Methods and systems for performance based arrival and sequencing and spacing

• US 10,096,252 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ren, Liling, Tomlinson, Harold Woodruff, Staudinger, Vincent Paul, Bult, Jeffrey Russell, Castillo-Effen, Mauricio, Borgyos, Szabolcs Andras, Koszalka, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US15/196,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20180005532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 701120, 701 3, 701121, 701301, 701400, 701465, 340961, 340977-979, 342 29, 342 36
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method, medium, and system to receive flight parameter data relating to a plurality of flights, the flight parameter data including indications of aircraft performance based navigation (PBN) capabilities, flight plan information, an aircraft configuration, and an airport configuration for the plurality of flights; assign probabilistic properties to the flight parameter data; receive accurate and current position and predicted flight plan information for a plurality of aircraft corresponding to the flight parameter data; determine a probabilistic trajectory for two of the plurality of aircraft based on a combination of the probabilistic properties of the flight parameter data and the position and predicted flight plan information, the probabilistic trajectory being specific to the two aircraft and including a target spacing specification to maintain a predetermined spacing between the two aircraft at a target location with a specified probability; and generate a record of the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving flight parameter data relating to a plurality of flights in a processor in communication with a storage device for storing executable instructions including a probabilistic spacing advisory tool (PSAT) with a trajectory modeler and a spacing advisor, the flight parameter data including indications of aircraft performance based navigation (PBN) capabilities, a cleared or best available flight plan information, an aircraft configuration, and an airport configuration for the plurality of flights;

assigning in the processor, probabilistic properties to the flight parameter data;

receiving, in the processor, accurate and current position and flight plan information for a plurality of aircraft corresponding to the flight parameter data;

determining, in the processor, a probabilistic trajectory for two of the plurality of aircraft based on a combination of the probabilistic properties of the flight parameter data and the position and predicted flight plan information in the trajectory modeler and the spacing advisor of the PSAT, the probabilistic trajectory being specific to the two aircraft and including a target spacing specification to maintain a predetermined spacing between the two aircraft at a target location with a specified probability; and

generating, in the processor, a record of the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight parameter data further comprises at least one of aircraft equipage, flight crew qualifications regarding PBN procedures, aloft weather conditions, weather conditions at the target location, airport runway directions, airport runway instrument landing system status.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight parameter data is received from an external source, an internal data store, models, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the probabilistic trajectory for each of the two aircraft is determined based on the PBN capabilities of the aircraft being either PBN capable or non-PBN capable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft specifies target spacing between the two aircraft for which a trailing aircraft of the two aircraft is PBN capable and can be expected to execute a PBN approach without interruption to maintain, at the predetermined probability, the target spacing.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft specifies target spacing between the two aircraft for which a trailing aircraft of the two aircraft is non-PBN capable and can be expected to execute a specified trajectory within a determined spacing tolerance at the predetermined probability.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the probabilistic trajectory is determined for the two aircraft specifies, for each of the aircraft, at least one of their origin, destination, current state, aircraft type, flight time, latest flight plan, weather updates, and expected approach runway.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the probabilistic trajectory is determined in real-time for currently active flights.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the probabilistic trajectory is determined for at least one of a plurality of flight procedure combinations and a plurality of predetermined probabilities.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the record comprises a spacing matrix including target spacing entries for the entries for the at least one plurality of flight procedure combinations and plurality of predetermined probabilities.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the two aircraft are related pairs by being, for a period of time without limit to duration or when occurring, a navigation spacing concern to each other in a proximity of the target location.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor executable instructions, the medium comprising:

instructions to receive flight parameter data relating to a plurality of flights in a processor in communication with a storage device including a probabilistic spacing advisory tool (PSAT) with a trajectory modeler and a spacing advisor, the flight parameter data including indications of aircraft performance based navigation (PBN) capabilities, a cleared or best available flight plan information, an aircraft configuration, and an airport configuration for the plurality of flights;

instructions to assign probabilistic properties to the flight parameter data;

instructions to receive accurate and current position and flight plan information from on-board avionics or from a ground-based monitoring and control system for a plurality of aircraft corresponding to the flight parameter data;

instructions to determine a probabilistic trajectory for two of the plurality of aircraft based on a combination of the probabilistic properties of the flight parameter data and the position and predicted flight plan information, the probabilistic trajectory being specific to the two aircraft and including a target spacing specification to maintain a predetermined spacing between the two aircraft at a target location with a specified probability; and

instructions to generate a record of the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the flight parameter data further comprises at least one of aircraft equipage, flight crew qualifications regarding PBN procedures, aloft weather conditions, weather conditions at the target location, airport runway directions, airport runway instrument landing system status.

14. The medium of claim 12, wherein the probabilistic trajectory for each of the two aircraft is determined based on the PBN capabilities of the aircraft being either PBN capable or non-PBN capable.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft specifies target spacing between the two aircraft for which a trailing aircraft of the two aircraft is PBN capable and can be expected to execute a PBN approach without interruption to maintain, at the predetermined probability, the target spacing.

16. The medium of claim 14, wherein the probabilistic trajectory for the two aircraft specifies target spacing between the two aircraft for which a trailing aircraft of the two aircraft is non-PBN capable and can be expected to execute a specified trajectory within a determined spacing tolerance at the predetermined probability.

17. The medium of claim 12, wherein the probabilistic trajectory is determined for the two aircraft specifies, for each of the aircraft, at least one of their origin, destination, current state, aircraft type, flight time, latest flight plan, weather updates, and expected approach runway.

18. The medium of claim 12, wherein the probabilistic trajectory is determined in real-time for currently active flights.

19. The medium of claim 12, wherein the probabilistic trajectory is determined for at least one of a plurality of flight procedure combinations and a plurality of predetermined probabilities.

20. The medium of claim 12, wherein the record comprises a spacing matrix including target spacing entries for the entries for the at least one plurality of flight procedure combinations and plurality of predetermined probabilities.