OPTIMIZING REAL-TIME AND PLANNED AIR-TRAFFIC

• US 20180137766A1
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Published: 05/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BOSTICK, JAMES E., GOYAL, MUNISH, STARKS, KIMBERLY G., WENDEL, MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 10,283,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• 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 5/0082 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

An optimization model is selected to reduce a number of passengers adversely affected by a delay of an aircraft. A cascade boundary is determined for a length of the delay, which projects the delay at the plurality of airports. Using the optimization model, a probability curve is computed at an airport from the plurality of airports, which outputs a second length of the delay experienced at the airport responsive to the cascade boundary projecting the delay on the airport. The length is adjusted in the optimization model such that a count of passengers adversely affected by the delay at the airport at the elapse of the second length is minimized. A target system is caused to configure the aircraft to be delayed by the adjusted length.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting an optimization model to reduce a number of passengers adversely affected by a delay of an aircraft;

determining a cascade boundary for a length of the delay, wherein the cascade boundary projects the delay at the plurality of airports;

computing, using the optimization model, a probability curve at an airport from the plurality of airports, wherein the probability curve outputs a second length of the delay experienced at the airport responsive to the cascade boundary projecting the delay on the airport;

adjusting in the optimization model the length, to form an adjusted length, such that a count of passengers adversely affected by the delay at the airport at the elapse of the second length is minimized; and

causing a target system to configure the aircraft to be delayed by the adjusted length.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing an instruction for the target system, the instruction comprising the adjusted length; and

causing the target system to execute the instruction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the target system is an air-traffic control system, and wherein causing the target system to execute the instruction causes a set of aircrafts to be reordered for landing such that the aircraft in the set of aircrafts lands after a delay of the adjusted length.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting, in the optimization model, the delay to a third length, such that a fourth length ends at a second airport when a total of the count at the airport and a second count of passengers at the second airport who are affected by the delay is at a minimum.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing, using a second time curve of passengers at the airport, the count of passengers at the airport after the second length of time, wherein the count is a part of the number of passengers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of passengers is a total number of passengers affected at a plurality of airports, wherein in the total number of passengers is a subset of a set of passengers expecting to use the aircraft at the plurality of airports.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of passengers are at a specific airport, wherein in the number of passengers is a subset of a set of passengers expecting to use the aircraft at the specific airport.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the length of the delay is a controllable factor prior to an occurrence of the delay.

9. A computer usable program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, the stored program instructions comprising:

program instructions to select an optimization model to reduce a number of passengers adversely affected by a delay of an aircraft;

program instructions to determine a cascade boundary for a length of the delay, wherein the cascade boundary projects the delay at the plurality of airports;

program instructions to compute, using the optimization model, a probability curve at an airport from the plurality of airports, wherein the probability curve outputs a second length of the delay experienced at the airport responsive to the cascade boundary projecting the delay on the airport;

program instructions to adjust in the optimization model the length, to form an adjusted length, such that a count of passengers adversely affected by the delay at the airport at the elapse of the second length is minimized; and

program instructions to cause a target system to configure the aircraft to be delayed by the adjusted length.

10. The computer usable program product of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions to construct an instruction for the target system, the instruction comprising the adjusted length; and

program instructions to cause the target system to execute the instruction.

11. The computer usable program product of claim 10, wherein the target system is an air-traffic control system, and wherein causing the target system to execute the instruction causes a set of aircrafts to be reordered for landing such that the aircraft in the set of aircrafts lands after a delay of the adjusted length.

12. The computer usable program product of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions to adjust, in the optimization model, the delay to a third length, such that a fourth length ends at a second airport when a total of the count at the airport and a second count of passengers at the second airport who are affected by the delay is at a minimum.

13. The computer usable program product of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions to compute, using a second time curve of passengers at the airport, the count of passengers at the airport after the second length of time, wherein the count is a part of the number of passengers.

14. The computer usable program product of claim 9, wherein the number of passengers is a total number of passengers affected at a plurality of airports, wherein in the total number of passengers is a subset of a set of passengers expecting to use the aircraft at the plurality of airports.

15. The computer usable program product of claim 9, wherein the number of passengers are at a specific airport, wherein in the number of passengers is a subset of a set of passengers expecting to use the aircraft at the specific airport.

16. The computer usable program product of claim 9, wherein the length of the delay is a controllable factor prior to an occurrence of the delay.

17. The computer usable program product of claim 9, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

18. The computer usable program product of claim 9, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system.

19. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, and one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the stored program instructions comprising:

program instructions to select an optimization model to reduce a number of passengers adversely affected by a delay of an aircraft;

program instructions to determine a cascade boundary for a length of the delay, wherein the cascade boundary projects the delay at the plurality of airports;

program instructions to compute, using the optimization model, a probability curve at an airport from the plurality of airports, wherein the probability curve outputs a second length of the delay experienced at the airport responsive to the cascade boundary projecting the delay on the airport;

program instructions to adjust in the optimization model the length, to form an adjusted length, such that a count of passengers adversely affected by the delay at the airport at the elapse of the second length is minimized; and

program instructions to cause a target system to configure the aircraft to be delayed by the adjusted length.

20. The computer system of claim 19, further comprising:

program instructions to construct an instruction for the target system, the instruction comprising the adjusted length; and

program instructions to cause the target system to execute the instruction.