METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TAILORED ALLOCATION OF ARRIVALS

• US 20100241345A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mead, Robert W., Saccone, Gregory T., Bailey, Louis J., Cornell, Bradley D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,159,240 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 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• 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 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

A tailored arrival allocation system (TAAS) for determining a descent profile for an aircraft is described. TAAS includes a gateway operable for establishing communications between TAAS and aircraft, and for establishing communications between TAAS and at least one of a source of weather data, an air traffic services facility, and an airlines operations center. A processing device communicatively coupled to the gateway calculates a descent profile based on data received from a plurality of an air traffic services coordination function, an airline operations center function, data from the aircraft, and data received from a weather station that allows the aircraft to meet the required time at one or more metering fixes during the descent. Output interfaces provide data relating to the calculated descent profile to the processing device. The gateway communicates with a flight management computer for the aircraft to incorporate the calculated descent profile onto the flight management computer.

Claims

1. A ground based tailored arrival allocation system (TAAS) for determining a descent profile for an aircraft, said TAAS comprising:

a communications gateway operable for establishing communications between said TAAS and an aircraft, and further operable for establishing communications between said TAAS and at least one of a source of weather related data, an air traffic services facility, and an airlines operations center;

a processing device communicatively coupled to said communications gateway, said processing device programmed to calculate a descent profile for the aircraft based on data received from a plurality of an air traffic services coordination function, an airline operations center function, data from the aircraft, and data received from a weather station that allows the aircraft to meet the required time at one or more metering fixes during the descent while taking into account fuel efficiency and environmental considerations; and

at least one output interface communicatively coupled to said processing device for providing data relating to the calculated descent profile, said communications gateway operable to communicate with a flight management computer for the aircraft to incorporate the calculated descent profile onto the flight management computer.

2. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein said at least one output interface comprises at least one of a dedicated display within the aircraft, an airline operations center display, and an air traffic services display.

3. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein the data received by said processing device includes at least one of embedded terrain information, safety constraints, airline preference, aircraft performance, weather information, air traffic information, and airborne flight path logic.

4. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein the data received by said processing device includes at least one of data from an aircraft communication addressing and reporting system (ACARS) and data from an aeronautical fixed telecommunications network (AFTN).

5. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein the data received from the air traffic services (ATS) coordination function comprises clearance information, airspace configuration information, and scheduling and arrival information for the aircraft, said ATS coordination function configured to time the delivery of the information and data to that aircraft and the air traffic services facility.

6. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein the data received from the airline operations center (AOC) coordination function comprises route information, clearance and request information, scheduling and arrival information, aircraft weight data, airline and flight-specific cost index considerations, weather information, and airline operating preferences and guidelines for the aircraft, said AOC coordination function configured to time the information and data to the aircraft and the airline operations center.

7. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein said processing device is programmed to process clearance data, requests, ADS-C surveillance information, and weather information for receiving from and forwarding to at least one of the aircraft and ATS facilities.

8. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein said processing device is programmed to include an AOC messaging function capable of processing clearance requests, flight plan data requests and deliveries for receiving from and forwarding to the aircraft.

9. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein said processing device is programmed to include a clearance generator function capable of incorporating trajectory information, clearance information, airline preference information, aircraft and FMC-specific information for the flight, weather information, ETA/RTA (Estimated Time of Arrival/Required Time of Arrival) information to generate available time of arrival clearances.

10. A ground based TAAS according to claim 9 wherein said processing device is programmed to include aircraft performance information, air traffic information, airspace information, meteorological information, obstacle clearance information and environmental constraints expected to be encountered during an arrival to generate available time of arrival clearances.

11. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein said processing device is programmed to include an RTA/ETA generator function capable of incorporating trajectory information, airline preference information related to multiple aircraft arriving into the same airspace, weather information, ATS sequencing information, and intent data to generate a preferred ETA/RTA for the flight, and place the flight at a beneficial time of arrival over merging and sequencing points.

12. A ground based TAAS according to claim 1 wherein said communications gateway is further operable to coordinate the calculated descent profile with air traffic services and the airline operations center.

13. A method for providing a descent profile to an aircraft using a ground based tailored arrival allocation system (TAAS), said method comprising:

establishing an automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) contact between the TAAS and the aircraft to capture its intent information;

receiving, from the aircraft, an ADS report that includes intent information as well as an ETA over a first metering fix;

analyzing, using the TAAS, position reports, radar and ADS surveillance data, and trajectory prediction data in relation to the first metering fix and the remainder of aircraft trajectory;

establishing an airline operational control data link with the aircraft to receive flight-specific preferences and airline preferences, to be used in creating the routing and profile for the aircraft;

creating, with the TAAS, clearances in accordance with a time associated with the first metering fix, airline preferences for the particular flight, air traffic services (ATS), and weather data; and

giving route clearance to the aircraft, from the TAAS, for loading into the flight management computer (FMC).

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein giving route clearance to the aircraft comprises providing lateral, vertical, speed and time constraints to the aircraft, the constraints formatted for transmission to the aircraft, the transmission from at least one of air traffic services (ATS) and airline operational control facilities, a transmission from airline operational control facilities used as a request to ATS.

15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising coordinating the route clearances with upstream and downstream air traffic control centers.

16. A method according to claim 13 further comprising uplinking updated wind information from the TAAS to the FMC if the wind information affects the route clearances.

17. A method for generating a tailored arrival solution for an aircraft, said method comprising:

collating data from multiple sources including a plurality of air traffic services sequencing and scheduling, aircraft and airline flight preferences, weather, surveillance data, trajectory and intent information from the aircraft and airline preferences;

filtering the collated data against a plurality of flight specific preferences, an aircraft arrival direction, aircraft performance parameters, airspace constraints, aircraft operator preferences, and terrain constraints; and

generating a tailored arrival solution for the aircraft, based on the filtering step, the tailored arrival solution including a plurality of speed, route, altitude, and a required time of arrival; and

providing the tailored arrival solution provided to air navigation service providers, airlines operations centers, and the aircraft.

18. A method according to claim 17 further comprising:

establishing an automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) contact with the inbound aircraft to capture its intent information; and

receiving, from the aircraft, an ADS report that includes intent information and an estimated time of arrival over a first metering fix.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein generating a tailored arrival solution for the aircraft comprises generating a time of arrivals clearance through the integration of known aircraft performance constraints, air traffic constraints, airspace constraints, meteorological constraints, terrain constraints and environmental constraints expected to be encountered during an arrival.

20. A method according to claim 17 further comprising generating preferred estimated times of arrivals and required times of arrival over merging and sequencing points based on trajectory information, airline preference information related to multiple aircraft arriving into the same airspace, weather information, air traffic services sequencing information, and intent data.

21. A method according to claim 17 wherein generating a tailored arrival solution for the aircraft comprises:

selecting a time the aircraft is to pass over a metering fix using scheduling data, intent data, and trajectory data; and

selecting a path and a speed for the aircraft so that the aircraft passes over the metering fix at the selected time.

22. A method according to claim 17 wherein providing the tailored arrival solution comprises at least one of:

providing the resulting route clearance and associated tail number/flight number combinations available to other ground automation systems for uplinking clearances/clearance requests to aircraft; and

making the resulting route clearance available for display on the aircraft via clearance request messages sent by the aircraft and uplink route clearance messages sent to the aircraft.