Method and system for tactical airline management

• US 6,721,714 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2000
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baiada R. Michael, Lonnie H. Bowlin
• Original Assignee: Baiada R. Michael, Lonnie H. Bowlin
• Inventors: Baiada, R. Michael, Bowlin, Lonnie H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US09/549,074
• Time in Patent Office: 1,458 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/9, 705/5, 705/6
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for managing the assets of a user airline. In a preferred embodiment, this method comprises the steps of: (a) collecting and storing specified data, (b) processing this data to predict the trajectories of the user airline assets and the loads that these trajectories will place upon the assets of the user airline, (c) processing this data, predicted trajectories and loads to determine the capability of the user airline and the common assets to meet these loads and needs while achieving user airline specified, business goals, (d) processing this data to create alternative, potential scenarios, wherein these scenarios include calculations for the changes in the loads caused by the changed trajectories, (e) processing and evaluating these alternative, potential scenarios to identify those scenarios which satisfy the asset loads, needs and specified business goals to a predetermined level, and (f) communicating these identified scenarios to user airline assets so that the trajectory changes may be implemented.

Claims

1. A system for managing the assets of a user airline, based upon consideration of data regarding the status and needs of the user airline assets and passengers, the assets of other airlines, common shared assets and the weather, to achieve specified business goals of the user airline, said system comprising:

a computer processor means for processing data,

a storage means for storing data on a storage medium,

a first means for initialing the storage medium,

a second means for processing said considered data to predict trajectories of a specified set of the user airline and other airline assets and the loads that said trajectories will place upon the assets of the user airline and the common assets,

a third means for processing said considered data, predicted trajectories and loads to determine the capability of the user airline and the common assets to meet said loads and needs while achieving user airline specified, business goals,

a fourth means for processing said considered data to create alternative, potential scenarios, said scenarios arising as a result of specifiable changes in the predicted trajectories of the user airline assets, wherein said scenarios include calculations for the changes in the loads caused by said changed trajectories, and

a fifth means for processing and evaluating said alternative, potential scenarios to identify those scenarios which satisfy said asset loads, needs and specified business goals to a predetermined level.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a sixth means for communicating said identified scenarios to user airline assets so that said trajectory changes may be implemented.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a means for monitoring a temporally varying status of said specified assets and the weather so as to identify when said status changes cause reductions, in a degree of satisfaction of said predicted loads, needs and specified business goals for said currently implemented trajectories, which result in said predetermined level no longer being satisfied,

an eighth means for, upon occurrence of status changes resulting in non-satisfaction of predetermined level, causing said processor means to resume creation and identification of alternative, potential scenarios which can again yield satisfaction of said asset loads, needs and specified business goals to said predetermined level.

4. A system as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a seventh means for monitoring a temporally varying status of said specified assets and the weather so as to identify when said status changes cause reductions, in a degree of satisfaction of said predicted loads, needs and specified business goals for said currently implemented trajectories, which result in said predetermined level no longer being satisfied,

an eighth means for, upon occurrence of status changes resulting in non-satisfaction of predetermined level, causing said processor means to resume creation and identification of alternative, potential scenarios which can again yield satisfaction of said asset loads, needs and specified business goals to said predetermined level.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said first means comprising:

a means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data, for specified aircraft of the said user airline, regarding;

aircraft safety, passenger and cargo servicing, aircraft servicing, aircraft movement and support services.

6. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said first means comprising:

a means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data, for specified aircraft of the said user airline, regarding;

aircraft safety, passenger and cargo servicing, aircraft servicing, aircraft movement and support services.

7. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said first means comprising:

a means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data, for specified aircraft of the said user airline, regarding;

aircraft safety, passenger and cargo servicing, aircraft servicing, aircraft movement and support services.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said specified set of the user airline and other airline assets comprising specified elements chosen from the group consisting of the aircraft, personnel and ground vehicles of the user airline and the aircraft of other airlines.

9. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said specified set of the user airline and other airline assets comprising specified elements chosen from the group consisting of the aircraft, personnel and ground vehicles of the user airline and the aircraft of other airlines.

10. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said specified set of the user airline and other airline assets comprising specified elements chosen from the group consisting of the aircraft, personnel and ground vehicles of the user airline and the aircraft of other airlines.

11. A computer implemented method of managing the assets of a user airline, based upon consideration of data regarding the status and needs of the user airline assets and passengers, the assets of other airlines, common shared assets and the weather, to achieve specified business goals of the user airline, said method comprising utilizing said computer to perform the steps of:

collecting and storing said considered data,

processing said considered data to predict trajectories of a specified set of the user airline and other airline assets and the loads that said trajectories will place upon the assets of the user airline and the common assets,

processing said considered data, predicted trajectories and loads to determine the capability of the user airline to meet said loads and needs while achieving user airline specified, business goals,

processing said considered data to create alternative, potential scenarios, said scenarios arising as a result of specifiable changes in the predicted trajectories of the user airline assets, wherein said scenarios include calculations for the changes in the loads caused by said changed trajectories,

processing and evaluating said alternative, potential scenarios to identify those scenarios which satisfy said asset loads, needs and specified business goals to a predetermined level, and

communicating said identified scenarios to user airline assets so that said trajectory changes may be implemented.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the temporally varying status of said specified assets and the weather so as to identify when said status changes cause reductions, in the degree of satisfaction of said predicted loads, needs and specified business goals for said currently implemented trajectories, which result in said predetermined level no longer being satisfied, and

upon occurrence of status changes resulting in non-satisfaction of predetermined level, resuming creation and identification of alternative, potential scenarios which can again yield satisfaction of said asset loads, needs and specified business goals to said predetermined level.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said specified set of the user airline and other airline assets comprising specified elements chosen from the group consisting of the aircraft, personnel and ground vehicles of the user airline and the aircraft of other airlines.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said specified set of the user airline and other airline assets comprising specified elements chosen from the group consisting of the aircraft, personnel and ground vehicles of the user airline and the aircraft of other airlines.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said data regarding the status and needs of the user airline assets and passengers includes data, for specified aircraft of the said user airline, relevant to:

aircraft safety, passenger and cargo servicing, aircraft servicing, aircraft movement and support services.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said data regarding the status and needs of the user airline assets and passengers includes data, for specified aircraft of the said user airline, relevant to:

aircraft safety, passenger and cargo servicing, aircraft servicing, aircraft movement and support services.