Executing a graph network model to obtain a gate pushback time
AssigneeAmerican Airlines, Inc.
InventorsIlhan Ince, Lourdmareddy Gumireddy, Noel Alfonso
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A misconnect management system models the movement of passengers, bags, and crew through flights and airports. In various embodiments, a misconnect management system identifies potential misconnected passengers and provides recommendations and input configured to support decision makers, such as ramp controllers and operations controller, in evaluating hold/no hold decisions for a flight. Via use of the misconnect management system and associated methods, misconnected passenger numbers may be reduced, expenses associated with missed connections may be reduced, and organizational efficiency may be improved.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- creating, by a processor, a graph network model representing an airport,
- wherein the graph network model comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links,
- wherein the plurality of nodes includes a gate node, airlinks, a runway with an entrance node and an exit node, and a runway crossing with a crossing node and ground links, and
- wherein the graph network model is a directed graph;
- calibrating, by the processor, parameters of the graph network model utilizing historical airplane flight information for the airport and based on different operating characteristics of the airport;
- periodically determining, by the processor, a set of gate hold times for a second airplane, wherein the second airplane is associated with a misconnected passenger;
- periodically modifying, by the processor and responsive to the set of gate hold times, a gate hold time for the second airplane to allow the misconnected passenger to board the second airplane;
- assessing, by the processor, connection information associated with the misconnected passenger from a first airplane;
- and
- repeatedly executing, by the processor, the graph network model to obtain a suggested gate pushback time for the second airplane based on the assessing of the connection information.
A system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,
- the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- creating, by the processor, a graph network model representing an airport,
- wherein the graph network model comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links,
- wherein the plurality of nodes includes a gate node, airlinks, a runway with an entrance node and an exit node, and a runway crossing with a crossing node and ground links, and
- wherein the graph network model is a directed graph;
- calibrating, by the processor, parameters of the graph network model utilizing historical airplane flight information for the airport and based on different operating characteristics of the airport;
- periodically determining, by the processor, a set of gate hold times for a second airplane, wherein the second airplane is associated with a misconnected passenger;
- periodically modifying, by the processor and responsive to the set of gate hold times, a gate hold time for the second airplane to allow the misconnected passenger to board the second airplane;
- assessing, by the processor, connection information associated with the misconnected passenger from a first airplane;
- and
- repeatedly executing, by the processor, the graph network model to obtain a suggested gate pushback time for the second airplane based on the assessing of the connection information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.