Aircraft Ground Collision Avoidance via Conflict Cost Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airports face significant risks of ground collisions between aircraft due to unauthorized penetration of trafficways, exacerbated by increased air traffic and the difficulty in managing routing logistics, with existing systems failing to effectively account for risks from nearby aircraft in dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
A device and method utilizing ADS-B and TIS-B communication networks to create conflict cost surfaces, which evaluate the risk of traffic flow constraint violations by inter-correlating intrinsic and extrinsic conflict costs, providing alerts to pilots through audible, visual, or graphical means to prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual monitoring of rolling constraints is performed by the person in charge of the craft, then ease of operation is maintained, but reliability of collision avoidance deteriorates due to increased air traffic and complexity of ground routing management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of ground stations, satellite networks, and onboard equipment that automatically monitor and communicate aircraft positions and routing constraints. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of ground routing management, relieving the pilot of direct visual monitoring responsibilities while significantly improving collision avoidance reliability through automated position verification and alert systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where ground stations transmit routing constraints to aircraft, onboard equipment monitors actual position against these constraints, and automatic alerts are generated when deviations occur. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable collision avoidance by constantly comparing intended and actual positions, providing real-time corrections without increasing operational complexity for the pilot.
2Reliability
If automated monitoring systems with ground installations are deployed, then reliability of collision prevention is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs ground stations and communication networks with multi-functionality, serving not only collision prevention but also air traffic control, navigation assistance, and routing management. This universal approach consolidates multiple functions into single infrastructure elements, improving collision prevention reliability without proportionally increasing infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables aircraft to self-monitor their positions using onboard equipment that automatically receives constraints from ground stations, compares them with actual position data, and generates alerts without requiring constant ground intervention. This self-service capability reduces the operational complexity of ground installations while maintaining high reliability through automated monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If visual monitoring of rolling constraints is performed by the person in charge of the craft, then device complexity is minimized, but measurement precision of position and constraint compliance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical visual monitoring system with electronic and satellite-based positioning systems. Onboard equipment uses satellite signals to determine precise aircraft position, automatically compares it with digital representations of routing constraints, and provides precise compliance measurement. This substitution of mechanical visual inspection with electronic measurement systems dramatically improves position and constraint compliance precision while managing system complexity through automation.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a monitoring device and method allowing surveillance of an aircraft in relation to aircraft and/or craft on an airport displacement zone. The invention is a system comprising a dedicated transmitter and receiver to receive the information regarding the location and displacement of the cooperative aircraft and to monitor the location of the said aircraft in relation to the cooperative aircraft. The monitoring application is based on the detection of conflict zones by inter-correlation of constraint surfaces of the airport zone. The invention applies to aircraft carrying communication moans for ADS-B networks for an airport zone monitoring application.