AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

• US 20100049430A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NATS Limited (NATS Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: NATS Limited (NATS Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Southall, Martin, Eagles, Robert, Weston, Jenny, Casey, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,401,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 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

Abstract

An air traffic control system, for use by a human controller controlling a plurality of aircraft held vertically separated in a stack above a minimum stack level, the system comprising at least one processor, and a display device for the human controller, controlled by said at least one processor; further comprising: means for periodically inputting a value representative of local terrestrial air pressure conditions; means for periodically inputting an aircraft flight level reading representing an altitude defined by a reference air pressure measured on the aircraft; means for periodically generating a display on said display device comprising a plurality of flight levels vertically arranged; means for indicating in said display said plurality of aircraft, arranged in a vertical list ranked by flight level; said at least one processor being arranged, on reception of a new said value, to redetermine said minimum stack level and to vary said display so as to indicate changes to said minimum stack level.

Claims

1. An air traffic control system, for use by a human controller controlling a plurality of aircraft held vertically separated in a stack above a minimum stack level, the system comprising at least one processor, and a display device for the human controller, controlled by said at least one processor;

further comprising;

means for periodically inputting a value representative of local terrestrial air pressure conditions;

means for periodically inputting an aircraft flight level reading representing an altitude defined by a reference air pressure measured on the aircraft;

means for periodically generating a display on said display device comprising a plurality of flight levels vertically arranged;

means for indicating in said display said plurality of aircraft, arranged in a vertical list ranked by flight level;

said at least one processor being arranged, on reception of a new said value, to redetermine said minimum stack level and to vary said display so as to indicate changes to said minimum stack level.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which said plurality of flight levels displayed are displayed as a plurality of slots each for accommodating an aircraft separated from its neighbours by a minimum height spacing.

3. A system according to claim 2 in which said slots define a height spacing of 1000 feet.

4. A system according to claim 2 in which at least one lowest said slot above said minimum level is represented visually differently to other said slots on said display.

5. A system according to claim 4 in which said at least one lowest slot is represented visually differently by being separated from those above it, by displaying a horizontal line therebetween.

6. A system according to claim 1 in which said processor is arranged to vary said minimum stack level so as to maintain it above a transition altitude at which aircraft change between altitude measurements determined in accordance with local air pressure data and flight levels determined in accordance with said reference air pressure.

7. A system according to claim 6 in which said processor is arranged to maintain said minimum stack level at least 1000 feet above said transition altitude.

8. A system according to any preceding claim 1 further comprising at least one radar station equipped with a transponder for interrogating each said aircraft for its flight level to provide said flight level readings.

9. A system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one terrestrial barometer arranged periodically to generate said value.