Close/intra-formation positioning collision avoidance system and method

• US 6,459,411 B2
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frazier, James A., Sturdy, James T., Jongsma, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/223,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/455, 342/30, 340/961, 701/300, 701/301, 701/3, 701/120, 701/121, 701/122
• US Class Current: 342/455
• 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 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft

Abstract

A passive Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and method is based on receiving and processing Mode-S transponder messages without the TCAS computer having to interrogate the transponders of the respective aircraft flying in formation (i.e., a passive TCAS). A TCAS computer and Mode-S transponder are used to provide distributed intra-formation control among multiple cells of aircraft flying in formation or close-in. The Mode-S transponder provides ADS-B Global Positioning System (GPS) squitter data to the TCAS computer; the TCAS computer receives and processes the data without having to interrogate the transponders of the multiple cells of aircraft. The method and system allow a safe separation between 2 to 250 aircraft flying in formation at selectable ranges.

Claims

1. A system for collision avoidance in formation flight, the system comprising:

data link transponder means, in a first aircraft, for receiving broadcast data comprising position information and identification information of a second aircraft; and

traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) computer means, in the first aircraft, for communicating with said data link transponder means;

for processing the received broadcast data to determine relative aircraft position of the first and second aircraft; and

for suppressing at least one of traffic advisories and resolution advisories when the identification information is associated with a formation member.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the TCAS computer means inhibits transmission of traffic advisory interrogations.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means, in the first aircraft, for displaying relative aircraft position of the first and second aircraft to an operator of the first aircraft.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the means for displaying is further for displaying relative velocity of the second aircraft.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data link transponder means supports a mode-select data link.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast data comprises automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast data comprises global positioning system data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast data comprises Mode-S squitter data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast data comprises extended squitter airborne position data.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast data comprises extended squitter airborne velocity data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the TCAS computer means is further for updating relative aircraft position of the second aircraft in accordance with further position information received by the data link transponder means.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data link transponder means is further for transmitting second broadcast data comprising position information of the first aircraft and identification of the first aircraft; and

the TCAS computer means is further for attenuating transmitting of the second broadcast data.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising mission computer means, in the first aircraft, for generating steering commands for maintaining separation between the first aircraft and the second aircraft in accordance with data received from the TCAS computer means, the data comprising relative aircraft position of the first and the second aircraft.

14. A method for collision avoidance in formation flight, the method comprising:

a step for receiving, on a first aircraft, broadcast data comprising identification and position of a second aircraft;

a step for determining position of the first aircraft from received navigation data;

a step for determining relative aircraft position of the first and second aircraft in accordance with the position of the second aircraft and position of the first aircraft;

a step for determining whether identification of the second aircraft corresponds to identification of a formation member; and

a step for suppressing at least one of traffic advisories and resolution advisories when the identification of the second aircraft corresponds to identification of a formation member.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

a step for positioning the second aircraft with respect to the first aircraft based on the broadcast data.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

a step for processing the broadcast data from the TCAS computer in a mission computer; and

a step for transmitting a result of processing by the mission computer.

17. The method of claim 16 the result of processing by the mission computer comprises a steering command for maintaining a separation between the first aircraft and the second aircraft.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein identification of the second aircraft comprises at least one of a Mode-S address and a flight identification.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

a step for alerting an operator of the first aircraft when an intruder penetrates a predefined perimeter of the first and second aircraft flying in formation.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

a step for inhibiting transmitting of air traffic control radar beacon system messages when in formation flight.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

a step for calculating target range, range rate, relative altitude, altitude rate, and bearing from the received broadcast data to determine whether an intruder aircraft is intruding upon a predefined airspace of the first aircraft.

22. A system for collision avoidance in formation flight, the system on a first aircraft, the system comprising;

a. a data link transponder that receives broadcast data from a second aircraft, the broadcast data comprising indicia of position of the second aircraft and indicia of identification of the second aircraft;

b. a navigation aid that provides indicia of current position of the first aircraft; and

c. a traffic alert and collision avoidance computer coupled to the data link transponder and to the navigation aid, the computer for determining relative aircraft position of the first and second aircraft in accordance with the indicia of position of the second aircraft and the indicia of current position of the first aircraft, and for suppressing at least one of traffic advisories an resolution advisories when the indicia of identification of the second aircraft corresponds to identification of a formation member.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein:

a. the system further comprises means for transmitting traffic advisory interrogations; and

b. the computer is further coupled to the means for transmitting, to inhibit transmitting of traffic interrogations.

24. The system of claim 22 further comprising a display that displays position of the second aircraft and current position of the first aircraft.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the display further displays relative velocity of the second aircraft.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the data link transponder comprises a mode-select data link transponder.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the broadcast data comprises automatic dependent surveillance broadcast data.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the broadcast data comprises global positioning system data.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the broadcast data comprises Mode-S squitter data.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the broadcast data comprises extended squitter airborne position data.

31. The system of claim 22 wherein the broadcast data comprises extended squitter airborne velocity data.

32. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer updates relative aircraft position of the second aircraft in accordance with further indicia of position of the second aircraft received by the data link transponder.

33. The system of claim 23 wherein the data link transponder transmits second broadcast data comprising indicia of position of the first aircraft and indicia of identification of the first aircraft.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the data link transponder comprises a step attenuator for transmitting at reduced power as directed by the computer.

35. The system of claim 22 further comprising a mission computer that generates steering commands for maintaining separation between the first aircraft and the second aircraft in accordance with data received from the traffic alert and collision avoidance computer, the data comprising relative aircraft position of the first and second aircraft.

36. The system of claim 22 wherein:

a. the system further comprises a mission computer, coupled to the traffic alert and collision avoidance computer; and

b. the traffic alert and collision avoidance computer suppresses advisories in accordance with a determination by the mission computer that indicia of identification of the second aircraft corresponds to identification of a formation member.

37. The system of claim 22 wherein the navigation aid comprises a global positioning system and an inertial navigation system.

38. The system of claim 22 wherein the indicia of identification of the second aircraft comprises a Mode-S address.

39. The system of claim 22 wherein the indicia of identification of the second aircraft comprises flight identification.

40. A method for collision avoidance in formation flight, the method comprising:

providing indicia of position of the second aircraft and indicia of identification of the second aircraft by receiving broadcast data from a second aircraft and determining the indicia of position and the indicia of identification from the broadcast data;

providing indicia of current position of the first aircraft by receiving navigation data from a navigation aid and determining the indicia of current position from the navigation data;

displaying relative position of the first and second aircraft by determining relative aircraft position of the first and second aircraft in accordance with the indicia of position of the second aircraft and the indicia of current position of the first aircraft;

determining whether indicia of identification of the second aircraft corresponds to identification of a formation member by referring to a table of identifications; and

reducing radio frequency transmissions by suppressing at least one of traffic advisories and resolution advisories when the indicia of identification of the second aircraft corresponds to identification of a formation member.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

maintaining separation between the first and second aircraft by transmitting a steering command to the second aircraft, the steering command in accordance with the determined relative aircraft position of the first and the second aircraft.

42. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

reducing radio frequency transmissions by inhibiting transmitting traffic interrogations while in formation flight.

43. The method of claim 40 further comprising

reducing radio frequency transmissions by inhibiting transmitting air traffic control radar beacon system messages while in formation flight.

44. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

alerting an operator of the first aircraft of the position of the second aircraft by displaying position of the second aircraft and current position of the first aircraft.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein displaying further comprises displaying relative velocity of the second aircraft.

46. The method of claim 40 wherein receiving broadcast data from a second aircraft comprises receiving automatic dependent surveillance broadcast data.

47. The method of claim 40 wherein receiving broadcast data from a second aircraft comprises receiving global positioning system data.

48. The method of claim 40 wherein receiving broadcast data from a second aircraft comprises receiving Mode-S squitter data.

49. The method of claim 40 wherein receiving broadcast data from a second aircraft comprises receiving extended squitter airborne position data.

50. The method of claim 40 wherein receiving broadcast data from a second aircraft comprises receiving extended squitter airborne velocity data.

51. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

transmitting indicia of position of the first aircraft and indicia of identification of the first aircraft by transmitting automatic dependent surveillance broadcast data.

52. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

transmitting indicia of position of the first aircraft and indicia of identification of the first aircraft by transmitting global positioning system data.

53. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

transmitting indicia of position of the first aircraft and indicia of identification of the first aircraft by transmitting Mode-S squitter data.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein transmitting Mode-S squitter data comprises transmitting at reduced poser via a step attenuator when in formation flight.

55. The method claim 40 further comprising:

transmitting indicia of position of the first aircraft of identification of the first aircraft by transmitting extended squitter airborne position data.

56. The method of claim 40 further comprising:

transmitting indicia of position of the first aircraft and indicia of identification of the first aircraft by transmitting extended squitter airborne velocity data.

57. The method of claim 40 wherein providing indicia of identification of the second aircraft is further accomplished by determining a Mode-S address from received broadcast data.

58. The method of claim 40 wherein providing indicia of identification of the second aircraft is further accomplished by determining a flight identification from received broadcast data.