Aircraft N-number control system

A method for controlling air traffic comprising the steps of:

• receiving first and second aircraft identification information signals representing respective first and second groups of alphanumeric characters corresponding to first and second aircraft, said second aircraft identification information signal being received subsequent to said first aircraft identification information signal;
• processing said first aircraft identification information signal into a first code signal representing a first alphanumeric code and said second aircraft identification information signal into a second code signal representing a second alphanumeric code;
• determining whether said second alphanumeric code exceeds a specified degree of similarity to said first alphanumeric code, and
• generating as an output signal, either said second code signal if said second alphanumeric code does not exceed a specified degree of similarity to said first alphanumeric code or said second aircraft identification information signal if said second alphanumeric code is substantially similar to said first alphanumeric code.

An article of manufacture for controlling aircraft N-numbers, comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium;
• and
• computer programming stored on said storage medium;
• wherein said stored computer programming is configured to cause said computer to operate to:
• detect first and second groups of alphanumeric characters respectively identifying said first and second aircraft from received first and second aircraft identification information signals;
• compute first and second alphanumeric codes corresponding to said first and second groups of alphanumeric characters;
• compare said first alphanumeric code with said second alphanumeric code to determine whether said first and second alphanumeric codes exceed a specified degree of similarity;
• and
• generate, as an output signal, either said second alphanumeric code if it does not exceed a specified degree of similarity to said first alphanumeric code or said second aircraft identification information signal if said second alphanumeric code exceeds said specified degree of similarity to said first alphanumeric code.

A programmed control system for controlling aircraft N-numbers, comprising:

• a processor configured to (i) process a first aircraft identification information signal representing the N-number of a first aircraft into a first code signal representing a first N-number code and a second aircraft identification information signal representing the N-number of a second aircraft into a second code signal representing a second N-number code, (ii) determine whether said second N-number code exceeds a specified degree of similarity to said first N-number code, and (iii) generate, as an output signal, either said second code signal if said second N-number code does not exceed a specified degree of similarity to said first N-number code or said second aircraft identification information signal if said second N-number code exceeds said specified degree of similarity to said first N-number code;
• a storage medium configured to store information corresponding to said first and second N-numbers and N-number codes;
• and
• a transmitter configured to transmit the output signal to said second aircraft.