System, method, and storage medium for real-time determination of aircraft fuel levels

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and storage media for determining fuel levels of an aircraft in real time wherein the system includes a control unit configured to determine one or more fuel levels of the aircraft at one or more arrival airports for one or more alternative flight plans deviating from an original flight plan. The control unit is configured to determine one or more fuel levels based on one or more traffic at the airport and performance data of the aircraft.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for determining a fuel level of an aircraft during a flight of the aircraft, such as an alternate flight plan. Background Art

[0002] Aircraft are used to transport passengers and cargo between various locations. Many aircraft depart from and arrive at a typical airport every day.

[0003] An aircraft flies from a departure airport to an arrival airport according to a flight plan. The aircraft may need to deviate from the flight plan for a variety of reasons. For example, bad weather between the departure airport and the arrival airport may cause the pilot to deviate from the flight plan around the bad weather. Therefore, deviating from the original flight plan may change fuel consumption because the deviated route may cause the aircraft to burn more fuel than originally expected. In some cases, the pilot may deviate to an alternate airport because the aircraft may not have enough fuel to reach the originally planned arrival airport.

[0004] Therefore, when the aircraft needs to deviate from the original flight plan, the pilot is often required to make rapid operational decisions, which are often based on intuition, experience, and / or reliance on a fuel safety buffer rather than a deliberate calculation of fuel requirements. In addition, in some cases, the pilot may fly in a holding pattern and / or delay maneuvers until forced to proceed to an alternate airport due to lack of fuel to continue holding. Summary of the invention

[0005] There is a need for a system and method for effectively and efficiently informing a pilot of fuel estimates for one or more alternative flight plans during flight. In addition, there is a need for such a system and method to operate in real time.

[0006] In view of these needs, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system including a control unit configured to determine one or more fuel levels of an aircraft at one or more arrival airports for one or more alternative flight plans that deviate from an original flight plan. The control unit is configured to determine the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft.

[0007] In at least one embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine one or more fuel levels of the aircraft in flight after the aircraft leaves a departure airport and before the aircraft lands at any of one or more arrival airports.

[0008] The control unit may be configured to determine the one or more fuel levels further based on the one or more notifications. The one or more notifications may include information about current weather at the one or more arrival airports, forecasted weather at the one or more arrival airports, required procedures at the one or more arrival airports, and / or existing curfews.

[0009] In at least one embodiment, the performance data includes information operational capabilities of the aircraft.

[0010] The control unit is further configured to determine a current fuel level of the aircraft based on information received from one or more fuel sensors of the aircraft.

[0011] The control unit may be further configured to automatically discard an alternative flight plan that does not provide sufficient fuel to the aircraft at any of the one or more arrival airports.

[0012] In at least one embodiment, a user interface is in communication with the control unit. The user interface includes a display. The control unit is configured to display information about one or more alternative flight plans on the display.

[0013] The control unit may be further configured to automatically select one of the one or more alternative flight plans for the aircraft. The aircraft may be automatically operated based on one of the one or more alternative flight plans.

[0014] The control unit is further configured to present the one or more fuel levels in time format.

[0015] The control unit can be an artificial intelligence or machine learning system.

[0016] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, the method comprising determining, by a control unit, one or more fuel levels of an aircraft at one or more arrival airports for one or more alternative flight plans that deviate from an original flight plan, wherein the determining comprises determining the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft, and wherein the performance data comprises an information operational capability of the aircraft.

[0017] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including executable instructions that, in response to being executed, cause one or more control units including a processor to perform operations including: determining one or more fuel levels of an aircraft at one or more arrival airports for one or more alternative flight plans that deviate from an original flight plan, wherein the determining includes determining the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft, and wherein the performance data includes information operational capabilities of the aircraft. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic block diagram of a system for determining fuel levels for one or more alternative flight plans for an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 Shown are simplified views of various alternative flight plans for an aircraft in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for determining fuel levels for one or more alternative flight plans for an aircraft is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic block diagram of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 A perspective front view of an aircraft is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] When read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the above overview and the following detailed description of certain embodiments will be better understood. As used herein, elements or steps stated in singular form and preceded by the word "one" or "a kind of" should be understood to not necessarily exclude the plural number of elements or steps. In addition, reference to "an embodiment" is not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also combine the features. In addition, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments that "include" or "have" an element or multiple elements with a specific condition may include additional elements that do not have the condition.

[0024] Pilots need to determine how their decisions change fuel consumption to ensure safe operation at all times. With this in mind, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that provide real-time evaluation of different potential scenarios for all phases of flight. The systems and methods analyze information from various sources to provide aircraft operators with dynamic selection of potential flight phases and standard procedures for the remainder of the flight. For example, the duration of a holding procedure for a flight to a certain destination can be based on currently active holding patterns identified by traffic analysis.

[0025] Figure 1A schematic block diagram of a system 100 for determining a fuel level for one or more alternative flight plans of an aircraft 102 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The system 100 includes a control unit 104 that communicates with a user interface 106, such as through one or more wired or wireless connections. The user interface 106 includes a display 108 and an input device 110. For example, the display 108 is an electronic monitor, a television, etc., and the input device 110 includes one or more of a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, etc. In at least one embodiment, the display 108 and the input device 110 are integrated as a touch screen interface. In at least one embodiment, the user interface 106 is a computer workstation. As another embodiment, the user interface 106 is a handheld device, such as a smart phone, a smart tablet, etc. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 and the user interface 106 are at a common location, such as at a central monitoring location. As another embodiment, the control unit 104 and the user interface 106 are remote from each other.

[0026] In at least one embodiment, the aircraft 102 may include a user interface 106, such as within an interior cabin. In at least one embodiment, each aircraft 102 includes a user interface 106. In at least one embodiment, each aircraft 102 includes a control unit 104 and a user interface 106. For example, the control unit 104 may be part of a flight management computer on the aircraft. Alternatively, the control unit 104 may be located remotely from the aircraft 102 and communicate with the aircraft 102 via one or more antennas, transceivers, radios, etc.

[0027] The control unit 104 also communicates with a tracking subsystem 112, for example, via one or more wired or wireless connections. The tracking subsystem 112 may be located remotely from the control unit 104. The tracking subsystem 112 is configured to track the position of the aircraft 102 within an airspace, such as between different airports. For example, the aircraft 102 includes one or more position sensors 114 that are detected and tracked by the tracking subsystem 112. The tracking subsystem 112 may be a radar subsystem. As another embodiment, the tracking subsystem 112 may be an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) subsystem.

[0028] In at least one embodiment, the position sensor 114 may be an ADS-B transmitter configured to output an ADS-B OUT signal. The ADS-B OUT signal provides information about the aircraft 102 within the airspace. For example, the ADS-B OUT signal provides the position, heading, speed, altitude, etc. for the aircraft 102. The tracking subsystem 112 is configured to receive the ADS-B OUT signal from the aircraft 102. For example, the tracking subsystem 112 includes an ADS-B receiver configured to receive the ADS-B OUT signal from the aircraft 102. In this embodiment, the tracking subsystem 112 is an ADS-B tracking subsystem that determines the current position of the aircraft 102 via satellite navigation through the position signal of the aircraft 102 output by the ADS-B transmitter (i.e., the ADS-B OUT signal). As another embodiment, the tracking subsystem 112 may be a global positioning system.

[0029] The control unit 104 also communicates with one or more notification subsystems 116, such as through one or more wired or wireless connections. The control unit 104 can be located remotely from the notification subsystem 116 and communicate with the notification subsystem 116 through one or more antennas, transceivers, radios, communication networks (e.g., private or public Internet communications), etc.

[0030] In at least one embodiment, the notification subsystem 116 includes a Notification Air Mission (NOTAM) communication service. A NOTAM is a notification containing information provided to flight personnel. A NOTAM indicates the real-time and abnormal status of the national airspace system.

[0031] In at least one embodiment, notification subsystem 116 includes a Meteorological Airport Report (METAR) communication service. METAR provides observations of current surface weather at airports.

[0032] In at least one embodiment, notification subsystem 116 includes a Terminal Airline Airline (TAF) communication service. TAF provides forecasts of future weather at an airport.

[0033] The control unit 104 is also in communication with a performance database 118 that stores performance data 120 of the aircraft 102. In at least one embodiment, the performance database 118 may be onboard the aircraft 102, such as within a flight computer. As another embodiment, the performance database 118 is remote from the aircraft 102. In at least one embodiment, the performance database 118 is co-located with the control unit 104. As another embodiment, the performance database 118 is remote from the control unit 104.

[0034] The performance data 120 includes information about the operational capabilities of the aircraft 102. For example, the performance data 120 includes information about how much fuel the aircraft 102 will burn at a specific airspeed, a specific altitude, a specific time period, etc. In at least one embodiment, the performance data 120 includes one or more performance models of the aircraft 102. The performance models of the aircraft 102 may be predetermined and stored in a memory.

[0035] In at least one embodiment, control unit 104 is also in communication with one or more fuel sensors 122 of aircraft 102. Fuel sensors 122 detect the current fuel level of aircraft 102.

[0036] Figure 2 A simplified diagram of various alternative flight plans for an aircraft 102 is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The aircraft 102 is flying between a departure airport 132 and an arrival airport 134 according to an original flight plan 130. During the flight of the aircraft 102, an event 136 may occur within the original flight plan 130. The event 136 may be inclement weather, restricted airspace, etc. Therefore, the pilot of the aircraft 102 may decide to deviate around the event 136 according to an alternative flight plan 140a from a current location 142 to the arrival airport 134. Alternatively, the pilot may decide to fly to an alternative airport 144 according to an alternative flight plan 140b, to an alternative airport 146 according to an alternative flight plan 140c, or to an alternative airport 148 according to an alternative flight plan 140d. More or fewer alternative flight plans than shown may be considered.

[0037] As described herein, the system 100 includes a control unit 104 configured to determine one or more fuel levels of the aircraft 102 at one or more arrival airports (e.g., airports 134, 144, 146, and 148) for one or more alternative flight plans (e.g., alternative flight plans 140a, 140b, 140c, and 140d) that deviate from the original flight plan 130. The control unit 104 is configured to determine the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 determines the fuel level of the aircraft 102 while in flight after the aircraft 102 leaves the departure airport 132 and before the aircraft 102 lands at one of the arrival airports.

[0038] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2In operation, the control unit 104 determines the predicted fuel level at each feasible arrival airport 134, 144, 146, and 148. For example, the control unit 104 receives notifications 150 from one or more notification subsystems 116 to determine whether the flight plan to the airport is feasible, the current weather conditions at the airport, and the predicted weather conditions at the airport. Based on such information, the pilot of the aircraft 102 may decide that one or more alternative flight plans are not advisable. For example, the pilot may determine that event 136 adversely affects landing at airport 148, and then the alternative flight plan 140d may be abandoned.

[0039] In addition, the control unit 104 determines the current fuel level of the aircraft 102 from the information received from the fuel sensor and determines whether the aircraft 102 has sufficient fuel to travel to various airports. As an example, the control unit 104 can determine that at the current fuel burn rate, the distance of the flight plan from the current location 142 to the airport, and the performance data 120 regarding the aircraft 102 does not allow the aircraft 102 to reach the airport 134 with sufficient fuel as required by one or more regulations. Therefore, the pilot can then discard the alternative flight plan 140a to reach the airport 134. Optionally, the control unit 104 can automatically discard the alternative flight plan that does not provide sufficient fuel to the aircraft 102.

[0040] The control unit 104 may also determine traffic information at a particular airport based on information received from the tracking subsystem 112. For example, the alternate flight plan 140b to the airport 144 may be the shortest distance from the current location 142 of the aircraft 102, but the control unit 104 determines that there are a certain number of aircraft scheduled to land before the aircraft 102, which would then cause the aircraft 102 to fly in a holding pattern for a certain period of time. The control unit 104 may then determine that the aircraft 102 may be scheduled to fly to the airport 146 at an earlier time along the alternate flight plan 140c due to the required holding.

[0041] Thus, the control unit 104 determines the fuel levels for various alternative flight plans to the original arrival airport 134 and / or one or more alternative airports 144, 146, and / or 148 based on the current position 142 of the aircraft 102, the current fuel level of the aircraft 102, the performance data 120 of the aircraft 102 that provides information about predicted fuel consumption based on certain parameters (such as distance, airspeed, altitude, etc.), traffic information for various airports (e.g., the number of aircraft scheduled to land before the aircraft 102, which may cause the aircraft 102 to fly in a holding mode), and notifications 150 from the notification subsystem 116 (the notifications include current weather and forecasted weather at the airport). The control unit 104 may present information about the alternative flight plans on the display 108. Specifically, the control unit 104 may output an alternative flight plan signal 160 to the user interface 106. The alternative flight plan signal 160 includes information about the alternative flight plans, which may be shown on the display 108. For example, the control unit 104 may show the flight time, waiting time, and estimated fuel level for the airport for each of the alternative flight plans. The pilot can then see the predicted fuel levels at various airports and make an informed decision about the desired alternative flight plan to select.

[0042] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 may automatically discard an alternative flight plan that results in insufficient fuel levels at the airport. For example, the control unit 104 may determine that the aircraft 102 will not have sufficient fuel (as required by regulations) when landing at the airport 134 based on the distance to the airport 134, the predicted waiting time based on traffic at the airport 134, and / or the like. In this way, the control unit 104 determines that the alternative flight plan 140a is not available and may not present it on the display 108, or provide an alert (e.g., text, graphic, or flashing alert indicia) on the display 108 that the alternative flight plan 140a is not available.

[0043] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 may automatically select (without human intervention) an alternative flight plan based on predetermined criteria. For example, an operator of the aircraft 102 may pre-select criteria such as the shortest time to reach an airport, the maximum amount of remaining fuel upon landing, etc. via the input device 110. Based on such selection, the control unit 104 may then automatically select an alternative flight plan from a plurality of alternative flight plans. In at least one embodiment, the aircraft 102 may then automatically operate based on the selected alternative flight plan, whether the alternative flight plan is manually selected by the flight operator or automatically selected by the control unit 104. For example, the control unit 104 may automatically operate the aircraft 102 based on the selected alternative flight plan.

[0044] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 automatically determines the time to fly to each alternative airport from the current location 142 (such as if based on a local existing curfew time at the airport). For example, based on the performance data 120 stored in the performance database 118, the control unit 104 determines the amount of fuel that the aircraft 102 will burn based on the operational capabilities of the aircraft 102 (as contained in the performance data 120), the flight time, etc. This fuel burn can be expressed in terms of fuel weight. The control unit 104 then calculates the time to travel to the airport from the weight of fuel that will be burned, and the fuel burn can then be expressed in terms of time (rather than fuel weight) on the display 108. By automatically determining and expressing the fuel burn in terms of time rather than weight, the control unit 104 relieves the flight operator from having to perform such calculations, which can be difficult under certain stress conditions (such as when avoiding severe weather conditions).

[0045] As described herein, the control unit 104 analyzes several data sources to determine the fuel requirement calculations for each of the different alternative flight plans. The control unit 104 retrieves information during the flight of the aircraft 102, including destination traffic information (from the tracking subsystem 112), en-route and destination weather information (from the notification subsystem 116), and individual aircraft performance data (from the performance data 120 in the performance database 118). Based on such information, the control unit 104 calculates the real-time fuel requirements for each of the alternative flight plans. The selection of flight phases, procedures, and events can be performed by the operator, or automatically by the control unit 104 based on the contextual information and flight plan details. For example, a flight phase can include a holding mode at an arrival airport, special fuel reserves for go-arounds and taxiing, etc. After selection, the control unit 104 calculates the required fuel capacity for each phase under consideration. The control unit 104 determines the average duration of the current holding mode at each airport from the traffic data, and can then calculate the required fuel level accordingly. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 analyzes information regarding takeoff (runway condition reports, weather information, etc.), en route (weather information, traffic information, potential repeat routes, etc.), descent / approach (weather information, procedures in use based on traffic monitoring, etc.), landing / taxi (runways in use, possible gate / stand locations, go-around probabilities, go-around procedures in use, etc.), etc.

[0046] In at least one embodiment, the control unit 104 extracts potential procedures, events, and phases of the flight from supplemental information sources such as traffic, weather, navigation data, and / or NOTAMs in place. Live data for the aircraft 102 is received from onboard systems if used onboard, or from a data provider to the ground if used elsewhere.

[0047] To represent real-time conditions, control unit 104 aggregates and fuses real-time data such as traffic events, weather, identified procedures, etc. to base fuel calculations on actual, real-time conditions of aircraft 102. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that increase situational awareness, decision making, and comfort for aircraft operators.

[0048] Figure 3 A flow chart showing a method for determining fuel levels for one or more alternative flight plans of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figures 1 to 3 At 200, the control unit 104 determines the current fuel level of the aircraft 102, for example, based on information received from one or more fuel sensors 122 of the aircraft 102. At 202, the control unit 104 receives one or more notifications from the one or more notification subsystems 116. The notifications include information about one or more of the current weather at one or more airports, the forecasted weather at one or more airports (such as within the next 6 to 12 hours), the procedures required for landing at one or more airports, and the like.

[0049] At 204, control unit 104 determines traffic at one or more airports, such as from information received from tracking subsystem 112. Traffic includes the number of aircraft that landed or took off before aircraft 102, average wait time before landing at one or more airports, and the like.

[0050] At 206, control unit 104 determines performance attributes of aircraft 102. The performance attributes include information within performance data 120 of aircraft 102. Performance data 120 may be or otherwise include a predetermined performance model. Performance data 120 includes fuel burn rates when aircraft 102 is flown at one or more airspeeds, one or more altitudes, one or more headwinds or tailwinds, for one or more time periods, and the like.

[0051] At 208, the control unit 104 determines one or more fuel levels of the aircraft 102 upon arrival at one or more airports based on the traffic and performance attributes. The control unit 104 can calculate and express the fuel levels in terms of time. For example, the control unit 104 can determine that an alternative flight plan to arrive at a particular airport leaves the aircraft 102 with four hours of remaining fuel.

[0052] At 210, the control unit 104 shows the fuel level upon arrival for the alternative flight plan on the display 108. The control unit 104 may allow the flight operator to select an alternative flight plan from a plurality of alternative flight plans, which may be displayed or otherwise communicated on the display 108. Alternatively, the control unit 104 may automatically select the alternative flight plan.

[0053] Figure 4A schematic block diagram of a control unit 300 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The control unit 104 may be configured as the control unit 300. In at least one embodiment, the control unit 300 includes at least one processor 301 in communication with a memory 302. The memory 302 stores instructions 304, received data 306, and generated data 308. Figure 4 The control unit 300 shown in FIG. 3 is exemplary only and is not restrictive.

[0054] As used herein, the terms "control unit," "central processing unit," "CPU," "computer," and the like may include any processor-based or microprocessor-based system, including systems using microcontrollers, reduced instruction set computers (RISC), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), logic circuits, and any other circuit or processor, including hardware, software, or a combination thereof, capable of performing the functions described herein. This is exemplary only, and thus is not intended to limit the definition and / or meaning of such terms in any way. For example, the control unit 104 may be or include one or more processors configured to control operations, as described herein.

[0055] The control unit 104 is configured to execute instruction sets stored in one or more data storage units or elements (such as one or more memories) to process data. For example, the control unit 104 may include or be coupled to one or more memories. The data storage unit may also store data or other information as needed or required. The data storage unit may be in the form of an information source or physical memory element within the processing machine.

[0056] The instruction set may include various commands that instruct the control unit 104 to perform specific operations as a processor, such as the methods and processes of various embodiments of the subject matter described herein. The instruction set may be in the form of a software program. The software may be in various forms, such as system software or application software. Further, the software may be in the form of a collection of independent programs, a subset of programs within a larger program, or a portion of a program. The software may also include modular programming in the form of object-oriented programming. The processing of the input data by the processor may be in response to user commands, or in response to the results of previous processing, or in response to a request made by another processor.

[0057] The diagrams of the embodiments herein may show one or more control or processing units, such as the control unit 104. It should be understood that a processing or control unit may represent a circuit, circuit system, or portion thereof that may be implemented as hardware (e.g., software stored in a tangible and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a computer hard drive, ROM, RAM, etc.) with associated instructions to perform the operations described herein. The hardware may include state machine circuits that are hardwired to perform the functions described herein. Alternatively, the hardware may include electronic circuits that include and / or are connected to one or more logic-based devices such as microprocessors, processors, controllers, etc. Alternatively, the control unit 104 may represent a processing circuit such as one or more of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor, etc. The circuits in different embodiments may be configured to execute one or more algorithms to perform the functions described herein. Whether or not explicitly identified in a flow chart or method, the one or more algorithms may include aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0058] As used herein, the terms "software" and "firmware" are interchangeable and include any computer program stored in a data storage unit (e.g., one or more memories) for execution by a computer, including RAM memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) memory. The above data storage unit types are exemplary only and therefore do not limit the types of memory that can be used to store computer programs.

[0059] See also Figures 1 to 4 , embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods that allow large amounts of data to be quickly and efficiently analyzed by a computing device. For example, the control unit 104 can analyze various aspects of the aircraft 102, traffic, notifications, etc. As such, large amounts of data that may not be discernible to a human being are being tracked and analyzed. As described herein, large amounts of data are efficiently organized and / or analyzed by the control unit 104. The control unit 104 analyzes the data in a relatively short period of time in order to quickly and efficiently determine the fuel levels for various alternative flight plans for the aircraft 102. Humans cannot effectively analyze such large amounts of data in such a short period of time. As such, embodiments of the present disclosure provide increased and efficient functionality, as well as greatly superior performance relative to humans analyzing large amounts of data.

[0060] In at least one embodiment, components of system 100, such as control unit 104, provide and / or enable a computer system to operate as a specialized computer system for automatically determining fuel levels for alternative flight plans. Control unit 104 improves upon standard computing devices by determining such information in an effective and efficient manner.

[0061] In at least one embodiment, all or part of the systems and methods described herein may be or otherwise include an artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning system that can automatically perform the operations of the methods also described herein. For example, the control unit 104 may be an artificial intelligence or machine learning system. These types of systems may be trained and / or self-trained based on external information to repeatedly improve the accuracy of analyzing data to automatically determine the fuel level at the arrival airport for alternative flight plans. Over time, these systems can be improved by determining such information with increased accuracy and speed, thereby significantly reducing the possibility of any potential errors. For example, an AI or machine learning system may learn and determine the performance capabilities of an aircraft, traffic at an airport, etc., and automatically determine alternative flight plans and the resulting fuel levels at the arrival airport. The AI ​​or machine learning system described herein may include technology enabled by adaptive predictive capabilities, and it exhibits at least some degree of autonomous learning to automate and / or enhance pattern detection (e.g., identifying irregularities or regularities in data), customization (e.g., generating or modifying rules to optimize record matching), etc. Feedback from one or more previous analyses of data, collection data, and / or other such data may be used to train and retrain the system. Based on the feedback, the system may be trained by adjusting one or more parameters, weights, rules, criteria, etc. used in the system's analysis. The process may be performed using data and aggregate data instead of training data, and may be repeated multiple times to repeatedly improve the determination of fuel levels for alternative flight plans. Training minimizes conflicts and interference by executing an iterative training algorithm in which the system is retrained using an updated data set (e.g., data received before, during, and / or after each flight of the aircraft 102) and based on feedback examined prior to the most recent training of the system. This provides a robust analysis model that is capable of better determining situational information in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

[0062] Figure 5 A perspective front view of an aircraft 102 is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The aircraft 102 includes a propulsion system 412 including, for example, engines 414. Optionally, the propulsion system 412 may include more engines 414 than shown. The engines 414 are carried by wings 416 of the aircraft 102. In other embodiments, the engines 414 may be carried by a fuselage 418 and / or a tail 420. The tail 420 may also support a horizontal stabilizer 422 and a vertical stabilizer 424. The fuselage 418 of the aircraft 102 defines an interior cabin 430 that includes a flight deck or cockpit, one or more work sections (e.g., a galley, a personnel carry-on baggage area, etc.), one or more passenger sections (e.g., first class, business class, and second class sections), one or more lavatories, etc. Figure 5An embodiment of an aircraft 102 is shown. It should be appreciated that the size, shape, and configuration of the aircraft 102 may vary. Figure 5 The difference shown in .

[0063] Furthermore, the present disclosure includes embodiments according to the following clauses:

[0064] Clause 1. A system comprising:

[0065] A control unit is configured to determine one or more fuel levels of the aircraft at one or more arrival airports for one or more alternative flight plans that deviate from the original flight plan, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft.

[0066] Clause 2. The system of clause 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine one or more fuel levels of the aircraft in flight after the aircraft leaves the departure airport and before the aircraft lands at any of the one or more arrival airports.

[0067] Clause 3. The system of clause 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the one or more fuel levels further based on the one or more notifications.

[0068] Clause 4. The system of clause 3, wherein the one or more notifications include information regarding current weather at the one or more arrival airports, forecasted weather at the one or more arrival airports, and required procedures at the one or more arrival airports.

[0069] Clause 5. A system according to any of clauses 1-4, wherein the performance data includes information operational capabilities of the aircraft.

[0070] Clause 6. The system of any of clauses 1-5, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine a current fuel level of the aircraft based on information received from one or more fuel sensors of the aircraft.

[0071] Clause 7. The system according to any of clauses 1-6, wherein the control unit is further configured to automatically discard an alternative flight plan that does not provide sufficient fuel to the aircraft at any of the one or more arrival airports.

[0072] Clause 8. The system of any of clauses 1-7, further comprising a user interface in communication with the control unit, wherein the user interface comprises a display, and wherein the control unit is configured to display information regarding the one or more alternative flight plans on the display.

[0073] Clause 9. The system of any of clauses 1-8, wherein the control unit is further configured to automatically select one of the one or more alternative flight plans for the aircraft.

[0074] Clause 10. A system according to clause 9, wherein the aircraft is automatically operated based on one of the one or more alternative flight plans.

[0075] Clause 11. The system according to any of clauses 1-10, wherein the control unit is further configured to represent the one or more fuel levels in terms of time.

[0076] Clause 12. The system according to any of clauses 1-11, wherein the control unit is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system.

[0077] Clause 13. A method comprising:

[0078] Determining, by a control unit, one or more fuel levels of the aircraft at one or more arrival airports for one or more alternative flight plans that deviate from the original flight plan, wherein the determining comprises determining the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft, and wherein the performance data comprises information operational capabilities of the aircraft.

[0079] Clause 14. The method according to clause 13, wherein the determining is performed by the control unit while the aircraft is in flight after the aircraft leaves the departure airport and before the aircraft lands at any of the one or more arrival airports.

[0080] Clause 15. A method according to clause 1 or 14, wherein the determination made by the control unit further includes determining one or more fuel levels further based on one or more notifications, and wherein the one or more notifications include information about current weather at one or more arrival airports, forecasted weather at one or more arrival airports, required procedures at one or more arrival airports, and existing curfews.

[0081] Clause 16. The method of any of clauses 13-15, further comprising determining, by the control unit, a current fuel level of the aircraft based on information received from one or more fuel sensors of the aircraft.

[0082] Clause 17. The method according to any of clauses 13-16, further comprising showing, by the control unit, information about one or more alternative flight plans on a display of the user interface.

[0083] Clause 18. A method according to any one of Clauses 13 to 17, further comprising:

[0084] automatically selecting, by the control unit, one of the one or more alternative flight plans for the aircraft; and

[0085] The aircraft is automatically operated based on one of the one or more alternative flight plans.

[0086] Clause 19. The method of any of clauses 13-18, further comprising representing, by the control unit, one or more fuel levels in terms of time.

[0087] Clause 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, in response to being executed, cause one or more control units including a processor to perform operations comprising:

[0088] For one or more alternative flight plans that deviate from an original flight plan, determining one or more fuel levels for an aircraft at one or more arrival airports, wherein the determining comprises determining the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports and performance data of the aircraft, and wherein the performance data comprises an information operational capability of the aircraft.

[0089] As described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for effectively and efficiently informing a pilot of fuel estimates for one or more alternative flight plans during flight.Furthermore, in at least one embodiment, the systems and methods operate in real time.

[0090] Although various spatial and directional terms (such as top, bottom, lower, middle, lateral, horizontal, vertical, front, etc.) may be used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that these terms are used only with respect to the orientations shown in the drawings. The orientations may be reversed, rotated, or otherwise changed so that upper is lower, vice versa, horizontal becomes vertical, etc.

[0091] As used herein, a structure, limitation, or element "configured to" perform a task or operation is specifically structurally formed, constructed, or adapted in a manner corresponding to the task or operation. For clarity and avoidance of doubt, an object that can merely be modified to perform a task or operation is not "configured to" perform a task or operation as used herein.

[0092] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. For example, the above embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, many modifications may be made to adapt specific situations or materials to the teachings of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Although the size and type of materials described herein are intended to define the aspects of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, the embodiments are by no means restrictive, but exemplary embodiments. After reviewing the above description, many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be determined by reference to the appended claims and the full range of equivalents to which these claims are assigned. In the appended claims and the detailed description herein, the terms "including" and "wherein" are used as the plain English equivalents of the corresponding terms "including" and "wherein". In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third", etc. are used only as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. In addition, the limitations of the appended claims are not written in a device-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on Section 112 (f) of Title 35 of the United States Code. Unless and until such claim limitation explicitly uses the phrase "means for..." following the functional recitation avoiding additional structure.

[0093] This written description uses embodiments to disclose various embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the present disclosure, including making and using any device or system and performing any combined method. The patentable scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other embodiments that occur to those skilled in the art. If the embodiments have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if the embodiments include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal language of the claims, these other embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A system (100) for determining aircraft fuel level in real time, the system comprising: A control unit (104) is configured to determine one or more fuel levels of an aircraft (102) at one or more arrival airports (134) for one or more alternative flight plans (130) that deviate from an original flight plan (130), wherein the control unit (104) is configured to determine the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports (134) and performance data (120) of the aircraft (102).

2. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is configured to determine the one or more fuel levels of the aircraft (102) in flight after the aircraft (102) leaves a departure airport (132) and before the aircraft (102) lands at any of the one or more arrival airports (134).

3. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is further configured to determine the one or more fuel levels based on the one or more notifications.

4. The system (100) according to claim 3, wherein: The one or more notifications include information regarding current weather at the one or more arrival airports (134), forecasted weather at the one or more arrival airports (134), and required procedures at the one or more arrival airports (134).

5. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The performance data (120) includes information operational capabilities of the aircraft (102).

6. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is further configured to determine a current fuel level of the aircraft (102) based on information received from one or more fuel sensors (122) of the aircraft (102).

7. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is also configured to automatically discard an alternative flight plan (130) that does not provide sufficient fuel for the aircraft (102) at any of the one or more arrival airports (134).

8. The system (100) of claim 1, further comprising a user interface (106) in communication with the control unit (104), wherein: The user interface (106) comprises a display (108), and wherein the control unit (104) is configured to display information about the one or more alternative flight plans (130) on the display (108).

9. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is also configured to automatically select one of the one or more alternative flight plans (130) for the aircraft (102).

10. The system (100) according to claim 9, wherein: The aircraft (102) is automatically operated based on one of the one or more alternative flight plans (130).

11. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is further configured to represent the one or more fuel levels in terms of time.

12. The system (100) of claim 1, wherein: The control unit (104) is an artificial intelligence or machine learning system (100).

13. A method for determining aircraft fuel level in real time, the method comprising: One or more fuel levels of an aircraft (102) at one or more arrival airports (134) are determined by a control unit (104) for one or more alternative flight plans (130) that deviate from an original flight plan (130), wherein the determining includes determining the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports (134) and performance data (120) of the aircraft (102), and wherein the performance data (120) includes information operational capabilities of the aircraft (102).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The determination by the control unit (104) occurs while the aircraft (102) is in flight, after the aircraft (102) leaves a departure airport (132) and before the aircraft (102) lands at any of the one or more arrival airports (134).

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The determination by the control unit (104) further comprises determining the one or more fuel levels based further on one or more notifications, and wherein the one or more notifications include information about current weather at the one or more arrival airports (134), forecasted weather at the one or more arrival airports (134), required procedures and existing curfews at the one or more arrival airports (134).

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: The control unit (104) determines a current fuel level of the aircraft (102) based on information received from one or more fuel sensors (122) of the aircraft (102).

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: Information about the one or more alternative flight plans (130) is displayed by the control unit (104) on a display (108) of a user interface (106).

18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: automatically selecting, by the control unit (104), one of the one or more alternative flight plans (130) for the aircraft (102); and The aircraft (102) is automatically operated based on one of the one or more alternative flight plans (130).

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: The one or more fuel levels are expressed in terms of time by the control unit (104).

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions, the executable instructions, in response to being executed, causing one or more control units (104) including a processor to perform operations comprising: For one or more alternative flight plans (130) that deviate from an original flight plan (130), determining one or more fuel levels of an aircraft (102) at one or more arrival airports (134), wherein the determining includes determining the one or more fuel levels based on traffic at the one or more arrival airports (134) and performance data (120) of the aircraft (102), and wherein the performance data (120) includes information operational capabilities of the aircraft (102).

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