Database architecture for an air traffic information system

• US 7,263,518 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab Inc (Saab AB)
• Original Assignee: Nav Canada
• Inventors: Aikins, Howard, Penny, Keith, Zanin, Jeff, Ledingham, Robert, Zak, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Wilson
• Application Number:
  US10/698,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 4, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A database architecture for an air traffic information display system includes a data manager including a first interface, a first database server connected to the data manager via the first interface, a firewall connected to the first database server; and a second database server connected to the first database server via the firewall and including a stored procedure for copying data from the first database. The second database server is used for computations based upon the data transactions pulled from the first database server. Thereby off-loading the first database server so that it can be more responsive to the data manager with respect to current changes. The firewall between the two servers prevents the data in the first server from being corrupted by users of the system.

Claims

1. A database architecture for an air traffic information display system comprising:

an air traffic control system in a secured domain, including;

a data manager including a first interface; and

a first SQL database server connected to the data manager via the first interface for receiving operating data from the data manager;

a business system outside the air control system, including;

a second SQL database server including a stored procedure for sending a request for updating to the first SQL database server and copying the operating data from the first SQL database server based on the request to allow a user of the business system to use the operating data in the second SQL database server, and

a secured network including a data transfer link between the first SQL database server and the second SQL database server and a firewall for access control to the first SQL database server and the second SQL database serve for exclusively implementing a one-way transfer of the operating data from the first SQL database server to the second SQL database server using the stored procedure to prevent the data in the first SQL database server from being corrupted by the user of the business system.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first SQL, database server includes first tables for current data and second tables for logging changes to the current data, and wherein the changes are transferred to the second SQL database server using the stored procedure.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first tables include a flight data table.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first tables include an airport system table.

5. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first tables include a system table associated with air navigation.

6. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second tables include a flight data table.

7. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second tables include an airport system table.

8. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second tables include a system table associated with air navigation.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first interface is an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC).

10. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second SQL database server includes third tables for receiving updates from the second tables.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein the second SQL database server includes fourth tables for logging copies of the third tables.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second SQL database server includes fifth tables for storing movements.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the second SQL database server includes a module for calculating movements in dependence upon changes in the third tables.

27. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first SQL database server includes at least a first table and a second table, the database manager operating on the first table, the second table being populated by a trigger associated with the first table, and wherein one or more than one row associated with one or more changes to the first table is inserted into the second table when the one or more changes are made to the first table.

28. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stored procedure is run by a scheduled job by which the one-way transfer of the data is implemented periodically.

37. A system as claimed in claim 27, wherein data in the first table is duplicated in the second table to remove dependencies on each other.

14. A method of storing air traffic information, the method comprising:

receiving a data update request;

changing operating data in accordance with the request;

storing the changed operating data in a first SQL database server in a secured air traffic control system; and

exclusively implementing a one-way transfer of the operating data from the first SQL database server to a second SQL database server in a business system through a secured network using a stored procedure in the second SQL database server to prevent the changed data in the first SQL database server from being corrupted by a user of the business system, including;

sending a request for updating from the second SQL database server to the first SQL database server through the secured network, the second SQL database server being in the business system outside the secured air traffic control system; and

copying the operating data from the first SQL database server to the second SQL database server across the secured network to allow the user of the business system to use the operating data in the second SQL database server.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the storing includes storing the changed data in first tables.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the storing includes storing a log of data change transactions in second tables.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first tables include a flight data table.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first tables include an airport system table.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first tables include a system table associated with air navigation.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second tables include a flight data table.

21. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second tables include an airport system table.

22. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second tables include a system table associated with air navigation.

23. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the copying includes storing updates from the second tables in third tables.

24. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the copying includes logging copies of the third tables in fourth tables.

25. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the copying includes calculating movements in dependence upon changes in the third tables.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the calculating includes storing movements in fifth tables.

29. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the storing includes storing the changed data into a first table in the first SQL database server, and populating a second table in the first SQL database server to insert one or more than one row associated with the change into the second table.

30. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the implementing includes running the stored procedure by a scheduled job to periodically implement the one-way transfer of the changed data.

31. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the storing includes denormalizing tables in the first SQL database server.

32. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the copying comprises initiating a data pull by the second SQL database server.

33. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the calculating includes deleting any duplicated movements from the fifth tables.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the data transfer is periodically implemented by the stored procedure, and wherein the calculating is implemented by the stored procedure when the data is transferred from the first SQL database server to the second SQL database server.

35. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the data transfer is periodically implemented by the stored procedure, and wherein the calculating comprises extracting and synthesizing the movement associated with an aircraft when the data is transferred from the first SQL database server to the second SQL database server.

36. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the copying includes denormalizing tables in the first SQL database server.