System and method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion

• US 7,809,405 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Rand, Timothy W., Rathinam, Sethu R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor; Barry W
• Application Number:
  US11/700,529
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 455/563, 455/431
• US Class Current: 455/563
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques

Abstract

The present invention is a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion. The method includes receiving a first voice radio communication in a processing system. The method further includes receiving a second voice radio communication in the processing system. The method further includes comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication. The method further includes providing an alert when the compared first voice radio communication and second voice radio communication are at least substantially inconsistent in content. The processing system implements speech recognition functionality when comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first voice radio communication in a processing system;

detecting whether a second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is received by the processing system within a pre-determined time interval;

when the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is not received by the processing system within the pre-determined time interval, providing a timing alert;

when the second voice radio communication responsive to the first radio communication is received by the processing system, comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication; and

providing an inconsistency alert when the compared first voice radio communication and second voice radio communication are at least substantially inconsistent in content, wherein the processing system implements speech recognition functionality when comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication, wherein the processing system implements at least one of speech recognition functionality, speaker recognition functionality and radio signature functionality when detecting whether the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is received by the processing system within the pre-determined time interval.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication includes:

comparing a first flight ID included in the first voice radio communication with a second flight ID included in the second voice radio communication.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to aircraft state information.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to at least one of mode control panel settings and autopilot settings.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to air traffic display information.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) active runway information.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to at least one of radar data and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) data.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system is a voice communication radio product, the voice communication radio product being configured for at least one of Very High Frequency (VHF) voice communication, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) voice communication, High Frequency (HF) voice communication, and Satellite Communications (SATCOM) voice communication.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing system is an alerting system product.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the alerting system product is a display system product, the display system product being at least one of an Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) and an Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS).

11. A method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion, comprising:

receiving a first voice radio communication in a processing system;

detecting whether a second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is received by the processing system within a pre-determined time interval; and

providing an alert when the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is not received by the processing system within the pre-determined time interval,

wherein the processing system implements at least one of speech recognition functionality, speaker recognition functionality and radio signature functionality when detecting whether the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is received by the processing system within the pre-determined time interval.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for reducing aviation voice communication confusion, said method comprising:

receiving a first voice radio communication in a processing system;

detecting whether a second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is received by the processing system within a pre-determined time interval;

when the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is not received by the processing system within the pre-determined time interval, providing a timing alert;

when the second voice radio communication responsive to the first radio communication is received by the processing system, comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication; and

providing an inconsistency alert when the compared first voice radio communication and second voice radio communication are at least substantially inconsistent in content, wherein the processing system implements speech recognition functionality when comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication, wherein the processing system implements at least one of speech recognition functionality, speaker recognition functionality and radio signature functionality when detecting whether the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is received by the processing system within the pre-determined time interval.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of comparing the first voice radio communication to the second voice radio communication includes:

comparing a first flight ID included in the first voice radio communication with a second flight ID included in the second voice radio communication.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, said method further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to aircraft state information.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, said method further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to at least one of mode control panel settings and autopilot settings.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, said method further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to air traffic display information.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, said method further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) active runway information.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, said method further comprising:

comparing at least one of the first voice radio communication and the second voice radio communication to at least one of radar data and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) data.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for reducing aviation voice communication confusion as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing system is at least one of a voice communication radio product, an alerting system product and a display system product.

20. A system for reducing aviation voice communication confusion, comprising:

a memory;

a processor configured for being communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor being configured for receiving a first voice radio communication, the processor further being configured for receiving a second voice radio communication, the second voice radio communication being responsive to the first voice radio communication, the processor further being configured for comparing the second voice radio communication to the first voice radio communication, the first voice radio communication being stored in the memory of the system, the processor further being configured for determining when the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is not received within a pre-determined time interval;

means for providing an inconsistency alert when the compared first voice radio communication and second voice radio communication are at least substantially inconsistent in content, the alerting means configured for being communicatively coupled with the processor;

means for providing a timing alert when the processor determines that the second voice radio communication responsive to the first voice radio communication is not received with the pre-determined time interval;

wherein the system implements speech recognition functionality when comparing the second voice radio communication to the first voice radio communication.