Air Traffic Control Altitude Correction via Grid Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air traffic control systems face challenges in accurately correcting barometric altitude data due to varying atmospheric pressures, leading to variance in altitude calculations and reduced precision, especially outside airport zones where meteorological updates are infrequent.
Innovation Solution
A method that divides the surveillance zone into a two-dimensional grid, detects ADS-B reports, and calculates pressure and temperature values at sea level using pairs of barometric and geometric altitude values to correct barometric altitudes, applying these corrections to improve altitude precision without relying on frequent meteorological data updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If barometric altitude data is used without correction, then the system operates with standard pressure assumptions, but altitude precision deteriorates due to varying atmospheric pressures in different geographical areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the surveillance zone into a two-dimensional grid of cells and calculates local pressure and temperature values for each cell based on ADS-B reports from aircraft in that specific area. This allows each cell to have its own customized correction factors adapted to local atmospheric conditions, rather than applying a uniform correction across the entire surveillance zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the pressure and temperature parameters used for altitude correction by calculating them in real-time from actual ADS-B data. Instead of using fixed standard atmosphere values, the system continuously updates these parameters based on observed aircraft altitude and position data, allowing the correction model to adapt to changing atmospheric conditions.
2Measurement precision
If meteorological data updates are performed frequently across the entire surveillance zone, then altitude correction precision improves, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the surveillance zone into a grid of cells and performs pressure/temperature calculations independently for each cell that has sufficient ADS-B data. This segmentation allows the system to focus computational resources only on areas with aircraft traffic, avoiding the need to process and update meteorological data for the entire surveillance zone uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses ADS-B reports from aircraft themselves as the source data for calculating local atmospheric conditions. Each aircraft's barometric altitude and position data contribute to the correction model for its所在 cell, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for external meteorological data feeds or manual updates.
3Measurement precision
If pressure and temperature values are calculated for each cell in the grid, then localized altitude corrections improve precision, but data processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the correction calculation only to cells that have sufficient ADS-B data available, rather than forcing calculations for all cells in the surveillance zone. Cells without enough data either use default values or inherit from neighboring cells, allowing the system to achieve high precision where needed while avoiding unnecessary processing in areas without aircraft traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs pressure and temperature calculations at regular intervals using accumulated ADS-B data, rather than continuously processing every individual report. This periodic approach allows the system to batch process data efficiently, reducing computational overhead while maintaining up-to-date correction values for areas with active air traffic.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method reduces variance in altitude calculations, enhances precision, and maintains accurate tracking of aircraft, even in areas with non-standard atmospheric conditions, by applying localized corrections to barometric altitudes based on real-time data from ADS-B reports.
Implementation Method 1
calculates pressure and temperature values (P0; T0) at sea level for all the cells, from all the pairs (C; H) acquired for these cells during a determined period
Data Source
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AI summary
Method of correcting the barometric altitude of aircraft (100) implemented by an air traffic control system (110) in a surveillance zone, characterized in that a two-dimensional grid (301) comprising a plurality of cells (302) is defined in the stereographic plane corresponding to the surveillance space, each cell being associated with values of pressure and temperature at sea level (P0; T0) calculated on the basis of a plurality of reports of ADS-B type vertically in line with the cell (302), the correction being able to correct the barometric altitude of the targets detected vertically in line with the cell (302) as a function of the pressure and temperature values (P0; T0) determined for this cell (302).