Device and method for monitoring the location of aircraft on the ground

• US 8,400,347 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Fabre, Bernard, Marty, Nicolas, Meunier, Hugues
• Primary Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US12/542,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 342 29- 51, 342/52, 342/58, 342/60, 342/175, 342/195, 342/73, 342/89, 342 94- 96, 701 1- 3, 701 14- 18, 701120-122, 701/200, 701/207, 701/213, 701/300, 701/301, 701/206
• US Class Current: 342/36
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/06 for control when on the ground

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitoring device and method allowing surveillance of an aircraft in relation to aircraft and/or craft on an airport displacement zone. The invention is a system comprising a dedicated transmitter and receiver to receive the information regarding the location and displacement of the cooperative aircraft and to monitor the location of the said aircraft in relation to the cooperative aircraft. The monitoring application is based on the detection of conflict zones by inter-correlation of constraint surfaces of the airport zone. The invention applies to aircraft carrying communication moans for ADS-B networks for an airport zone monitoring application.

Claims

1. Device for monitoring location of an aircraft in relation to cooperative craft, the said aircraft being provided with a geographical location system is cooperative with a data communication network, comprising:

an onboard means for broadcasting data in an automatic manner to non-designated recipients cooperative with the communication network, an onboard means for receiving the data transmitted by transmitters cooperative with the communication network, the data comprising at least indications of location and displacement of cooperative aircraft, a cost surface database storing a first conflict cost surface encompassing the deployment surface, related to cooperative aircraft and defined by the ratings assigned to its points, representative of their memberships in a congestion zone covering the vicinity of the current positions of each cooperative aircraft, of the uncertainties in positioning of the aircraft and of the safety margins to be complied with in relation to the aircraft and a second conflict cost surface encompassing the deployment surface, related to the aircraft on board which the monitoring device is carried and defined by the ratings assigned to its points, representative of their memberships in a congestion zone covering the vicinity of the current position of the aircraft, of the uncertainties in positioning of the aircraft and of the safety margins to be complied with in relation to the aircraft, and calculation means computing a score for evaluating the significance of a risk of violation of a traffic flow constraint incurred by the aircraft on the basis of an inter-correlation function of the two dangerousness cost surfaces referred to one and the same benchmark.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting means and reception means communicate with a communication network of ADS-B type.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting means and reception means communicate with a communication network of TIS-B type.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast data comprise at least indications of location and of displacement of the craft.

5. A computer implemented method monitoring a location of a first aircraft in relation to one or more cooperative craft the aircraft and one or more cooperative craft being provided with a geographical location system, comprising the following steps:

a. modeling a first conflict cost surface by the geographical location system;

i. encompassing a deployment surface, related to the one or more cooperative craft and defined by ratings assigned to their locations on the deployment surface; and

ii. representative of their membership in a congestion zone covering;

1. the vicinity of the current positions of each cooperative craft;

2. the uncertainties in positioning of the aircraft; and

3. the safety margins to be complied with in relation to the aircraft;

b. modeling of a second conflict cost surface by the geographical location system;

i. encompassing the deployment surface, related to the aircraft and defined by ratings assigned to its location on the deployment surface;

ii. representative of the aircraft'"'"'s memberships in a congestion zone covering;

1. the vicinity of the current position of the aircraft;

2. the uncertainties in positioning of the aircraft; and

3. the safety margins to be complied with in relation to the aircraft,

c. calculating, outputting on a computer readable medium, and outputting a score for evaluating the significance of a risk of violating a traffic flow constraint incurred by the aircraft on the basis of an inter-correlation function of the first and second conflict cost surfaces.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the ratings of the locations on the deployment surface of the first and of the second conflict cost surface of conflict related to the cooperative craft further comprise the uncertainty in displacement heading of these craft.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the ratings of the locations on the deployment surface of the first and of the second conflict cost surface related to cooperative craft further comprise the speed of these craft.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the conflict cost surfaces related to craft are extended in a gradual manner and in the form of concentric surfaces forward of these craft in the direction of their movement.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the conflict cost surfaces related to craft exhibit in the vicinity of the aircraft, a relief of oblong form with transverse cuts of Gaussian forms extending forwards of these craft, in the direction of their movement.