Aircraft Intent Description Language Encoding in Flight Plans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Air Traffic Management (ATM) solutions use low-fidelity trajectory definitions that cannot unambiguously describe an aircraft's operation within a time interval, leading to insufficient information for predicting aircraft trajectories, especially in complex scenarios like Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Aircraft Intent Description Language (AIDL) to encode high-fidelity trajectory information, which combines with conventional flight plan protocols to provide detailed trajectory definitions, enabling unambiguous trajectory prediction and synchronization across systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard trajectory conventions (ARINC 702A, TCAS/ACAS X CPDLC, ASTERIX, ADS-B, STANAG-4586) are used, then compatibility with existing systems is maintained, but trajectory definition fidelity is insufficient to unambiguously describe aircraft operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds AIDL trajectory definitions within conventional flight plan protocols. The AIDL high-fidelity trajectory data is nested inside the structure of existing standards like ARINC 702A and STANAG-4586, allowing receivers to extract detailed trajectory information without requiring complete protocol replacement. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining outer protocol compatibility while inner-nesting enhanced trajectory data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces user-defined fields as an intermediary mechanism between AIDL trajectory generators and conventional protocol receivers. These user-defined fields act as a bridge, carrying AIDL trajectory data through the conventional protocol envelope, enabling information exchange between high-fidelity AIDL systems and legacy systems without direct conflict.
2Measurement precision
If AIDL is used to provide high-fidelity trajectory information, then trajectory definition accuracy is improved, but compatibility with existing ATM systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the trajectory information into distinct components: conventional protocol fields for basic flight plan data and user-defined fields for AIDL-specific high-fidelity trajectory data. This segmentation allows receivers to process only the relevant portion (AIDL data) without requiring the entire protocol to be rewritten, thus maintaining compatibility while achieving high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimensional layer to existing trajectory communication protocols by introducing user-defined fields that carry AIDL data. Instead of replacing the conventional two-dimensional (protocol field) structure, it extends the communication to three dimensions by embedding additional AIDL trajectory data layers within the existing protocol framework.
3Ease of operation
If conventional flight plan protocols are used, then ease of operation is maintained, but trajectory information sufficiency for complex scenarios (UAS) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential AIDL trajectory information and places it in dedicated user-defined fields within the conventional protocol. This extraction allows the core AIDL data to be separated from the conventional protocol structure, enabling easy processing by both legacy and modern systems while ensuring sufficient trajectory information is transmitted for complex UAS operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method and a system for communicating high fidelity (HIFI) trajectory-related information of an aerial vehicle (AV) through standard aircraft trajectory conventions is disclosed. The method includes obtaining, from a first entity, a flight intent containing low fidelity (LOFI) trajectory-related information. The method also includes obtaining intent generation (IG) configuration parameters defining constraints, objectives, or a combination thereof, supplementary to the flight intent, the IG configuration parameters containing HIFI trajectory-related information for closing all degrees of freedom of motion of the AV and configuration. The method includes encoding, using standard aircraft trajectory conventions, the LOFI trajectory-related information from the flight intent and IG configuration parameters as a flight plan and user-defined fields available for information exchange. The method further includes sending, to a second entity, the flight plan and the user-defined fields.