System and method for improving situation awareness in aviation

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing states of other aircraft in the vicinity of an operator controlled aircraft. A method of providing a state of other aircraft in proximity to an operator-controlled aircraft includes displaying an operator-controlled aircraft icon on a display to represent a location of the operator-controlled aircraft. Radio transmissions from other aircraft are processed to generate corresponding text. The text is processed to determine at least one of an identifier of the other aircraft, a location of the other aircraft, or an intent of the other aircraft. An aircraft icon representing the other aircraft is displayed on the display indicating at least one of a location of the other aircraft, an identifier of the other aircraft, or an intent of the other aircraft.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to other applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 444,194, filed on February 8, 2023, entitled “System and Techniques for Improved Situational Awareness”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Technology

[0002] Remote navigation and autonomous air vehicles can operate in congested airspace, such as in airport environments. Operators monitoring or controlling multiple air vehicles at a given time may need to maintain situational awareness of other nearby aircraft. At uncontrolled airports (e.g., airports without a control tower or with a closed tower), navigators typically transmit their aircraft's position and / or intentions via radio frequencies to support maintaining safe separation between nearby aircraft. When an operator monitors and / or controls more than one air vehicle, the increased workload can increase the risk of operator task saturation and loss of situational awareness of one or more nearby aircraft. Simultaneous monitoring of multiple radio frequencies may also be necessary, which can be difficult for a single operator to manage in conjunction with other tasks.

[0003] Traditional aviation relies heavily on verbal radio communications to broadcast navigator intentions, monitor the position and intentions of nearby aircraft, broadcast air traffic control (ATC) or control tower communications, request clearances, receive authorizations, and receive new instructions to comply with. Radio communications enhance situational awareness by adding visually perceptible content from the cockpit or Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver display (if equipped). ADS-B is an advanced surveillance technology that combines the aircraft's location source, avionics, and ground infrastructure to create an accurate surveillance interface between the aircraft and air traffic control (ATC). However, navigators of conventional aircraft are typically required to monitor only one frequency at a time and fly only one aircraft at a time.

[0004] In contrast, a multi-vehicle supervisor (MVSor) may need to listen to multiple (e.g., up to three or more) radio frequencies simultaneously and interpret that information to provide situational awareness of surrounding traffic in multiple different operational areas, constantly monitoring multiple aircraft systems. Because the workload of an MVSor can increase significantly under non-nominal or emergency conditions, an MVSor may have a significantly reduced mental bandwidth and attention required to process and interpret such multiple radio transmissions.

[0005] One of the greatest challenges for MVSor is to monitor multiple different public transport advisory frequencies (CTAF) or universal communication (UNICOM) voice communication frequencies used by pilots in a geographical area to declare position and intent information. Some of these pilots are not under ATC control and can not be equipped with cooperative equipment such as ADS-B transmitters or C-mode transponders. SUMMARY

[0006] To provide a basic understanding of the application, a brief overview of some embodiments of the application is presented below. This summary is not an extensive overview of the application. It is not intended to identify key / critical elements of the application or to delineate the scope of the application. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the application in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0007] Embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for enhancing situational awareness of aircraft operators. In many embodiments, the position of at least one aircraft controlled by an aircraft operator and the position, identity, and / or intent of other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft are displayed on a display viewable by the aircraft operator (e.g., using suitable icons and / or text). In many embodiments, radio transmissions broadcast by the other aircraft are processed to generate corresponding text, which is processed to determine status information of the other aircraft (e.g., an identifier of the other aircraft, a position of the other aircraft, and / or an intent of an operator of the other aircraft). In some embodiments, the status information of the other aircraft is supplemented via air traffic control information of the other aircraft. In many embodiments, the status information of the other aircraft is used to configure the icons and / or text displayed on the display. In some embodiments, filtering and / or decluttering is used to deemphasize or not display status information of nearby other aircraft for which the probability of currently affecting the continued safe flight and / or landing of the operator-controlled aircraft is low. The display of the status information of the other aircraft can greatly increase the situational awareness of the aircraft operator and / or reduce the workload of the aircraft operator— especially when the aircraft operator is simultaneously controlling multiple remote piloted or autonomous aircraft.

[0008] Accordingly, in one aspect, a computer-implemented method is provided that provides operator-controlled aircraft proximate other aircraft state information. The method includes displaying, on a display, an operator-controlled aircraft icon to represent a positioning of the operator-controlled aircraft proximate other aircraft. Receiving radio transmissions broadcast by the other aircraft proximate the operator-controlled aircraft. Processing the radio transmissions to generate one or more text strings corresponding to audio content of the radio transmissions. Processing the one or more text strings to determine, for each of one or more of the other aircraft proximate the operator-controlled aircraft, at least one of: an identifier of the other aircraft, a location of the other aircraft, or an intent of the other aircraft. Displaying, on the display, one or more other aircraft icons. Each of the other aircraft icons is indicative of at least one of: the location of one of the other aircraft, the identifier of one of the other aircraft, or the intent of one of the other aircraft.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method further includes supplementing the proximate aircraft state information. For example, the method can further include receiving, via the first wireless transceiver, an internet connection, and / or a surveillance data provider, air traffic information for at least one of the other aircraft proximate the operator-controlled aircraft obtained from an aircraft traffic information source (e.g., an aircraft traffic information database). The air traffic information can indicate a positioning of the at least one of the other aircraft over a period of time. The method can further include associating one of the other aircraft icons with one of the other aircraft proximate the operator-controlled aircraft via comparing a location of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon with location data from the air traffic information. The method can further include displaying, on the display, at least one of: a location track of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon, a symbol indicative of an association between the other aircraft icon and the location track, or intent information of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon. The air traffic information can include Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data or other surveillance / positioning system data. The ADS-B data can include at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) location, an altitude, or a ground speed. The association can be performed by matching at least a portion of the other aircraft identifier in the one or more text strings with the air traffic information. The method can further include accessing aircraft performance data for the one of the other aircraft based on the air traffic information, determining a movement of the one of the other aircraft based on the aircraft performance data, determining an updated location of the one of the other aircraft based on the movement, and displaying the updated location of the one of the other aircraft on the display.

[0010] The method can employ any suitable method for processing the one or more text strings. For example, processing the one or more text strings can include performing a keyword search.

[0011] The method can employ displaying other information that can improve the situational awareness of the aircraft operator. For example, the method can include displaying, on the display, one or more aircraft pattern segments of the airport.

[0012] The method can include displaying any suitable information regarding the intentions of the other aircraft in the vicinity. For example, the displayed intentions of the other aircraft can be to implement a full stop landing, a touch and go landing, or a go around. The displayed intentions of the other aircraft can be to implement an entry into or exit from an airport traffic pattern. The displayed intentions of the other aircraft can include at least one of a position report, holding, a maneuver, slow flight, or other communication to inform local air traffic, an airport tower, or air traffic control of the intentions.

[0013] In some embodiments of the method, the display of the state information of the other aircraft in the vicinity is filtered and / or de-cluttered to not emphasize other aircraft in the area that have a low risk of interfering with the continued safe flight and / or landing of the aircraft controlled by the operator. For example, in some embodiments, the method can further include quantifying, for each of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the aircraft controlled by the operator, a relative chance of needing to alter a current flight path of the aircraft controlled by the operator based on the determined flight trajectory and / or the intentions of the other aircraft. The method can further include determining, for each of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the aircraft controlled by the operator, whether the relative chance of needing to alter the current flight path of the aircraft controlled by the operator is below a threshold. The display of the other aircraft icons of the other aircraft for which the relative chance of needing to alter the current flight path of the aircraft controlled by the operator is below the threshold can be implemented to focus attention on the other aircraft for which the relative chance of needing to alter the current flight path of the aircraft controlled by the operator is above the threshold.

[0014] In another aspect, a system for providing operator-controlled aircraft of other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft includes a radio receiver, a display, at least one processor, and a tangible memory device. The radio receiver is operable to receive radio transmissions broadcasted on one or more aviation communication frequencies. The tangible memory device stores non-transitory instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: (a) display, on the display, an operator-controlled aircraft icon to represent a positioning of the operator-controlled aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft, (b) receive radio transmissions broadcasted by other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft, (c) process the radio transmissions to generate one or more text strings corresponding to audio content of the radio transmissions, (d) process the one or more text strings to determine, for each of one or more of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft, at least one of: an identifier of the other aircraft, a location of the other aircraft, or an intent of the other aircraft, and (e) display, on the display, one or more other aircraft icons, wherein each of the other aircraft icons indicates at least one of: the location of the other aircraft, the identifier of the other aircraft, or the intent of the other aircraft.

[0015] In some embodiments, the system is configured to supplement the state information of nearby aircraft. For example, the instructions can be further executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: (a) receive, via the first wireless transceiver, an internet connection, and / or a surveillance data provider, air traffic information for at least one of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft obtained from an aircraft traffic information source (e.g., an aircraft traffic information database), wherein the air traffic information indicates a position of the at least one of the other aircraft over a period of time; (b) correlate one of the other aircraft icons with one of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft via comparing a location of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon with location data from the air traffic information; and (c) display on the display at least one of: a position track of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon, a symbol indicating a correlation between the other aircraft icon and the position track, or intent information for the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon. The air traffic information can include Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data or other surveillance / positioning system data. The ADS-B data can include at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) location, altitude, or ground speed. The correlation of one of the other aircraft icons with one of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft can be achieved via matching at least a portion of the other aircraft identifier in the one or more text strings with the air traffic information. The instructions can be further executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: (a) access aircraft performance data for the one of the other aircraft based on the air traffic information; (b) determine a movement of the one of the other aircraft based on the aircraft performance data for the other aircraft; (c) determine an updated location of the one of the other aircraft based on the movement; and (d) display the updated location of the one of the other aircraft on the display.

[0016] The system can employ any suitable method for processing the one or more text strings. For example, the system can be configured to process the one or more text strings using a keyword search.

[0017] The system can display other information that can improve the situational awareness of the aircraft operator. For example, the system can be configured to display one or more aircraft route segments of an airport on the display.

[0018] The system can be configured to display any suitable information about the intentions of other aircraft in the vicinity. For example, the displayed intentions of other aircraft can be to implement a full stop landing, a touch-and-go, or a go-around. The displayed intentions of other aircraft can be to implement an entry to or exit from an airport traffic pattern. The displayed intentions of other aircraft can include at least one of a position report, holding, a maneuver, slow flight, or other communication to inform local air traffic, an airport tower, or air traffic control of the intention.

[0019] In some embodiments of the system, the display of state information for other aircraft in the vicinity is filtered and / or de-cluttered to not emphasize other aircraft in the area that have a low risk of interfering with the continued safe flight and / or landing of the operator-controlled aircraft. For example, the instructions can be further executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: (a) quantify, for each of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft, a relative likelihood of needing to alter a current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft based on the determined flight trajectory of the other aircraft; and (b) determine, for each of the other aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft, whether the relative likelihood of needing to alter the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is below a threshold. The display of other aircraft icons for other aircraft whose relative likelihood of needing to alter the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is below the threshold can be implemented to focus attention on other aircraft whose relative likelihood of needing to alter the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is above the threshold.

[0020] In one aspect of the disclosure, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations of any of the methods described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 FIGURE 1 illustrates an example display for improved situational awareness according to embodiments.

[0022] Figure 2 FIGURE 2 illustrates a system logic flow diagram for improved situational awareness according to embodiments.

[0023] Figure 3 FIGURE 3 illustrates an example system for providing state information for other aircraft in the vicinity of an operator-controlled aircraft according to embodiments.

[0024] Figure 4 FIGURE 4 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for providing state information for other aircraft in the vicinity of an operator-controlled aircraft.

[0025] Figure 5 FIGURE illustrates a flow diagram of a method that can be used in Figure 4 the method of FIGURE

[0026] Figure 6 FIGURE illustrates an exemplary computing system for Figure 3 a system of FIGURE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technology and systems described herein allow for improved situational awareness, particularly in an airport environment. A computing system can receive input from radio transmissions from an aircraft (e.g., one or more text strings). In various embodiments, an adapter can be spliced into a radio port, which can convert speech to digits. Speech-to-text conversion will be done by any suitable application. The computing system can process the one or more text strings to determine one or more of the following: an aircraft identifier, an aircraft location, and an aircraft pilot’s intent. The computing system can display an icon on a display, the icon representing the location of the aircraft. Along with the icon, the computing system can display an indication of the aircraft pilot’s intent.

[0028] Figure 1 FIGURE illustrates an exemplary illustration of a graphical representation 100 for improved situational awareness. The graphical representation 100 can be a dedicated display or an overlay on another display.

[0029] The graphical representation 100 can include an illustration of one or more runways 102. The graphical representation 100 can illustrate one or more areas 104 around the runways 102. The areas 104 can include a takeoff, crosswind, downwind, base, and final orientation of an aircraft relative to a given runway 102.

[0030] The graphical representation 100 can include a plurality of fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, and autonomous aerial vehicle aircraft. Pilots of the fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft can make radio transmissions to inform other pilots, an airport control tower, or air traffic control of their aircraft’s location and intent. The number and description of the following aircraft radio transmissions are merely exemplary and do not limit the scope of the disclosure.

[0031] For example, the pilot of the first aircraft 106 can make the following transmission: "Clewatt Traffic, November 1-1-0-Victor-Papa at 2500 over the stadium." The system can receive the transmission and translate the transmission into textual data, such as the tail number: N110VP; the altitude: 2500 mean sea level (MSL); the location: the stadium waypoint; and the intent: unknown.

[0032] The transmission can be made to an uncontrolled field, just as a call would normally be made to an air traffic control facility (e.g., a tower). The first part ("Clewatt Traffic") identifies which airport the first aircraft 106 is near. Here, the first aircraft 106 is near the Clewatt airport. Next is the aircraft call sign. "N110VP" is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration number of the aircraft, also known as the tail number. It is normally written in large letters on the side of the aircraft. Pilots and air traffic controllers will often shorten the call sign to the last three characters of the registration number. Thus, "N110VP" can be shortened to "0VP." Voice recognition will also assist in ongoing calls that are not identified with the full tail number to handle updates. For example, when transcribing a transmission that indicates "0VP," the system can identify the full tail number as "N110VP" based on the tail numbers of nearby aircraft and indicate the full tail number in the transcription.

[0033] The system can check the ADS-B data feed for the tail number and location. If there is no match or partial match for the tail number and no target track is found, the system can display an icon for the type of aircraft based on the tail number registry with a shadow radius of location uncertainty in the waypoint area (e.g., "stadium" in this example transmission).

[0034] The "stadium" portion of the transmission identifies a known geographic location 108 near which the first aircraft 106 is located. Since the location can not be precise, the system can annotate the location with a visual cue, such as a shadow or a particular color area 112.

[0035] Finally, the last portion of the transmission, "2500," indicates the altitude 110 of the aircraft. The altitude 110 is normally set using a local altimeter and reported with reference to mean sea level (MSL). In some cases, the altitude can be reported as an altitude above ground level. The altitude 110 can be annotated with a symbol (e.g., in parentheses) to indicate that it can not be precise.

[0036] A timer 114 can display the number of seconds since the last transmission update from the first aircraft 106. This can indicate the reliability of the displayed information. For example, information with a more recent time display can be more reliable than information with an earlier time display. After a predetermined amount of time without a subsequent transmission, the first aircraft 106 can be removed from the graphical representation 100.

[0037] In an example transmission, the pilot of the first aircraft 106 has not stated an intention. Some potential intentions can include, but are not limited to, "approaching for landing," "practicing maneuvers," or "leaving the area."

[0038] Figure 1 A second aircraft 116 is illustrated with a registration number of "N8245C." The pilot of the second aircraft 116 has made a voice call over the local public traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). The call can be "Clearwater traffic, 45 Charlie is circling."

[0039] The system can translate that into text data tail number: ending in 45C. Altitude: unknown, but the altitude can be between ground level and the aircraft's traffic pattern altitude (normally 1000 feet above ground level). The location can be determined to be on the final approach or in Figure 1 The active runway "16" is illustrated as the runway 102. The system can determine the active runway based on the reported wind. The automated weather report can provide that information. Aircraft generally take off and land into the wind, and the active runway will have the best headwind component, or can minimize the crosswind component. The system can also determine the active runway based on a previous traffic call announcing the active runway. For example, other pilots can announce "Clearwater traffic, N4922D is on the final for 16, full stop." The "16" from that previous transmission can indicate the active runway, specifically runway "16." Recent ADS-B tracks can also indicate the active runway in use.

[0040] After checking the ADS-B data feed for the registration number of the second aircraft 116, the system can determine the location of the aircraft that matches the location and registration number of the second aircraft 116. The system can display the general aviation aircraft icon based on the tail number registry, as well as the ADS-B GPS location and precise altitude, and annotate the track with the intention "circling." In various embodiments, radar data can also be used to correlate the location, in addition to or instead of ADS-B, when available. The icon 118 (e.g., a crosshair icon) can indicate that the correlated ADS-B track matches the voice transmission, and the system is providing precise location and altitude 110 information. The intention 120 "circling" can be displayed as a timer 114 indicating the last transmission.

[0041] The system can also display one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles. A first airborne vehicle 122 with registration number N43WSK can be displayed using position telemetry of one of the MVSor or monitored electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL). All aircraft under the control of the MVSor can be displayed using position telemetry. In this way, the MVSor can identify the aircraft under his / her control with a single glance at the display. Fusing this information with a picture of the surrounding air traffic can provide excellent situational awareness, and threshold-based automated alerts allow the MVSor to focus on relevant nearby traffic. The altitude 110 of the first airborne vehicle 122 can be displayed.

[0042] Figure 1 A third aircraft 124 is illustrated on the graphic representation 100. The third aircraft 124 has a registration number of N432MT. The pilot can transmit the following transmission: “Clewatt traffic, helicopter 2 Mike Tango is crossing midfield into 16.” The system can translate this into textual data, including registration number: ending in 2MT; altitude: unknown; position: crossing midfield to runway “16,” intent: implied leg into the downwind leg after crossing midfield. After checking the ADS-B data feed for this tail number and position and finding a matching track for N432MT, the system can display an icon for the helicopter based on tail number registry information and the traffic call as well as the ADS-B information. The icon 118 can indicate that the associated ADS-B track matches this voice transmission, and the system is providing precise position and altitude 110 information.

[0043] The system can use GPS position and precise altitude information to plot the position of the third aircraft 124. The system can annotate the track with the intent 120 of “crossing midfield.” A timer 114 can be displayed, indicating the last transmission of the third aircraft 124.

[0044] Figure 1 A fourth aircraft 126 with registration number N3003Q is also illustrated on the graphic representation 100. The pilot of the fourth aircraft 126 can transmit “Clewatt traffic, 03Q is on the downwind leg, for 16.” The system can translate this transmission into textual data, including: registration number: ending in 03Q; altitude: unknown, implied leg altitude; position: downwind leg of runway “16,” intent: leg approach for landing on runway “16.” After checking the ADS-B data feed for this registration number and position and not finding a target track, the system displays an aircraft icon with the shaded area 104 of the downwind leg of runway “16.” The altitude 110 can be illustrated in parentheses, as the altitude information can not be precise.

[0045] If precise position information is not available, the system can estimate the ground speed of the fourth aircraft 126 in the landing leg using information in the aircraft registry and correlating to the appropriate pilot operating handbook. For example, a Cessna 172 can have a downwind speed between 80 and 90 knots. In contrast, a Cirrus SR22T aircraft can fly downwind at a faster speed of 100 knots. The length of the aircraft runway is known. Thus, the runway length can be divided by the aircraft ground speed at downwind to determine the potential time the fourth aircraft 126 spends in the downwind leg. For example, for an aircraft with a ground speed of 90 knots, against a runway of 5000 feet in length, the aircraft will spend approximately 32 seconds in the downwind leg. A shorter runway, a faster aircraft, can reduce the time the fourth aircraft 126 spends in the downwind leg. After a predetermined amount of time, the system can indicate that the fourth aircraft 126 has turned to the base leg.

[0046] Figure 1 A fifth aircraft 128 with registration number N421CH is also illustrated on the graphical representation 100. The pilot of the fifth aircraft 128 can transmit "Arcadia traffic, November 421 Charlie Hotel is on the base leg, making 14." The system can translate this into textual data, including: Registration: N421CH; Altitude: Unknown, implied leg altitude; Position: Base leg for runway "14," Intent: Leg approach for landing on runway "14" at the Arcadia Municipal Airport. The aircraft icon will not be displayed in this view because it is not in the operating environment relevant to the current operations of the MVSor. Because another airport environment happens to share the CTAF frequency and is within radio transmission range, this information can be received. This position data and log can be part of a back-end database for use with other MVSors if needed and relevant, but will be filtered out of the display at this zoom and display level.

[0047] Figure 2 An example system logic flow diagram is illustrated, illustrating a process 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0048] At block 202, the process 200 can include receiving a voice transmission over an aviation communication frequency. The transmission can be in the very high frequency (VHF) band. The aviation communication frequency can be a CTAF. The aviation communication frequency can be a tower frequency after the normal operating hours of the airport control tower. The aviation communication frequency can be an approach frequency. The aviation communication frequency can be a center frequency. The aviation communication frequency can be a departure frequency. The voice transmission can be captured as an audio file.

[0049] At block 204, the process 200 can include converting the voice transmission or audio file into one or more text boxes. The one or more text boxes can be stored in memory.

[0050] At block 206, the process 200 can include parsing the one or more text boxes to identify one or more of the following: an aircraft call sign (e.g., a registration number in whole or in part), an aircraft altitude, an aircraft position, an airport name, and a pilot intent. The parsed information can be stored in memory of the computing system. Metadata can be used to link the one or more parsed text boxes or aircraft information to the voice transmission.

[0051] At block 208, the process 200 can include receiving an aircraft traffic data feed. In various embodiments, the aircraft data feed can include ADS-B data.

[0052] At block 210, the process 200 can include correlating the aircraft call sign with aircraft information in the aircraft traffic data feed. The call sign (e.g., a registration number in whole or in part) can be matched to an aircraft in the local area of the airport using a matching algorithm. The process 200 can include storing the correlation between the aircraft call sign and one of the aircraft track in the aircraft traffic data feed.

[0053] At block 212, the process 200 can include determining whether the aircraft call sign is relevant to the airport being operated. As aircraft at different airports can use a common traffic advisory frequency or UNICOM frequency, traffic calls made by an aircraft for other airports can not be relevant to the aircraft being monitored by the MVSor. At block 214, the process 200 can filter out the irrelevant aircraft from the display. The filtered aircraft information can be stored in memory or a database. The filtered information can be displayed to another MVSor if necessary. In some embodiments, the filtered information can be displayed on demand.

[0054] At block 216, the process 200 can include determining whether the aircraft call sign matches an aircraft track near the airport.

[0055] At block 218 (e.g., a "yes" at step 216 indicating that the aircraft call sign matches an aircraft track near the airport), the process 200 can include augmenting the aircraft traffic feed data with the intent from the voice transmission for the aircraft position, altitude, and full call sign (registration number). If the aircraft matches an aircraft track in the aircraft data feed, then a symbol can be displayed to indicate the use of the precise position and altitude from the aircraft traffic feed.

[0056] At block 220 (e.g., "No" at step 216, indicating that the aircraft call sign does not match an aircraft track near the airport), the process 200 can include displaying a target with a shadow position, the shadow position estimated based on the voice transmission location and / or the stated intent. A timer can be displayed to show the number of seconds since the last voice transmission.

[0057] Figure 3 An example system 300 for improved situational awareness is illustrated. The system can include various components, which can include a computing system 302, a radio receiver 304 and aircraft traffic information database 308, a first wireless transceiver or internet connection 310, and a second wireless transceiver or internet connection 316. The radio receiver 304 can receive radio transmissions in the VHF band. The radio receiver 304 can store the radio transmissions as audio files.

[0058] An audio-to-text converter 306 can be a routine capable of converting an audio file to a text file. The text file can be stored in the memory of the computing system 302.

[0059] An aircraft traffic information database 308 can store a plurality of aircraft information. One such aircraft traffic information database 308 can be Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). ADS-B is an automatic service in that it transmits information periodically without the involvement of a navigator or operator. ADS-B can rely on GPS or other suitable navigation systems, such as Flight Management Systems (FMS), to obtain position and ground speed, and is considered surveillance because of its method of determining 3D position and identification of aircraft and other objects. The information transmitted by this system, such as aircraft position, altitude, ground speed, and call sign, is available to anyone with suitable receiving equipment or an internet connection with a provider. This makes it a useful tool for global aircraft operators and air traffic controllers to navigate in increasingly busy airspace.

[0060] ADS-B provides aircraft surveillance data that can be used by air traffic management and other aircraft to track the position of an aircraft in airspace at any given time. ADS-B tracking relies on Mode S 1090ES transponders, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and the deployment of ground- or satellite-based surveillance systems.

[0061] Aircraft equipped with ADS-B OUT systems transmit data using the 1090 MHz frequency via dits - burst transmissions sent periodically by the Mode S transponder. This data can be received by air traffic controllers and other aircraft equipped with transponders with ADS-B IN capability.

[0062] 1090 MHz is the internationally approved frequency for transmitting Mode S replies and ADS-B data. In certain airspace, particularly US airspace, aircraft flying below 18,000 FT MSL can use the 978 MHz - Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) - frequency to broadcast data. This is largely due to the volume of general aviation aircraft flying in US airspace compared to other regions. Both the 1090 MHz channel and the 978 MHz channel can receive traffic (TIS-B) and weather (FIS-B) data.

[0063] The first wireless transceiver or internet connection 310 can be configured to receive aircraft data streams from the aircraft traffic information database 308. The first wireless transceiver or internet connection 310 can operate on a frequency band of 978 MHz to 1090 MHz. The first wireless transceiver or internet connection 310 can also send aircraft registration numbers, GPS locations, and speed data to the aircraft traffic information database 308. The first wireless transceiver or internet connection 310 can send and receive data from the computing system 302.

[0064] The second wireless transceiver or internet connection 316 can send and receive data from a plurality of airborne vehicles, such as airborne vehicle #1 312 and airborne vehicle #2 314. The data can include control data for the airborne vehicles. The data can include location, speed, and acceleration data from the plurality of airborne vehicles. The second wireless transceiver or internet connection 316 can send and receive data from the computing system 302. While ADS-B is described as one source of aircraft information, the present disclosure is not limited to the use of ADS-B. Other airborne data systems in use or developed for future use can be used to provide aircraft information.

[0065] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a process 400 in accordance with examples of the present disclosure. According to examples, Figure 4 One or more process blocks of FIG. 4 can be performed by a computing system.

[0066] At block 405, the process 400 can include capturing audio transmissions broadcast on an aviation communications frequency. For example, as described above, the computing system can capture audio transmissions broadcast on an aviation communications frequency.

[0067] At block 410, the process 400 can include converting the audio transmissions into one or more text strings. For example, as described above, the computing system can convert the audio transmissions into one or more text strings.

[0068] At block 415, the process 400 can include determining, from the one or more text strings, one or more of: an aircraft identifier, a location of the aircraft, and an intent of the aircraft. For example, as described above, the computing system can determine, from the one or more text strings, one or more of: an aircraft identifier, a location of the aircraft, and an intent of the aircraft.

[0069] At block 420, the process 400 can include displaying, on a display device, an icon representing one or more of: the location of the aircraft, the aircraft identifier, and the intent of the aircraft. For example, as described above, the computing system can display, on a graphical representation provided on the display device, an icon representing the location of the aircraft, the aircraft identifier, and the intent of the aircraft.

[0070] In various embodiments, the computing system can include one or more memories; and one or more processors in communication with the one or more memories and configured to execute instructions stored in the one or more memories to perform the operations of the process 400 as described above.

[0071] In various embodiments, a computer-readable medium stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the one or more processors to perform the operations of any of the methods of the process 400 as described above.

[0072] It should be noted that although specific examples of the process 400 are shown, in some implementations, the process 400 can include additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than those depicted in the example of FIG. 4. Figure 4 It should be noted that although specific examples of the process 400 are shown, in some implementations, the process 400 can include additional blocks, fewer blocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than those depicted in the example of FIG. 4. Figure 4 Additionally or alternatively, two or more of the blocks of the process 400 can be performed in parallel.

[0073] In various embodiments, the process 400 can include receiving, from a receiver, aircraft information for one or more aircraft, where the aircraft information can generate an aircraft track on a display. The process 400 can include associating an icon with at least one of the aircraft track by comparing location data from the aircraft information. When the icon and at least one of the aircraft track match, the process 400 can include displaying, on the display, track information, a symbol indicating that the track is associated, and aircraft intent information.

[0074] In various embodiments, the aircraft information includes Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast data. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast data can include one or more of: an aircraft GPS position, an aircraft altitude, and an aircraft ground speed. In various embodiments, the technology can also utilize other traffic data feeds, such as radar, telemetry from UAS or AAM aircraft, etc.

[0075] In various embodiments, determining, from the one or more text strings, at least an aircraft identifier, a location of the aircraft, and an intent of the aircraft is performed by a keyword search.

[0076] In various embodiments, correlating is performed by matching at least a portion of the aircraft identifier in the one or more text strings to aircraft information. In various embodiments, correlating is performed by matching at least a portion of the aircraft identifier to a spoken location in the voice transmission and to aircraft information.

[0077] In various embodiments, the process 400 can include displaying, on the display, one or more aircraft segments of an airport.

[0078] In various embodiments, the intent of the aircraft includes at least one of: a full stop landing, a touch and go, or a go-around. In various embodiments, the intent of the aircraft includes at least one of: entering an airport traffic pattern or exiting an airport traffic pattern.

[0079] In various embodiments, the process 400 can include accessing, based on the aircraft information, aircraft performance data of the aircraft. The process 400 can include determining, based on the aircraft performance data, a movement of the aircraft. The process 400 can include displaying, based on the movement, an updated location of the aircraft.

[0080] Figure 5 A flowchart of a process 500 is illustrated that can be used in conjunction with the process 400 to filter and / or de-clutter status information of other aircraft in the vicinity so as to de-emphasize other aircraft in the area that have a low risk of interfering with the continued safe flight and / or landing of the aircraft under operator control. De-emphasizing other aircraft in the vicinity that have a low risk can help to reduce the task workload and distraction of human factors.

[0081] At block 510, based on the status information of the other aircraft, a relative risk of needing to alter a current flight path of the aircraft under operator control is quantified. Any suitable method can be used to quantify the relative risk. For example, the relative risk can be based on any suitable combination of: (a) a current location of the other aircraft relative to the aircraft under operator control, (b) a current direction of the other aircraft relative to the aircraft under operator control, (c) a current altitude and / or rate of change of altitude of the other aircraft relative to the aircraft under operator control, (d) a current proximity between the other aircraft and the aircraft under operator control, and (e) a projected future location of the other aircraft relative to the aircraft under operator control. The intent of the other aircraft can be used to improve the prediction of the future location of the other aircraft. If the relative risk is low, then each of the considered parameters can be used to generate a risk number for determining whether to de-emphasize the other aircraft.

[0082] At block 520, the relative risk determined in block 510 is compared to a suitable threshold to identify a subset of other aircraft that pose a near-term low risk of interfering with the continued safe flight and / or landing of the operator-controlled aircraft. In some embodiments, the threshold can be adjusted based on the number of other aircraft in the vicinity within a certain range to limit the total number of other aircraft icons displayed while still displaying other aircraft icons for all other aircraft for which the aircraft operator should be informed of corresponding status information for safe operation of the operator-controlled aircraft.

[0083] At block 530, the display of other aircraft icons for which the relative risk is below the threshold is diminished or stopped to focus attention on other aircraft for which the relative risk is above the threshold. Any suitable method can be used to diminish the display of other aircraft icons for other aircraft for which the relative risk is below the threshold. Alternatively, the display of other aircraft icons for other aircraft for which the relative risk is above the threshold can be emphasized (e.g., higher intensity, bold text, flashing display, etc.).

[0084] Figure 6 FIGURE 2 illustrates an exemplary computing system 302 that can be used to implement various embodiments described herein. The computing system 302 is shown including one or more processors 604, system memory 606 (which can include any combination of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as, for example, buffer memory, RAM, DRAM, ROM, flash, or any other suitable memory device), and a network interface (e.g., an external communication interface). In addition, one or more of the modules can be disposed within one or more of the components of the system memory 606 or can be external. Figure 6 The software and hardware modules shown in FIGURE 2 are provided for illustrative purposes only and the configuration is not intended to be limiting. The processor 604, system memory 606, and / or external communication interface 608 can implement the above-described method(s).

[0085] The external communication interface 608 can be configured or programmed to receive and generate electronic messages including information transmitted to or from a plurality of autonomous aircraft by the computing system 302. When an electronic message is received by the computing system 302 via the external communication interface 608, the electronic message can be processed and relevant information (e.g., graphical representation 100) can be displayed on a display device 610 via a graphical user interface (GUI) 614.

[0086] The electronic components of the described embodiments can be specially constructed for the required purposes, or can comprise one or more general-purpose computers selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program can be stored in a computer readable storage medium 612, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, DVD, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random-access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus.

[0087] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the disclosure have been described with reference to a number of specific details that can vary depending on implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the disclosure, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the disclosure, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, with any and all substitutions of structure for any element or components of the claims that are encompassed by the language of the claims as interpreted by those skilled in the art. The specific embodiments described herein can be combined with one another in any suitable manner.

[0088] Also, spatially relative terms, such as "bottom," "top," or "side," and the like, can be used herein for ease of description to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientations depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. The device can be otherwise oriented (for example, rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

[0089] The methods, systems, and devices discussed herein are examples. Various embodiments can omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, features described with respect to certain embodiments can be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments can be combined in a similar manner. Also, technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements described herein are likely to change over time, e.g., as hardware advances become available, software programs provide new

[0090] The terms "and", "or", and "one or more of the" as used herein, can include a variety of meanings both with and without the conjunctive or disjunctive sense, and are intended to be at least partially dependent on the context in which the terms are used. Generally, "or" if used to associate a list, such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C, here used in the inclusive sense, as well as A, B, or C, here used in the exclusive sense. In addition, the term "one or more of as used herein can be used to describe any feature, structure, or property in the singular form or can be used to describe some combination of features, structures, or properties. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example, and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example. Further, the term "at least one of if used in association with a list of items such as A, B, or C, can be interpreted to mean any combination of A, B, and / or C, such as A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, AA, AAB, ABC, AABBCCC, etc.

[0091] "one or more of the" as used herein can be used to describe any feature, structure, or property in the singular form or can be used to describe some combination of features, structures, or properties. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example, and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example. Further, the term "at least one of if used in association with a list of items such as A, B, or C, can be interpreted to mean any combination of A, B, and / or C, such as A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, AA, AAB, ABC, AABBCCC, etc.

[0092] For simplicity, various active and passive circuit components have not been shown in the Figures. In the preceding specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to numerous specific details that can be varied in different embodiments. Thus, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the disclosure, and of what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the disclosure, is the literal and equivalent scope of the claims issued after application publication, in whatever form that can be applied. Specific details can be combined in any suitable manner in specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0093] While the application has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, can effect alterations and modifications of the application.

[0094] It should be understood that all numerical values used herein are for illustrative purposes only and that all numerical values can vary. In some instances, ranges are specified to provide a sense of the magnitude of the dimensions, but do not exclude values outside the specified ranges.

[0095] It should also be understood that all of the figures included herein are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are not intended to be to scale. Unless specifically indicated, it is intended that the figures are not to indicate that any particular physical arrangement is being conveyed, or that all of the elements shown are necessary for the practice of the disclosure. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art associated with the present disclosure that the elements shown in the figures and described herein can be modified or omitted, and other elements can be added without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0096] The above description is illustrative and is not restrictive. Many variations of the disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the pending claims along with their full scope or equivalents.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing status information of other aircraft near an operator-controlled aircraft, the method comprising: Display an icon of the operator-controlled aircraft on the monitor to indicate the location of the operator-controlled aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft; Receive radio transmissions broadcast by other aircraft near the aircraft controlled by the operator; Process the radio transmission to generate one or more text strings corresponding to the audio content of the radio transmission; Process the one or more text strings to determine at least one of the following for each of one or more other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft: the identifier of the other aircraft, the location of the other aircraft, or the intention of the other aircraft; as well as Display one or more other aircraft icons on the display, each of which indicates at least one of the following: the location of one of the other aircraft, the identifier of one of the other aircraft, or the intention of one of the other aircraft.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Receive air traffic information from an aircraft traffic information source, obtained from a first wireless transceiver, an internet connection and / or a surveillance data provider, for at least one of the other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft, wherein the air traffic information indicates the location of at least one of the other aircraft over a period of time. By comparing the positions of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icons with position data from the air traffic information, one of the other aircraft icons is associated with one of the other aircraft near the aircraft controlled by the operator; as well as The display shows at least one of the following: the position track of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon, a symbol indicating the correlation between the other aircraft icon and the position track, or the intent information of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the air traffic information includes Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data or other surveillance / location system data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the ADS-B data includes at least one of the following: Global Positioning System (GPS) position, altitude, or ground speed.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the association is performed by matching at least a portion of the other aircraft identifier in the one or more text strings with the air traffic information.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: Based on the air traffic information, access the aircraft performance data of one of the other aircraft; Based on the aircraft performance data, determine the movement of one of the other aircraft; Based on the movement, determine the updated position of the other aircraft; as well as The updated position of one of the other aircraft is displayed on the display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the one or more text strings includes performing a keyword search.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying one or more aircraft flight segments of an airport on the display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the intent of the other aircraft includes at least one of the following: a complete stop landing, a touchdown go-around, or a go-around.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the intention of the other aircraft includes at least one of the following: entering or leaving an airport landing or takeoff route.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the intention of the other aircraft includes at least one of the following: position reporting, holding, maneuvering, slow flight, or other communication for informing local air traffic, airport tower, or air traffic control of an intention.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Based on the determined flight trajectory and / or the intentions of the other aircraft, for each of the other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft, quantify the relative probability that the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft needs to be changed; as well as For each of the other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft, determine whether the relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is below a threshold. The display of icons for other aircraft whose relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is lower than the threshold is implemented to focus attention on other aircraft whose relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is higher than the threshold.

13. A system for providing status information of other aircraft near an operator-controlled aircraft, the system comprising: A radio receiver operable to receive radio transmissions broadcast on one or more aviation communication frequencies; monitor; At least one processor; as well as A tangible memory device storing non-transitory instructions executable by the at least one processor, such that the at least one processor: An icon of the operator-controlled aircraft is displayed on the display to indicate the location of the operator-controlled aircraft in the vicinity of the operator-controlled aircraft; Receive radio transmissions broadcast by other aircraft near the aircraft controlled by the operator;    Process the radio transmission to generate one or more text strings corresponding to the audio content of the radio transmission; Process the one or more text strings to determine at least one of the following for each of one or more other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft: the identifier of the other aircraft, the location of the other aircraft, or the intention of the other aircraft; as well as Display one or more other aircraft icons on the display, wherein each of the other aircraft icons indicates at least one of the following: the location of the other aircraft, the identifier of the other aircraft, or the intention of the other aircraft.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: Receive air traffic information of at least one of the other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft from an aircraft traffic information source via a first wireless transceiver or Internet connection, wherein the air traffic information indicates the location of at least one of the other aircraft over a period of time. By comparing the positions of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icons with position data from the air traffic information, one of the other aircraft icons is associated with one of the other aircraft near the aircraft controlled by the operator; and The display shows at least one of the following: the position track of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon, a symbol indicating the correlation between the other aircraft icon and the position track, or the intent information of the other aircraft represented by the other aircraft icon.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the air traffic information includes Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data or other surveillance / location system data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the ADS-B data includes at least one of the following: Global Positioning System (GPS) position, altitude, or ground speed.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the association of one of the other aircraft icons with one of the other aircraft near the aircraft controlled by the operator is achieved by matching at least a portion of the other aircraft identifier in the one or more text strings with the air traffic information.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: Based on the air traffic information, access the aircraft performance data of one of the other aircraft; Based on the aircraft performance data of the other aircraft, determine the movement of the one of the other aircraft; Based on the movement, determine the updated position of the other aircraft; as well as The updated position of one of the other aircraft is displayed on the display.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein processing of the one or more text strings includes performing a keyword search.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions may also be executed by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to display one or more aircraft flight path segments of an airport on the display.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the intent of the other aircraft includes at least one of the following: a complete stop landing, a touchdown go-around, or a go-around.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the intention of the other aircraft includes at least one of the following: entering or leaving an airport landing or departure route.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the intent of the other aircraft includes at least one of the following: position reporting, holding, maneuvering, slow flight, or other communication for notifying local air traffic, airport tower, or air traffic control of an intent.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the at least one processor to: Based on the determined flight trajectory and / or the intentions of the other aircraft, for each of the other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft, quantify the relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft; and For each of the other aircraft near the operator-controlled aircraft, determine whether the relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is below a threshold. The display of icons for other aircraft whose relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is lower than the threshold is implemented to focus attention on other aircraft whose relative probability of needing to change the current flight path of the operator-controlled aircraft is higher than the threshold.

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