Device and method for providing automatic assistance to air traffic controllers

• US 8,090,525 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jacques Villiers
• Original Assignee: Jacques Villiers
• Inventors: Villiers, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Application Number:
  US10/556,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20070032940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,790 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 455/431, 342/29, 342/259
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• 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 and a system for assisting air traffic controllers that automatically detects conflicts between aircraft trajectories and selects the conflicts that can be solved by minor modification(s) of aircraft speed, climbing rates or descending rates and lateral shifts of route. Minor modifications are selected so as to not interfere with current controllers'"'"' decision making process thereby circumventing the basic rule of uniqueness of control in a given piece of airspace. The minor modifications are automatically transmitted to aircraft for execution without requiring controllers'"'"' prior agreement. Thus, the method solves most conflicts, such that the air traffic delivered to the controllers is free of most of the pre-existing conflicts.

Claims

1. A device for automated evolutionary assistance to air traffic controllers including a computer having a software program permitting the receipt of data for equipping an air traffic control system including flight plans of aircraft and Radars and elaborating and displaying them to air traffic controllers, the air traffic controllers having a radiotelephony link for communicating with the aircraft, the device comprising:

a software module for establishing and updating a computer agenda, which is a list of the aircrafts'"'"' potential conflicts on the basis of any information and computation means of the computer;

said software module configured for selecting, among said computer agenda, potential conflicts on crossing trajectories which are solvable by modification(s) of aircraft speed, climbing or descending rates and lateral shift of route, said modification(s) being so minor as to not interfere with the air traffic controllers'"'"' decision making processes; and

a data link between said computer and an on-board computer of the aircraft, the data-link being used for automatically;

(i) collecting complementary data from said on-board computer of the aircraft, said complementary data including flight data for establishing said computer agenda, and

(ii) transmitting said minor modification(s) of flight parameters to said on-board computer for execution by the aircraft without requiring the air traffic controllers'"'"' prior agreement.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software module is further configured for elaborating optimal solutions to residual potential conflicts which would interfere with the controllers'"'"' decision making processes.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software module is configured for determining in real time among said potential conflicts within said computer agenda those which are false conflicts and displaying the false conflicts on a display of a sector in charge of the aircraft.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software module is configured for updating potential conflicts into said computer agenda even before the aircraft have entered in a control sector with a potential conflict.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said software module is configured for selecting in said computer agenda particularly sensitive conflicts that lead to the occurrence of conflict clusters that are difficult to solve.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said software module is configured for proposing solution(s) for avoiding such occurrence on a display screen of the air traffic controllers presently in charge of the aircraft when said conflicts only occur in a following sector.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein said software module is configured for proposing transfer conditions of an aircraft to a following sector to the air traffic controllers.

8. The device according to claim 1, further including a display device for displaying to air traffic controllers'"'"' icons in bi-univocal relationship with aircraft pairs on said computer agenda, said icons serving as a virtual keyboard for addressing in return specific messages to the computer concerning said aircraft pairs.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said display device is configured for displaying the aircraft pairs of said computer agenda, and a specific icon that makes displaying the virtual keyboard specifically adapted to the situation when designated by the air traffic controllers.

10. The device according to claim 2 further including a display device for displaying on said computer agenda an icon that indicates the air traffic controllers'"'"' desire to know the solution(s) elaborated by the computer and means for informing said computer of the chosen solution when designated by the air traffic controllers.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said computer is configured for automatically transferring the chosen solution to concerned aircraft for execution.

12. The device according to claim 1, further including a display device for displaying each aircraft pair in potential conflict as a point and its speed vector, the coordinates of said point being respectively the delay between a present moment and a moment when said aircraft pair will have a minimum longitudinal separation, and the separation distance at the present moment.

13. The device according claim 12, wherein said computer module is further configured for associating a label providing any necessary data concerning the aircraft with the point representing the aircraft pair.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said computer module is further configured for associating an indicator giving a vertical separation distance when their horizontal separation distance is minimum with the point representing the aircraft pair.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein a designation by a controller of an aircraft on any display screen makes the aircraft and an aircraft conflicting with it appear on other display screens.

16. The device according to claim 11 wherein said computer module is configured for receiving data confirming the proper execution of instructions from said aircraft.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein said computer module is configured for sending a message to two conflicting aircraft for sub-delegating to the conflicting aircraft the responsibility of insuring their safe separation by their own means according to clearances chosen among a set of possible conflict resolution manoeuvres.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said computer module is configured for insuring automatic display of the delegated conflict, so that said computer agenda provides a permanent monitoring board displaying a list of the delegated conflicts and a list of potential conflicts still to be solved.

19. A method for automated evolutionary assistance to air traffic controllers including a computer having a software program permitting the receipt of data for equipping an air traffic control system including flight plans of aircraft and radars and elaborating and displaying them to air traffic controllers, the air traffic controllers having a radiotelephony link for communicating with the aircraft, the method comprising:

establishing and updating a computer agenda, which is a list of the aircrafts'"'"' potential conflicts on the basis of any information and computation means of the computer;

selecting potential conflicts on crossing trajectories which are solvable by modification(s) of aircraft speed, climbing or descending rates, and lateral shift of route, said modification(s) being so minor as to not interfere with the air traffic controllers'"'"' decision making processes;

establishing a data link between said computer and an on-board computer of the aircraft, the data-link being used for automatically;

(i) collecting complementary data from said on-board computer of the aircraft, said complementary data including flight data for establishing said computer agenda, and

(ii) transmitting said minor modification(s) of flight parameters to said on-board computer for execution by the aircraft without requiring the air traffic controllers'"'"' prior agreement.