Aircraft Flight Path Determination Using Multilateration Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining an aircraft's flight characteristics, such as origin and destination airports, are unreliable due to limitations in multilateration techniques and data feeds, leading to inaccurate identification of flight sectors and airports.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that uses multilateration data to determine key points in an aircraft's flight path, including top of climb and top of descent, and extrapolates to identify potential airports within a certain distance, combining data from multiple feeds to enhance accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If multilateration techniques and data feeds are used to determine aircraft flight characteristics, then the determination process can be automated, but the accuracy and reliability of identifying origin and destination airports deteriorates due to limitations in these techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediate processing steps including data validation, quality assessment, and cross-referencing with multiple data sources as mediators between the automated multilateration system and the final airport identification. These intermediaries filter and verify data before making determinations, improving reliability while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where determination results are continuously validated against multiple data feeds and historical patterns. When inconsistencies are detected, the system adjusts its analysis by re-evaluating data points or seeking additional information, creating a self-correcting automated process that improves reliability through iterative validation.
2Area of stationary object
If multilateration data points are used to identify aircraft position, then coverage area can be extended, but measurement precision deteriorates in areas with limited coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple data feeds and multilateration data sources together, merging their strengths to achieve both wide coverage and maintained precision. By integrating data from multiple stations and sources, the system achieves accurate position determination even in areas where individual data feeds have limited coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a threshold-based approach where it requires a minimum number of valid data points before making a determination. In areas with limited coverage, the system may use fewer data points than ideal but still above a minimum threshold, allowing operation in partial coverage areas while maintaining acceptable precision through careful selection of the available data.
3Reliability
If extrapolation methods are used to identify potential airports, then the ability to determine destination in limited coverage areas is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple calculation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calculations and pre-identifies potential destination airports based on flight path extrapolation before final determination is needed. By pre-processing the data and creating a shortlist of candidate airports, the system reduces the complexity of the final determination step while maintaining high reliability in destination identification.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of determining an aircraft flight path or element thereof such as a destination or an origin of an aircraft comprises: obtaining data comprising a plurality of data points for the flight of an aircraft over a sector, each data point being indicative of a position of the aircraft at an corresponding time; determining the destination or the origin of the aircraft based on plurality of data points. A further method comprises: receiving an aircraft charter request, the aircraft charter request including source and destination information, details of a cargo, and a required time of arrival; determining, for one or more aircraft, whether the aircraft can be used as a charter aircraft for the aircraft charter request based on a location of the aircraft, a speed of the aircraft and one or both of a destination of the aircraft or an origin of the aircraft; and, in response to determining that the aircraft can be used as a charter aircraft for the aircraft charter request, transmitting the aircraft charter request to an operator of the aircraft.