Autonomous aircraft separation system and method
AssigneeAirspeed Systems LLC
InventorCraig M. Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autonomous airspace separation system monitors flight separation for compliance with a separation standard. A reference formation airspace is established based on minimum longitudinal, lateral and vertical parameters. When penetration of the reference formation airspace is detected, a penetration airspace is established based on a deformation of the reference formation airspace caused by the penetrating aircraft. A centroid of the penetration airspace is determine and a target separation to the centroid is supplied to the aircraft to reestablish safe separation.
Claims20
A system installed onboard an aircraft for detecting and maintaining separation from other aircraft during flight, the system comprising:
- a flight information display system that displays at least information regarding the current position, heading, and speed of the aircraft,
- a positioning system that determines the current position of the aircraft,
- a communication system that supplies information regarding at least the position of other aircraft within a designated airspace,
- a separation system with an electronic data processor that is programmed to perform the following steps:
- receiving, from the positioning system, the current position data of the aircraft,
- receiving, from the communication system, position data of at least one other aircraft within the designated airspace,
- determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft,
- if the position of the at least one other aircraft is within the reference formation airspace,
- determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the at least one other aircraft,
- determining a centroid of the penetration airspace,
- generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace,
- displaying the repositioning vector on the flight information display system.
A separation system installed on an aircraft, the aircraft having a flight information display system, an aircraft positioning system, and a communication system, the separation system comprising:
- an electronic data processor programmed to perform the following steps:
- receiving, from the positioning system, current position data of the aircraft,
- determining a reference formation airspace based upon flight separation parameters for the aircraft,
- receiving, from the communication system, position data of one or more other aircraft within a designated airspace,
- determining that an aircraft of the one or more other aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace,
- determining a penetration airspace representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position data of the penetrating aircraft,
- determining a centroid of the penetration airspace,
- generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace,
- sending the repositioning vector to the flight information display system.
An air traffic control system comprising:
- a communication system for communicating with aircraft within a designated airspace,
- a flight tracking system for determining the position of aircraft within the designated airspace, and
- a separation system including an electronic data processor programmed to perform the following steps:
- receiving, from the flight tracking system, position information for at least a first aircraft and a second aircraft,
- determining a reference formation airspace for the first aircraft based upon predetermined separation parameters,
- determining that the second aircraft has penetrated the reference formation airspace of the first aircraft,
- determining a penetration airspace for the first aircraft representing a modification of the reference formation airspace deformed by at least the position information of the second aircraft,
- determining a centroid of the penetration airspace for the first aircraft,
- generating a repositioning vector representing a direction from the current position of the first aircraft to the centroid of the penetration airspace of the first aircraft,
- communicating the repositioning vector to the first aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.