Single air traffic control (ATC) operator interface

• US 7,495,602 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fischer, William M., Lee, Stephen Y., Cornell, Bradley D., Sandell, Gordon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US11/552,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/15, 701/16, 342/37
• US Class Current: 342/37
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station

Abstract

Systems and methods for communication using a plurality of data link standards through a common operator interface are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes components configured to select and establish communication with an air traffic control center using one of a plurality of data link standards. The system further includes components configured to format at least one downlink page to only allow appropriate data inputs based on one or more functionalities of the data link standard, and encode one or more entered data inputs based on the selected data link standard and transmit the inputs to the air traffic control center. In a particular embodiment, the system further includes a components configured to receive and display each of the decoded uplink data transmission in a text message on a corresponding uplink display page according to one or more message text conventions of the selected data link standard.

Claims

1. A method for communication utilizing a plurality of data link standards, comprising:

selecting one of the plurality of data link standards from a database based on an inputted identity of an air traffic control center;

establishing communication with the air traffic control center by initiating a logon using the selected data link standard;

formatting at least one downlink page to only allow appropriate data inputs based on one or more functionalities of the selected data link standard;

encoding one or more entered data inputs based on the selected data link standard;

transmitting the one or more encoded data inputs to the air traffic control center, and

displaying each of the encoded data inputs in a corresponding text message according to one or more message text conventions of the selected data link standard.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more uplink data transmissions encoded based on the selected data link standard from the air traffic control center;

decoding the one or more uplink data transmissions based on the selected data link standard; and

displaying each of the decoded uplink data transmissions in a text message on a corresponding uplink display page according to one or more message text conventions of the selected data link standard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting one the plurality of data link standards from a database for communication with an air traffic control center includes selecting one of a FANS data link standard and an ATN data link standard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the plurality of data link standards from a database based on the inputted identity of the air traffic control center includes determining the data link standard from a database including one or more entries of air traffic control centers and corresponding data link standards, and wherein the entries are at least one of pre-loaded, created via at least one Context Management uplink, and created via at least one blind contact message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting one of the plurality of data link standards from a database based on the inputted identity of the air traffic control center includes selecting an FANS standard when the database does not indicate the air traffic control center is using an ATN standard.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein formatting at least one downlink page to only allow one or more appropriate data inputs based on one or more functionalities of the selected data link standard includes formatting each of the downlink page for one of a crew-initiated request, a report responding to one or more requests in an uplink page, and a crew-initiated report.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the one or more encoded data inputs to the air traffic control center includes displaying transmission status indications, and receiving one or more uplink data transmission encoded by the selected data link standard includes displaying reception status indications.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising defaulting to a FANS standard when the database does not indicate a valid address for the inputted air traffic control center.

8. A system for communication via a plurality of data link standards, comprising:

a selector component configured to select one of the plurality of data link standards from a database for communication based on an inputted identity of an air traffic control center;

an initiator component configured to establish communication with the air traffic control center using the selected data link standard;

a adapter component configured to format at least one downlink page to only allow appropriate data inputs based on one or more functionalities of the selected data link standard;

an encoder component configured to encode one or more entered downlink data inputs based on the selected data link standard

a transmitter component configured to transmit the one or more encoded data inputs to the air traffic control center; and

a display component configured to display each of the decoded uplink data transmissions in a text message on a corresponding uplink display page according to one or more message text conventions of the selected data link standard.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a receiver component configured to receive one or more uplink data transmissions encoded by the selected data link standard from the air traffic control center; and

a decoder component configured to decode the one or more uplink data transmissions based on the selected data link standard.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the selector component is further configured to select one of a FANS standard and an ATN standard.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the display component is further configured to display the one or more downlink data inputs in one or more corresponding text messages according to one or more message text conventions of the selected data link standard.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the selector component is further configured to determine a data link standard from a database including one or more entries of air traffic control centers and corresponding data link standards, wherein the entries are at least one of pre-loaded, created via at least one Context Management uplink, and created via at least one blind contact message.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the selector component is further configured to establish communication with an air traffic control center by a FANS standard when the database does not indicate the air traffic control center is using an ATN standard.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the adapter component is further configured to format the downlink page for one of a crew-initiated request, a report responding to one or more requests in an uplink page, and a crew-initiated report.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein and the display component is configured to display transmission and reception status indications.

16. An aircraft, comprising:

a system for communication via a plurality of data link standards, comprising;

a selector component configured to select one of the plurality of data link standards from a database based on an inputted identity of an air traffic control center;

an initiator component configured to establish communication with the air traffic control center using the selected data link standard;

an adapter component configured to format at least one downlink page to only allow appropriate data inputs based on one or more functionalities of the selected data link standard;

an encoder component configured to encode one or more entered downlink data inputs based on the selected data link standard;

a transmitter component configured to transmit the one or more encoded data inputs to the air traffic control center; and

a display component configured to display each of the decoded uplink data transmission in a text message on a corresponding uplink display page according to one or more message text conventions of the selected data link standard.

17. The aircraft of claim 16, comprising:

a system for communication via a plurality of data link standards, further comprising;

a receiver component configured to receive one or more uplink data transmission encoded by the selected data link standard from the air traffic control center;

a decoder component configured to decode one or more uplink data transmissions from an air traffic control center based on the selected data link standard.

18. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the selector component is further configured to select one of a FANS standard and an ATN standard.

19. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the selector component is further configured to determine a data link standard from a database including one or more entries of air traffic control centers and corresponding data link standards, wherein the entries are at least one of pre-loaded, created via at least one Context Management uplink, and created via at least one blind contact message.