Method and system of controlling air traffic

• US 8,983,760 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2009
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airservices Australia (Government of Australia)
• Original Assignee: Airservices Australia (Government of Australia)
• Inventors: McDonald, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US12/811,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20120004837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701/301, 701/3, 701/117, 701/121, 701/467, 701/123, 701/465, 701/14, 701/1, 340/961
• US Class Current: 701/120
• 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: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for controlling air traffic. The method and system utilizes aircraft performance data, provided either by an FMS of a capable aircraft or generated by a model based on knowledge of the aircraft, to provide an accurate prediction of aircraft intent so that an accurate estimated time of arrival can be generated. The estimated time of arrival is then used to provide a required time of arrival (RTA) for the aircraft. The RTAs for the aircraft are provided for the aircraft to arrive at a destination, such as an Outer Fix Point, in a desired sequence. The desired sequence is arranged to provide intervals between the aircraft such that they may be able to land at the destination airport without requiring holding and vectoring from top of descent.

Claims

1. A method of controlling air traffic, comprising the steps of:

a ground based computing system receiving an aircraft trajectory data that defines a planned flight trajectory for each of a plurality of aircraft, from an on-board flight management system (FMS) of a respective aircraft, the ground based computing system utilizing the aircraft trajectory data to establish a required time of arrival (RTA) at a destination for each of the aircraft, the RTA being established for each of the aircraft to arrive at the destination in a desired sequence, the ground based computing system, assessing an aircraft intent during flight of each of the aircraft to estimate compliance with the RTA, the aircraft intent assessment comprising obtaining an aircraft performance data from the flight management system (FMS) of each of the respective aircraft and synthesizing the obtained aircraft performance data with aircraft trajectory data based on an observation of the respective aircraft and data from a physical environment, to obtain an estimated trajectory of the respective aircraft; and

the ground based computing system adjusting the desired sequence, if it is found that any of the respective aircraft are not complying with the RTA.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ground based computing system establishes the RTA so that each of the aircraft arrives at the destination at a different time from the other aircraft such that the aircraft are able to land without holding and vectoring from top of descent (TOD) for the aircraft.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aircraft performance data comprises one or more of aircraft type, velocity, trajectory, position, speed capability, altitude capability, altitude.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data from the physical environment comprises meteorological data.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein aircraft performance data comprises a prediction of future position provided by the flight management system (FMS) of each of the aircraft.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the step of establishing the RTA comprises the ground based computing system calculating a required time adjustment to each of the respective aircraft'"'"'s estimated time of arrival (ETA) so that a corresponding RTA is at a desired interval with respect to other aircraft arriving at the destination.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, comprising the further step of adjusting the flight of the aircraft so that the ETA and RTA coincide.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the step of adjusting the flight of the aircraft is implemented during cruising of the aircraft, prior to a top of descent point.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising the further step of the ground based computing system receiving aircraft trajectory updates for the respective aircraft during flight and determining whether the RTA of the respective aircraft is maintained.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising the further step of the ground based computing system determining whether the desired sequence of the aircraft is being maintained.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising the step of the ground based computing system if the desired sequence is not being maintained adjusting the RTA of one or more of the aircraft to maintain the desired sequence when the desired sequence is not being maintained.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising the step of the ground based computing system adjusting the desired sequence when the desired sequence is not being maintained.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising the ground based system allowing for a magnitude of error in the received aircraft trajectory data and further requiring that the aircraft trajectory data magnitude of error reduces as flight of the corresponding aircraft proceeds.

14. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising the further step of the ground based computing system providing a defined final intercept point for each of the aircraft which is at or above a minimum vectoring altitude (MVA).

15. A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising the further step of the ground based computing system arranging the desired sequence of aircraft so as to leave one or more places for the arrival of aircraft that have not been included in the desired sequence.

16. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aircraft trajectory data includes latitude, longitude, altitude and time co-ordinates for each planned flight trajectory.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the aircraft trajectory data includes an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for a corresponding aircraft at the destination.

18. A system for controlling air traffic, comprising:

a ground based computing system arranged to receive an aircraft trajectory data that defines a planned flight trajectory for each of a plurality of aircraft from an on-board flight management system (FMS) of a respective aircraft, the ground based computing system being arranged to utilize the aircraft trajectory data to establish a required time of arrival (RTAs) at a destination for each of the aircraft, the RTAs being established for each aircraft to arrive at the destination in a desired sequence with respect to each other, the ground based computing system being arranged to assess an aircraft intent during flight of each of the aircraft to determine compliance with the RTA, the aircraft intent assessment comprising obtaining an aircraft performance data from the on-board flight management system (FMS) of each of the respective aircraft and synthesizing the obtained aircraft performance data with an aircraft data based on an observation of the respective aircraft and data from a physical environment, to obtain an estimated trajectory of the respective aircraft, the ground based computing system being arranged to adjust the RTA or adjust the desired sequence, if it is found that any of the respective aircraft are not complying with the RTA.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to establish the RTAs so that each of the aircraft arrives at the destination at different times such that they are able to complete their descent as a continuous descent approach (CDA) without additional holding and vectoring.

21. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the data from the physical environment comprises meteorological data.

22. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the aircraft data comprises a prediction of future position of the aircraft.

23. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to receive aircraft trajectory updates for each of the aircraft during flight and determine whether the RTA of the aircraft is maintained.

24. A system in accordance with claim 23, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to determine whether the desired sequence of the aircraft is being maintained.

25. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged, if it determines that the desired sequence is not being maintained, to adjust the RTA of one or more of the aircraft to maintain the desired sequence.

26. A system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged, if it determines that the desired sequence is not being maintained, to adjust the desired sequence.

27. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to allow for a magnitude of error in a received estimated time of arrival (ETA), and require that the aircraft trajectory data magnitude of error reduces as the flight of the corresponding aircraft proceeds.

28. A system in accordance with claim 27, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to establish each of the RTAs by calculating a required time adjustment to the respective (ETA) so that the RTA for an aircraft is at a desired interval with respect to other aircraft arriving at the destination.

29. A system in accordance with claim 27, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to provide instructions to the FMS of an aircraft for adjusting the planned flight trajectory of the aircraft so that the ETA and RTA coincide.

30. A system in accordance with claim 29, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to instruct flight trajectory adjustments during cruising of the aircraft, prior to a top of the descent point.

31. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to provide a defined final intercept point for each of the aircraft which is at or above a minimum vectoring altitude (MVA).

32. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the ground based computing system is arranged to establish the desired sequence so as to leave one or more places for arrival and landing of other aircraft.

33. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the aircraft trajectory data includes latitude, longitude, altitude and time co-ordinates for each planned flight trajectory.

34. A system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the aircraft trajectory data includes an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for a corresponding aircraft at the destination.

20. A system in accordance with 18, wherein aircraft performance data comprises one or more of aircraft type, aircraft velocity, aircraft trajectory, aircraft positioning, aircraft speed capability, aircraft altitude capability.