Method and apparatus for improving utility of automatic dependent surveillance
AssigneeRannuch Corporation
InventorsAlexander E. Smith, Carl Evers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The surveillance system provides a means to augment Automatic, Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) with “look alike ADS-B” or “pseudo ADS-B” surveillance transmissions for aircraft which may not be ADS-B equipped. The system uses ground based surveillance to determine the position of aircraft not equipped with ADS-B, then broadcasts the identification/positional information over the ADS-B data link. ADS-B equipped aircraft broadcast their own position over the ADS-B data link. The system enables aircraft equipped with ADS-B and Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) to obtain surveillance information on all aircraft whether or not the proximate aircraft are equipped with ADS-B.
Claims20
An aircraft position location system for generating position data for a plurality of aircraft, the system comprising:
- means for receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system, the aircraft position data received in a predetermined format from each of a corresponding aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system;
- means for generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data;
- means for correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system;
- means for generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data;
- and
- means for transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data to aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system such that aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system can determine locations of aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft location position system.
A method for generating position data for a plurality of aircraft comprising the steps of:
- receiving aircraft position data from a broadcast aircraft position system, the aircraft position data received in a predetermined format from each of a corresponding aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system,
- generating aircraft position data using data other than broadcast aircraft position system data,
- correlating aircraft position data from the broadcast aircraft position system with aircraft position data from other than the broadcast aircraft position system,
- generating broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system, from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data, and
- transmitting the broadcast aircraft position system data in the predetermined format for aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system from aircraft position data generated using data other than the broadcast aircraft position system data to aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system such that aircraft equipped with the broadcast aircraft position system can determine locations of aircraft not equipped with the broadcast aircraft location position system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.