Airport takeoff window
First Claim
1. A system for automating the timing and sequencing of takeoffs from an airport of a plurality of piloted, ground based, outbound aircraft to achieve optimum airport efficiency while promoting safety by insuring an adequate amount of spacing from a plurality of airborne, incoming aircraft, comprisingA. a sensing mechanism including a plurality of sensors for sensing a plurality of target conditions including the position and velocity of all incoming aircraft and for generating target condition signals representative of the sensed target conditions, B. a processing mechanism connected with said sensing mechanism for generating from the target condition signals a plurality of separate takeoff signals for indicating corresponding time intervals during which takeoff sequences for the outbound aircraft can be initiated, respectively, to achieve desired efficiency and safety, and C. a status indicator connected with said processing mechanism to receive said takeoff signals to produce, without human intervention, an indication in real time, to the pilots of the corresponding outbound aircraft, of a takeoff clearance interval during which it is safe and desirable to initiate the takeoff of each outbound aircraft;
- whereby the takeoff of aircraft from an airport can be optimized both for safety and efficiency by conveying automatically to the pilots of a plurality of outbound aircraft, without the intervention of human judgment, takeoff signals indicating intervals during which takeoff should be initiated.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airport control system including a sensing mechanism for sensing a plurality of target conditions, a processing mechanism electronically connected to the sensing mechanism for calculating an optimum time to initiate a takeoff sequence based upon the target conditions, a status indicator for providing runway status information, and a control mechanism in electronic communication with the calculating mechanism and the status indicator for controlling the operation of the status indicator in response to receiving the optimum time.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A system for automating the timing and sequencing of takeoffs from an airport of a plurality of piloted, ground based, outbound aircraft to achieve optimum airport efficiency while promoting safety by insuring an adequate amount of spacing from a plurality of airborne, incoming aircraft, comprising
A. a sensing mechanism including a plurality of sensors for sensing a plurality of target conditions including the position and velocity of all incoming aircraft and for generating target condition signals representative of the sensed target conditions, B. a processing mechanism connected with said sensing mechanism for generating from the target condition signals a plurality of separate takeoff signals for indicating corresponding time intervals during which takeoff sequences for the outbound aircraft can be initiated, respectively, to achieve desired efficiency and safety, and C. a status indicator connected with said processing mechanism to receive said takeoff signals to produce, without human intervention, an indication in real time, to the pilots of the corresponding outbound aircraft, of a takeoff clearance interval during which it is safe and desirable to initiate the takeoff of each outbound aircraft; whereby the takeoff of aircraft from an airport can be optimized both for safety and efficiency by conveying automatically to the pilots of a plurality of outbound aircraft, without the intervention of human judgment, takeoff signals indicating intervals during which takeoff should be initiated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
17. A method for automating the timing and sequencing of takeoffs from an airport of a plurality of piloted, ground based, outbound aircraft for achieving optimum airport efficiency while promoting safety by insuring an adequate amount of spacing from a plurality of airborne inbound aircraft, comprising the steps of
A. a sensing a plurality of target conditions including the position and velocity of all inbound aircraft, B. generating target condition signals representative of the sensed target conditions, C. procesing the target condition signals to generate therefrom a plurality of separate takeoff signals for indicating corresponding time intervals during which takeoff sequences for the outbound aircraft can be initiated, respectively, to achieve desired efficiency and safety, and D. producing, via implementation of a computer program using the takeoff signals, to produce, without human intervention, an indication in real time, to the pilots of the corresponding outbound aircraft, the interval during which it is safe and desirable to initiate the takeoff of each outbound aircraft; whereby, the takeoff of aircraft from an airport can be optimized both for safety and efficiency by eliminating the need to rely upon human judgment, with attendant chance of error, by conveying automatically to the pilots of a plurality of outbound aircraft indications of when takeoff sequences should be initiated. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
Specification