Method and system for airport control and management

• US 5,548,515 A
• Filed: 09/07/1993
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Intellectual Properties Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harold R. Pilley, Lois V. Pilley
• Inventors: Pilley, Harold R., Pilley, Lois V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/117,920
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 364/427, 364/428, 364/436, 364/439, 364/440, 364/441, 364/460, 364/461, 73/178 T, 340/903, 340/435, 340/961, 342/29, 342/36, 342/37, 342/38, 342/454, 342/455, 342/456
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/07 providing data for correcting measured positioning data, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS] or ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/15 Aircraft landing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/53 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

An improved airport control/management system for controlling and managing the surface and airborne movement of vehicular and aircraft within a defined and selected airport space envelope of an airport, the traffic, comprising apparatus for establishing a precise 3-dimensional digital map of the selected airport space envelope, the map containing GNSS positioning system reference points, a computer with a monitor screen for receiving and displaying the 3-dimensional map, transmit and receive radio equipment located on at least one vehicle/aircraft in the airport space envelope to generate and transmit continuous GNSS-based location reports, a receiver associated with the computer to receive the reports from the vehicle/aircraft, programming associated with the computer and using the reports to superimpose 3-dimensional image corresponding to a path of the vehicle/aircraft onto the 3-dimensional map, apparatus associated with the 3-dimensional map for generating airport control and management signals as a function of the vehicle/aircraft path and computer aided design programming for manipulation of the 3-dimensional map and the image of the vehicle/aircraft and the path to a desired apparent line of observation, to control the traffic in the airport, the improvement comprising: GNSS compatible computer processing methods which support airport independent management and control for zone incursion, collision detection, on and off course detection, assignment of air traffic controller responsibility, scheduling and lighting control. GNSS compatible databases are created which support a true airport independent processing framework which supports a seamless airport environment located anywhere in the world.

Claims

1. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system incorporating zone incursion processing for at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating at an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame.;

c. establishing a 3-dimensional static zones database for said selected airport, said database containing descriptive data representing selected spatial characteristics referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame of said selected airport;

d. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification, and position and velocity information referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport;

e. generating time-based projected positions for said at least one vehicle using said vehicle database;

f. determining if said projected positions lie within a static zone, said static zone being defined within said 3-dimensional static zones database; and

g. setting a static zone incursion flag for said at least one vehicle if said projected positions lie within said static zone of said 3-dimensional static zones database thereby making an alert when said at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport is projected to enter a prohibited area for said at least one vehicle.

2. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 1 further comprising:

generating incursion alarms, said generation of incursion alarms comprising the steps of;

a. establishing a travel path waypoints database for said selected airport, said travel path waypoints database containing 3-dimensional waypoints referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame;

b. generating for said at least one vehicle an assigned travel path, selected from said travel path waypoints database; and

c. enabling said static zone incursion flag for said incurred static zones not intersecting said assigned travel path, thereby generating for said at least one vehicle said static zone incursion alarm for said incurred static zones not intersecting said assigned travel path.

3. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 2 further comprising:

reducing generation of false zone incursion alarms, said reducing generation of false zone incursion alarms comprising the steps of;

a. masking said static zone incursion flag for incurred static zones intersecting said assigned travel path, and

b. disabling for said at least one vehicle a static zone incursion alarm for incurred static zones intersecting said assigned travel path thereby reducing generation of said false zone incursion alarms.

4. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 2 further comprising using said static zone incursion flag for generating said at least one vehicle said static zone incursion alarm for said incurred static zones.

5. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system incorporating on and off course processing for at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating at an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame;

c. establishing a travel path waypoints database for said selected airport, said travel path waypoints database containing 3-dimensional waypoints referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame;

d. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification and position information referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for said at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport;

e. generating for said at least one vehicle an assigned travel path selected from said travel path waypoints database;

f. determining the previous and next waypoints along said assigned travel path;

g. establishing for said at least one vehicle, a route zone for said assigned travel path, using said previous and next waypoints;

h. determining if said position information for said at least one vehicle contained in said vehicle database is outside of said route zone; and

i. setting for said at least one vehicle an off course flag when said position information for each said at least one vehicle contained in said vehicle database is outside of said route zone, thereby making an alert when said at least one vehicle is off course.

6. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 5 further comprising the step of disabling said off course flag if said position information for said at least one vehicle contained in said vehicle database is no longer outside of said route zone.

7. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system incorporating wrong way monitoring for at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating at an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame;

c. establishing a travel path waypoints database for said selected airport, said travel path waypoints database containing 3-dimensional waypoints referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame;

d. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification and position and velocity information referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for said at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport;

e. generating for said at least one vehicle an assigned travel path, selected from said travel path waypoints database;

f. determining the previous and next waypoints along said assigned travel path;

g. determining a true course vector to said next waypoint from said previous waypoint;

h. determining a velocity vector of said at least one vehicle using said vehicle data base;

i. determining a vector DOT product between said true course vector and said velocity vector;

j. calculating an angle between said true course vector and said velocity vector using said vector DOT product; and

k. setting for said at least one vehicle a wrong way flag if said angle is within a specified numerical range thereby generating a wrong way flag for said at least one vehicle if said at least one vehicle is traveling the wrong way.

8. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 7 further comprising:

a. determining the 3-dimensional range to said next waypoint using said position information for said at least one vehicle contained in said vehicle database; and

b. incrementing automatically to the next waypoint pair in said travel path waypoints database when the 3-dimensional range to said next waypoint is within a predetermined distance.

9. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 7 further comprising reducing incidence of wrong way false alarm, said reducing incidence of wrong way false alarm comprising the steps of:

a. incrementing to the next pair of previous and next waypoints contained in said travel path waypoints database for said at least one vehicle having said wrong way flag set;

b. determining a current position and a previous position for said at least one vehicle using said vehicle database, wherein said current position becomes said previous position upon the receipt of a new position in said vehicle database, and said new position becoming said current position;

c. determining the current distance to said next waypoint from said current position for said at least one vehicle having said wrong way flag set;

d. determining the previous distance to said next waypoint from said previous position for said at least one vehicle having said wrong way flag set;

e. comparing said previous distance to said current distance; and

f. clearing said at least one vehicle wrong way flag when current distance is smaller than said previous distance.

10. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system and incorporating collision detection processing between at least two vehicles of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating at an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame;

c. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification and position and velocity information referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for at least two vehicles operating at said selected airport;

d. determining a type classification for said at least two vehicles using said identification information contained in said vehicle database;

e. determining a manner of movement and of operation for said at least two vehicles, using information contained in said vehicle database;

f. constructing for said at least two vehicles dynamic zones, wherein each said dynamic zones is sized based on said type classification and said manner of movement and of operation of said at least two vehicles using said identification and position and velocity information in said vehicle database;

g. generating time-based projected positions for said at least two vehicles using said vehicle database;

h. generating projected dynamic zones for said at least two vehicles using said projected positions and said projected dynamic zones;

i. determining if at least two of said projected dynamic zones intersect; and

j. setting a collision flag for at least one of said at least two vehicles having said projected dynamic zones intersect with at least one other projected dynamic zone.

11. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system incorporating flight strip free automated assignment of control and management responsibility for at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating at an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame;

c. establishing for at least one air traffic controlling position, at least one 3-dimensional ATC zone reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame, wherein said at least one 3-dimensional ATC zone is stored in an ATC zone database;

d. identifying for said at least one 3-dimensional ATC zone a controlling ATC position;

e. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification and position information reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame for at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport;

f. determining for said vehicle which ATC zone said position information contained in said vehicle database incur; and

g. assigning ATC said control and management responsibility for said at least one vehicle based on the incurred ATC zone.

12. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system for the automatic control of airport lighting based on the movements of at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating at an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame;

c. establishing 3-dimensional lighting control zones, said 3-dimensional lighting control zones stored in a static zones database, said static zones database containing descriptive data representing spatial characteristics reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame, of said selected airport used in the activation and deactivation of airport lights;

d. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification and position and velocity information reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame for said at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport;

e. generating time-based projected positions for said at least one vehicle using said vehicle database;

f. determining if said time-based projected positions lie within at least one of said 3-D dimensional lighting control zones;

g. setting a lighting control zone incursion flag if said time-based projected positions lies within said 3-dimensional lighting control zones; and

h. controlling said airport lights based upon the state of said lighting control incursion flag.

13. A method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management from a central control facility using a computer system incorporating speed up or slow down indicators for at least one vehicle of a plurality of vehicles said plurality of vehicles including aircraft and surface vehicular equipment operating an airport, said method comprising the steps of:

a. adopting an Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate frame for processing by said computer system;

b. selecting an airport, said selected airport referenced to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame;

c. establishing a travel path waypoints database for said selected airport, said travel path waypoints database containing 4-dimensional waypoints reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame where said 4-dimensional waypoints include a 3-dimensional waypoint with desired arrival time;

d. establishing a vehicle database, said vehicle database containing identification, position and velocity information reference to said Earth Centered Earth Fixed coordinate reference frame for at least one vehicle operating at said selected airport;

e. generating for said at least one vehicle an assigned travel path selected from said travel path waypoints database;

f. determining previous and next waypoints with desired arrival times along said assigned travel path;

g. determining for said at least one vehicle a 3-dimensional distance vector from the current position to the next waypoint;

h. establishing a current time;

i. determining a remaining time for said at least one vehicle to reach said next waypoint, by subtracting said current time from said desired arrival time associated with said next waypoint;

j. calculating for said at least one vehicle a necessary 3-dimensional vector velocity to reach said next waypoint at said associated desired arrival time, by dividing said 3-dimensional distance vector by said remaining time;

k. comparing said necessary 3-dimensional vector velocity to said velocity information contained in said vehicle database; and

l. issuing for said at least one vehicle, 3-dimensional vector velocity increase or decrease guidance based upon said comparing said necessary 3-dimensional vector velocity to said velocity information contained in said vehicle database.

14. The method for seamless 3-dimensional airport traffic management according to claim 13 further comprising generating velocity warnings, said generating velocity warnings comprising the steps of:

a. comparing said necessary 3-dimensional vector velocity to predefined velocity limits; and

b. generating warnings when said necessary 3-dimensional vector velocity is outside of said predefined limits.