Systems and methods for amalgamating flight information

• US 8,630,790 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bailey, Louis J., Hale, Ryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/251,406
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 340/973
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

Systems and methods for receiving flight messages relating to a particular flight from multiple sources and processing information in those flight messages to create a single representation of an updated current and intended trajectory of such flight. Preferably, the system comprises one or more processors for performing the following operations: determining which flight message is the most recent; determining which flight messages are relevant; authenticating and processing proposed updates; and merging information contained in the flight messages to create a single representation of one or both of current or intended flight information.

Claims

1. A method for processing flight information, performed by one or more processors, comprising:

(a) obtaining data representing one or more elements of aircraft state data, a flight plan, a flight route, or one or both of current or intended trajectory for an aircraft flight, said data being obtained from one or more flight messages associated with said aircraft flight;

(b) incorporating said obtained flight message data in a flight information object associated with said aircraft flight, said flight information object further comprising other flight information data representing elements of aircraft state data, a flight plan, a flight route, or one or both of current or intended trajectory for said aircraft flight;

(c) comparing contents of data fields of said flight message data and contents in corresponding data fields of said flight information data stored in said flight information object;

(d) identifying which contents of data fields of said flight message data are different than the contents in corresponding data fields of said flight information data;

(e) determining which different contents of data fields of said flight message data represent updates to be amalgamated with said flight information data in said flight information object; and

(f) amalgamating said different contents of data fields of said flight message data representing said updates in place of the contents in corresponding data fields of said flight information data in said flight information object.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said corresponding data fields of said flight information data represent elements of a current or intended flight trajectory.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said flight messages have times that fall within a predetermined time interval.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising sending a query seeking return of data contained in flight messages received during a most recent interval of time, and then returning all data contained in said most recent flight messages in response to said query.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

determining certain attributes of the data returned in response to said query; and

selecting an algorithm for implementing operation (e), said selection being a function of at least said determined attributes.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said certain attributes comprise whether the times of said most recent flight messages are comparable and/or whether updates derived from said most recent messages are the same.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adding, deleting or editing flight messages in said flight information object.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adding, deleting or editing updates in said flight information object.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving proximal aircraft data from a flight information object associated with a flight of a second aircraft in proximity to said first aircraft; and

amalgamating said proximal aircraft data with said flight information data in said flight information object associated with the flight of said first aircraft.

10. A system for processing flight information comprising one or more processors for processing flight information data and computer memory for storing flight information data, said one or more processors being programmed to perform the following operations:

(a) obtaining data representing one or more elements of aircraft state data, a flight plan, a flight route, or one or both of current or intended trajectory for an aircraft flight, said data being obtained from one or more flight messages associated with said aircraft flight, said flight messages being stored in said computer memory;

(b) incorporating said obtained flight message data in a flight information object associated with said aircraft flight, said flight information object being stored in said computer memory and further comprising other flight information data representing elements of aircraft state data, a flight plan, flight route, or one or both of current or trajectory for said aircraft flight;

(c) comparing contents of data fields of said flight message data and contents in corresponding data fields of said flight information data stored in said flight information object;

(d) identifying which contents of data fields of said flight message data are different than the contents in corresponding data fields of said flight information data;

(e) determining which different contents of data fields of said flight message data represent updates to be amalgamated with said flight information data in said flight information object; and

(f) amalgamating said different contents of data fields of said flight message data representing said updates in place of the contents in corresponding data fields of said flight information data in said flight information object.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said corresponding data fields of said flight information data represent elements of a current or intended flight trajectory.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said flight messages have times that fall within a predetermined time interval.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said one or more processors is further being programmed to send a query seeking return of data contained in flight messages received during a most recent interval of time, and then return all data contained in said most recent flight messages in response to said query.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said one or more processors is further being programmed to determine certain attributes of the data returned in response to said query, and then select an algorithm for implementing operation (e), said selection being a function of at least said determined attributes.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said certain attributes comprise whether the times of said most recent flight messages are comparable and/or whether updates derived from said most recent messages are the same.

16. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said one or more processors is further being programmed to add, delete or edit flight messages in said flight information object.

17. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said one or more processors is further being programmed to add, delete or edit updates in said flight information object.

18. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said one or more processors is further being programmed to retrieve proximal aircraft data from a flight information object associated with a flight of a second aircraft in proximity to said first aircraft;

and then amalgamate said proximal aircraft data with said flight information data in said flight information object associated with the flight of said first aircraft.

19. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said one or more processors is further programmed to instantiate a decision option engine and an evaluation option engine for performing operation (e), wherein said decision option engine determines certain attributes of the flight message data, and said evaluation option engine selects an algorithm for implementing operation (e), said selection being a function of at least said determined attributes.

20. A system for processing flight information data in a flight information object associated with a flight of a particular aircraft, comprising one or more processors programmed to perform the following operations:

(a) incorporating new flight messages in said flight information object, said flight information object further comprising current flight information data representing elements of a plan, route, intent or trajectory for said aircraft flight;

(b) determining a time and a source of each new flight message;

(c) comparing contents of data fields of said new flight messages and contents in corresponding data fields of said current flight information data stored in said flight information object;

(d) identifying which contents of data fields of said new flight messages are different than the contents in corresponding data fields of said current flight information data;

(e) determining which different contents of data fields of said new flight messages in said flight message data represent updates to be amalgamated with said current flight information data in said flight information object based in part on said times and sources of said new flight messages; and

(f) amalgamating said different contents of data fields of said flight message data representing said updates in place of the contents in corresponding data fields of said current flight information data in said flight information object.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said one or more processors is further programmed to instantiate a decision option engine and an evaluation option engine for performing operation (e), wherein said decision option engine determines certain attributes of the flight message data, and said evaluation option engine selects an algorithm for implementing operation (e), said selection being a function of at least said determined attributes.

22. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said corresponding data fields of said current flight information data represent elements of a current or intended flight trajectory.