Database System To Organize Selectable Items For Users Related to Route Planning

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic system for providing access to a useable, tailored database of selectable items for a user, e.g., user selectable routes entered by pilot users to utilize for flight planning and aircraft route guidance, and other related information from a remote processing center to a local unit over wireless, wire line, or telecommunications network or combination thereof. The disclosure more particularly relates, for example, to an electronic system including one or more remote processing centers and a plurality of local units, e.g., a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, cellular device, or mobile telephone unit, for providing to a pilot's local unit information of other pilot users from one or more databases, in particular, a pilot user's route with FAA identifiers (such as airports, VORs, NDBs, waypoints, reporting points, airways, etc.), waypoints, departure airport, destination airport, hazards, FAA VFR sectional and/or IFR airway map for guidance, pilot comments, and other information which has been calculated and/or stored at one or more remote processing centers in response to a query or selection request received from a local unit operated by an pilot user, for example.

1 . An electronic system for providing a pilot user access to a useable database of selectable items for a user for flight planning or aircraft route guidance, including a remote processing center, wherein said remote processing center comprises:
 A. a network interface operable to connect said remote processing center to a telecommunications network, wherein a said telecommunications network is operable to permit wireless communication of data;   B. rewritable storage, wherein said rewritable storage is programmable with one or more databases of user selectable items by downloading information to said storage in response to one or more transmitted instructions, transmitted via said network interface, wherein each of a plurality of said user selectable items are for retention by said rewritable storage for later access and selection from by a plurality of pilot users;   C. a database processor, which includes processing circuitry; said remote processing center including further limitations, wherein,   D. said remote processing center is operable to communicate with a portable data entry unit operable by a pilot user in and away from a pilot user's home; said data entry unit including: (i) one or more sensors operable by a user to input commands and information and to select information; (ii) said sensor coupled to a wireless communications interface operable to transmit command or data signals, said wireless communications interface operable to connect said data entry unit to a telecommunications network via said antenna; (iii) a display screen coupled to said sensor to display a plurality of user selectable items in response to input to said data entry unit via a said sensor; and (iv) wherein a said data entry unit is configured to permit a pilot user to transmit information related to one or more routes of flight to said remote processing center for inclusion in said one or more databases, and to request and receive for viewing and selection from said remote processing center a plurality of user selectable items related to one or more routes of flight from said one or more databases;   E. said remote processing center is operable to communicate with a plurality of said portable data entry units;   F. said one or more databases of said rewritable storage include a plurality of user selectable items related to a route of flight which are built up via information transmitted to said remote processing center from a plurality of said portable data entry units operable by pilot users, wherein said information is transmitted from said portable data entry units for inclusion in said one or more databases and to permit sharing with and comment from other pilot users for purposes of flight planning;   G. wherein a said portable data entry unit is operable by a pilot user to select at least the following information related to a route of flight for transmission to said remote processing center to build up a plurality of user selectable items for one or more databases at said remote processing center for access by other pilot users from said remote processing center:   (i) a departure airport for said route of flight, including identifier code information;   (ii) a destination airport for said route of flight, including identifier code information;   (iii) one or more waypoints between a said departure airport and a said destination airport for said route of flight, if a pilot user includes one or more said waypoints for said route of flight;   (iv) one or more altitudes for said route of flight;   (v) an aircraft type, and an identifier for an aircraft; and   (vi) one or more comments of a pilot user relating to a said route of flight.   
     
     
         2 . An electronic system for providing a pilot user access to a useable database of selectable items for a user for flight planning or aircraft route guidance, including a remote processing center according to  claim 1 , wherein a said portable data entry unit is operable by a pilot user,
 (i) to access said one or more databases of said rewritable storage and to select a name or user name of another pilot user of a said portable data entry unit, and   (ii) to display a list of routes of flight associated with said name or user name of another pilot user, and to display a plurality of user selectable items related a said list of routes of flight, wherein a said list of routes of flight includes route information transmitted from a said portable data entry unit operable by said another pilot user for inclusion in said one or more databases for sharing with other pilot users.