Common operating environment for aircraft operations with air-to-air communication

• US 9,916,764 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wxops, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wxpos Incorporated
• Inventors: Shipley, Scott T., Spence, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US15/614,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20170270806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/003 Flight plan management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A common operating environment (COE) display system for vehicle operations, such as for air transport provides coordination of logistics information with dispatch or a controller. An operational plan, such as a flight plan or other operational plan describing vehicle deployment is stored, and a map visualization system displays a map region. An in-vehicle display depicts the operational plan, providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle within different time phases of the operational plan. Communication as either text or other data allows transmission can be performed as text, attachments or a combination of text and attachments. Messages (text) and attachments (files) are exchanged only through the server, and the items exchanged are recorded for analysis and forensic purposes.

Claims

1. A common operating environment (COE) display system for vehicle operations providing coordination of logistics information among transportation elements used to support mobile transportation operations and logistics, the COE comprising:

an operational plan store for storing data for a vehicle operational plan such as a flight plan or other operational data describing vehicle deployment;

a map visualization system storing and displaying a visualization of a map region;

an in-vehicle display;

depicting the operational plan,

providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle and its environment within different time phases of the operational plan, wherein the in-vehicle display comprises a map visualization output providing said visualization of the map region, and

generating and displaying a mapped representation of the operational plan and logistics on the visualization of the map;

a synchronization module comprising a data communication portal, the synchronization module providing and receiving updates of the operational plan,

whereby the updates provide changed data to the operational plan thereby allowing synchronization of the operational plan with a remotely located control facility; and

an operational plan modification module generating a new or modified operational plan or modifying the stored data for the vehicle operational plan,

whereby the synchronization module provides the new or modified operational plan or modifications of the stored data to the remotely located control facility, permitting review of the new or modified operational plan; and

a utility to allow an operator of the in-vehicle display to forward communication of text or other data allows transmission to other vehicles by transmitting the data to the remotely located control facility, the forwarded communication selectively comprising text, attachments or a combination of text and attachments.

2. The COE display system of claim 1, further comprising:

a data acquisition generator; and

a data monitoring module and monitoring utility, providing generation, transmission, acquisition, storage, display and manipulation of data and documents to support mobile transportation operations and logistics comprising the operational plan and map visualization suitable for display on a cockpit interactive device (CID) or personal interactive device (PID) using a hand-held tablet or laptop computer or a mounted cockpit tablet.

3. The COE display system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring utility comprises:

a position reporting function;

a vehicle operational status monitoring function;

a data status and health monitoring function providing data and status monitoring of computer platforms and currency (age) of data and managed documents; and

a communications channel statistics function for the computer platform providing information on bandwidth consumption and transmission latency.

4. The COE display system of claim 1, wherein the operational plan store and map visualization system further comprise:

operations and logistics layers (OPS) comprising geographic and operational boundaries, navigational charts, vehicle support information, and vehicle positions for plural vehicles within a fleet;

dispatcher layers (DSP) comprising hand-drawn alerts and notations and ancillary information, comprising email and email attachments to the specific COE display system;

hazard layers (HAZ), comprising information for weather, airport and ATC information obtained from company and government reporting and prediction sources; and

animated layers (4-dimensional layers), comprising predictions or observations for the hazard layers, permitting time adjustment of the predictions in association with the displays of current and projected operational conditions as modified by operator adjustments in the vehicle operational plan.

5. The COE display system of claim 1, wherein a data communication portal comprises:

normal “

always on”

bi-directional network connectivity using at least one cost constrained high bandwidth communication channel; and

“

send once”

communications protocol connectivity using intermittent or high cost bi-directional connectivity which allows continued and sustained operations during loss of communications for normal “

always on”

connectivity, whereby the forwarded communication of text or other data implements communication according to the normal “

always on”

bi-directional network connectivity or the “

send once”

communication protocol connectivity according to the availability of normal “

always on”

connectivity.

6. The COE display system of claim 1, further comprising:

the visualization of the map region provided by a virtual globe or geobrowser providing;

multiple disparate data program products and visualizations integrated into a 4-dimensional virtual globe visualization providing an integration of display to reduce a need for operator spatial and temporal interpolation; and

modeling and representation of the 4-dimensional information to depict atmospheric and environmental conditions and hazards as would be encountered along the different time phases of the operational plan, while allowing spatial and temporal distortions (e.g., altitude) in a manner applied to all components substantially identically.

7. The COE display system of claim 1, further comprising:

animation tools providing a human factors method to visualize information in a time dimension and to compensate for varied valid times from different time estimations; and

the animation tools providing an ability to set or adjust global begin and end timespan for animation.

8. The COE display system of claim 1, further comprising:

the in-vehicle display using the visualization of the map region to selectively provide still or animated graphical depictions of the vehicle'"'"'s current or projected position, fuel, route, waypoints, destination and alternates, estimated time of arrival (ETA), estimated fuel at arrival (EFA) and weather predictions at each way point.

9. The COE display system of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling graphic analysis, and

creation or editing for real time interaction with a 4-dimensional visualization of the map region,

the graphic generation tools comprising a capability of rendering, on the visualization of the map region;

freehand lines, cardinal points constrained lines and polygons, and icons with or without text,

polygons and contours with spline smoothing,

fronts and 3-dimensional symbols,

editing of objects, including definition of object altitude and timespan for animation, and

support for rendering the graphic generation along great circles on the globe, down-range and up-range path distance measuring above and below the surface of a 4-dimensional virtual globe, and interactive creation or editing of the flight plan or other operational data describing vehicle deployment,

the graphic generation tools permitting the submission of the created or edited graphic analysis as at least a portion of the generated a modified operational plan.

10. The COE display system of claim 1, further comprising:

logistics support, wherein the synchronization provides data used to maintain and report status of documents and manuals required for flight operations;

the in-vehicle display comprises a quick look panel to support rapid “

go/no go”

decision for flight readiness; and

wherein manual remediation as initiated by the user can repair the “

no go”

status for individual documents or data.

11. A system for vehicle operational management comprising:

a common operating environment (COE) display system for vehicle operations providing coordination of logistics information among transportation elements used to support mobile transportation operations and logistics, the COE comprising;

an operational plan store for storing data for a vehicle operational plan such as a flight plan or other operational data describing vehicle deployment;

a map visualization system storing and displaying a visualization of a map region;

an in-vehicle display;

depicting the operational plan,

providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle and its environment within different time phases of the operational plan, wherein the in-vehicle display comprises a map visualization output providing said visualization of the map region, and

generating and displaying a mapped representation of the operational plan and logistics on the visualization of the map;

a synchronization module comprising a data communication portal, the synchronization module providing and receiving updates of the operational plan,

whereby the updates provide changed data to the operational plan thereby allowing synchronization of the operational plan with a remotely located control facility;

an operational plan modification module generating a new or modified operational plan or modifying the stored data for the vehicle operational plan,

whereby the synchronization module provides the new or modified operational plan or modifications of the stored data to the remotely located control facility, permitting review of the new or modified operational plan; and

a utility to allow an operator of the in-vehicle display to forward communication of text or other data allows transmission to other vehicles by transmitting the data to the remotely located control facility, the forwarded communication selectively comprising text, attachments or a combination of text and attachments; and

a dispatcher operation display system;

communicating with the COE display system with potentially intermittent connection to internet when connected by satellite or radio to a cockpit interactive device (CID) or a personal interactive device (PID), with a capability of effecting communication using the normal “

always on”

bi-directional network connectivity and the “

send once”

communications protocol connectivity,

and further maintaining data providing communications channel statistics for the dispatcher operation display system comprising bandwidth consumption and transmission latency.

12. A system for vehicle operational management comprising:

a common operating environment (COE) display system for vehicle operations providing coordination of logistics information among transportation elements used to support mobile transportation operations and logistics, the COE comprising;

an operational plan store for storing data for a vehicle operational plan such as a flight plan or other operational data describing vehicle deployment;

a map visualization system storing and displaying a visualization of a map region;

an in-vehicle display;

depicting the operational plan,

providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle and its environment within different time phases of the operational plan, wherein the in-vehicle display comprises a map visualization output providing said visualization of the map region, and

generating and displaying a mapped representation of the operational plan and logistics on the visualization of the map;

a synchronization module comprising a data communication portal, the synchronization module providing and receiving updates of the operational plan,

whereby the updates provide changed data to the operational plan thereby allowing synchronization of the operational plan with a remotely located control facility;

an operational plan modification module generating a new or modified operational plan or modifying the stored data for the vehicle operational plan,

whereby the synchronization module provides the new or modified operational plan or modifications of the stored data to the remotely located control facility, permitting review of the new or modified operational plan; and

a utility to allow an operator of the in-vehicle display to forward communication of text or other data allows transmission to other vehicles by transmitting the data to the remotely located control facility, the forwarded communication selectively comprising text, attachments or a combination of text and attachments; and

a centralized data server and portal for;

acquisition of operational and environmental data from vehicles and vehicle operators,

dissemination of current and archived data program products and documents to all COE platforms as needed, and

monitoring of status and health of system, subsystems and individual COE platforms,

wherein the centralized data server and portal synchronizes each of at least a subset of the COE display systems with the centralized data server.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising the data server transmitting and receiving communication of data during regular synchronization, the data comprising:

operational logistics data obtained from flight deck systems;

on board radar data;

the data server;

acquiring data from individual operational platforms, and

returning composite data program products for dissemination to the COE display systems,

the data comprising;

airborne radar composite created from multiple aircraft;

meteorological information derived from flight deck data including winds, turbulence, and other meteorological information; and

adjustments to flight hazard transport trajectory predictions for flight path intersection with tracers and plumes undergoing long-range atmospheric transport.

14. A common operating environment (COE) display system for a controller providing a controller or dispatcher function at a vehicle operations controller facility or dispatch controller facility, and to support mobile transportation operations and logistics providing coordination of logistics information among transportation elements, the COE comprising:

a data communication portal connecting to at least one a high bandwidth communication channel and a communication channel,

the data communication portal using communication protocol connectivity using intermittent or high cost bi-directional connectivity for communicating with at least one vehicle display unit located in or positionable in a vehicle;

an operational plan store for storing data for receiving at least one vehicle operational plan such as a flight plan or other operational plan describing vehicle deployment;

a map visualization system displayed on a controller display and storing and displaying a visualization of one or more map regions corresponding to map regions displayed on display systems in the vehicles;

the controller display;

depicting the operational plan, and

providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle within different time phases of the operational plan,

wherein the controller display comprises a map visualization output;

providing said visualization of the map region, and

generating and displaying a mapped representation of the operational plan and logistics on the visualization of the map

a synchronization module comprising the data communication portal, the synchronization module providing and receiving updates of the operational plan by exchanging update data with the vehicle display units, whereby the updates provide changed data to the operational plan, thereby

allowing synchronization of the operational plan with the vehicle display units and enabling the vehicle operations controller facility or dispatch controller facility to recreate a facsimile of the in-vehicle display

an operational plan modification module

receiving and generating a new or modified operational plan, or

receiving and generating modifications of the stored data for the vehicle operational plan,

whereby the synchronization module provides the modified operational plan or modifications of the stored data to the remotely located control facility, permitting review of the modified operational plan; and

a utility to forward communication of text or other data allows transmission between vehicles by receiving the data at the vehicle operations controller facility or dispatch controller facility, the forwarded communication selectively comprising text, attachments or a combination of text and attachments.

15. An aviation flight planning system comprising a common operating environment (COE) display system for vehicle operations for displaying route or flight paths on a 4-dimensional map visualization display, comprising:

a coordinating computer located on board an aircraft receiving sensed data from sensing equipment on board the aircraft providing real time sensed information;

an operational plan store for storing data for a vehicle operational plan such as a flight plan or other operational plan describing vehicle deployment communicatively connected to the coordinating computer;

an in-vehicle display;

depicting the operational plan,

providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle within different time phases of the operational plan, wherein the in-vehicle display comprises a map visualization output providing said visualization of the map region, and

generating and displaying a mapped representation of the operational plan on the visualization of the map;

a synchronization module comprising a data communication portal, the synchronization module;

providing and receiving updates of the operational plan, thereby allowing synchronization of the operational plan with a remotely located control facility the in-vehicle display proving a visualization system configured to;

acquire at least one route or flight track as a focus object,

acquire at least one predicted object or occurrence as a predicted focus object,

use focus object information to display at least a plurality of the focus objects,

subdivide each focus object into a plurality of object components,

use a transparent interface to calculate coordinates of components of the focus object in a coordinate system of the visualization system, said focus object mutually shared by the visualization system and the interface,

receive coordinates of a point of interest (POI) used in a projection of the visualization system, and

project the POI in a selected point of view (POV) using the calculated coordinates and the received coordinates of the POI in the projection of the visualization system of N dimensional features in the visualization, independent of user point of view and time-adjusted according to current and predicted flight status along the flight track and adjusted by time; and

a communication module to allow an operator of the in-vehicle display to forward communication of text or other data allows transmission to other vehicles by transmitting the data to the remotely located control facility, the forwarded communication selectively comprising text, attachments or a combination of text and attachments.

16. The aviation flight planning system according to claim 15, wherein:

the visualization system presents information about the focus objects with or without user interaction; and

the visualization system;

displays the relevant aspects of the predicted focus object as an indication for the flight crew without user interaction, and

automatically generates the indication upon detection of an intersection of the flight track with the predicted focus object within a predetermined time period.

17. The aviation flight planning system according to claim 15, wherein:

the transmitted data received on board the aircraft comprises data selected from the group selected from observations, modeling, source strength, time range of occurrence, and altitude for injection of hazardous material or precursors, and

the visualization system presents information about the focus objects with or without user interaction.

18. The aviation flight planning system according to claim 15, wherein

the data communication portal provides normal “

always on”

bi-directional network connectivity using at least one cost constrained high bandwidth communication channel; and

wherein

the data communication portal provides “

send once”

communications protocol connectivity using intermittent or high cost bi-directional connectivity which allows continued and sustained operations during loss of communications for normal “

always on”

connectivity, whereby the “

air-to-air”

communication implements communication according to the normal “

always on”

bi-directional network connectivity or the “

send once”

communication protocol connectivity according to the availability of normal “

always on”

connectivity.

19. The aviation flight planning system according to claim 15,

a transported meteorological disturbances model store providing the coordinating computer with data modelling transported meteorological disturbances, with the received transmitted data and the sensed data to:

use the data modelling transported meteorological disturbances to correlate the sensed data and received transmitted data to identify transported meteorological disturbances source characteristics,

identify predicted transported meteorological disturbances trajectories from source to intersection with a vehicle or flight path indicated by the flight plan in space and time and communicate relevant aspects of the predicted transported meteorological disturbances trajectories, and

display the route or flight path and the relevant aspects of the predicted transported meteorological disturbances trajectories as warnings for the flight crew.