Smart airport automation system
View Patent ↗A smart airport automation system includes a subsystem that inputs weather and airport configuration data to determine an active runway in use and an airport state. Another subsystem inputs aircraft position and velocity data from available surveillance sources, known flight-intent information, and past aircraft trajectories to project future aircraft unconstrained trajectories. A third subsystem uses the projected trajectories and aircraft intent to determine desired landing and takeoff sequences, and desired adjacent aircraft spacing. A fourth subsystem uses such information to predict potential aircraft conflicts, such as a loss of acceptable separation between adjacent aircraft. A fifth subsystem packages the weather, airport configuration, aircraft state, desired landing/takeoff sequence, and potential conflict detection into a verbal advisory message that is broadcast on a local common radio frequency. A sixth subsystem uses the projected trajectory information to control the runway and taxiway lighting system.
1. A smart airport automation system advisory generator, comprising:
an airport advisory subsystem that inputs weather and airport configuration data to determine the active runway in use, and the airport surface state regarding its utility for safe landing and takeoff operations;
an aircraft trajectory estimation system to project and predict each aircraft's future unconstrained trajectory (a) from position and velocity data extracted from aircraft surveillance sources, (b) known flight intent, (c) recent aircraft trajectory histories, and (d) stored local air traffic pattern data;
an aircraft takeoff and landing operations sequence determination system that uses projected unconstrained aircraft trajectories and takeoff and landing intentions to compute a desired runway takeoff and landing sequence among aircraft that are in an airport vicinity airspace that are preparing to land or are on the airport surface preparing to takeoff;
an aircraft conflict detection system providing for a conflict alert message regarding a projected unsafe condition determined from projected trajectories and intentions, and for computing desired separations within a sequence, and for predicting if (a) a loss of acceptable safe separation will occur, (b) any aircraft will get too close for wake vortex safety reasons, or (c) a landing will take place on a runway occupied by another aircraft;
an airport messaging system providing for digital and oral advisory messages that include airport weather, airport surface conditions, active runway, location and intent of aircraft on the airport surface or immediate surrounding airspace, assigned takeoff and landing sequence, and conflict alerts, and wherein, oral messages are broadcast to aircraft using voice synthesis technology and the common terminal advisory frequency (CTAF), and digital messages are sent on a data link to aircraft equipped to receive such a message; and
an airport lighting control system that uses the current aircraft state, projected trajectory and intent information to turn on and off runway and taxiway lighting, as appropriate for safe night or low visibility operations.
2. A The smart airport automation system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a processor for gathering and reinterpreting a wide variety of aircraft and airport related data and information around unattended or non-towered airports, wherein such is gathered from many different types of sources, and in otherwise incompatible data formats;
a processor for decoding, assembling, fusing, and voice broadcasting or digital data linking structured information, in real-time, to aircraft pilots; and
a processor for structuring input information into an electronic signal form airport weather and operating conditions, projected aircraft trajectories and intents, desired takeoff and landing sequences, conflict alerts, broadcast advisory messages for participating aircraft, and airport lighting control signals.
3. The smart airport automation system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a conflict-alert and airport-status safety processor including statistical trajectory predictors and intent information that matches its forecasts of probable turns, changes in altitude, and speed changes to determine if (a) a runway is projected to be occupied by another aircraft when an aircraft is proceeding to land, (b) two or more in-flight aircraft are projected to lose safe separation, (c) an aircraft is intending to use the wrong runway because of wind or unsafe surface conditions, or (d) an aircraft appears to intersect the ground at locations not consistent with runway location, and such that safety and status messages are generated to inform regional air traffic management authorities of unattended airport status.
4. The smart airport automation system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a processor for organizing information for graphical display and for generating computer-synthesized voice and digital messages for their transmission to local aircraft.