Airborne collision avoidance system working mode design method and system

Abstract

The invention relates to an airborne collision avoidance system, in particular to an airborne collision avoidance system working mode design method and system, and relates to the technical field of air traffic flight safety and collision prevention. And a function definition and design method of a standby monitoring working mode of the airborne collision avoidance system is provided. A pre-flight path of the target aircraft is formed through a standby monitoring working mode, and when the working mode is switched to traffic warning and traffic decision warning, a formal flight path is generated in combination with active inquiry; and when the system is switched from a traffic only and traffic decision working mode to a standby monitoring working mode, storing the existing track as a pre-track for standby. The method can be used for a traditional traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), a hybrid monitoring TCAS and a new-generation airborne collision avoidance system (ACAS) X, the response time of the system during working mode switching is shortened through the standby monitoring working mode, the target track is rapidly formed, the target monitoring, displaying and alarm issuing speed is increased, and the flight safety is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an airborne collision avoidance system, specifically to an optimization and expansion of an airborne collision avoidance system working mode, in particular to a "standby listening" working mode and a method for designing and implementing the working mode, and an airborne collision avoidance system with a standby listening working mode, and relates to the field of air traffic flight safety and collision avoidance technology. Background Art

[0002] The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS, Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System, ICAO equivalent term Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS, Airborne Collision Avoidance System) is defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States and is mainly used to prevent aircraft from colliding with each other. ICAO requires that turbine-powered commercial transport aircraft with more than 19 seats or a maximum take-off weight of more than 5,700 kg be equipped with the TCAS II collision avoidance system. TCAS does not rely on the ground control system and can provide traffic alerts (TA) and decision alerts (RA). It is mainly used to provide aircraft with safe air flight distance guarantees. The system uses the working mode of secondary radar to detect approaching aircraft in nearby airspace. If necessary, it reminds pilots to take evasive measures to maintain a safe distance from other aircraft to achieve the purpose of collision avoidance. Years of flight practice have proved that the system is the last barrier to prevent aircraft from colliding in the air, and can provide flight safety capabilities beyond ground control, which plays a huge role in dealing with sudden dangerous approaches in the air and avoiding collisions.

[0003] The airborne collision avoidance system usually includes ACAS transceiver host, S-mode transponder, directional antenna, omnidirectional antenna, display control component and other extensions. Among them, the ACAS transceiver host is the key to realizing the collision avoidance function. By controlling the antenna beam pointing, the transceiver host scans, listens and inquires the four areas in front, behind, left and right of the aircraft. The aircraft (hereinafter referred to as the target aircraft) equipped with an air traffic control transponder (S-mode / ATCRBS transponder) nearby will respond. The ACAS transceiver host obtains the target aircraft's altitude, relative distance, azimuth and other information based on the received response signal, and then calculates its altitude change rate, relative distance change rate and combines the position and motion information of the aircraft to evaluate the threat level of the target aircraft (OT: other aircraft, PT: approaching aircraft, TA: traffic alert, RA: decision alert, and displays different target aircraft in corresponding graphical form. When the system generates TA or RA, it will issue a warning or collision avoidance maneuver flight instructions in voice.

[0004] In recent years, with the development and application of automatic correlation-broadcast technology ADS-B, automatic correlation-relay technology ADS-R, and Markov intelligent decision-making technology, hybrid surveillance and collision avoidance systems (TCAS / ACAS with HybridSurveillance, hereinafter referred to as H-ACAS) and a new generation of collision avoidance system ACAS X have emerged, which can be compatible with more data sources for airspace monitoring and collision avoidance warning. They can monitor target aircraft equipped with aviation transponders and ADS-B OUT functions by combining active interrogation and passive listening, thereby reducing the frequency of interrogations, reducing space electromagnetic interference, and extending the monitoring distance, while maintaining the system's collision avoidance safety.

[0005] The airborne collision avoidance system involved in the present invention includes TCAS / ACAS, H-ACAS and ACAS X. The above four systems all have four working modes: Mode 1 is standby, Mode 2 is transponder only, Mode 3 is traffic warning only, and Mode 4 is traffic decision warning working mode, which respectively correspond to the standby mode in which the system maintains electromagnetic silence after power-on, only the matching transponder in the system works, the ACAS host works but can only issue TA, and the ACAS host works and can issue TA and RA. When the system switches from Mode 1 / 2 to Mode 3 / 4, the ACAS host starts to work, controls the antenna wave speed to scan the airspace, performs a series of processing such as interception inquiry, track formation, collision avoidance logic operation, and warning issuance, and the timing starts from the mode switching. Under normal circumstances, it takes 3s to 5s to intercept inquiry and form a track, and the maximum delay of collision avoidance logic operation on the track and issuing an alarm is 2.6s, and the total delay is 5.6s to 7.6s. Compared with the RA warning reserved time advance of 15s to 48s, the maximum proportion of warning delay is 7.6s / 15s * 100% = 50%. If the system mode switching occurs in the flight phase and there are potential collision threat aircraft in the airspace, this delay will greatly reduce the pilot's warning response and maneuvering time, resulting in increased flight risks and thus affecting flight safety.

[0006] A common shortcoming of the prior art is that, in the mode 1 / 2 working state, the ACAS host maintains electromagnetic silence and does not transmit inquiries, and does not monitor or process information, resulting in an increase in the alarm delay when switching from mode 1 / 2 to mode 3 / 4, and when switching from mode 3 / 4 to mode 1 / 2, the existing track information cannot be maintained, affecting the speed at which the system forms a track and issues alarms. Summary of the invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention provides a standby listening working mode and design method of an airborne collision avoidance system, and an airborne collision avoidance system implemented according to the working mode design method, to solve the above technical problems.

[0008] The present invention discloses a standby listening working mode and design method of an airborne collision avoidance system and an airborne collision avoidance system with this working mode. This working mode is a functional extension of the standby mode of the ACAS host. When the airborne collision avoidance system is in mode 1 standby and mode 2 transponder-only working state, the original ACAS host standby mode is redesigned as a "standby listening" working mode; the airborne collision avoidance system with the standby listening working mode will transform the original standby mode and transponder-only working mode functions into the standby listening working mode. The specific functional definition of the standby listening working mode is as follows: (1) There is no active inquiry or radio frequency signal transmission, and the airborne collision avoidance system is in the electromagnetic transmission silent state; (2) It has the function of omnidirectional listening of 1090Mhz air traffic control signals and can passively listen to ADS-B messages, ADS-R messages, asynchronous S-mode reply signals and asynchronous C-mode reply signals within the coverage area of ​​the system; (3) Pre-process the detected signals to form a "pre-track" and continuously monitor and update it; (4) When the ACAS switches from the "standby listening" mode to the "traffic alert only" or "traffic resolution alert" mode, the system shortens the time to form the formal track based on the pre-track. (5) When the ACAS switches from the "Traffic Alert Only" or "Traffic Decision Alert" mode to the "Standby Listening" mode, the system converts the existing official track to the pre-track backup.

[0009] When the system operating mode switches from Mode 1 / 2 to Mode 3 / 4, the pre-track information is used in combination with active interrogation to quickly form a track for target display and TA or RA warnings, shortening the system response time and improving system effectiveness.

[0010] Furthermore, the signals specifically intercepted by the interception function include: ADS-B messages, ADS-R messages, asynchronous S-mode reply signals, and asynchronous C-mode reply signals within the coverage of the system. The specific steps of forming a pre-track using the above signals are as follows: S1: Determine the format of the intercepted signal, whether it is a S-mode signal DF11, a C-mode altitude reply signal, or an ADS-B / ADS-R broadcast message, and process it according to the corresponding process; S2: If the currently received message is an ADS-B message or an ADS-R message, a completed ADS-B or ADS-R track is formed according to the corresponding rules; S3: The currently received signal format is the S-mode signal DF11, and the S-mode address is picked up and stored; S4: The currently received signal is a C-mode altitude signal, and the altitude information is extracted and stored; S5: If the following conditions are met, a pre-track is started if two or three related associated messages are received in three consecutive monitoring cycles; otherwise, the pre-track is not started until the condition is met; S6: For an activated pre-track, according to the signal category forming the pre-track, if no signal of the same category is received for two consecutive passive monitoring cycles, the pre-track will be deleted.

[0011] When the working mode is switched to traffic warning only or traffic decision warning working mode, the pre-track is used to quickly form a track. The steps for forming a track are as follows: S1: traverse the stored pre-trajectory and classify the existing pre-trajectory; S2: For S mode, ADS-B / ADS-R pre-track, an active query is made to the target through UF0 air-to-air surveillance. If the same S mode address is received, it is converted into a formal track for display and TA and RA warnings; otherwise, the pre-track is deleted. S3: For the C-mode pre-track, the C-mode all-call is used for inquiry. If the altitude value in the C-mode reply is correctly associated, it is converted into the formal track for display and TA and RA alarms; otherwise, the pre-track is deleted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0013] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and given in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in other different orders or configurations.

[0014] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention claimed for protection, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the switching function between the standby listening working mode and the TA-only and TA / RA working modes of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a flow chart of pre-track formation of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 It is a flow chart of converting the pre-track into the track of the present invention. Example

[0018] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0019] A standby listening working mode of an airborne collision avoidance system and a design method thereof, as well as an airborne collision avoidance system with this working mode. The invention relates to an airborne collision avoidance system and its standby listening working mode, which is an important extension of the function of the existing ACAS (airborne collision avoidance system), aiming at the response time and efficiency of the system in a specific mode.

[0020] The specific implementation includes the following steps:

[0021] S1. System architecture construction: First, based on existing technologies, an airborne collision avoidance system that supports the "standby listening" working mode is constructed. The system includes an ACAS transceiver host, a matching S-mode transponder, a directional antenna, an omnidirectional antenna, and a display control component. When necessary, the system can control the antenna beam pointing to conduct effective airspace scanning and listening, and realize airspace target monitoring, traffic warning, and / or decision warning.

[0022] S2. Implementation of standby listening mode: In the standby mode (mode 1) and transponder-only mode (mode 2) of the system, the function of the ACAS host is redesigned based on existing technology to implement "standby listening". This mode will not actively initiate interrogation or RF signal transmission, thereby maintaining electromagnetic silence and not increasing the power consumption of the system, but at the same time it can passively listen to 1090MHz aviation signals.

[0023] S3. Pre-track formation: A "pre-track" is formed by listening to ADS-B messages, ADS-R messages, asynchronous S-mode and C-mode reply signals within the coverage area. This process should include judging the signal format, extracting necessary information (such as S-mode address, altitude information), and starting the pre-track when specific conditions are met.

[0024] S4. Use of pre-track: When the system switches from mode 1 / 2 to mode 3 / 4, the pre-track information will be used in conjunction with active interrogation to quickly form a formal track. This process involves classification of the pre-track, active interrogation, and verification of the response. If the verification is successful, the pre-track is converted to a formal track for target display and TA / RA alerts; if it fails, the pre-track is deleted.

[0025] S5. Optimization of system response time: Through the above steps, the system can use the pre-collected and processed information to quickly form a track and issue an alert when switching modes, significantly shortening the overall delay of the system and thus improving flight safety.

[0026] Through this implementation, a standby listening working mode of an airborne collision avoidance system can be realized, which can improve the effectiveness of the system, reduce the alarm delay, and improve flight safety.

[0027] The "passive listening" working mode has the following functions: 1) No active interrogation and RF signal transmission: In the standby listening mode, the airborne collision avoidance system will not actively initiate interrogation or RF signal transmission. This is achieved by disabling related functions in the system design; 2) Passive listening mode: The ACAS transceiver host performs passive listening to 1090MHz aviation signals in the standby listening working mode. This can be achieved by adjusting the working mode and parameters of the system; 3) Formation of pre-track and continuous monitoring and updating: Based on the monitored air traffic control signals, the system forms a pre-track and continuously monitors and updates it.

[0028] When the system operating mode switches from Mode 1 / 2 to Mode 3 / 4, the pre-track information is used in combination with active interrogation to quickly form a track for target display and TA or RA warnings, shortening the system response time and improving system effectiveness.

[0029] The specific steps of pre-track formation are as follows:

[0030] S1: Determine the format of the current signal, such as the S-mode signal DF11, the C-mode altitude reply signal, or an ADS-B / ADS-R broadcast message, and process it according to the corresponding process.

[0031] S2: If the currently received message is an ADS-B message or an ADS-R message, an ADS-B or ADS-R pre-track is formed according to the corresponding rules.

[0032] S3: If the signal format currently received is the S-mode signal DF11, extract the S-mode address therein and store it.

[0033] S4: If the currently received signal is a C-mode altitude signal, extract the altitude information therein and store it.

[0034] S5: If two or three relevant associated messages are received in three consecutive monitoring cycles, a pre-track is started; otherwise, the pre-track is not started until the condition is met.

[0035] S6: For the activated pre-track, if no relevant signal is received during the next passive monitoring cycle, the pre-track is deleted.

[0036] Use the pre-track to quickly form a track: When the system operating mode is switched from mode 1 / 2 to mode 3 / 4, use the pre-track to quickly form a track for target display and TA / RA warning. The specific steps are as follows:

[0037] S1: First, traverse the stored pre-trajectory and classify the existing pre-trajectory.

[0038] S2: For S mode, ADS-B / ADS-R pre-track, an active query is made to the target through UF0 air-to-air surveillance. If the response is correct, it is converted into a formal track for display and TA / RA alert; otherwise, no formal track is generated and the pre-track is deleted.

[0039] S3: For the Mode C pre-track, query is performed through Mode C all-call. If two consecutive cycles can be correctly associated, it is converted to the formal track for display and TA / RA alert; otherwise, the pre-track is deleted.

[0040] S4: Delete the original pre-track information that has been converted into the official track.

[0041] Through the above detailed implementation, the standby listening working mode of the airborne collision avoidance system and its design method can be described in more detail. The implementation of these steps and methods will help improve the response time and efficiency of the system, thereby enhancing flight safety.

[0042] The present invention discloses a method and system for designing an operating mode of an airborne collision avoidance system, the technical effect of which is that a pre-track is formed in advance during an electromagnetic silence period by making full use of passively detected ADS-B messages, ADS-R messages, asynchronous S-mode reply signals, and asynchronous C-mode reply signals. The pre-track can be converted into a formal track through the specific steps provided by the method, thereby shortening the time for the system to monitor, display, and issue warnings for targets, reducing warning delays, and improving flight safety.

[0043] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, ordinary technicians in the relevant field should understand that the specific implementation methods of the present invention can still be modified or replaced by equivalents. Any modification or equivalent replacement that does not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for designing an airborne collision avoidance system working mode, characterized in that: It includes a "standby listening" working mode, the functional design of this working mode is as follows: (1) There is no active inquiry or radio frequency signal transmission, and the airborne collision avoidance system is in the electromagnetic transmission silent state; (2) It has the function of omnidirectional listening of 1090Mhz air traffic control signals and can passively listen to ADS-B messages, ADS-R messages, asynchronous S-mode reply signals and asynchronous C-mode reply signals within the coverage area of ​​the system; (3) Pre-process the detected signals to form a "pre-track" and continuously monitor and update it; (4) When the ACAS switches from "standby listening" to "traffic alert only" or "traffic resolution alert" working mode, the system shortens the time to form the formal track based on the pre-track; (5) When the ACAS switches from "Traffic Alert Only" or "Traffic Decision Alert" to "Standby Listening" mode, the system converts the existing official track to the pre-track backup.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preprocessing of the intercepted signal to form a pre-track specifically includes the following steps: S1: Determine the format of the intercepted signal, whether it is a S-mode signal DF11, a C-mode altitude reply signal, or an ADS-B / ADS-R broadcast message, and process it according to the corresponding process; S2: If the currently received message is an ADS-B message or an ADS-R message, a completed ADS-B or ADS-R track is formed according to the corresponding rules; S3: The currently received signal format is the S-mode signal DF11, and the S-mode address is picked up and stored; S4: The currently received signal is a C-mode altitude signal, and the altitude information is extracted and stored; S5: If the following conditions are met, a pre-track is started if two or three related associated messages are received in three consecutive monitoring cycles; otherwise, the pre-track is not started until the condition is met; S6: For an activated pre-track, according to the signal category forming the pre-track, if no signal of the same category is received for two consecutive passive monitoring cycles, the pre-track will be deleted.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that When the airborne collision avoidance system switches from the "standby listening" mode to the "traffic alert only" or "traffic decision alert" working mode, the system shortens the formal track formation time based on the pre-track, specifically including the following steps: S1: traverse the stored pre-trajectory and classify the existing pre-trajectory; S2: For S mode, ADS-B / ADS-R pre-track, an active query is made to the target through UF0 air-to-air surveillance. If the same S mode address is received, it is converted into a formal track for display and TA and RA warnings; otherwise, the pre-track is deleted. S3: For the C-mode pre-track, the C-mode all-call is used for inquiry. If the altitude value in the C-mode reply is correctly associated, it is converted into the formal track for display and TA and RA alarms; otherwise, the pre-track is deleted. S4: Delete the pre-track that has been converted into the official track.

4. An airborne collision avoidance system capable of implementing the airborne collision avoidance system working mode design method according to claim 1, characterized in that: It has the following four working modes: standby listening, answering machine only, traffic warning only, and traffic decision warning.

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