Methods and systems for aircraft departure enhanced situational awareness and recovery

• US 7,813,871 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Hall, Lee S., Small, Gregory J., Jain, Rajit, Cutler, Gerald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/548,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-213, 701/300, 701/301, 701/120, 701/15, 701/3, 701/9, 701/10, 342/28, 342/29, 342/70, 342/71, 342/195, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 340/961
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/00 Traffic control systems for aircraft , e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]

Abstract

A method for providing an enterprise with a situational awareness for conditions related to aircraft departure is described. The method includes receiving data related to one or more events that have the potential to affect conditions related to an aircraft'"'"'s departure from a plurality of enterprise related systems, correlating the received data in accordance with one or more business rules, generating an aircraft departure situational awareness data set from the correlated data, processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set in view of at least one user profile, and providing at least one recommendation, each recommendation associated with one user profile, directed to addressing the conditions related to aircraft departure.

Claims

1. A method for providing an enterprise with a situational awareness for conditions related to aircraft departure, said method comprising:

receiving data related to one or more events that have the potential to affect conditions related to an aircraft'"'"'s departure from a plurality of enterprise related systems;

correlating the received data in accordance with one or more business rules;

generating an aircraft departure situational awareness data set from the correlated data;

processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set based on characteristics of at least one user profile; and

providing at least one recommendation, each recommendation associated with one user profile, directed to addressing the conditions related to aircraft departure.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising interpreting the correlated data in view of historical data.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving data further comprises:

receiving data from a first portion of the enterprise systems which are located on board aircraft; and

receiving data from a second portion of the enterprise systems which are ground based, including at least one of an airline-based system, an airport-based system, and air traffic service providers.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set comprises providing a view of the viewable aircraft departure situational awareness data set based on the user profile associated with the user.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein providing a view of the viewable aircraft departure situational awareness data set comprises presenting the user with data from the aircraft departure situational awareness data set that is relevant for a function of the user.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set comprises identifying at least one of an implementation cost and a resulting deviation from schedule associated with the situation related to aircraft departure.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein identifying at least one of an implementation cost and a resulting deviation from schedule associated with the situation related to aircraft departure comprises analysis of future airline schedule and future ground support schedules from multiple sources.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein identifying at least one of an implementation cost and a resulting deviation from schedule associated with the situation related to aircraft departure comprises analysis of the integrated day-of-operations airplane departure plan and the timing of actual events for all required resources from multiple sources.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein identifying at least one of an implementation cost and a resulting deviation from schedule associated with the situation related to aircraft departure comprises calculation of implementation cost of no performing any intervention and each recovery recommendation.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving data related to one or more events comprises receiving data from one or more of airline management and operations, maintenance operations, aircraft, airport management and operations, aircraft suppliers, regulatory authorities and independent airport service providers.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing at least one recommendation comprises providing at least one recommendation for one or more of airline operations, airport operations, and vendor operations, including data related to how best to address the conditions associated with the aircraft, and based at least partially on the generated aircraft departure situational awareness data set.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set comprises providing real-time alerts of deviations to users.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein providing real-time alerts of deviations to users comprises notification of future potential conflicts between business entities.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving data related to one or more events comprises receiving at least one of status tracking information and operational planning information from at least one of an airplane, an airport, and an airline.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein receiving at least one of status tracking information and operational planning information from an airport comprises receiving information from at least one of airline operations, airport operations, and vendor operations.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein receiving operational planning information comprises receiving at least one of an airline designed flight schedule containing all departures and arrivals for the fleet for a time period, cabin and flight crew schedules, passenger information, and airport support personnel schedules.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein correlating the received data in accordance with one or more business rules comprises:

analyzing the flight schedule, and projected passenger and cargo load to determine the required ground support;

receiving ground support schedules based on the airline flight schedule; and

correlating an airline demand for services with vendor plans to provide the required services in the form of a precision timing schedule plan for each aircraft departure and arrival.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set in view of at least one user profile comprises:

updating the precision timing schedule to reflect the most current information as new airline flight schedules and vendor schedules are received; and

reporting discrepancies between schedules up to and including the day of operation to all interested parties at the airline and vendor.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising maintaining a problem activity log for the discrepancies as they are analyzed and disposed.

20. A method according to claim 1 wherein processing the aircraft departure situational awareness data set comprises correlating timing of actual events with scheduling plan requirements in the form of a precision timing schedule for each departure and arrival.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein providing at least one recommendation directed to addressing the conditions related to aircraft departure comprises using new estimated completion information to identify ripple effects through all other precision timing schedules.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein using new estimated completion information to identify system-wide ripple effects through all other precision timing schedules comprises multiple views of the information, including system-wide, by individual airport, and for other carriers for which the vendor is contracted for service.

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein processing said decision support system is configured to allow a user to select one of presented recommendations or choose another solution.

24. An aircraft departure situational awareness system comprising:

at least one user interface;

a plurality of enterprise systems;

an integration system networked to said interface and configured to receive data relating to aircraft departure situational awareness from said plurality of enterprise systems; and

a decision support system integrated with said integration system and said user interface, said decision support system operatively configured to correlate situational information that has the potential to affect conditions related to aircraft departure received from said plurality of enterprise systems with one or more business rules received from said integration system, said decision support system further configured to generate an aircraft departure situational awareness data set from the correlated data, process the aircraft departure situational awareness data set based on characteristics of at least one user profile, and provide at least one recommendation for display on at least one of said user interfaces, each recommendation associated with a user profile, and directed to addressing the conditions related to aircraft departure.

25. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to communicate chosen recovery solution decisions in real-time to all affected users.

26. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to interpret the correlated situational information in view of historical data.

27. A system according to claim 24 wherein a first portion of said enterprise systems are located on board aircraft, and a second portion of said enterprise systems are ground based.

28. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to cause said at least one user interface to provide a view of the viewable aircraft departure situational awareness data set based on the user profile associated with a user.

29. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to provide at least one user interface at least one of an implementation cost and a resulting deviation from schedule associated with the data relating to aircraft departure situational awareness received from said plurality of enterprise systems.

30. A system according to claim 24 wherein said plurality of enterprise systems comprise at least one of airline management and operation systems, maintenance operations systems, aircraft systems, airport management and operations systems, aircraft supplier systems, regulatory authority systems and independent airport service provider systems.

31. A system according to claim 24 wherein said system configured to generate a data set for one or more of maintenance operations users, airline flight operations center users, airline management users, station operations users, vendor operations users, and passenger services users, the data received from said enterprise systems including data related to a condition of an aircraft in need of one or more resources, the at least one recommendation from said decision support system including data related to how best to address the conditions associated with the aircraft.

32. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to receive at least one of status tracking information and operational planning information from at least one of an airplane, an airport, and an airline.

33. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to receive airline designed flight schedule containing all departures and arrivals for the fleet for a time period.

34. A system according to claim 33 wherein said decision support system is configured to:

analyze the flight schedule to determine the required ground support;

receive ground support schedules based on the airline flight schedule; and

correlate an airline demand for services with vendor plans to provide the required services in the form of a precision timing schedule plan for each aircraft departure and arrival.

35. A system according to claim 34 wherein said decision support system is configured to:

update the precision timing schedule to reflect the most current information as new airline flight schedules and vendor schedules are received; and

report discrepancies between schedules up to and including the day of operation to all interested parties at the airline and vendor.

36. A system according to claim 35 wherein said decision support system is configured to maintain a problem activity log for the discrepancies as they are analyzed and disposed.

37. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to correlate timing of actual events with scheduling plan requirements in the form of a precision timing schedule for each departure and arrival.

38. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to use updated estimated completion information to identify system-wide ripple effects through all other precision timing schedules.

39. A system according to claim 24 wherein said system configured to generate real-time alerts of deviations to appropriate users.

40. A system according to claim 39 wherein said real-time alerts system configured to generate real-time alerts of deviations between plans from multiple business units.

41. A system according to claim 39 wherein said real-time alerts system configured to generate real-time alerts of deviations between the integrated plan and timing of actual day-of-operations events.

42. A system according to claim 24 wherein said decision support system is configured to allow a user to select one of presented recommendations or choose another solution.