Aircraft Mission Modeling Using Modular Procedures and Performance Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft mission planning software lacks the ability to create highly realistic flight paths and is limited by fixed geographic data abstraction, leading to inflexible user interfaces and inability to animate flight paths realistically.
Innovation Solution
The system abstracts aircraft motion into 2D profiles and maps them to 3D using Procedures, allowing for flexible generation of flight paths with Aircraft Performance Models, enabling realistic and complex maneuvers without requiring changes to the user interface or underlying data abstraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If prior art solutions use fixed geographic points as reference for calculations, then the system structure is simple, but the adaptability to different mission types and concepts is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the mission planning functionality into independent modular components including performance models, procedures, sites, and mission phases. Each module handles specific aspects of flight modeling (e.g., takeoff, cruise, landing) and can be independently configured and combined, enabling high adaptability without increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universal data structures and interfaces that can handle multiple mission types and concepts through a common framework. The system uses generic procedure and site definitions that can represent diverse flight scenarios (aerial refueling, formation flight, carrier operations) without requiring mission-specific code, achieving versatility through multi-functionality.
2Manufacturing precision
If prior art solutions use coarse straight line segments to represent flight paths, then the computational complexity is low, but the realism of flight path animation is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces coarse straight line segments with mathematically smooth curved trajectories that accurately represent realistic aircraft flight paths. Procedures generate continuous curved profiles using performance models that account for aerodynamic constraints, producing visually realistic flight animations while maintaining computational efficiency through parametric curve representations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic flight path generation where trajectories are computed based on real-time aircraft performance parameters, environmental conditions, and mission requirements. The system dynamically adjusts flight paths to maintain realism while optimizing computational resources, allowing high-fidelity simulation without excessive computational complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If prior art solutions have hard-coded user interfaces designed around specific data abstractions, then the implementation is simple, but the flexibility to adapt to new concepts is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an additional layer of abstraction between the user interface and the core data structures. The interface layer uses generic, configuration-driven definitions that can represent new mission concepts without modifying underlying implementations. This dimensional separation allows the UI to adapt to new concepts through configuration rather than code changes, maintaining implementation simplicity while enhancing flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An expert system and method for aircraft mission modeling using a matrix application, a preferred embodiment of which is incorporated into Mission Modeler software used in conjunction with Satellite Toolkit (STK) software. More generally, the invention is an expert system that draws on an extensive set of basic building blocks that represent standard aircraft maneuvers and concepts, and assembles those building blocks into complex and realistic sequences that represent aircraft motion with very high fidelity. One benefit of this invention is that it provides a simple system and method for users with no piloting experience to generate highly realistic flight paths.