Uninterruptable ADS-B system for aircraft tracking

• US 6,952,631 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Hudson, Craig, Mosher, Thomas Lee, Griffith, Emmett
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/760,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 701/13, 701/3, 701/4, 701/9, 701/301, 342/29, 342/72, 342/36, 342/37, 342/38, 342/126, 342/357.08, 342/357.11, 342/357.14, 342/450, 342/455, 342/456, 340/945, 340/961, 340/963, 340/979
• US Class Current: 701/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/003 for aircraft positioning relative to the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking

Abstract

An aircraft surveillance system that includes an uninterruptible aircraft information broadcasting system (such as an ADS-B system) for transmitting flight information from an aircraft, and one or more ground stations for receiving the broadcast flight information. The flight information preferably includes the aircraft'"'"'s aircraft ID, current three-dimensional position, and intended path. Optional components according to the invention include a system and method for validating messages received from the aircraft, and an alternative system and method for determining the aircraft'"'"'s position if a primary navigation aid, such as GPS, is not available. In one embodiment of the invention, the system includes a transmitter and an uninterruptible power supply that are disposed within a secure housing within the aircraft. This serves to prevent passengers and crew members from disabling the system.

Claims

1. An aircraft surveillance system, comprising:

a ground station receiving flight-related information from an aircraft;

an information reception and analysis station comparing said flight-related information with approved flight path information for the aircraft to determine whether the aircraft is directed toward an improper destination.

2. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said flight-related information includes intent information for the aircraft.

3. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said information reception and analysis station receives said approved flight path information from one or more air traffic control computers.

4. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said aircraft surveillance system is configured for generating an alarm when said flight-related information differs from said approved flight path information by more than a predetermined amount.

5. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein:

said flight-related information includes a current three-dimensional position of the aircraft; and

said information reception and analysis station compares said current three-dimensional position with approved flight path information to determine whether the aircraft is being directed toward an improper destination.

6. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said information reception and analysis station is configured to validate said flight-related information by determining an estimated range to the aircraft based on a signal propagation time and comparing said estimated range with a calculated range that is derived from said flight-related information received from the aircraft.

7. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 6, wherein said aircraft surveillance system is configured for generating an alarm when said estimated range differs from said calculated range by more than a predetermined amount.

8. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said information reception and analysis station is configured to use triangulation techniques to validate said flight-related information.

9. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said information reception and analysis station is configured for using a dead-reckoning algorithm to validate a signal which is represented as corresponding to a particular three-dimensional position of the aircraft, said signal being received from the aircraft.

10. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said information reception and analysis station is configured for using a dead-reckoning algorithm to validate a current velocity of said aircraft, said current velocity being received as part of said flight-related information.

11. The aircraft surveillance system of claim 1, wherein said flight-related information comprises at least one of a flight ID of the aircraft, current intent information for the aircraft, current three-dimensional position of the aircraft, a current velocity of the aircraft, and waypoint information for the aircraft.

12. An aircraft surveillance method comprising:

receiving flight-related information from an aircraft;

receiving approved flight path information from an air traffic control computer;

comparing the received flight-related information and approved flight path information to determine whether the aircraft is directed towards an improper destination.

13. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, wherein said flight-related information includes intent information for the aircraft.

14. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, further comprising generating an alarm when said flight-related information differs from said approved flight path information by a predetermined amount.

15. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, wherein said flight-related information includes a current three dimensional position of the aircraft, wherein said comparing compares said three-dimensional position with approved flight path information to determine whether the aircraft is being directed toward an improper destination.

16. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, further comprising validating said flight-related information by determining an estimated range to the aircraft based on a signal propagation time and comparing said estimated range with a calculated range that is derived from said flight related information received from the aircraft.

17. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 16, further comprising generating an alarm when said estimated range differs from said calculated range by more than a predetermined amount.

18. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing triangulation techniques to validate said flight-related information.

19. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing a dead-reckoning algorithm to validate a signal corresponding to a particular three-dimensional position of the aircraft, said signal being received from the aircraft as part of said flight-related information.

20. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing a dead-reckoning algorithm to validate a current velocity of the aircraft, said current velocity being received as part of said flight-related information.

21. The aircraft surveillance method of claim 12, wherein said flight-related information comprises at least one of a flight ID of the aircraft, current intent information for the aircraft, current three-dimensional position of the aircraft, current velocity of the aircraft and waypoint information for the aircraft.