Conflict detection and resolution using predicted aircraft trajectories

• US 8,843,302 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: de Blanes, Francisco Garcia, Vilaplana, Miguel, Navarro, Francisco A., Hernandez, Ernesto Valls, del Pozo de Poza, Isabel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US13/902,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20130338909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0004 Transmission of traffic-related information to or from an aircraft airborne radio transmission systems in general H04B7/185; airborne wireless networks H04W84/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• 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 of detecting conflicts between aircraft passing through managed airspace, and to resolving the detected conflicts strategically. Air traffic control apparatus arranged to manage airspace through which aircraft are flying is provided that comprises processing means configured to receive aircraft intent data describing an aircraft'"'"'s intended flight path, to launch a conflict detection procedure in which it computes a user-preferred trajectory for each of the aircraft based on the aircraft intent and determines whether any conflicts will arise, to launch a conflict resolution procedure in which it calculates revisions of the aircraft intent of the conflicted aircraft to remove the conflicts, and to transmit to the aircraft the revised aircraft intent data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing airspace through which a plurality of aircraft are flying, comprising:

receiving, from the aircraft, user preferred aircraft intent data that unambiguously defines the user preferred trajectory of each aircraft;

calling an initial conflict detection procedure comprising;

calculating a corresponding user preferred trajectories from the user preferred aircraft intent data; and

comparing the user preferred trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories and to identify conflicted aircraft predicted to fly an identified conflicting trajectories;

calling an initial conflict resolution procedure comprising;

revising the user preferred aircraft intent data of one or more of the conflicted aircraft to produce revised aircraft intent data that will unambiguously define a corresponding revised trajectory; and

sending the revised aircraft intent data to the corresponding conflicted aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after calling the initial conflict resolution procedure, calling a further conflict detection procedure,

wherein the further conflict detection comprises:

calculating revised trajectories from the corresponding revised aircraft intent data;

comparing user-preferred trajectories of aircraft not subject to revised aircraft intent data and revised trajectories from the aircraft subject to revised aircraft intent data so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories, and to identify still-conflicted aircraft predicted to fly the identified conflicting trajectories; and

if conflicts are identified during the further conflict detection procedure, either calling a further conflict resolution procedure or indicating that no further conflict resolution processing will take place,

wherein the further conflict resolution procedure comprises;

revising the user preferred aircraft intent data and/or revised aircraft intent data of one or more of the still-conflicted aircraft, and

calling the further conflict detection procedure;

or

if no conflicts are identified during the further conflict detection procedure, continuing to the step of sending the revised aircraft intent data to the corresponding conflicted aircraft.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving from an aircraft an indication that revised aircraft intent data proposed for that aircraft is rejected, performing a rejection procedure comprising:

calling the further conflict resolution procedure in which a rejected revised aircraft intent data is further revised and, if it is indicated that no further conflict processing will take place, advising the aircraft that rejected the revised aircraft intent data that that aircraft must accept the rejected revised aircraft intent data.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising performing the rejection procedure by locking aircraft whose user-preferred aircraft intent data was not revised and aircraft who accepted revised aircraft intent data, a remaining aircraft being unlocked aircraft with rejected revised aircraft intent data and, during further conflict resolution procedures called by the rejection procedure, not revising aircraft intent data of locked aircraft and revising aircraft intent data of one or more unlocked aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing the user preferred trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories, during the initial conflict detection procedure and/or during a further conflict detection procedure, comprises forming pairs between each of the conflicted aircraft and, for each pair, comparing a separation of the aircraft on their trajectories at discrete time points as their trajectories progress.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising applying heuristics to identify pairs of aircraft that cannot come into conflict at a particular discrete time point.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising using positions of aircraft in a pair to determine that they cannot come into conflict for certain number of discrete time points.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial conflict detection procedure is repeated according to any one or more of:

predetermined intervals, periodically, whenever an aircraft enters the airspace, and when new user-preferred aircraft intent data is received from an aircraft.

9. A method of operating an aircraft within a managed airspace, comprising:

the aircraft sending user preferred aircraft intent data that unambiguously defines the user preferred trajectory of the aircraft to an air traffic management facility;

the aircraft receiving from the air traffic management facility, revised aircraft intent data that unambiguously defines a corresponding revised trajectory of the aircraft;

the aircraft calculating and displaying the revised trajectory; and

the aircraft following the revised trajectory.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

after displaying the revised trajectory, the aircraft sending to the air traffic management facility an indication that the revised aircraft intent data is rejected;

the aircraft receiving from the air traffic management facility further revised aircraft intent data or an indication that the revised aircraft intent data must be accepted; and

the aircraft following either the further revised aircraft intent data or the revised aircraft intent data, as appropriate.

11. An air traffic control apparatus arranged to manage airspace through which a plurality of aircraft are flying, comprising:

communication means configured for bi-directional communication with the plurality of aircraft; and

processing means in operative communication with the communication means so as to allow transfer of data to and from the plurality of aircraft;

wherein the processing means comprises;

a traffic management component, a trajectory computation component and data storage means accessible to both the traffic management component and the trajectory computation component;

wherein

the processing means is configured to receive, from the plurality of aircraft and via the communication means, user-preferred aircraft intent data describing unambiguously each aircraft'"'"'s user-preferred trajectory and to store the user-preferred aircraft intent data in the data storage means;

the traffic management component is configured to call an initial conflict detection procedure comprising;

the traffic management component calling the trajectory computation component to calculate corresponding user preferred trajectories from the user preferred aircraft intent data; and

the traffic management component comparing the user preferred trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories and to identify conflicted aircraft predicted to fly an identified conflicting trajectories;

the traffic management component is configured to call an initial conflict resolution procedure comprising;

the traffic management component revising the user preferred aircraft intent data of one or more of the conflicted aircraft to produce revised aircraft intent data that will unambiguously define a corresponding revised trajectory;

the traffic management component is configured to perform a further conflict detection procedure comprising;

the traffic management component calling the trajectory computation component to calculate the corresponding revised trajectories from the revised aircraft intent data; and

the traffic management component comparing the user-preferred trajectories from aircraft not subject to revised aircraft intent data and revised trajectories from aircraft subject to revised trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories and to identify still-conflicted aircraft predicted to fly the identified conflicting trajectories;

the traffic management component is configured;

if conflicts are identified during the further conflict detection procedure, either to call a further conflict resolution procedure or to indicate that no further conflict resolution processing will take place, wherein the further conflict detection procedure comprises revising the user preferred aircraft intent data and/or revised aircraft intent data of one or more of the still-conflicted aircraft and to call the further conflict detection procedure,

or

if no conflicts are identified during the further conflict detection procedure, to continue to a step of transmitting revised aircraft intent data; and

the processing means is configured, when no conflicts remain in the trajectories, to pass to the communication means the revised aircraft intent data and the communication means is configured to perform the step of transmitting revised aircraft intent data by transmitting the revised aircraft intent data to an associated aircraft.

12. An aircraft comprising:

airborne communication means for bidirectional communication with an air traffic control apparatus, and airborne processing means in operative communication with the airborne communication means so as to allow transfer of data to and from the air traffic control apparatus;

wherein the airborne processing means comprises a flight management component, an airborne trajectory computation component and data storage means accessible to both the flight management component and the airborne trajectory computation component;

and wherein;

the flight management component is configured to provide user-preferred aircraft intent data that describes unambiguously the aircraft'"'"'s user-preferred trajectory;

the airborne processing means is configured to store in the data storage means the user-preferred aircraft intent data provided by the flight management component;

the airborne processing means is configured to transmit the user-preferred aircraft intent data to the air traffic control apparatus via the airborne communication means;

the airborne processing means is configured to receive from the air traffic control apparatus, revised aircraft intent data that unambiguously defines a corresponding revised trajectory of the aircraft, and to store in the data storage means the revised aircraft intent data;

the airborne trajectory computation component is configured to calculate the revised trajectory from the revised aircraft intent data stored in the data storage means;

the airborne processing means is configured to display a representation of the trajectory; and

the airborne processing means is configured to transmit an indication that the revised aircraft intent data is rejected to the air traffic control apparatus via the airborne communication means;

the airborne processing means is configured to receive from the air traffic control apparatus, further revised aircraft intent data or an indication that the revised aircraft intent data must be accepted; and

the aircraft is configured to follow either the further revised aircraft intent data or the revised aircraft intent data.

13. A system for managing airspace through which a plurality of aircraft are flying, the system comprising:

a computer apparatus;

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by the computer apparatus, causes the computer apparatus to;

receive, from the aircraft, user preferred aircraft intent data that unambiguously defines the user preferred trajectory of each aircraft;

call an initial conflict detection procedure comprising;

calculating corresponding user preferred trajectories from the user preferred aircraft intent data; and

comparing the user preferred trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories and to identify conflicted aircraft predicted to fly an identified conflicting trajectories;

call an initial conflict resolution procedure comprising;

revising the user preferred aircraft intent data of one or more of the conflicted aircraft to produce revised aircraft intent data that will unambiguously define a corresponding revised trajectory; and

send the revised aircraft intent data to a corresponding conflicted aircraft.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium comprises further instructions, that when executed by the computer apparatus, causes the computer apparatus to, after calling the initial conflict resolution procedure, call a further conflict detection procedure,

wherein the further conflict detection comprises:

calculating revised trajectories from the corresponding revised aircraft intent data;

comparing user-preferred trajectories of aircraft not subject to revised aircraft intent data and revised trajectories from the aircraft subject to revised aircraft intent data so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories, and to identify still-conflicted aircraft predicted to fly the identified conflicting trajectories; and

if conflicts are identified during the further conflict detection procedure, either calling a further conflict resolution procedure or indicating that no further conflict resolution processing will take place,

wherein the further conflict resolution procedure comprises;

revising the user preferred aircraft intent data and/or revised aircraft intent data of one or more of the still-conflicted aircraft, and

calling the further conflict detection procedure;

or

if no conflicts are identified during the further conflict detection procedure, continuing to the step of sending the revised aircraft intent data to the corresponding conflicted aircraft.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium comprises further instructions, that when executed by the computer apparatus, causes the computer apparatus to:

receive from an aircraft an indication that revised aircraft intent data proposed for that aircraft is rejected; and

perform a rejection procedure comprising;

calling the further conflict resolution procedure in which a rejected revised aircraft intent data is further revised and, if it is indicated that no further conflict processing will take place, advising the aircraft that rejected the revised aircraft intent data that that aircraft must accept the rejected revised aircraft intent data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein instructions for performing the rejection procedure comprise instructions to:

lock aircraft whose user-preferred aircraft intent data was not revised and aircraft who accepted revised aircraft intent data, a remaining aircraft being unlocked aircraft with rejected revised aircraft intent data; and

during further conflict resolution procedures called by the rejection procedure, not revise aircraft intent data of locked aircraft and revise aircraft intent data of one or more unlocked aircraft.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein instructions for comparing the trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories, during the initial conflict detection procedure and/or during the further conflict detection procedure, comprises instructions to:

form pairs between each of the conflicted aircraft; and

for each pair, compare a separation of the aircraft on their trajectories at discrete time points as their trajectories progress.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium comprises further instructions, that when executed by the computer apparatus, causes the computer apparatus to applying heuristics to identify pairs of aircraft that cannot come into conflict at a particular discrete time point.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium comprises further instructions, that when executed by the computer apparatus, causes the computer apparatus to use positions of aircraft in a pair to determine that they cannot come into conflict for certain number of discrete time points.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program for managing airspace through which a plurality of aircraft are flying, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by a computer apparatus causes the computer apparatus to:

receive, from the aircraft, user preferred aircraft intent data that unambiguously defines the user preferred trajectory of each aircraft;

call an initial conflict detection procedure comprising;

calculating corresponding user preferred trajectories from the user preferred aircraft intent data; and

comparing the user preferred trajectories so as to identify one or more conflicts between trajectories and to identify conflicted aircraft predicted to fly an identified conflicting trajectories;

call an initial conflict resolution procedure comprising;

revising the user preferred aircraft intent data of one or more of the conflicted aircraft to produce revised aircraft intent data that will unambiguously define a corresponding revised trajectory; and

send the revised aircraft intent data to corresponding conflicted aircraft.