Method and apparatus for improving utility of automatic dependent surveillance

• US 20020021247A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnipol as
• Original Assignee: Rannoch Corporation (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Alexander E., Evers, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 6,567,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/781 Secondary Surveillance Radar [SSR] in general
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

The surveillance system provides a means to augment Automatic Dependent Surveillance—Broadcast (ADS-B) with “look alike ADS-B” or “pseudo ADS-B” surveillance transmissions for aircraft which may not be ADS-B equipped. The system uses ground based surveillance to determine the position of aircraft not equipped with ADS-B, then broadcasts the identification/positional information over the ADS-B data link. ADS-B equipped aircraft broadcast their own position over the ADS-B data link. The system enables aircraft equipped with ADS-B and Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) to obtain surveillance information on all aircraft whether or not the proximate aircraft are equipped with ADS-B.

Claims

1. An aircraft position location system for generating position data for a plurality of aircraft, the system comprising:

means for receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system, the aircraft position data received in a predetermined format from each of a corresponding aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system;

means for generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data;

means for correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system;

means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data; and

means for transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data to aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system such that aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system can determine locations of aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft location position system.

2. The aircraft position location system of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system comprises means for receiving data from a plurality of Automatic Dependent Surveillance System—

Broadcast (ADS-B) units on a plurality of corresponding aircraft, each ADS-B unit generating and transmitting position data.

3. The aircraft position location system of claim 2, wherein said means for generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data comprises ground-based secondary surveillance radar.

4. The aircraft position location system of claim 2, wherein said means for generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data comprises a ground-based multilateration system.

5. The aircraft position location system of claim 3, wherein said means for correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system comprises software running on a workstation for receiving ADS-B data and secondary surveillance radar data, and determining from the secondary surveillance radar data and ADS-B data, which aircraft do not have ADS-B units.

6. The aircraft position location system of claim 4, wherein said means for correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system comprises software running on a workstation for receiving ADS-B data and multilateration data, and determining from the multilateration data and ADS-B data, which aircraft do not have ADS-B units.

7. The aircraft position location system of claim 5, wherein said means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises software running on the workstation for generating an ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

8. The aircraft position location system of claim 6, wherein said means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises software running on the workstation for generating an ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

9. The aircraft position location system of claim 7, wherein said means for transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises a transmitter, for transmitting the ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

10. The aircraft position location system of claim 8, wherein said means for transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises a transmitter, for transmitting the ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

11. A method for generating position data for a plurality of aircraft comprising the steps of:

receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system, the aircraft position data received in a predetermined format from each of a corresponding aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system,

generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data,

correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system,

generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data, and

transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data to aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system such that aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system can determine locations of aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft location position system.

12. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 11, wherein the step of receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of receiving, from a plurality of Automatic Dependent Surveillance System—

Broadcast (ADS-B) units on a plurality of corresponding aircraft, each ADS-B unit generating and transmitting position data.

13. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 12, wherein the step of generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data comprises the step of generating aircraft position data using ground-based secondary surveillance radar.

14. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 12, wherein the step of generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data comprises the step of generating aircraft position data using a ground-based multilateration system.

15. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 13, wherein the step of correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system comprises the steps of

receiving ADS-B data and secondary surveillance radar data, and

determining from the secondary surveillance radar data and ADS-B data, which aircraft do not have ADS-B units.

16. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 14, wherein the step of correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of

receiving ADS-B data and multilateration data, and

determining from the multilateration data and ADS-B data, which aircraft do not have ADS-B units.

17. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 15, wherein the step of generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of generating an ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

18. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 16, wherein the step of generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of generating an ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

19. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 17, wherein the step of transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of transmitting the ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

20. The method of generating position data for a plurality of aircraft of claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of transmitting the ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft not having an ADS-B unit.

21. A system for re-transmitting position data for a plurality of aircraft, the system comprising:

means for receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system, the aircraft position data received in a predetermined format from each of a corresponding aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system;

means for determining whether a transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system generating the aircraft position data may be blocked to another aircraft;

means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for an aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked; and

means for transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked to aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system such that aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system can determine locations of aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked.

22. The aircraft position location system of claim 21, wherein said means for receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system comprises a receiver for receiving data from a plurality of Automatic Dependent Surveillance System—

Broadcast (ADS-B) units on a plurality of corresponding aircraft, each ADS-B unit generating and transmitting position data.

23. The aircraft position location system of claim 22, wherein said means for determining whether a transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system generating the aircraft position data may be blocked to another aircraft comprises a workstation programmed with potential relative positions in which aircraft transmissions from a broadcast aircraft position system generating an aircraft position data may be blocked due to multipath interference.

24. The aircraft position location system of claim 23, wherein said means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmissions may be blocked comprises software running on the workstation for generating an ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system generating the aircraft position data may be blocked.

25. The aircraft position location system of claim 24, wherein said means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmissions may be blocked comprises software running on the workstation for generating an ADS-D format signal replicating an ADS-B transmission from an aircraft whose broadcast aircraft position system generating aircraft position data may be blocked.

26. The aircraft position location system of claim 25, wherein said means for transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked comprises a transmitter, for transmitting a replicated ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft whose broadcast aircraft position system generating aircraft position data may be blocked.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said the step of receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system comprises the step of receiving data from a plurality of Automatic Dependent Surveillance System—

Broadcast (ADS-B) units on a plurality of corresponding aircraft, each ADS-B unit generating and transmitting position data.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of determining whether a transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system generating the aircraft position data may be blocked to another aircraft comprises the step of comparing received aircraft position data with potential relative positions programmed on a workstation in which aircraft transmissions from a broadcast aircraft position system generating an aircraft position data may be blocked due to multipath interference.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said the step of generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmissions may be blocked comprises the step of generating an ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system generating the aircraft position data may be blocked.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said the step of generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmissions may be blocked comprises the step of generating an ADS-B format signal replicating an ADS-B transmission from an aircraft whose broadcast aircraft position system generating aircraft position data may be blocked.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said the step of transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked comprises the steps of transmitting a replicated ADS-B format signal indicating position of a detected aircraft whose broadcast aircraft position system generating aircraft position data may be blocked.

27. A method for re-transmitting position data for a plurality of aircraft, comprising the steps of:

receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system, the aircraft position data received in a predetermined format from each of a corresponding aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system,

determining whether a transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system generating the aircraft position data may be blocked to another aircraft,

generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for an aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked, and

transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked to aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system such that aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system can determine locations of aircraft whose transmission from the broadcast aircraft position system may be blocked.