Predicting aircraft trajectory
First Claim
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1. A method of predicting a trajectory of an aircraft, comprising:
- receiving, at a processor, information defining how the aircraft is to be flown during an operation interval, and storing the information in an information database;
deriving, by the processor, a set of instructions from the information stored, wherein the set of instructions comprise configuration instructions that describe an aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and motion instructions that describe an aircraft motion;
requiring, by the processor, an operation that at least six instructions to be active simultaneously throughout the operation interval, wherein the at least six instructions are chosen from at least three groups selected from motion instructions and at least one group selected from configuration instructions; and
confirming, by the processor, that the set of instructions comply with a set of rules stored in a rules database, that the configuration instructions define the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and that the motion instructions close degrees of freedom of equations of motion used to describe the aircraft motion during the time interval; and
operating the aircraft according to the instructions.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a computer-implemented method of producing a description of aircraft intent expressed using a formal language. The description may be used to predict aircraft trajectory, for example by air traffic management. Rules are used in association with information provided to generate a set of instructions describing both the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and the motion of the aircraft. These instructions are checked to ensure that they describe unambiguously the aircraft'"'"'s trajectory. The instructions are then expressed using a formal language.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of predicting a trajectory of an aircraft, comprising:
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receiving, at a processor, information defining how the aircraft is to be flown during an operation interval, and storing the information in an information database; deriving, by the processor, a set of instructions from the information stored, wherein the set of instructions comprise configuration instructions that describe an aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and motion instructions that describe an aircraft motion; requiring, by the processor, an operation that at least six instructions to be active simultaneously throughout the operation interval, wherein the at least six instructions are chosen from at least three groups selected from motion instructions and at least one group selected from configuration instructions; and confirming, by the processor, that the set of instructions comply with a set of rules stored in a rules database, that the configuration instructions define the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and that the motion instructions close degrees of freedom of equations of motion used to describe the aircraft motion during the time interval; and operating the aircraft according to the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of predicting a trajectory of an aircraft, the method comprising:
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reading, by a processor, data providing a description of aircraft intent, the data provided; receiving information defining how the aircraft is to be flown during an operation interval, and storing the information in an information database; deriving a set of instructions from the information stored, wherein the set of instructions comprise configuration instructions that describe an aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and motion instructions that describe an aircraft motion; requiring, by the processor, an operation that at least six instructions to be active simultaneously throughout the operation interval, wherein the at least six instructions are chosen from at least three groups selected from motion instructions and at least one group selected from configuration instructions; confirming, by the processor, that the set of instructions comply with a set of rules stored in a rules database, that the configuration instructions define the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and that the motion instructions close degrees of freedom of equations of motion used to describe the aircraft motion during the operation interval; and expressing the set of instructions; solving, by the processor, equations of motion defining aircraft motion using the data and with reference to an aircraft performance model and an Earth model, whereby solved equations of motion are produced; and operating the aircraft using at least the predicted trajectory and the solved equations of motion. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of air traffic management, the method comprising:
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predicting, by a processor, the trajectories of at least two aircraft, comprising for each prediction; reading data providing a description of aircraft intent, the data provided by; receiving information defining how the aircraft is to be flown during an operation interval, and storing the information in an information database; deriving a set of instructions from the information stored, wherein the set of instructions comprise configuration instructions that describe an aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and motion instructions that describe an aircraft motion; requiring, by the processor, an operation that at least six instructions to be active simultaneously throughout the operation interval, wherein the at least six instructions are chosen from at least three groups selected from motion instructions and at least one group selected from configuration instructions; confirming, by the processor, that the set of instructions comply with a set of rules stored in a rules database, that the configuration instructions define the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and that the motion instructions close degrees of freedom of equations of motion used to describe the aircraft motion during the operation interval; and expressing the set of instructions; solving, by the processor, equations of motion defining aircraft motion using the data and with reference to an aircraft performance model and an Earth model; comparing, by the processor, the at least two predicted trajectories to identify potential conflicts; and managing, by the processor, the air traffic, including the at least two aircraft, using the at least two predicted trajectories. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of avoiding aircraft collisions, comprising:
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an aircraft predicting a trajectory of the aircraft, comprising; reading, by a processor on the aircraft, data providing a description of aircraft intent, the data provided by; receiving information defining how the aircraft is to be flown during an operation interval, and storing the information in an information database; deriving a set of instructions from the information stored, wherein the set of instructions comprise configuration instructions that describe an aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and motion instructions that describe an aircraft motion; requiring, by the processor, an operation that at least six instructions to be active simultaneously throughout the operation interval, wherein the at least six instructions are chosen from at least three groups selected from motion instructions and at least one group selected from configuration instructions; confirming, by the processor ensuring that the set of instructions comply with a set of rules stored in a rules database, that the configuration instructions define the aerodynamic configuration of the aircraft and that the motion instructions close degrees of freedom of equations of motion used to describe the aircraft motion during the operation interval; and expressing the set of instructions; solving equations of motion defining aircraft motion using said data and with reference to an aircraft performance model and an Earth model; and predicting the trajectory of the aircraft to form a predicted trajectory of the aircraft; receiving, by the processor, a set of instructions that relate to an aircraft intent of another aircraft; predicting, by the processor, a trajectory of the another aircraft; comparing, by the processor, the two predicted trajectories to identify any conflicts in the two predicted trajectories between the aircraft and the another aircraft, wherein an identified conflict is formed; and avoiding, by the processor, aircraft collisions based on the identified conflict in the two predicted trajectories between the aircraft and the another aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification