AVIATION ADVISORY

• US 20130080042A1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Estkowski, Regina I., Whitley, Ted D., Baumeister, Richard, Fulton, Neale Leslie
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• 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 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving, in a computer-based airspace monitoring system, airspace information from a plurality of different sources via a plurality of different communication networks, receiving, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first flightpath parameter from a first aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter, establishing, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft, processing, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft, and transmitting the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a computer-based airspace monitoring system, airspace information from a plurality of different sources via a plurality of different communication networks;

receiving, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first flightpath parameter from a first aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

establishing, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft;

processing, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft; and

transmitting the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, in a computer-based airspace monitoring system, airspace information from a plurality of different sources via a plurality of different communication networks comprises receiving at least one of weather information, flight tracking information, surface map information, proximity information, radar information, NOTAM alert information, and flight plan information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft comprises defining an airspace which may be reached by the first aircraft within a predetermined time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft comprises:

evaluating the flight path parameters for the first aircraft against the airspace information for the first defined airspace; and

including in the first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft a subset of airspace information that is relevant to the flight path parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in the first aircraft, the first data set of airspace information;

generating a warning in response to information in the first data set of airspace information that indicates a potentially dangerous situation; and

presenting the warning on a user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in the first aircraft, the first data set of airspace information; and

revising a flight trajectory of the first aircraft in response to the first data se of airspace information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the first aircraft a second position parameter from the first aircraft at a second point in time, after the first point in time, wherein the second position parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

establishing a second defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft;

processing the airspace information for the second defined airspace based on the second position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a second data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft; and

transmitting the second dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first flightpath parameter from a second aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

establishing, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first defined airspace in a region proximate the second aircraft;

processing, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the second aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the second aircraft; and

transmitting the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the second aircraft.

9. A computer-based airspace monitoring system, comprising:

a processor;

at least one input interfaces to;

receive airspace information from a plurality of different sources via a plurality of different communication networks;

receive a first flightpath parameter from a first aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

a memory module comprising logic instructions stored in a tangible, computer-readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;

establish a first defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft;

process the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft; and

at least one output interface to transmit the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the airspace information from a plurality of different comprises at least one of weather information, flight tracking information, surface map information, proximity information, radar information, NOTAM alert information, and flight plan information.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to define an airspace which may be reached by the first aircraft within a predetermined time period.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

evaluate the flight path parameters for the first aircraft against the airspace information for the first defined airspace; and

include in the first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft a subset of airspace information that is relevant to the flight path parameters.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising an alert module in the first aircraft, comprising:

a processor;

an input interface to receive the first data set of airspace information; and

a memory module comprising logic instructions stored in a tangible, computer-readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;

generate a warning in response to information in the first data set of airspace information that indicates a potentially dangerous situation; and

present the warning on a user interface.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

receive, in the first aircraft, the first data set of airspace information; and

revise a flight trajectory of the first aircraft in response to the first data se of airspace information.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the input interfaces receive from the first aircraft a second position parameter from the first aircraft at a second point in time, after the first point in time, wherein the second position parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

the logic instructions configure the processor to;

establish a second defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft;

process the airspace information for the second defined airspace based on the second position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a second data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft; and

the output interface transmits the second dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the input interfaces receive a first flightpath parameter from a second aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

the logic instructions configure the processor to;

establish, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, a first defined airspace in a region proximate the second aircraft;

process, in the computer-based airspace monitoring system, the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the second aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the second aircraft; and

the output interface transmits the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the second aircraft.

17. A computer program product comprising logic instructions stored on a tangible computer-readable medium which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to:

receive airspace information from a plurality of different sources via a plurality of different communication networks;

receive a first flightpath parameter from a first aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

establish a first defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft;

process the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft; and

transmit the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to define an airspace which may be reached by the first aircraft within a predetermined time period.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

evaluate the flight path parameters for the first aircraft against the airspace information for the first defined airspace; and

include in the first data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft a subset of airspace information that is relevant to the flight path parameters.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

receive from the first aircraft a second position parameter from the first aircraft at a second point in time, after the first point in time, wherein the second position parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

establish a second defined airspace in a region proximate the first aircraft;

process the airspace information for the second defined airspace based on the second position parameter received from the first aircraft to define a second data set of airspace information relevant to the first aircraft; and

transmit the second dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the first aircraft.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising logic instructions stored on the tangible computer readable memory which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:

receive a first flightpath parameter from a second aircraft at a first point in time, wherein the first flightpath parameter comprises at least one of a three-dimensional position parameter, a flight trajectory parameter, or a speed parameter;

establish a first defined airspace in a region proximate the second aircraft;

process the airspace information for the first defined airspace based on the first position parameter received from the second aircraft to define a first data set of airspace information relevant to the second aircraft; and

transmit the first dataset of airspace information from the computer-based airspace monitoring system to the second aircraft.