Flight restriction zone detection and avoidance

• US 7,957,853 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitre Corporation
• Inventors: Ruscil, JR., Frank J., Stock, Todd Michael, Nickum, James Daniel, Peed, Doyle Travis, Schwartz, Jonathan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diacou, Ari M
• Application Number:
  US11/451,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/8, 701/9, 701/14, 701/200, 701206-208, 701/211, 701/213, 701300-302, 244/75.1, 244/76.R, 340/901, 340/905, 340/907, 340/945, 340/961, 340/963, 340/971, 340/973, 340/979, 340/983, 340/995.12, 340/995.24, 340/995.25, 340/995.27, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product to detect and indicating TFR zone violations, potential TFR zone violations or TFR zones in vicinity of an aircraft and indicating measures to avoid or exit a TFR zone are provided. TFR zone information and an aircraft'"'"'s position information are received. The aircraft'"'"'s position information is processed to determine the aircraft'"'"'s current heading. A TFR zone violation is determined based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position. A potential TFR violation is determined based on whether the aircraft'"'"'s current heading intersects a TFR zone. The presence of a TFR zone in the vicinity of the aircraft is determined based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position and heading. Indicators of a TFR violation, potential TFR violation, no TFR violation or TFR zones in the vicinity are provided. If a TFR violation, or possible TFR violation or TFR zone in the vicinity are found, measures are indicated to exit the TFR zone or change the aircraft'"'"'s current heading to avoid the TFR zone.

Claims

1. A method to indicate an actual or potential Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone violation and indicate measures to avoid or exit a TFR zone, comprising:

receiving TFR zone information and an aircraft'"'"'s position information, ground track and ground speed;

processing the aircraft'"'"'s position information, ground track and ground speed to determine the aircraft'"'"'s current heading;

determining whether there is a TFR zone violation based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position, whether the aircraft'"'"'s current heading results in a potential TFR violation based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position and heading and whether the aircraft is in the vicinity of a TFR zone based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position and heading;

providing indicators of a TFR zone violation, potential TFR zone violation when the aircraft is at a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect the TFR zone in a predetermined amount of time, no TFR zone violation or absence of a TFR zone in the vicinity; and

if a TFR zone violation, or possible TFR zone violation or presence of a TFR zone in the vicinity are determined, providing indicators of measures to exit the TFR zone or change the aircraft'"'"'s current heading to avoid the TFR zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a TFR zone violation occurs when an aircraft is in a TFR zone based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position and a possible TFR zone violation occurs based on whether an aircraft'"'"'s current heading intersects a TFR zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an aircraft is in the vicinity of a TFR zone when the TFR zone is at one or more of a predetermined distance, predetermined angle from the aircraft'"'"'s current heading or the ceiling of the TFR zone is at predetermined altitude below the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said TFR zone information is a function of one or more of TFR zone start date, TFR zone start time, latitude, longitude, radius and altitude of a TFR zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein aircraft position information is a function of one or more of latitude, longitude, altitude, ground speed, course, magnetic variation and date of fix.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reference system time to determine whether a TFR zone is active;

wherein said providing indicators step that provides said indicators only when said TFR zone is active.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicators are one or more of audio and visual indicators.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing indication of a TFR zone in the vicinity of the aircraft if a predetermined deviation in an angle of the aircraft'"'"'s current heading results in an intersection with the TFR zone.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing indication of a TFR zone in the vicinity of the aircraft if the TFR zone is at a predetermined distance from the aircraft'"'"'s current heading.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an alert if the aircraft is at a predetermined distance from a TFR zone but the aircraft'"'"'s current heading does not intersect the TFR zone.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving TFR zone information step comprises receiving TFR zone information from one of (1) a preflight update via a web-based application or from a website, (2) an in-flight update via manual entry, (3) an in-flight update via a data link when an application to detect TFR zones is started or initialized, (4) a flash memory card, and (5) a database that is synchronized with a device storing TFR zone information.

25. The method of claim 1, the providing indicators step comprising illuminating a watch bar in red and providing an aural indication to indicate presence of a TFR zone in an immediate vicinity of the aircraft, wherein an aircraft is in immediate vicinity of a TFR zone if it is within 5 miles and +−

45°

of the aircraft'"'"'s current heading.

26. The method of claim 1, the providing indicators step comprising illuminating a watch bar in yellow and providing aural indication to indicate that a turn in a particular direction will result in a TFR zone intersection.

27. The method of claim 1, the providing indicators step comprising suppressing distance and time to fly to the boundary of a TFR zone if the aircraft is inside the TFR zone so as to indicate that separation with the TFR zone has been lost.

28. The method of claim 1, the providing indicators step comprising:

automatically activating a text display when a status light indicates potential or actual intersection of the aircraft'"'"'s current heading with a TFR zone; and

indicating via the text display a distance and a time to fly from the aircraft'"'"'s current location to a boundary of a TFR zone based on current ground track and ground speed.

29. The method of claim 1, the providing indicators step comprising:

displaying a gain in altitude required to clear a ceiling of a TFR zone.

30. The method of claim 1, the providing indicators step comprising:

providing an aural indication system that generates aural cues for avoiding a TFR zone.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

annunciating a TFR zone boundary warning if an aircraft is at a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect the TFR zone in a predetermined amount of time.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing indicators for each of;

a TFR zone violation, potential TFR zone violation when the aircraft is within a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect the TFR zone within a predetermined amount of time, no TFR zone violation or absence of a TFR zone in the vicinity.

8. A system to detect and indicate a TFR zone violation, potential TFR zone violation or a TFR zone in vicinity of an aircraft and indicate measures to avoid or exit a TFR zone comprising:

a user interface configured to provide indicators; and

a computing device;

wherein the computing device is configured to receive downloaded or stored TFR zone information, aircraft position information, ground track and ground speed, and determine the aircraft'"'"'s current heading based on the aircraft'"'"'s position information, ground track and ground speed, determine whether the aircraft violates a TFR zone based on the received aircraft position information and TFR zone information, determine a potential TFR zone violation based on the aircraft'"'"'s current heading and TFR zone information, indicate actual TFR zone violation or potential TFR zone violation when the aircraft is at a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect with the TFR zone in a predetermined amount of time, indicate a TFR zone in an aircraft'"'"'s vicinity and indicate measures to exit a TFR zone or avoid a TFR zone violation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a TFR zone violation occurs when an aircraft is in a TFR zone based on the aircraft'"'"'s current position and a possible TFR zone violation occurs based on whether an aircraft'"'"'s current heading intersects a TFR zone.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein a TFR zone is in an aircraft'"'"'s vicinity when the TFR zone is at one or more of a predetermined distance, predetermined angle from the aircraft'"'"'s current heading or the ceiling of the TFR zone is at predetermined altitude below the aircraft.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said TFR zone information is a function of TFR zone start date, TFR zone start time, latitude, longitude, radius and altitude of a TFR zone.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein aircraft position information is a function of latitude, longitude, altitude, ground speed, course, magnetic variation and date of fix.

33. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device is configured to indicate actual TFR zone violation or potential TFR zone violation when the aircraft is within a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect with the TFR zone within a predetermined amount of time.

13. A method to indicate a current or potential Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) zone violation and indicate measures to avoid or exit a TFR zone, comprising:

receiving TFR zone information;

receiving aircraft position, ground track and ground speed information;

processing aircraft position, ground track and ground speed information to determine the aircraft'"'"'s current heading;

determining whether the aircraft'"'"'s current heading is intersecting a TFR zone;

determining whether a TFR zone is in the vicinity of the aircraft;

determining whether the aircraft is in a TFR zone;

providing indication of presence one or more TFR zones in the vicinity of the aircraft or presence of the aircraft inside a TFR zone or possible intersection of the aircraft with a TFR zone when the aircraft is at a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect the TFR zone in a predetermined amount of time;

indicating measures to exit a TFR zone if the aircraft is currently in a TFR zone;

indicating measures to avoid a TFR zone if the aircraft'"'"'s current heading intersects a TFR zone; and

indicating presence and location of a TFR zone if the TFR zone is in the vicinity of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said TFR zone information is a function of TFR zone start date, TFR zone start time, latitude, longitude, radius and altitude of a TFR zone.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein aircraft position information is a function of latitude, longitude, altitude, ground speed, course, magnetic variation and date of fix.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein an aircraft is in the vicinity of a TFR zone based at least in part on one or more of a predetermined distance from the aircraft'"'"'s current heading to the TFR zone, a predetermined distance between the aircraft and the TFR zone ceiling below the aircraft and if a predetermined deviation in the angle of the aircraft'"'"'s current heading intersects the TFR zone.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the measures to avoid the TFR zone include at least one of visual indication of a turn direction to avoid the TFR zone and aural indication of a turn direction to avoid the TFR zone.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the measures to exit a TFR zone include at least one of visual indication of a turn direction to exit the TFR and aural indication of a turn direction to exit the TFR zone.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the indicating steps involve use of at least one of audio and visual means.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a reference system time to determine whether a TFR zone is active.

34. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing indication of presence one or more TFR zones in the vicinity of the aircraft or presence of the aircraft inside a TFR zone or possible intersection of the aircraft with a TFR zone when the aircraft is within a predetermined distance from the TFR zone or if the aircraft will intersect the TFR zone within a predetermined amount of time.