SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED ADOPTIVE VALIDATION OF ATC CLEARANCE REQUESTS

• US 20160125744A1
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shamasundar, Raghu, Judd, Thomas D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,026,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• 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: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhanced adoptive validation of ATC clearance requests are provided. In certain implementations, a system comprises a processor executing a controller pilot data link communication application, and at least one source of dynamic information coupled to the processor, wherein the dynamic information comprises data relevant to possible flight paths of an aircraft, the dynamic information being changeable during the flight of the aircraft, wherein the processor processes at least one clearance request that identifies a deviation from the present flight path and validates the at least one clearance request against the dynamic information.

Claims

1. A system, the system comprising:

a processor executing a controller pilot data link communication application;

at least one source of dynamic information coupled to the processor, wherein the dynamic information comprises data relevant to possible flight paths of an aircraft, the dynamic information being changeable during the flight of the aircraft, wherein the processor processes at least one clearance request that identifies a deviation from the present flight path and validates the at least one clearance request against the dynamic information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one source of dynamic information comprises at least one of:

ADS-B data;

temporary flight restriction data;

traffic-alert and collision avoidance system information;

a digital notice to airman;

digital flight information services;

digital terminal weather information for pilots;

weather forecast;

a digital automatic terminal information service;

or

a current flight plan.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one source of dynamic information comprises the ADS-B data, forming a CPDLC message to communicate the ADS-B data to an air traffic controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein validating the at least one clearance request comprises determining that the deviation from the flight plan is allowed in light of the dynamic information.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface coupled to the processor, wherein the processor provides the at least one clearance request to the user interface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface displays the at least one clearance request and the user interface is configured to receive a command that directs the processor to validate the clearance request.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface displays the at least one clearance request to the user interface after the at least one clearance request has been validated against the dynamic information by the processor, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a command to transmit the at least one clearance request to an air traffic controller.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one clearance request comprises multiple clearance requests that are displayed on the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a selection of one of the multiple clearance requests for transmission to the air traffic controller.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor provides a notice that the at least one clearance request has been invalidated when the at least one clearance request has been found invalid when compared to the dynamic information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is coupled to a router that routes clearance requests to a ground control upon validation.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one source of static information coupled to the processor, wherein the static information is information that does not change during the course of the flight, wherein the processor validates the clearance request against the static information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor calculates a new clearance request when the clearance request is invalidated when compared against the dynamic information.

13. A method for validating clearance requests, the method comprising:

receiving at least one clearance request that identifies a deviation from a flight path of an aircraft;

validating the at least one clearance request against dynamic information received from at least one source of dynamic information on a processor executing a controller pilot data link communication application, wherein the dynamic information comprises data relevant to possible flight paths of an aircraft, the dynamic information being changeable during the flight of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein validating the at least one clearance request comprises determining that the deviation from the flight plan is allowed in light of the dynamic information.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the at least one clearance request comprises at least one of receiving a clearance request from a user through a user interface coupled to the processor or calculating a clearance request based on static information and the dynamic information.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein validating the clearance request further comprises receiving an instruction from a user interface to validate the at least one clearance request against the dynamic information.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a validated clearance request to an air traffic controller, wherein a validated clearance request is an acceptable deviation when compared against the dynamic information.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a notice of an invalid clearance request when the at least one clearance request has been invalidated when compared to the dynamic information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising calculating a new clearance request when the at least one clearance request is invalidated when compared against the dynamic information, wherein the new clearance request considers an economic point of view.

20. A system for transmitting clearance requests to an air traffic controller, the system comprising:

at least one source of dynamic information, the dynamic information comprising data relevant to possible flight paths of an aircraft, wherein the dynamic information is changeable during the flight of the aircraft;

a processor coupled to the at least one source of dynamic information, the processor executing a controller pilot data link communication application;

a user interface coupled to the processor, wherein the processor provides a clearance request for display on the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to receive an instruction from a user to validate the clearance request, wherein the processor validates the clearance request against the dynamic information.