Avionics Flight Plan Engine for Real-Time Group Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing avionics communication systems are limited in sharing and updating flight plans in real-time across multiple platforms, requiring manual and error-prone vocal communications for coordination, especially when flight plan actions need to be reassigned or changed.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a flight plan database and engine that compares plan event conditions to current conditions, generates a group flight plan, and transmits it to remote platforms, enabling real-time sharing and updating of flight plans across airborne platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual vocal communications are used for coordinating flight plan changes between aircraft, then flexibility in communication is maintained, but communication efficiency decreases and error rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual vocal communications (mechanical/acoustic system) with an automated digital data transmission system. The flight management system automatically generates task messages and transmits them via data links between aircraft, eliminating the need for voice coordination while maintaining communication flexibility through programmable protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables aircraft to automatically manage their own flight plan coordination by autonomously generating, transmitting, and processing task messages. Each aircraft's flight management system independently handles the coordination of flight plan changes without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving communication efficiency.
2Productivity
If automated data transmission systems are implemented for flight plan sharing, then communication efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages existing multi-functional avionics systems and data link capabilities already present in modern aircraft. The flight management system utilizes existing processors, memory, and communication interfaces to perform automated flight plan coordination, avoiding the need for dedicated specialized hardware and thereby limiting the increase in system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into the existing flight management system, including flight plan management, task message generation, and data link communication. By merging these functions into a single integrated system rather than creating separate dedicated systems, the overall system complexity is minimized while achieving automated coordination.
3Loss of information
If real-time flight plan sharing across multiple platforms is implemented, then situational awareness improves, but data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits only the essential task message data elements required for flight plan coordination rather than transmitting complete flight plan datasets. By selecting and transmitting only the critical information elements (task identifiers, waypoint data, assignment status), the system improves situational awareness while minimizing data processing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements selective real-time sharing of flight plan information rather than complete continuous sharing. Task messages are transmitted only when relevant changes occur (such as when a task is assigned, completed, or modified), providing adequate situational awareness while reducing unnecessary data processing and energy consumption compared to continuous full-state transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a flight plan database and a flight plan engine. The flight plan database is configured to store a local flight plan. The local flight plan includes one or more flight actions associated with a plan event condition including at least one of a time, a waypoint, or a position. The flight plan engine is configured to, while a platform is in an operational state, compare the plan event condition of at least one flight action to a current event condition to determine an action state of the at least one flight action, generate a group flight plan including the at least one action based on the action state, and transmit the group flight plan to one or more remote platforms.