraft to cross another aircraft, thus violating the lateral separation criteria. From his control center on the ground, the air traffic controller in charge of the flight notices the risk in advance because, by virtue of radar, he is aware of the various aircraft under his supervision. He therefore implements pre-established procedures for coordination between the ground and the aircraft, thereby passing along to the pilot a set of guidance commands or instructions. The pilot manually performs the guidance instructions that he receives, one after the other, each time confirming their execution to the controller. The instructions are often given orally by VHF radio, with the pilot also confirming the execution vocally. Other common vagaries that may require an unscheduled change in the flight plan may include weather related problems, engine problems, unavailability of a destination airport, passenger emergencies, and the like. [0038] In conventional flight management systems the pilot or other user selects the flight plan by entering text. For example, the pilot may enter departure and destination airport identifiers, which are alphabetical codes between three and six letters in length. To enter this textual data in a conventional manner, the flight management system shown in FIG. 1 employs the keyboard 111. Alternatively, the text may be entered using CCD 107 (e.g., a mouse) to manipulate a cursor that selects among letters visible on a display. Once the data is entered the flight plan is calculated and displayed, usually after a delay or several or more seconds. If the flight plan changes yet again, new textual identifiers must be once again entered. To do so, however, is inconvenient. Keyboards and mouse-based systems, including trackballs and touchpads, can be difficult to operate while flying. [0039] To overcome these and other problems, the user interface 102 shown in FIG. 1 includes a rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element that allows the user to scroll through different flight plans. Examples of rotational displaceable positioning elements include, without limitation, rotary knobs, rotatable levers and the like. One example of linearly displaceable positioning element is a slider. For convenience, the following discussion will often refer specifically to rotary knobs and/or sliders. In all cases, however, other rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning elements may be substituted.

[0040] The rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element may be situated in any location that is convenient for the user. For example, in the case of a rotary knob, the knob may be co-located or integrated with other interface devices that make up the user interface 102. FIG. 3, for instance, shows an implementation in which the rotary knob is integrated with the keyboard 111 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 3, the keyboard is a multifunction keyboard device 600 that generally includes such standard items as alphabet keys 602, number keys from zero to nine 604, a SPACE key 606, an ENTER key 608, a SHIFT key 610, a CLR/DEL ("Clear/Delete") key 612. Keyboard device 600 further includes a hyphen or minus sign ("-") key 614, a decimal (".") and/or asterisk ("*") key 616, a backslash ("/") and/or pound sign ("#") key 618, and left and right arrow keys 620 and 622, and one or more "shortcut" keys 624, respectively. In addition, multifunction keyboard 600 includes rotary knob 628.

[0041] Rotary knob 628 allows the user to sequentially and incrementally scroll through each of the flight plans that are available to the flight management system. In some implementations, as the user rotates the knob 628 the display 220 shows each and every one of the available flight plans. For instance, all the available flight plans may be displayed after one or more complete rotations of the knob 628. FIG. 4 shows a first flight plan that is available between a given departure location and a destination location. The flight plan indicates the waypoints in a manner similar to that depicted in FIG. 2. For convenience, a depiction of rotary knob 628 is also superimposed on the display. An indicator 630 such as a tick mark or the like is located on the knob 628 for the purpose of illustrating the rotational position of the knob. In practical realizations, the knob 628 may or may not include such an indicator. As the knob 628 is rotated (e.g., clockwise) each and every subsequent flight plan appears on the display 220. For instance, FIG. 5 shows a second flight plan that is available between the same departure and destination locations shown in FIG. 4. This flight plan appears when the user has rotated the knob 628 by a small amount, as indicated by the location of the indicator 630 in FIG. 5 relative to its location in FIG. 4. In some implementations, regardless of how fast the user rotates the knob 628 each available flight plan will be displayed for some minimum period of time, without skipping or otherwise omitting any flight plans. In some cases, when the user is rotating the knob 628 at a particularly fast rate, the minimum period of time each flight plan appears on the display may be as brief as the display's frame refresh rate. [0042] In FIGs. 4 and 5 rotary knob 628 is shown as manipulating flight plans that are depicted in a lateral view. Rotary knob 628 (or other rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element) also may be used to manipulate flight plans that are depicted in a vertical profile as well. In some cases the rotary knob 628 may scroll through a list of proposed flight plans that may be depicted, for instance, in the textual display area 206 of display 220 shown in FIG. 2. As the user scrolls through the individual flight plans, the identifier of the flight plan that is currently being displayed in the vertical profile view 204 and/or the lateral view 202 may be highlighted. The proposed flight plans shown in textual display area 206 may correspond to a single departure location and a single destination point. If either the departure or destination locations were to change, the user may use user interface 102 to change the set of proposed flight plans that are displayed. [0043] In order to display the flight plans in as interactive a manner as possible, it will be advantageous in some implementations to reduce the time lag that arises between the time the use rotates the knob 628 to a certain position and the time at which the corresponding flight plan first appears on the display. For the user to perceive the relationship between his or her rotation of the knob 628 and the appearance of the flight plan as interactive, the time lag should generally be less than about 100 milliseconds, and in some cases preferably less than about 50 milliseconds or more preferably still about 32-33 milliseconds or less.

[0044] In order to further enhance the user experience interactivity, the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element may provide tactile and/or audio feedback to the user as the positioning element is displaced. For example, each time the user displaces the positioning element by an amount that causes a new flight plan to be displayed on the display device, the use may feel and/or hear a "click."

[0045] The user interface 102 may also include additional displaceable positioning elements to perform additional functions once a flight plan has been selected. For example, a displaceable positioning element may be used to scroll along the selected flight plan to obtain various types of information. FIG. 6 shows a flight plan that appears on display 220. Also shown is a cursor symbol 702, which is manipulated by a second knob 640 (see FIG. 3) that serves as the CCD 107 shown in FIG. 1. By rotating the knob 640 clockwise the cursor symbol scrolls from left to right along the flight path trajectory. Likewise, by rotating the knob 640 counter-clockwise the cursor symbol scrolls from right to left along the flight path trajectory. If a slider or other linearly displaceable positioning element is employed, moving the slider from left to right causes the cursor symbol to scroll from left to right along the flight path trajectory. Similarly, moving the slider from right to left causes the cursor symbol to scroll from right to left along the flight path trajectory. As the cursor moves along the flight plan trajectory, various types of information such as weather or traffic information may appear as a "pop-up." The information pertains to the waypoint at which the cursor is located. [0046] In FIG. 3 the knobs 628 and 640 are shown as being separate knobs that are physically offset from one another. In some implementations however, it may be convenient to arrange them concentrically so that, for instance, knob 628 is arranged as an outer knob and knob 640 is arranged as an inner knob.

[0047] Yet additional displaceable positioning elements may be employed to perform functions such as pan and zoom for example. A zoom positioning element provides variability of scale. In the case of a zoom knob, for instance, clockwise rotation of the knob may increase the scale (i.e., zoom-in) and counter-clockwise rotation of the knob may decrease the scale (i.e., zoom-out). A pan knob may function in an analogous manner. In some cases it may be convenient to arrange the pan and zoom knobs so that they are concentric with one another.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Split-Screen Vertical Situation Display

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, embodiments of this invention provide both a plan view and a profile view simultaneously. The plan view is a top view, looking vertically downward, showing the aircraft's position vis-a-viz the lateral terrain. The aircraft may be generally situated in the center of the view. The profile view is a lateral section of an aircraft's flight path, showing the ground and the space around the airplane. The plan view could incorporate a course deviation indicator, such as by the plane being shown off the desired flight path, the desired flight path being indicated by a solid line of a predetermined color. [0049] In one embodiment of the invention, the profile view has a fixed scale, and is generally expanded with respect to the plan view, although this expansion is not necessary. In this embodiment, no matter how the zoom is set on the plan view, the profile view shows a constant scale view of the vertical position of the airplane with respect to the flight plan and the ground.

[0050] The profile view has dual vertical axes, one on the left hand side and one on the right hand side. The left hand vertical axis is like an altimeter tape, showing altitude. The right hand vertical axis works in conjunction with the display of the aircraft in the profile view: to wit, the aircraft is shown climbing or descending according to its current flight path. A dotted line extending from the aircraft intersects the right hand vertical axis and thereby indicates the angle at which the aircraft is flying, or its vertical flight angle (flight path angle), again in a fixed scale. In an alternative embodiment, the aircraft need not be shown climbing or descending, rather, it may be shown level, but the right hand axis may then employ a similar "tape" metaphor to indicate the angle of climb or descent - the "tape" may move up or down to show the appropriate angle. This latter embodiment is not shown in the figure.

[0051] This approach is to be contrasted with current systems, in which flight path angle is not available, and in which systems pilots employ a vertical speed indicator (units = feet per minute). An angle-providing system is superior as most airports provide information for landings and take-offs in the form of desired angles (e.g., 3 to 3.5 degrees), and thus the information is significantly more useful.

[0052] The data on the two displays are related. As a waypoint is being approached on the top display, the bottom display will also display the waypoint being approached. If, e.g., the airplane must descend to 8000 feet as shown on the top display flight path, as is often the case per tower instructions, etc., the descent may be seen on the lower profile display as well.

[0053] In the bottom display, in an alternative embodiment, the granularity of the right- hand axis may change and the axis may shift as the plane ascends or descends. If ascending, the axis may shift downward to show more values for positive ascent angles, and the converse for descending.

Defined Vertical Path / Provisional Waypoint

[0054] Current flight management computers allow pilots to, e.g. set that their altitude should be 8000 feet at the next waypoint, and sophisticated flight management computers can even help fly the plane to that point at that waypoint. Generally, however, the same simply give a report of the requisite vertical speed necessary. This is termed the "defined vertical path".

[0055] Embodiments of the invention include an interactive knob (like those that currently exist for heading, flight path angle, altitude, or airspeed (airspeed because if a pilot wants to descend quickly, they'll generally do so at a point near the redline of the airplane)) that enable a pilot to descend to a particular altitude at a particular waypoint. [0056] For example, if a pilot (flying a plane at, e.g., 8000 feet) is told to descend and maintain 6000 feet at Oceanside, the pilot may become aware of the proper descent angle (which would vary with speed, etc.) using embodiments of the invention. The pilot may dial in 6000 feet as the altitude. The system then shows a preview altitude which is a dotted green horizontal line at 6000 feet. The system also draws an angled dotted line from 8000 feet to 6000 feet at a particular angle. As the rotary knob is turned, the dotted line, i.e., the proposed flight plan, sweeps through a variety of angles, from steep to gradual or vice- versa. It may be turned into a solid line if it is actually the path that is being flown - it is white if it is merely proposed. If it is merely conditional, as noted above, the line will be a dotted green line. To select a given dotted green line as the flight path angle, the FPA button may be pressed. Then the dotted green line turns into a solid magenta line. At some point, e.g., close to Oceanside, the line may snap to the Oceanside waypoint. In this way, the pilot may visually select in a highly graphical and interactive way a desired descent angle. Once selected, the selected path helps define a provisional waypoint If, e.g., the order was made to descend to 6000 feet, then the point of intersection between the selected path and the 6000 feet horizontal line becomes this provisional waypoint.

[0057] On the other hand, if no altitude is being changed, the ALTITUDE HOLD button may be pushed. In any case, only a knob need be turned - the interactivity allows this. The knob could be replaced with a button such as a slew button, that allows for angles varying between, e.g., -6 degrees to + 10 degrees, in 0.1 degree increments. As above, the same should react quickly to user input.

[0058] In an alternative embodiment, provisional or conditional waypoints may be established, e.g., if a flight requirement after take-off is to make a turn at 1000 feet. The location of the 1000 feet point is not known because the speed of any given plane is not known. But the system can create a provisional waypoint given the current flight conditions. If speed changes, the position of the provisional waypoint is changed accordingly. The waypoint will of course also be shown on the lower display of the vertical situation display.

[0059] In general, provisional waypoints may be created where pilots have to meet certain flight requirements, and can also be created when pilots (or the tower) create their own flight requirements. For the former, the pilot cannot vary the requirement, and the system may store all such requirements in a database.

Potential Performance Indicators

[0060] Take-offs and climbs are "performance-related", since their successful execution depends on the performance of the airplane. Embodiments of this invention alert pilots whether their aircraft can successfully take off from a given airport or complete a desired maneuver. For example, for take-offs, the system can show, as a dotted line, the potential climb performance of an airplane. This may be shown, e.g., on the lower screen, the profile view, of the vertical situation display described above. To accomplish this, the system has to know the characteristics of the aircraft. For example, jets vary widely based on how much weight they are carrying - piston aircraft have much narrower variations in performance. The system can learn from past performance as well, if such past performance was significantly better or worse than expected 'book' performance characteristics. The system can obtain data about its current location, such as what aircraft it is at, via pilot input or GPS automatic sensing. The same is true of performance around the aircraft, for which onboard databases may be employed. The following factors, which form only a partial list, may be considerations of such "potential performance indicators" systems: climb angle, airspeed limitations, engine operating characteristics, temperature, altitude of airport, density altitude.

Claims

1. A flight management system for aircraft, comprising: a navigation database that includes data representative of flight plans; a user interface for receiving user inputs; a processor adapted to receive and convert, in response to the user inputs received from the user interface, the data from the navigation database into a format representative of images of the flight plans; a display device operatively coupled to the processor to render the images of the flight plans; and wherein the user interface includes a rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element for causing the flight plan images to be displayed on the display device in a prescribed sequence that does not omit any intervening flight plans arising in the sequence.

2. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element is a rotary knob.

3. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element is a slider.

4. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein a period of time that each of the flight plan images are displayed on the display device decreases as a rate of displacement of the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element increases.

5. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein a period of time that each of the flight plan images are displayed on the display device decreases as a rate of displacement of the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element increases until a prescribed minimum period of time is reached, after which additional increases in the rate of displacement of the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element do not cause additional decreases in the period of time below the prescribed minimum period of time.

6. The flight management system of claim 5 wherein the prescribed minimum period of time is equal to a frame refresh rate of the display device.

7. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein tactile feedback is provided in response to the user inputs each time a different flight plan image is rendered on the display device.

8. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein audio feedback is provided in response to the user inputs each time a different flight plan image is rendered on the display device.

9. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein a time interval between receipt of a user input displacing the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element by an amount sufficient to cause a particular flight plan image to be rendered on the display device and a time at which the particular flight plan image is first rendered on the display device is less than about 100 milliseconds.

10. The flight management system of claim 9 wherein the time interval is less than about 50 milliseconds.

11. The flight management system of claim 1 wherein the user interface further comprises a second rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element for causing a cursor symbol to be scrolled along a flight plan image that is currently being rendered on the display device.

12. The flight management system of claim 11 further comprising a second database that includes flight hazard data for various locations along the flight plans, wherein the flight hazard data for a selected one of the various locations on a particular flight plan is displayed on the display device when the cursor symbol is located at the selected location on the image of the particular flight plan.

13. The flight management system of claim 12 wherein the rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element and the second rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element comprise concentric knobs.

14. The flight management system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional rotationally or linearly displaceable positioning element for panning along, or zooming-in or zooming-out of, a flight plan that is being rendered on the display device.

15. A method for displaying flight-related data on a display in an aircraft, comprising: receiving a user input that rotationally or linearly displaces a positioning element; in response to receipt of the user input, causing flight plan images to be displayed on a display device in a prescribed sequence that does not omit any intervening flight plans arising in the sequence.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the positioning element is displaced in magnitude by a first amount and a number of flight plan images that are displayed is proportional to the first amount.