Airport Mapping Data Fusion for Topology-Correct Taxi Paths

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing AMDB data processing systems face challenges in handling topological errors such as guidance lines that overshoot or undershoot airport polygon boundaries, resulting in inaccurate navigation data for aircraft surface movement guidance systems.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for preprocessing AMDB data to fuse aerodrome surface elements, correct topological errors, and derive single paths and zones from guidance lines, which are then stored in a guidance element database for use by aircraft surface movement guidance systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If AMDB data is processed using existing systems, then navigation data is generated, but topological errors such as guidance lines overshooting or undershooting airport polygon boundaries occur resulting in inaccurate navigation data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation data accuracyVSAvoidtopological correctness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing preprocessing of AMDB data before main processing. The system pre-processes aerodrome surface elements to correct topological errors such as guidance lines overshooting or undershooting polygon boundaries, ensuring topological correctness is established before navigation data generation begins

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary preprocessing step that acts as a mediator between raw AMDB data and navigation data generation. This intermediary process fuses aerodrome surface elements and corrects topological inconsistencies, ensuring both accuracy and reliability in the final navigation data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If guidance lines are used directly from AMDB data, then navigation paths are generated quickly, but topological errors result in inaccurate visual representations of taxi paths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata processing speedVSAvoidvisual representation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary fusion of aerodrome surface elements before generating visual representations. This pre-processing step corrects topological errors in guidance lines while maintaining efficient processing throughput, ensuring both speed and accuracy are achieved

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct use of raw guidance lines with a processed version where aerodrome surface elements are fused and topological errors are corrected. This substitution maintains processing efficiency while dramatically improving visual representation accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4607493A1Systems and methods for processing airport mapping database data
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP4607493A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4607493A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4607493A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Systems and methods for processing Airport Mapping Database (AMDB) data are provided. The systems include a guidance element database accessible by an aircraft surface movement guidance system, and a controller functionally coupled to the guidance element database and configured to, by one or more processors: receive AMDB data from an AMDB, wherein the AMDB data includes aerodrome surface elements of an airport including guidance lines associated with regions of the airport, preprocess the AMDB data to fuse at least some of the aerodrome surface elements and thereby produce fused AMDB data indicative of fused aerodrome surface elements, process the AMDB data and the fused AMDB data to determine guidance elements including one or more single paths and/or zones for at least some of the regions of the airport, and store the guidance elements in the guidance element database.