Granted Patent B2

US 12,462,697 · App. 18/097,810 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Inventors: Joshua Paul Rosenkranz (San Francisco, CA); Craig Richard Milliard (Vallejo, CA); Ryan Thomas Olson (San Francisco, CA); Maxime Marie Christophe Gariel (San Francisco, CA); Adam D. Shelly (Walnut Creek, CA); Kelsey McQuikin Bing (Houston, TX); Joey Yaozu Zhu (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.

G08G5/54G08G5/21G08G5/26G08G5/34G08G5/55G08G5/59

Abstract

Claims (88)

1 . An aircraft landing pattern control system configured to allow a user to modify a landing pattern of an aircraft through a graphical user interface, the aircraft landing pattern control system comprising:

a user interface module configured to display a graphical user interface on an operator device, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to control an aircraft during a mission while in mission mode, and wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

a visual representation of the aircraft;

one or more waypoints, wherein the one or more waypoints include an initial descent waypoint, a base waypoint, a final leg waypoint, and a landing waypoint;

one or more flight legs, wherein the one or more flight legs include a downwind leg, a base leg, and a final leg, wherein the final leg is on a runway heading;

one or more elements configured to display a current state of the aircraft;

one or more elements configured to receive set point data from a user and transmit requests to the aircraft corresponding to the received set point data; and

one or more flight maneuver buttons, wherein each of the one or more flight maneuver buttons corresponds to a predefined flight maneuver, and wherein a selection, by the user, of a first flight maneuver button triggers a request, transmitted to the aircraft, to perform a first predefined flight maneuver comprising a downwind extension flight maneuver; and

a flight management system, operating on the aircraft, configured to:

receive a first requests from the user interface module;

update the mission based on the received first request;

notify a ground control station that the mission has been modified;

generate one or more autopilot commands corresponding to the updated mission; and

control the aircraft based on the one or more autopilot commands.

2 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 1 , wherein the received first request corresponds to a request to perform the first predefined flight maneuver, and wherein updating of the mission is based on the first predefined flight maneuver.

3 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 2 , wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the first flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection and a number of times a first flight maneuver has been performed by the aircraft;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

4 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 3 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint and final leg waypoint by a first predetermined distance (Pd) in a direction opposite the runway heading;

increasing the final leg waypoint's altitude by the equation tangent (3 degrees)*Pd, up to a predetermined traffic pattern altitude limit, to generate a new final leg waypoint altitude; and

increasing the base waypoint's altitude to the new final leg waypoint altitude if the new final leg waypoint altitude is higher; and

interpolating altitude from the aircraft to the modified base waypoint and from the modified base waypoint to the modified final leg waypoint.

5 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 2 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a turn-base maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

6 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 5 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint to a position that is a second predetermined distance in front of the aircraft, to generate a new base waypoint position; and

moving the final leg waypoint to a position that is directly across from the new base waypoint position in a direction perpendicular to the runway heading and at an altitude that keeps it on a 3 degree glideslope relative to the final leg waypoint before being moved.

7 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 2 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a 360 degree maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

display a button configured to generate a request to cancel the 360 degree maneuver; and

display a circular flight path corresponding to the 360 degree maneuver.

8 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 7 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

calculating a first point at a third predetermined distance from the aircraft, wherein the first point is perpendicular to a leg being traveled; and

generating a circular flight path centered at the first point, wherein a radius of the circular flight path is determined based on true airspeed of the aircraft and a nominal banking angle.

9 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 8 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to perform a climb during the 360 degree maneuver.

10 . The aircraft landing pattern control system of claim 8 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to descend a predetermined amount during the 360 degree maneuver.

11 . A computer implemented method for modifying a landing pattern of an aircraft through a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying, by a user interface module, a graphical user interface on an operator device;

controlling, by the graphical user interface, an aircraft during a mission and while in mission mode, wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

a visual representation of the aircraft;

one or more waypoints, wherein the one or more waypoints include an initial descent waypoint, a base waypoint, a final leg waypoint, and a landing waypoint;

one or more flight legs, wherein the one or more flight legs include a downwind leg, a base leg, and a final leg, wherein the final leg is on a runway heading;

one or more elements configured to display a current state of the aircraft;

one or more elements configured to receive set point data from a user and transmit requests to the aircraft corresponding to the received set point data; and

one or more flight maneuver buttons, wherein each of the one or more flight maneuver buttons corresponds to a predefined flight maneuver, and wherein a selection, by the user, of a first flight maneuver button triggers a request, transmitted to the aircraft, to perform a first predefined flight maneuver comprising a downwind extension flight maneuver;

receiving, by a flight management system operating on the aircraft, a first requests from the user interface module;

updating the mission based on the received first request;

notifying a ground control station that the mission has been modified;

generating one or more autopilot commands corresponding to the updated mission; and

controlling the aircraft based on the one or more autopilot commands.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the received first request corresponds to a request to perform the first predefined flight maneuver, and wherein updating of the mission is based on the first predefined flight maneuver.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the first flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection and a number of times a first flight maneuver has been performed by the aircraft;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint and final leg waypoint by a first predetermined distance (Pd) in a direction opposite the runway heading;

increasing the final leg waypoint's altitude by the equation tangent (3 degrees)*Pd, up to a predetermined traffic pattern altitude limit, to generate a new final leg waypoint altitude; and

increasing the base waypoint's altitude to the new final leg waypoint altitude if the new final leg waypoint altitude is higher; and

interpolating altitude from the aircraft to the modified base waypoint and from the modified base waypoint to the modified final leg waypoint.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a turn-base maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

move the base waypoint and final leg waypoint to updated positions based on the updated mission; and

redraw the downwind leg, base leg, and final leg based on the updated positions of the base waypoint and final leg waypoint.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

modifying the base waypoint and the final leg waypoint, wherein the modifying comprises:

moving the base waypoint to a position that is a second predetermined distance in front of the aircraft, to generate a new base waypoint position; and

moving the final leg waypoint to a position that is directly across from the new base waypoint position in a direction perpendicular to the runway heading and at an altitude that keeps it on a 3 degree glideslope relative to the final leg waypoint before being moved.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a second flight maneuver button selection corresponds to a 360 degree maneuver; and

wherein the user interface module is further configured to:

modify the second flight maneuver button to visually indicate a selection by the user;

display a button configured to generate a request to cancel the 360 degree maneuver; and

display a circular flight path corresponding to the 360 degree maneuver.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises:

calculating a first point at a third predetermined distance from the aircraft, wherein the first point is perpendicular to a leg being traveled; and

generate a circular flight path centered at the first point, wherein a radius of the circular flight path is determined based on true airspeed of the aircraft and a nominal banking angle.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to perform a climb during the 360 degree maneuver.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the updating of the mission comprises adjusting the flight path to descend a predetermined amount during the 360 degree maneuver.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (92)