System and method for determining emergency escape path of aircraft and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for determining an emergency escape path of an aircraft and a storage medium. The system comprises a control unit, the control unit is configured to control the aircraft based on the performance capabilities of the aircraft, the original flight path, or the terrain within at least a portion of the one or more emergency escape paths. And obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths to automatically determine one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for determining an emergency escape path for an aircraft. Background Art

[0002] Aircraft are used to transport passengers and cargo between various locations. Many aircraft depart from and arrive at a typical airport every day.

[0003] An emergency escape path is a flight path that an aircraft takes in order to execute emergency procedures. During different phases of flight, a variety of different types of emergencies may occur. As an example, an aircraft may experience an engine failure. In response, the pilot may stop the aircraft before takeoff, or if it is too late to do so, fly along an emergency escape path that allows the aircraft to fly out and avoid obstacles and terrain before returning to the departure airport or another airport. As another example, in a decompression emergency, the crew has approximately ten minutes to descend the aircraft to below 10,000 feet above sea level. However, in certain locations, there may be terrain above 10,000 feet. In this case, the emergency escape path avoids such terrain.

[0004] Aircraft operators need to plan a safe path for each flight. These requirements are described in management documents supervised by agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Examples of such management documents are the FAA's U.S. Terminal Instrument Procedure Standard and FAA Advisory Notice 120-91A. Aircraft operators can manage additional business and safety strategies, including determining the maximum allowable takeoff weight. It is worth noting that the important recurrence principle in the guidance stipulates that at any time during takeoff, in the event of an emergency (such as a single engine failure), the flight must be able to take off safely and navigate around obstacles (or otherwise safely terminate). Similar flight program requirements apply to the minimum avoidance margins in other flight segments, including landing, single engine inoperative cruising, and emergency descents. Designing an emergency escape path that meets all these avoidance margin requirements is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0005] Currently, emergency takeoff and landing procedures are manually generated by highly specialized analysts. Emergency escape paths and maximum legal takeoff weights are typically determined by human experts. Understandably, the process of manually determining emergency escape paths for various types of flight emergencies is time and labor intensive. Summary of the invention

[0006] There is a need for systems and methods for effectively and efficiently determining emergency escape paths for various different types of flight emergencies, such as engine failures, decompression emergencies, and the like.

[0007] In view of this need, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system for determining one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations occurring during flight of an aircraft. The system includes a control unit configured to automatically determine one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft, terrain within at least a portion of an original flight path or one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or one or more emergency escape paths.

[0008] In at least one embodiment, the control unit is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths further based on one or more airports, one or more flights of aircraft, and / or weather.

[0009] Emergency situations can include engine failure, unsafe decompression, etc.

[0010] The system may further include a user interface in communication with the control unit. The user interface includes a display. The control unit is configured to display one or more emergency escape routes on the display.

[0011] In at least one embodiment, the control unit is configured to automatically determine one or more emergency escape paths before the aircraft is dispatched for flight.

[0012] In at least one embodiment, the control unit is configured to automatically determine one or more emergency escape paths in response to receiving an emergency signal from the aircraft during flight indicating one or more emergency situations.

[0013] Emergency situations can include all types of emergencies that can occur during a flight.

[0014] The aircraft may be automatically operated according to one or more emergency escape paths.

[0015] The control unit may be an artificial intelligence or machine learning system.

[0016] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for determining one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations occurring during a flight of an aircraft, the method comprising: a control unit automatically determining one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft, terrain within at least a portion of an original flight path or one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or one or more emergency escape paths.

[0017] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, in response to being executed, cause one or more control units including a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising: automatically determining one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency events based on performance capabilities of the aircraft, terrain within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of a system for determining an emergency escape path of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 A display showing an emergency escape route according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 A perspective front view of an aircraft is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] When reading in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the following detailed description of the above overview and certain embodiments will be better understood. As used herein, elements or steps stated in singular form and preceded by the word "one" or "a kind of" should be understood to not necessarily exclude the plural number of elements or steps. In addition, reference to "an embodiment" is not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments also in conjunction with the features. In addition, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments that "include" or "have" an element or multiple elements with a specific condition may include additional elements that do not have the condition.

[0024] Figure 1A schematic block diagram of a system 100 for determining an emergency escape path for an aircraft 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The system 100 includes a control unit 104 that communicates with a map database 106, an aircraft database 108, a flight database 110, a weather database 112, and an emergency database 114, such as through one or more wired or wireless connections. The control unit 104 may also communicate with other types of databases, such as a navigation database, a policy database, a regulation database, etc. The control unit 104 may be co-located with one or more of the map database 106, the aircraft database 108, the flight database 110, the weather database 112, and / or the emergency database, such as within a computer workstation. As another embodiment, the control unit 104 is remote from one or more of the map database 106, the aircraft database 108, the flight database 110, the weather database 112, and / or the emergency database 114.

[0025] The map database 106 stores airport data 116, terrain data 118, and obstacle data 120. The airport data 116 includes information for one or more airports, such as geospatial location, runway location and length, location and capability of navigation aids and ground points used for flight by instrument reference, etc. The terrain data 118 includes information about the characteristics, elevation, etc. of the terrain, such as mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, etc. The terrain is within the original flight path (i.e., the predetermined flight plan prior to any emergency) of the aircraft 102 and / or within the determined emergency escape path. The obstacle data 120 includes information about various obstacles, such as buildings, bridges, roads, etc. The obstacles are within the original flight path of the aircraft 102 and / or the determined emergency escape path.

[0026] In at least one embodiment, the map database 106 also includes a navigation database. Optionally, the navigation database may be separate and distinct from the map database 106. In at least one embodiment, the navigation database stores airways and navigation aids that may be incorporated into, for example, visual or emergency escape paths.

[0027] Aircraft database 108 stores performance data 122 for various types of aircraft 102. Performance data 122 includes information related to the performance of the aircraft, such as maximum airspeed, weight, turning radius, etc. Performance data 122 also includes the performance capabilities of aircraft 102 during emergency situations (e.g., any and all emergency situations), such as when an engine is inoperable.

[0028] The flight database 110 stores parameter data 124 regarding the flights of the aircraft 102. The parameter data 124 includes information regarding departure airport, time, takeoff rate and time, cruising altitude, descent rate and time, and the like.

[0029] Weather database 112 stores weather data 126. Weather data 126 includes information about different types of weather events and characteristics.

[0030] Various other types of data may also be considered and analyzed, such as by the control unit 104. For example, the control unit 104 may receive and analyze navigation data, policy data, management data, and the like.

[0031] The emergency database 114 includes emergency data 128 regarding various types of emergency situations that may occur before and during the flight of the aircraft 102. For example, the emergency data 128 includes information regarding emergency situations such as engine failure of the aircraft, sudden decompression above a safe altitude, and the like.

[0032] The control unit 104 also communicates with a user interface 130, such as through one or more wired or wireless connections. The user interface 130 includes a display 132 and an input device 134. For example, the display 132 is an electronic monitor, a television, etc., and the input device 134 includes one or more of a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, etc. In at least one embodiment, the display 132 and the input device 134 are integrated as a touch screen interface. In at least one embodiment, the user interface 130 is a computer workstation. As another embodiment, the user interface 130 is a handheld device, such as a smart phone, a smart tablet computer, etc. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 and the user interface 130 are at a common location, such as at a central monitoring location. As another embodiment, the control unit 104 and the user interface 130 are remote from each other. In at least one embodiment, the aircraft 102 may include the user interface 130, such as in an interior cabin.

[0033] The tracking subsystem 136 is configured to track the position of the aircraft 102. For example, the aircraft 102 includes one or more position sensors 138 that are detected and tracked by the tracking subsystem 136. The tracking subsystem 136 may be a radar subsystem. As another example, the tracking subsystem 136 may be an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) subsystem.

[0034] The position sensor 138 may be an ADS-B transmitter configured to output an ADS-B OUT signal. The ADS-B OUT signal provides information about the aircraft 102 within the airspace. For example, the ADS-B OUT signal provides the position, heading, speed, altitude, etc. for the aircraft 102. The tracking subsystem 136 is configured to receive the ADS-B OUT signal from the aircraft 102. For example, the tracking subsystem 136 includes an ADS-B receiver configured to receive the ADS-B OUT signal from the aircraft 102. In this embodiment, the tracking subsystem 136 is an ADS-B tracking subsystem that determines the current position of the aircraft 102 via satellite navigation through the position signal (i.e., the ADS-B OUT signal) of the aircraft 102 output by the ADS-B transmitter. As another embodiment, the tracking subsystem 136 may be a global positioning system. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 communicates with the tracking subsystem 136.

[0035] In operation, the control unit 104 automatically determines the emergency escape path for the aircraft 102 without human intervention. For example, the control unit 104 receives the emergency data 128 from the emergency database 114 and determines the emergency escape path for the aircraft 102 based on various types of additional data. For example, the control unit 104 determines the emergency escape path based on one or more of the airport data 116, the terrain data 118, the obstacle data 120, the performance data 122, the parameter data 124, and the weather data 126. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 determines the emergency escape path for all types of emergency situations in the emergency data 128 stored in the emergency database 114.

[0036] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 determines emergency escape paths for all types of emergency situations before the aircraft 102 is dispatched for flight. In this way, the control unit 104 determines emergency escape paths before the aircraft 102 is dispatched for flight. During flight, if the aircraft 102 experiences an emergency situation (such as an engine failure or an unsafe decompression event), the control unit 104 receives an emergency signal 140 from the aircraft 102, such as through one or more communication devices (such as antennas, transceivers, etc.). The emergency signal 140 includes information indicating a specific emergency situation. The control unit 104 then automatically (without human intervention) compares the emergency situation that the aircraft 102 is experiencing. The control unit 104 further automatically (without human intervention) matches the emergency situation with the specific emergency situation information within the emergency situation data 128, and then automatically (without human intervention) matches an emergency escape path for the specific emergency situation. The control unit 104 then outputs an escape path signal 142 to the aircraft 102 (such as through one or more communication devices, such as antennas, transceivers, etc.). The escape path signal 142 includes information about the emergency escape path that was flown in response to the emergency situation. The emergency escape path may be shown on the display 132 and / or a display within the aircraft 102. In at least one embodiment, the aircraft 102 is automatically operated according to the emergency escape path in the signal received from the control unit 104. For example, the control unit 104 may automatically operate the controls of the aircraft 102 according to the emergency escape path. As another embodiment, the flight computer or autopilot system of the aircraft 102 may automatically operate the aircraft 102 according to the emergency escape path. As another embodiment, the crew operates the aircraft 102 according to the emergency escape path.

[0037] In at least one other embodiment, the control unit 104 may determine and generate an emergency escape path in response to receiving an emergency signal 140 from the aircraft 102. That is, the control unit 104 may automatically determine the emergency escape path in real time, rather than predetermining the emergency escape path before the aircraft 102 is dispatched for flight. In this embodiment, the control unit 104 receives an emergency signal 140 from the aircraft 102 indicating an emergency situation. In response to receiving the emergency signal 140, the control unit 104 matches the emergency situation that the aircraft 102 is experiencing with a specific emergency situation in the emergency data 128 stored in the emergency database 114. The control unit 104 then automatically determines an emergency escape path for the emergency situation based on data (such as one or more of the airport data 116, terrain data 118, obstacle data 120, performance data 122, parameter data 124, weather data 126, etc.). The control unit 104 then outputs an escape path signal 142 to the aircraft 102, which includes the determined emergency escape path. The aircraft 102 may automatically operate based on the determined emergency escape path.

[0038] The control unit 104 automatically determines the emergency escape path to comply with specified minimum performance requirements (such as stored in performance data 122) that define the lower limit of flight safety. These requirements include flight path avoidance margins from terrain and obstacles during all flight phases. The control unit 104 is configured to automatically determine the emergency escape path based on performance aspects of the aircraft 102, safety requirements (such as determined by one or more regulatory agencies and, for example, may be stored in emergency data 128), and operational capabilities of the planned flight (such as stored in parameter data 124), including the effects of aircraft and system failures detailed in the requirements. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 interacts with a computational flight performance module (such as stored in performance data 122) and digital terrain (such as stored in terrain data 118) and an obstacle model (such as stored in obstacle data 120) to automatically determine and generate an optimized emergency escape path, which can be sent to the aircraft 102 via an escape path signal 142.

[0039] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 automatically optimizes the emergency escape path with respect to the performance capabilities of the aircraft 102 (such as stored in the performance data 122). For example, the control unit 104 adjusts the emergency escape path to various performance capabilities of the aircraft 102, such as turning capabilities. The control unit 104 can automatically search for the best emergency escape path and the heaviest allowable takeoff weight (such as stored in the parameter data 124) under expected conditions (such as stored in the weather data 126) during flight. Preliminary studies comparing the procedures generated by embodiments of the present disclosure and existing manual design processes estimate an additional structural weight payload of up to 25% per flight from mountain airports under conditions restricted by terrain or obstacles. The additional takeoff payload represents value to the operator in terms of additional cargo, passengers, tanker fuel, or the airline can use the additional performance capability to reduce the takeoff power setting to improve engine life and operational sustainability.

[0040] As described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that provide an alternative to manual determination of a desired flight path. By eliminating this bottleneck and replacing it with an automated, flexible system and method, a greater volume of procedures can be produced effectively and efficiently. Higher volume translates into lower service costs, improved cadence of procedure updates (keeping pace with the rate of change of primary data sources, keeping pace with the cadence expected by operators, etc.), higher operational speed in scheduling when identifying emergency procedures and validating performance / takeoff weights, and greater flexibility / customization (accommodating customer-specific strategies).

[0041] The systems and methods described herein reduce the cost and time of flight path design, which also makes the systems and methods useful for aircraft missions that are not flown. The systems and methods are configured to react to aircraft, propulsion, or system failures in real time (or near real time) and determine the best emergency escape path to avoid hazards based on the performance available during the emergency.

[0042] Figure 2 A display 132 showing an emergency escape route 150 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the control unit 104 determines an emergency escape path 150. The control unit 104 shows the emergency escape path 150 on a display 132, which may be in a flight deck or cockpit of the aircraft 102. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 automatically and directly generates the emergency escape path based on a specific set of dispatch conditions and maximum operational benefits. As an example, for Jackson Hole Airport (KJAC), the control unit 104 determines the emergency escape path 150 so that the aircraft 102 climbs in a valley 152 facing south.

[0043] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 automatically determines the emergency escape path 150 based on terrain, obstacles, and aircraft performance to maximize the operational benefit of compliance with all applicable regulations. The dual optimization (taking terrain / obstacles as well as aircraft performance into account) eliminates, minimizes, or otherwise reduces the limitations of previous manual processes that attempted to determine a flight path based solely on the terrain and obstacle environment, or relied on repetitive processes involving manual labor by technical subject matter experts.

[0044] The systems and methods described herein provide an emergency escape path that can be configured to optimize the maximum takeoff weight for current weather conditions.The control unit 104 may also consider operator specific policies and constraints as input.

[0045] As described, the control unit 104 is configured to automatically determine emergency escape paths for various types of emergency situations during various phases of flight. Examples of emergency situations include engine failure during takeoff, cruise, descent, etc., unsafe decompression during cruise, etc. This is an example of an emergency situation. The control unit 104 can be configured to determine emergency escape paths for any and all emergency situations that the aircraft may experience.

[0046] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 and Figure 3At 200, the control unit 104 automatically determines one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations, for example based on terrain (stored as terrain data 118), obstacles (stored as obstacle data 120), and performance capabilities (stored as performance data 122) of the aircraft 102. At 202, in response to receiving the emergency signal 140 from the aircraft 102, the control unit 104 outputs an escape path signal 142 including the determined emergency escape path to the aircraft 102. At 204, the aircraft 102 then operates (manually or automatically) according to the emergency escape path.

[0047] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a control unit 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The control unit 104 may be configured as the control unit 300. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 300 includes at least one processor 301 in communication with a memory 302. The memory 302 stores instructions 304, received data 306, and generated data 308. Figure 4 The control unit 300 shown in FIG. 1 is merely exemplary and non-limiting.

[0048] As used herein, the terms "control unit," "central processing unit," "CPU," "computer," and the like may include any processor-based or microprocessor-based system, including systems using microcontrollers, reduced instruction set computers (RISC), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), logic circuits, and any other circuit or processor, including hardware, software, or a combination thereof, capable of performing the functions described herein. This is exemplary only, and thus is not intended to limit the definition and / or meaning of such terms in any way. For example, the control unit 104 may be or include one or more processors configured to control operations, as described herein.

[0049] The control unit 104 is configured to execute instruction sets stored in one or more data storage units or elements (such as one or more memories) to process data. For example, the control unit 104 may include or be coupled to one or more memories. The data storage unit may also store data or other information as needed or required. The data storage unit may be in the form of an information source or physical memory element within the processing machine.

[0050] The group of instructions may include various commands that instruct the control unit 104 to perform specific operations as a processor, such as the methods and processes of various embodiments of the subject matter described herein. The group of instructions may be in the form of a software program. The software may be in various forms, such as system software or application software. In addition, the software may be in the form of a collection of independent programs, a subset of programs within a larger program, or a part of a program. The software may also include modular programming in the form of object-oriented programming. The processing of the input data by the processor may be in response to a user command, or in response to the result of a previous process, or in response to a request made by another processor.

[0051] The diagrams of the embodiments herein may show one or more control or processing units, such as the control unit 104. It should be understood that a processing or control unit may represent a circuit, circuit system, or part thereof that may be implemented as hardware (e.g., software stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a computer hard drive, ROM, RAM, etc.) with associated instructions to perform the operations described herein. The hardware may include a state machine circuit that is hardwired to perform the functions described herein. Alternatively, the hardware may include an electronic circuit that includes and / or is connected to one or more logic-based devices such as a microprocessor, a processor, a controller, etc. Optionally, the control unit 104 may represent a processing circuit such as one or more of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor, etc. The circuits in different embodiments may be configured to execute one or more algorithms to perform the functions described herein. Whether or not explicitly identified in a flowchart or method, one or more algorithms may include aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0052] As used herein, the terms "software" and "firmware" are interchangeable and include any computer program stored in a data storage unit (e.g., one or more memories, cloud-based applications, etc.) for execution by a computer, including RAM memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) memory. The above data storage unit types are merely exemplary and therefore do not limit the types of memory that can be used to store computer programs.

[0053] See also Figures 1 to 4, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that allow large amounts of data to be quickly and efficiently analyzed by a computing device. For example, the control unit 104 may analyze various aspects of multiple aircraft 102, emergency situations, terrain, obstacles, etc. during a specific time period. As such, large amounts of data that may not be discernible to humans are being tracked and analyzed. As described herein, large amounts of data are efficiently organized and / or analyzed by the control unit 104. The control unit 104 analyzes the data in a relatively short period of time in order to quickly and efficiently determine an emergency escape path for an emergency situation of the aircraft 102. Humans cannot effectively analyze such a large amount of data in such a short period of time. As such, embodiments of the present disclosure provide increased and efficient functionality, as well as greatly superior performance associated with humans analyzing large amounts of data.

[0054] In at least one embodiment, components of system 100, such as control unit 104, provide and / or enable a computer system to operate as a specialized computer system for automatically determining an emergency escape path for an aircraft. Control unit 104 improves upon standard computing devices by determining such information in an effective and efficient manner.

[0055] In at least one embodiment, all or part of the systems and methods described herein may be or otherwise include an artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning system that can automatically perform the operations of the methods also described herein. For example, the control unit 104 may be an artificial intelligence or machine learning system. These types of systems may be trained and / or self-trained from external information to repeatedly improve the accuracy and efficiency of analyzing data to automatically determine the emergency escape path of the aircraft 102. Over time, these systems can be improved by determining such information with increased accuracy and speed, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of any potential errors. For example, an AI or machine learning system can learn and determine patterns and use them to automatically and efficiently determine an emergency escape path from it. The AI ​​or machine learning system described herein may include technology enabled by adaptive predictive capabilities, and it exhibits at least some degree of autonomous learning to automate and / or enhance pattern detection (e.g., identifying irregularities or regularities in data), customization, etc. Feedback from one or more previous analyses of data, aggregate data, and / or other such data may be used to train and retrain the system. Based on the feedback, the system may be trained by adjusting one or more parameters used to analyze the system. The process may be performed using data and may be repeated multiple times to repeatedly improve the determination of the emergency escape path. Training minimizes conflicts and interference by executing an iterative training algorithm in which the system is retrained using updated data sets (e.g., data received before, during, and / or after each flight of the aircraft 102) and based on feedback examined prior to the most recent training of the system. This provides a robust analytical model that is able to better determine situational information in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

[0056] Figure 5 A perspective front view of an aircraft 102 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The aircraft 102 includes a propulsion system 412 including, for example, engines 414. Optionally, the propulsion system 412 may include more engines 414 than shown. The engines 414 are carried by wings 416 of the aircraft 102. In other embodiments, the engines 414 may be carried by a fuselage 418 and / or a tail 420. The tail 420 may also support a horizontal stabilizer 422 and a vertical stabilizer 424. The fuselage 418 of the aircraft 102 defines an interior cabin 430 that includes a flight deck or cockpit, one or more work sections (e.g., a galley, a personnel carry-on baggage area, etc.), one or more passenger sections (e.g., first class, business class, and second class sections), one or more lavatories, etc. Figure 5 An embodiment of an aircraft 102 is shown. It should be appreciated that the size, shape, and configuration of the aircraft 102 may vary. Figure 5 The difference shown in .

[0057] Furthermore, the present disclosure includes embodiments according to the following items:

[0058] Item 1. A system for determining one or more emergency escape routes for one or more emergency situations occurring during flight of an aircraft, the system comprising:

[0059] A control unit is configured to automatically determine one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft, terrain within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths.

[0060] Item 2. The system of item 1, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape routes further based on the one or more airports.

[0061] Item 3. The system of item 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths further based on one or more flight parameters of the aircraft.

[0062] Item 4. The system of any one of items 1-3, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape routes further based on weather.

[0063] Clause 5. The system of any of clauses 1-4, wherein the one or more emergency situations include one or both of an engine failure and an unsafe decompression.

[0064] Item 6. The system of any one of items 1-5, further comprising a user interface in communication with the control unit, wherein the user interface comprises a display, and wherein the control unit is configured to display one or more emergency escape routes on the display.

[0065] Clause 7. The system of any of clauses 1-6, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths before the aircraft is dispatched for flight.

[0066] Clause 8. The system of any of clauses 1-7, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape routes in response to receiving an emergency signal from the aircraft during flight indicating one or more emergency situations.

[0067] Clause 9. The system of any of Clauses 1-8, wherein the one or more emergency situations include all types of emergency situations that can occur during flight.

[0068] Clause 10. A system according to any of clauses 1-9, wherein the aircraft operates automatically according to one or more emergency escape paths.

[0069] Item 11. The system according to any one of items 1-10, wherein the control unit is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system.

[0070] Item 12. A method for determining one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations occurring during flight of an aircraft, the method comprising:

[0071] One or more emergency escape paths are automatically determined by a control unit for one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft, terrain within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths.

[0072] Item 13. The method of Item 12, wherein automatically determining further comprises automatically determining one or more emergency escape routes based further on one or more airports, one or more flight parameters of the aircraft, and weather.

[0073] Item 14. The method of Item 12 or 13, further comprising displaying one or more emergency escape routes on a display of a user interface in communication with the control unit.

[0074] Clause 15. The method of any of clauses 12-14, wherein the automatic determination occurs before the aircraft is dispatched for flight.

[0075] Clause 16. The method of any of clauses 12-15, wherein the automatic determination occurs in response to receiving an emergency signal from an aircraft during flight indicating one or more emergency situations.

[0076] Clause 17. The method of any of clauses 12-16, wherein the one or more emergency situations include all types of emergency situations that can occur during flight.

[0077] Item 18. The method of any one of Items 12-17, further comprising automatically operating the aircraft according to one or more emergency escape paths.

[0078] Item 19. The method according to any one of items 12-18, wherein the control unit is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system.

[0079] Item 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, in response to being executed, cause one or more control units including a processor to perform operations comprising:

[0080] Automatically determining one or more emergency escape paths for one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft, terrain within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths.

[0081] As described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for effectively and efficiently determining emergency escape paths for various different types of flight emergency situations, such as engine failures, decompression emergencies, and the like.

[0082] Although various spatial and directional terms (such as top, bottom, lower, middle, lateral, horizontal, vertical, front, etc.) may be used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that these terms are used only relative to the orientations shown in the drawings. The orientations may be reversed, rotated, or otherwise changed so that upper is lower, vice versa, horizontal becomes vertical, etc.

[0083] As used herein, a structure, limitation, or element "configured to" perform a task or operation is specifically structurally formed, constructed, or adapted in a manner corresponding to the task or operation. For clarity and avoidance of doubt, an object that can merely be modified to perform a task or operation is not "configured to" perform a task or operation as used herein.

[0084] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. For example, the above embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, many modifications may be made to adapt specific situations or materials to the teachings of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Although the size and type of materials described herein are intended to define the aspects of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the embodiments are by no means restrictive, but exemplary embodiments. After reviewing the above description, many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims and the full range of equivalents to which these claims are assigned. In the appended claims and the detailed description herein, the terms "including" and "wherein" are used as concise equivalents of the corresponding terms "including" and "wherein". In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third", etc. are used only as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. In addition, the limitations of the appended claims are not written in a device-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on Section 112 of Title 35 of the United States Code unless and until such claim limitations explicitly use the phrase "device for..." after the functional statement to avoid additional structures.

[0085] This written description uses embodiments to disclose various embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the present disclosure, including making and using any device or system and performing any combined methods. The patentable scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other embodiments that occur to those skilled in the art. If the embodiments have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if the embodiments include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims, these other embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A system (100) for determining one or more emergency escape routes for one or more emergency situations occurring during flight of an aircraft (102), the system (100) comprising: A control unit (104) is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths for the one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft (102), terrain within at least a portion of an original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths.

2. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape routes further based on one or more airports.

3. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths further based on one or more flight parameters of the aircraft (102).

4. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape routes further based on weather.

5. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more emergency situations include one or both of an engine failure and an unsafe decompression.

6. The system (100) of claim 1, further comprising a user interface (130) in communication with the control unit (104), wherein: The user interface (130) comprises a display (132), and wherein the control unit (104) is configured to display the one or more emergency escape routes on the display (132).

7. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths before the aircraft (102) is dispatched for flight.

8. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is configured to automatically determine the one or more emergency escape paths in response to receiving an emergency signal indicative of the one or more emergency situations from the aircraft (102) during flight.

9. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The one or more emergency situations include all types of emergency situations that can occur during a flight.

10. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The aircraft (102) automatically operates according to the one or more emergency escape paths.

11. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system (100).

12. A method for determining one or more emergency escape routes for one or more emergency situations occurring during flight of an aircraft (102), the method comprising: The one or more emergency escape paths are automatically determined by a control unit (104) for the one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft (102), terrain within at least a portion of an original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The automatically determining further includes automatically determining the one or more emergency escape routes further based on one or more airports, parameters of one or more flights of the aircraft (102), and weather.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: The one or more emergency escape routes are displayed on a display (132) of a user interface (130) in communication with the control unit (104).

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The automatic determination occurs before the aircraft (102) is scheduled for flight.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The automatic determination occurs in response to receiving an emergency signal from the aircraft (102) during flight indicating the one or more emergency situations.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The one or more emergency situations include all types of emergency situations that can occur during a flight.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: The aircraft (102) is automatically operated according to the one or more emergency escape paths.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The control unit (104) is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system (100).

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions, the executable instructions, in response to being executed, causing one or more control units (104) including a processor to perform operations comprising: One or more emergency escape paths are automatically determined for one or more emergency situations based on performance capabilities of the aircraft (102), terrain within at least a portion of an original flight path or one or more emergency escape paths, and obstacles within at least a portion of the original flight path or the one or more emergency escape paths.

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