Systems and method of datalink auditory communications for air traffic control

• US 7,580,377 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Judd, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang; Charles C
• Application Number:
  US11/355,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20070189328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 370464-466, 455/73, 455/550.1, 455/563, 340/945, 340/963, 340/971, 701/1, 701/3, 701/4, 701/8, 701/9, 701/14, 704/200, 704/231, 704/251, 704/255, 704/257, 704/270, 704/270.1
• US Class Current: 370/277
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for engaging in two-way communication between a pilot and an air traffic controller by speech and hearing processes wherein spoken messages are compared to a database of categorized messages for matching and selecting a categorized message for transmission between pilot and air traffic control.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

a microprocessor device to convert a spoken message delivered to the microphone by a speaking user to a digitized message;

a database accessible by the microprocessor device having a plurality of stored commands for matching with the digitized message;

a microprocessor-executable program configured to select a standard message from the plurality of stored commands according to a classification of aviation phraseologies that match one or more elements of the digitized message, wherein the one or more elements of the digitized message are ranked by the microprocessor-executable program in reference to one or more stages of flight operation;

a display for presenting the selected standardized message;

a first transceiver for sending the selected message to a recipient; and

a second transceiver for receiving the selected message,

wherein the selected message is received by the recipient and converted to an auditory form deliverable by the speaker for listening by the recipient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor device is configurable by executable programs to convert speech to text.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein matching includes content matching programs executable by the microprocessor to compare the digitized message with the content of the stored commands.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the content matching program further includes algorithms to select and rank the stored commands in order of closeness to the content meaning of the spoken message.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein closeness of content includes contextual meaning for uplink and downlink Controller Pilot Data Linked Communications (CPDLC) messages.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the contextual meaning of CPDLC messages includes logon commands.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is configurable to send a digital signal and the second transceiver is configurable to receive a digital signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein means the secondary transceiver includes a microprocessor component configured by executable programs to convert text to speech.

9. A communication system comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

means for converting a spoken message delivered to the microphone to a digitized message;

means for matching the digitized message with commands stored in a memory of the means for converting to select a standardized message closest in meaning of the spoken message according to a classification of aviation phraseologies consistent with one or more message elements used in Controller Pilot Data Linked Communications (CPDLC), wherein the one or more message elements selected from the digitized message are ranked in reference to one or more stages of flight operation;

means for displaying the standardized message;

means for sending the standardized message to a recipient; and

means for receiving the standardized message;

wherein the standardized message is received by the recipient and converted to an auditory form deliverable by the speaker for listening by the recipient.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein means for converting a spoken message to a digitized message includes a microprocessor device configurable by executable programs to convert speech to text.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein means for matching includes a microprocessor executed program to compare the digitized message with the content of the stored commands.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor executed program further includes algorithms to select and rank the stored commands in the form of up-linked and down-linked CPDLC messages in order of closeness to content meaning to the spoken message.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein means for sending the standardized message include cabled and wireless communication.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the sending the standardized message include presenting the message on a speaking user display and reading back to the speaking user the presented message prior to sending the presented message.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein means for means for receiving the standardized message include a microprocessor device configurable by executable programs to convert text to speech.

16. A communication method between a speaking user and a recipient comprising:

converting a spoken message into a digital message;

matching the content of the digital message with the content of a plurality of standard Controller Pilot Data Linked Communications (CPDLC) messages, wherein the matched content of the digital message is ranked with the content of the standard CPDLC messages in reference to one or more stages of flight operation;

selecting a standard message from the plurality of standard messages that is closest in content meaning to the digital message;

presenting the selected message on a speaking user display;

sending the selected message to a recipient;

presenting the selected message on a recipient display;

converting the selected message from the recipient display to auditory form; and

sending the auditory form of the selected standard message to a speaker within hearing range of the recipient.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected and presented message on the speaking user display is read back upon command of the speaking user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the standard messages include up-linked CPDLC commands that match the content of aviation phraseologies spoken by the speaking user.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the standard messages include down-linked CPDLC commands that match the content of aviation phraseologies spoken by the speaking user.