Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable mediums for dynamic selection of advanced approach procedures

Abstract

Systems and methods, and non-transitory computer readable mediums directed to generating an adaptive glide slope angle and allowing a pilot to interact with the generated glide slope angle are provided. The systems and methods, and non-transitory computer readable mediums retrieve, from a navigation database (NDB), a designated approach procedure for the aircraft, and identify a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based thereon. The systems and methods, and non-transitory computer readable mediums receive sensed actual weather data and sensed aircraft status data and generate an adaptive glide slope angle A_GSA based thereon. The systems and methods, and non-transitory computer readable mediums allow modification of and modify, or prevent modification of, the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA based on the determination of whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method to be carried out by an onboard system of an aircraft, the onboard system including a display device and a user input device, the method comprising:
 in a control module,
 receiving, via the user input device, a selection of a designated approach procedure in a flight plan; 
 retrieving, from a navigation database (NDB), the designated approach procedure; 
 identifying a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on the designated approach procedure; 
 determining an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) based on data from an on-board sensor system; 
 determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure; 
 displaying the D_GSA and A_GSA on the display device,commanding the display device to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising:
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA,   a second icon indicating the A_GSA, and   a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure;   
 enabling the a pilot of the aircraft to utilize the user input device to modify the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA, when the designated approach procedure is compatible with the A_GSA; and 
 barring modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA, and generating a first alert, when the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure, and 
 allowing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA when the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining that employing the A_GSA violates a final approach segment altitude constraint. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data from the on-board sensor system comprises an aircraft position and location, and wherein determining that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining that the aircraft position and location violates a predetermined distance from a landing threshold. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data from the on-board sensor system comprises an aircraft ground speed, and wherein determining that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure further comprises determining that an amount of time before landing based on the aircraft position, location, and ground speed, is less than a predetermined amount of time before landing. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data from the on-board sensor system comprises an aircraft position, location, and ground speed, and wherein determining that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining that
 (i) that the aircraft position and location violates a predetermined distance from a landing threshold, or 
 (ii) an amount of time before landing based on the aircraft position, location, and ground speed, is less than a predetermined amount of time before landing. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein allowing modification of the designated approach procedure further comprises determining that the D_GSA is greater than or equal to the A_GSA and generating a second alert. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 subsequent to determining that the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure, 
 modifying the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA responsive to receiving a user selection to modify the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  7  1, wherein the plurality of icons further comprising: comprises 
 commanding a display system to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising,
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA,   a second icon indicating the A_GSA,   a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure, and   
 a fourth icon indicating whether or not an adaptive interactive glide slope angle (AIGSA) system is activated. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of icons further comprises a fifth icon indicating an approach type, a sixth icon indicating the final approach segment altitude constraint, and a seventh icon indicating whether or not the AIGSA system is activated. 
     
     
       10. A system for an approach procedure for an aircraft, the system comprising:
 a display system; 
 a control module coupled to the display system, the control module comprising a processor and a memory device, the control module configured to: 
 receive, from a user input device, a user selected designated approach procedure for the aircraft; 
 retrieve, from a navigation database (NDB), the designated approach procedure; 
 identify a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on the designated approach procedure; 
 receive sensed data from an on-board sensor system; 
 identifying an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) based on the sensed data; 
 process the A_GSA with the designated approach procedure to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure; and 
 command the display device to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising,
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA, 
 a second icon indicating the A_GSA, and 
 a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 upon determining that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure, generate a first alert and prevent modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 upon determining that the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure, allow user input selecting modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 subsequent to allowing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA,
 receive a user input selecting modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA; and 
 modify the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control module is configured to determine that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure based on determining that employing the A_GSA violates a final approach segment altitude constraint. 
     
     
       15. The method system of  claim 14 , wherein the data from the on-board sensor system comprises an aircraft position and location, and wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure based on determining that the aircraft position and location violates a predetermined distance from a landing threshold. 
     
     
       16. The method system of  claim 15 , wherein the data from the on-board sensor system further comprises an aircraft ground speed, and wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure based on determining that an amount of time before landing based is less than a predetermined amount of time before landing. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
 command the display device to render, 
 a fourth icon indicating whether or not an adaptive interactive glide slope angle (AIGSA) system is activated; 
 a fifth icon indicating an approach type; 
 a sixth icon indicating the final approach segment altitude constraint; and 
 a seventh icon indicating whether or not the AIGSA system is activated. 
 
     
     
       18. A method for an approach procedure for an aircraft, the method comprising:
 at a control module:
 receiving, from a user input device, a user designated approach procedure, altitude constraints, and landing parameters; 
 retrieving, from a navigation database (NDB), the designated approach procedure; 
 identifying a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on the designated approach procedure; 
 receiving sensed weather data and sensed aircraft status data from an on-board sensor system; 
 determining an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) based the sensed weather data and the sensed aircraft status data; 
 processing the A_GSA with the designated approach procedure to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure; and 
 commanding a display device to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising, 
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA, 
 a second icon indicating the A_GSA, and 
 a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 upon determining that the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure, allowing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA; and 
 subsequent to allowing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA,
 receiving a user input selecting modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA; and 
 modifying the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , further comprising, upon determining that the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure, generating a first alert and preventing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA. 
     
     
       21. A method in an onboard system of an aircraft, the method comprising:
 retrieving, from a navigation database (NDB), a user selected designated approach procedure for the aircraft;   identifying a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on the designated approach procedure;   receiving sensed data from an on-board sensor system;   identifying an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) based on the sensed data;   processing the A_GSA with the designated approach procedure to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure; and   commanding a display device in the aircraft to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising:
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA, 
 a second icon indicating the A_GSA, and 
 a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure. 
   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
 barring modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA, when the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure, and   allowing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA when the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure.   
     
     
       23. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining whether or not employing the A_GSA violates a final approach segment altitude constraint. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining whether or not employing the A_GSA, based on an aircraft position and location received from the on-board sensor system, violates a predetermined distance from a landing threshold constraint. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining whether or not employing the A_GSA, based on an aircraft position, location, and ground speed received from the on-board sensor system, violates a predetermined amount of time before landing constraint. 
     
     
       26. Non-transitory computer readable media encoded with programming instructions configurable to cause a processor on an aircraft to perform a method, the method comprising:
 retrieving, from a navigation database (NDB), a user selected designated approach procedure for the aircraft;   identifying a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on the designated approach procedure;   receiving sensed data from a sensor system on-board the aircraft;   identifying an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) based on the sensed data;   processing the A_GSA with the designated approach procedure to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure; and   commanding a display device in the aircraft to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising:
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA, 
 a second icon indicating the A_GSA, and 
 a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure. 
   
     
     
       27. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 26, wherein the method further comprises:
 barring modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA, when the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure, and   allowing modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA when the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure.   
     
     
       28. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 26, wherein determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining whether or not employing the A_GSA violates a final approach segment altitude constraint. 
     
     
       29. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 26, wherein determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining whether or not employing the A_GSA, based on an aircraft position and location received from the on-board sensor system, violates a predetermined distance from a landing threshold constraint. 
     
     
       30. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 26, wherein determining whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure comprises determining whether or not employing the A_GSA, based on an aircraft position, location, and ground speed received from the on-board sensor system, violates a predetermined amount of time before landing constraint. 
     
     
       31. A controller in an onboard aircraft system configured by programming instructions on non-transitory computer readable media, the controller configured to:
 retrieve, from a navigation database (NDB), a user selected designated approach procedure for the aircraft;   identify a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on the designated approach procedure;   receive sensed data from a sensor system on-board the aircraft;   identify an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) based on the sensed data;   process the A_GSA with the designated approach procedure to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure; and   command a display device in the aircraft to render a user interface comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons comprising:
 a first icon indicating the D_GSA, 
 a second icon indicating the A_GSA, and 
 a third icon indicating whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure. 
   
     
     
       32. The controller of claim 31, further configured to:
 bar modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA, when the A_GSA is not compatible with the designated approach procedure, and   allow modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA when the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure.   
     
     
       33. The controller of claim 31, wherein to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure the controller is configure to determine whether or not employing the A_GSA violates a final approach segment altitude constraint. 
     
     
       34. The controller of claim 31, wherein to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure the controller is configure to determine whether or not employing the A_GSA, based on an aircraft position and location received from the on-board sensor system, violates a predetermined distance from a landing threshold constraint. 
     
     
       35. The controller of claim 31, wherein to determine whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure the controller is configure to determine whether or not employing the A_GSA, based on an aircraft position, location, and ground speed received from the on-board sensor system, violates a predetermined amount of time before landing constraint.