Method and apparatus for dynamic aircraft trajectory management

• US 10,657,828 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Original Assignee: Smartsky Networks Llc
• Inventors: Sawhill, Bruce K., Herriot, James W., Holmes, Bruce J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne Marie
• Application Number:
  US15/791,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0017 Arrangements for implementing traffic-related aircraft activities, e.g. arrangements for generating, displaying, acquiring or managing traffic information head-up displays G02B27/01; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck-installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification 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 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• 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 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

Disclosed are algorithms and agent-based structures for a system and technique for analyzing and managing the airspace. The technique includes managing bulk properties of large numbers of heterogeneous multidimensional aircraft trajectories in an airspace, for the purpose of maintaining or increasing system safety, and to identify possible phase transition structures to predict when an airspace will approach the limits of its capacity. The paths of the multidimensional aircraft trajectories are continuously recalculated in the presence of changing conditions (traffic, exclusionary airspace, weather, for example) while optimizing performance measures and performing trajectory conflict detection and resolution. Such trajectories are represented as extended objects endowed with pseudo-potential, maintaining objectives for time, acceleration limits, and fuel-efficient paths by bending just enough to accommodate separation.

Claims

1. A method for determining the capacity of airspace to safely handle multiple aircraft, the method comprising:

A) acquiring electronic data describing a plurality of trajectories each representing an aircraft or an obstacle within an airspace, each respective one of the trajectories comprising a mathematical equivalent of an electrical charge at any point along the respective one of the trajectories,

B) recalculating selected of the trajectories at time intervals;

C) identifying conflicts between pairs of aircraft trajectories or between an aircraft trajectory and an obstacle trajectory;

D) modifying the trajectory one of the pair of aircraft trajectories or the aircraft trajectory in conflict with an obstacle; and

E) repeating B) through D) a predetermined number of cycles until no conflicts are identified in C), else provide an indication that the airspace is approaching unsafe capacity to handle additional trajectories.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in (D) comprising:

D1) applying a repulsion/separation process to a closest approach of first and second trajectories or a first trajectory and an obstacle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in (D) comprising:

D1) applying an elasticity/smoothing process to control points of the plurality of trajectories.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in (D) comprising:

D1) applying a bounding/limits process to control points of the plurality of trajectories.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

E) initializing in memory a plurality of parameters defining a model of an airspace.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

E) displaying data defining at least one trajectory representing an aircraft within the airspace model.

7. A method for managing aircraft within an airspace, the method comprising:

A) upon entry of an aircraft into an airspace, receiving from the aircraft and storing in a computer memory electronic data describing a trajectory representing the aircraft, the trajectory comprising a mathematical equivalent of an electrical charge at any point along the trajectory;

B) periodically re-calculating the trajectory;

C) identifying conflicts between the trajectory representing the aircraft and another trajectory representing one of another aircraft and an obstacle within the airspace;

D) modifying the trajectory representing the aircraft; and

E) communicating data representing a modified trajectory to the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data representing a modified trajectory comprises any of aircraft altitude, speed, power settings, heading, required time of arrival, and aircraft configuration.

9. A system for simulation and management of aircraft trajectories within an airspace comprising:

A) a network interface, operably connectable to one or more sources of electronic data relevant to an airspace model;

B) a computer memory coupled to the network interface;

C) a processor coupled to the computer memory and the network interface;

D) an airspace model stored in the computer memory, the airspace model initialized to a plurality of parameters which collectively define characteristics of the airspace;

E) a plurality of trajectory data structures stored in computer memory, each trajectory data structure representing a trajectory to be flown by an aircraft within the defined airspace model; and

F) a trajectory management server application executable on the processor and configured for;

i) acquiring and storing in the computer memory data describing an aircraft trajectory;

ii) periodically re-calculating each trajectory having a corresponding trajectory data structure stored in the computer memory;

iii) identifying conflicts between a first trajectory representing an aircraft and a second trajectory representing another aircraft or an obstacle within the airspace model; and

iv) modifying the first trajectory representing the aircraft,

wherein each trajectory data structure comprises data representing five dimensions associated with a trajectory to be flown by an aircraft within the defined airspace model, at least one of the five dimensions comprising a future time variable.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein trajectory management server application executable is further configured for:

v) communicating data representing the modified first trajectory to the aircraft represented thereby.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a display apparatus, operably coupled to the processor and the computer memory.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the trajectory management server application is further configured for:

v) displaying graphic representations of one or more trajectories to be flown by aircraft within the defined airspace model on the display apparatus.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the trajectory management server application is further configured for:

v) presenting a graphic user interface on the display apparatus.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the five dimensions associated with a trajectory comprise X, Y and Z coordinate values within the airspace model.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the five dimensions associated with a trajectory comprise a first time value corresponding to present time and a second time value corresponding to the future time variable.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein each trajectory data structure comprises a plurality of control point values representing points along a trajectory.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein each trajectory data structure comprises a moment buffer for storing the values used in modifying a trajectory, and wherein the system further comprises a graphics processing unit, operably coupled to the processor and the computer memory and configured for interaction with the trajectory management server application.

18. The system of claim 9, and wherein the trajectory management server application is further configured for:

applying a repulsion/separation process to a closest approach of first and second trajectories or a first trajectory and an obstacle,

applying an elasticity/smoothing process to control points of a trajectory, and

applying a bounding/limits process to control points of a trajectory.