Route Modeler for Improving Desired Environmental and Economic Flight Characteristics

• US 20140222337A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: McGregor, Daniel Lee, Diocares, Abigail Maxine, Bent, Paul Henry
• Granted Patent: US 9,310,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/528
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing routes is disclosed. An area of interest associated with a number of routes for a number of aircraft and an identification of a number of weightings for a number of characteristics for the number of routes are identified. The number of characteristics includes at least one of a number of environmental characteristics or a number of economic characteristics. A number of new routes are generated based on information about the number of routes associated with the area of interest. Values are identified for characteristics in the number of characteristics for each new route in the number of new routes and for each route in the number of routes based on the information. A performance value is identified for the each new route and for the each route based on the values and the number of weightings for the number of characteristics.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a route modeler configured to identify an area of interest associated with a number of routes for a number of aircraft and an identification of a number of weightings for a number of characteristics for the number of routes for the number of aircraft, wherein the number of characteristics includes at least one of a number of environmental characteristics or a number of economic characteristics;

generate a number of new routes for the number of aircraft for the area of interest based on information about the number of routes associated with the area of interest;

identify values for characteristics in the number of characteristics for each new route in the number of new routes and for each route in the number of routes based on the information; and

identify a performance value for the each new route in the number of new routes and for the each route in the number of routes based on the values and the number of weightings for the number of characteristics.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the route modeler is further configured to filter the number of new routes based on the performance value for the each new route.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the route modeler is further configured to calculate an efficiency of the each new route based on a difference between the performance value for the each new route and the performance value for each respective route.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the route modeler is further configured to receive entity input selecting the number of characteristics.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein two or more of the number of characteristics are environmental characteristics selected from an amount of fuel used, an amount of noise produced, a count of population affected, an amount of impact to local air quality of the area of interest, airport environmental regulations, and emissions levels.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the route modeler is further configured to determine which new routes in the number of new routes are valid based on rules for new routes associated with the area of interest;

and to remove, from the number of new routes, the new routes determined to be invalid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the route modeler is further configured to generate the number of new routes for the number of aircraft for the area of interest based on the information about the number of routes associated with the area of interest by generating the number of new routes based on a first number of rules for modifying lateral parts of the number of routes associated with the area of interest;

and modifying vertical parts of the number of new routes based on a second number of rules for modifying the vertical parts of the number of routes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first number of rules and the second number of rules include rules for improving at least one of an amount of fuel used or duration of flight.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in identifying the number of weightings for the number of characteristics, one of a number of entity inputs is used such that each entity input identifies one of a plurality of numbers of weightings for the number of characteristics, and wherein computing the performance value for the each new route and for the each route is based on the values and the plurality of numbers of weightings for the number of characteristics.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a route modeler configured to identify first information for a performance of an aircraft for a selected route over an area of interest;

identify second information for the performance of the aircraft for a new route;

identify a first number of values for a number of characteristics about the selected route based on the first information;

identify a second number of values for the number of characteristics about the new route based on the second information;

adjust the first number of values for the number of characteristics based on a number of weightings for an entity for each characteristic;

adjust the second number of values for the number of characteristics based on the number of weightings for the entity for the each characteristic; and

select a desired route based on the first number of values for the number of characteristics and the second number of values for the number of characteristics.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the route modeler is further configured to select the desired route from one of the selected route and the new route based on the first number of values for the number of characteristics and the second number of values for the number of characteristics.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the route modeler is further configured to identify additional information for the performance of the aircraft for a number of additional routes in addition to the new route;

identify an additional number of values for the number of characteristics about the number of additional routes based on the additional information; and

select the desired route from the selected route, the new route, and the number of additional routes based on the first number of values for the number of characteristics, the second number of values for the number of characteristics, and the additional number of values for the number of characteristics.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first number of values for the number of characteristics are adjusted based on a plurality of numbers of weightings for a plurality of entities for each characteristic and the second number of values for the number of characteristics are adjusted based on the plurality of numbers of weightings for the plurality of entities for the each characteristic.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the route modeler is further configured to identify additional information for the performance of at least one of a number of different types of aircraft or a number of different routes;

identify an additional number of values for the number of characteristics about the at least one of the number of different types of aircraft or the number of different routes based on the additional information; and

select the desired route from the selected route and a number of additional routes based on the first number of values for the number of characteristics and the additional number of values for the number of characteristics.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the aircraft is a first type of aircraft, and wherein the second information is identified for a performance of a second type of aircraft for the selected route.

16. A method for processing routes, the method comprising:

identifying an area of interest associated with a number of routes for a number of aircraft and an identification of a number of weightings for a number of characteristics for the number of routes for the number of aircraft, wherein the number of characteristics includes at least one of a number of environmental characteristics or a number of economic characteristics;

generating a number of new routes for the number of aircraft for the area of interest based on information about the number of routes associated with the area of interest;

identifying values for characteristics in the number of characteristics for each new route in the number of new routes and for each route in the number of routes based on the information; and

identifying a performance value for the each new route and for the each route based on the values and the number of weightings for the number of characteristics.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

filtering the number of new routes based on the performance value for the each new route.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining an efficiency of the each new route based on a difference between the performance value for the each new route and the performance value for each respective route.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein two or more of the number of characteristics are environmental characteristics selected from an amount of fuel used, an amount of noise produced, a count of population affected, an amount of impact to local air quality of the area of interest, airport environmental regulations, and emissions levels.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein in identifying the number of weightings for the number of characteristics, one of a number of entity inputs is used such that each entity input identifies one of a plurality of numbers of weightings for the number of characteristics, and wherein computing the performance value for the each new route and for the each route is based on the values and the plurality of numbers of weightings for the number of characteristics.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a route modeler configured to identify an area of interest associated with a number of routes for a number of aircraft and an identification of a number of weightings for a number of characteristics for the number of routes for the number of aircraft; and

identify performance values representing a performance of the number of aircraft on the number of routes taking into account weightings for the number of characteristics.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the route modeler is further configured to generate a number of new routes for the number of aircraft.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the performance values are values representing a performance of an aircraft in the number of aircraft on a route in the number of routes taking into account the weightings for the number of characteristics for the aircraft.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a desired route is selected based on a comparison of the performance values for the number of new routes and the number of routes.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a desired aircraft is selected from the number of aircraft based on a comparison of the performance values for the number of new routes and the number of routes.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a change in a design of the number of aircraft is identified based on a comparison of the performance values for the number of new routes and the number of routes.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a change in land use in the area of interest is identified based on a comparison of the performance values for the number of new routes and the number of routes.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein a weighting in the number of weightings for a characteristic in the number of characteristics identifies an importance of the characteristic relative to another characteristic in the number of characteristics.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein a higher value for the weighting in the number of weightings for the characteristic corresponds to a higher importance of the characteristic relative to another characteristic in the number of characteristics with a lower value.