# US 2008/0186222 A1 · Methods and apparatus to contact aircraft

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- Number: US 2008/0186222 A1
- Document ID: US20080186222A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/940,427
- Filed: 2007-11-15
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-17
- Assignees: Raytheon Company
- Inventors: Eric G. Rolfe
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186222A1

## CPC

- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- H04B 7/18506: {Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service}
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus to alert a pilot in an aircraft of certain conditions, such as airspace violations. In one embodiments a system uniquely identifies aircraft and send a message to alert the pilot to contact air traffic control on a selected frequency.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving identifying information for an aircraft;
assigning a unique identity to an aircraft based upon the received identifying information;
broadcasting a message containing the unique identify of the aircraft to alert a pilot of the aircraft to contact a designated entity over a selected frequency.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further including broadcasting the message after detection of an airspace violation by the aircraft.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further including receiving contact from the aircraft in response to the step of broadcasting the message.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, further including providing directions to the aircraft to terminate the airspace violation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast message includes a CF code from a TIS-B message format.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further including performing a threat assessment of the aircraft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, further including evaluating broadcast information from the aircraft in view of surveillance and/or intelligence information for the aircraft.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, further including, prior to the airspace violation, storing a unique ID for the aircraft upon receiving a message from the aircraft.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the airspace violation is due to a temporary flight restriction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected frequency is the emergency radio frequency.

### Claim 11

A method, comprising:
broadcasting identifying information for an aircraft by the aircraft to enable a ground station to assign a unique identity to an aircraft based upon the received identifying information;
receiving message broadcast by the ground station containing the unique identify of the aircraft to alert a pilot of the aircraft to contact a designated entity over a selected frequency.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further including receiving the message after an airspace violation by the aircraft.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further including sending a message in response to receiving the message from the ground station.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, further including receiving directions for terminating the airspace violation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein the airspace violation is due to a temporary flight restriction.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the selected frequency is the emergency radio frequency.

### Claim 17

A system, comprising:
an ID module to store unique identifying information for aircraft;
an interface module to communicate with the aircraft;
a threat assessment module to generate a message for broadcast containing a unique identify of a first one of the aircraft in airspace violation to alert a pilot of the aircraft to contact a designated entity over a selected frequency.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system according to claim 17, wherein the airspace violation is a flight restriction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The system according to claim 17, wherein the message includes directions to the aircraft to terminate the airspace violation.