Method and system for dynamic automated corrections to weather avoidance routes for aircraft in en route airspace
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for a continuous and automatic real-time search that identifies and proposes corrections to original weather avoidance routes for a plurality of in-flight en route aircraft that could save flying time while avoiding convective weather, the method comprising:
- receiving real-time updates of aircraft state data and atmospheric data relevant to the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft;
the updates of aircraft state data including original weather avoidance routes, and surveillance tracking data;
the updates of atmospheric data including wind data, real-time convective weather data, and convective weather forecast data;
the real-time convective weather data originating from NexRad radars;
computing 4-dimensional (4D) trajectory predictions for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft based on the real-time updates of aircraft state data and atmospheric data;
processing the aircraft state data, the atmospheric data, and associated trajectory predictions to define reference routes for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft;
each of the reference routes having a starting point at or near the in-flight en route aircraft'"'"'s current position and an ending point at or near a downstream return capture waypoint on the associated original weather avoidance route, each of the reference routes eliminating one or more waypoints on the associated original weather avoidance route;
testing the reference routes to identify preferred reference routes that produce a minimum flying time savings relative to the associated original weather avoidance routes;
processing the preferred reference routes to search for convective weather conflicts along the preferred reference routes;
defining route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft by either;
(i) selecting the preferred reference routes as the route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes when the preferred reference routes are free of weather conflicts;
or(ii) (a) automatically resolving weather conflicts in en route airspace along the preferred reference routes when the preferred reference routes are not free of weather conflicts to thereby create current weather-corrected routes, the weather conflicts being automatically resolved on a computer processor;
(b) testing, with the processor, the current weather-corrected routes to identify preferred weather-corrected routes that produce a minimum flying time savings relative to the associated preferred reference routes; and
(c) selecting, with the processor, the preferred weather-corrected routes that have the greatest flying time savings relative to the associated original weather avoidance routes, the selected preferred weather-corrected routes becoming the route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes;
proposing the route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes on a computer display; and
repeating the above, continuously and automatically, for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft as real-time updates of aircraft state data and atmospheric data relevant to the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft are received.
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Abstract
A dynamic weather route system automatically analyzes routes for in-flight aircraft flying in convective weather regions and attempts to find more time and fuel efficient reroutes around current and predicted weather cells. The dynamic weather route system continuously analyzes all flights and provides reroute advisories that are dynamically updated in real time while the aircraft are in flight. The dynamic weather route system includes a graphical user interface that allows users to visualize, evaluate, modify if necessary, and implement proposed reroutes.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for a continuous and automatic real-time search that identifies and proposes corrections to original weather avoidance routes for a plurality of in-flight en route aircraft that could save flying time while avoiding convective weather, the method comprising:
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receiving real-time updates of aircraft state data and atmospheric data relevant to the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft;
the updates of aircraft state data including original weather avoidance routes, and surveillance tracking data;
the updates of atmospheric data including wind data, real-time convective weather data, and convective weather forecast data;
the real-time convective weather data originating from NexRad radars;computing 4-dimensional (4D) trajectory predictions for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft based on the real-time updates of aircraft state data and atmospheric data; processing the aircraft state data, the atmospheric data, and associated trajectory predictions to define reference routes for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft;
each of the reference routes having a starting point at or near the in-flight en route aircraft'"'"'s current position and an ending point at or near a downstream return capture waypoint on the associated original weather avoidance route, each of the reference routes eliminating one or more waypoints on the associated original weather avoidance route;testing the reference routes to identify preferred reference routes that produce a minimum flying time savings relative to the associated original weather avoidance routes; processing the preferred reference routes to search for convective weather conflicts along the preferred reference routes; defining route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft by either; (i) selecting the preferred reference routes as the route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes when the preferred reference routes are free of weather conflicts;
or(ii) (a) automatically resolving weather conflicts in en route airspace along the preferred reference routes when the preferred reference routes are not free of weather conflicts to thereby create current weather-corrected routes, the weather conflicts being automatically resolved on a computer processor; (b) testing, with the processor, the current weather-corrected routes to identify preferred weather-corrected routes that produce a minimum flying time savings relative to the associated preferred reference routes; and (c) selecting, with the processor, the preferred weather-corrected routes that have the greatest flying time savings relative to the associated original weather avoidance routes, the selected preferred weather-corrected routes becoming the route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes; proposing the route corrections to the associated original weather avoidance routes on a computer display; and repeating the above, continuously and automatically, for the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft as real-time updates of aircraft state data and atmospheric data relevant to the plurality of in-flight en route aircraft are received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification