Automatic Strategic Offset Function for Aircraft Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft navigation systems face crowding issues due to high accuracy, leading to increased likelihood of collisions, as existing flight management computers only allow manual entry of fixed whole number nautical mile offsets, limiting variability and increasing the chance of multiple aircraft following the same offset.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an automatic strategic offset function that generates variable, non-uniform lateral and vertical offsets within predetermined boundaries, using a flight management computer coupled with an autoflight system and sensor systems like GPS and inertial reference units, allowing for continuous and random variations in flight plans to reduce collision risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual fixed whole number nautical mile offsets are used, then flight plan offset capability is provided, but collision avoidance effectiveness is reduced due to fixed values and whole number limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static, fixed offset value into a dynamic, variable offset that changes continuously over time. The system generates offset values that vary within predetermined boundaries, ensuring that the offset is never exactly repeated. This dynamic approach significantly improves collision avoidance effectiveness by preventing multiple aircraft from maintaining identical offset patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of offset values from fixed whole numbers to continuous variable values with decimal precision. By allowing offset values to vary within a range (e.g., 0.5 to 2.5 nautical miles) rather than being restricted to whole numbers, the system creates sufficient variability to differentiate aircraft paths and enhance safety.
2Measurement precision
If high accuracy satellite-based navigation is implemented, then navigation precision is improved, but published flight paths become crowded with aircraft sharing the same flight plan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identical high-precision flight path into slightly varied trajectories by applying unique time-varying offsets to each aircraft. Although all aircraft follow the same base flight plan, the continuous variation in offset values creates effectively segmented paths that maintain safe separation while utilizing the full capability of satellite-based navigation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the offset parameter, transforming it from a static spatial offset to a dynamic offset that evolves over time. This adds a time-based differentiation layer to the navigation paths, allowing aircraft to maintain precise navigation while avoiding crowding through continuous offset variation.
3Ease of operation
If fixed offset values are used for the duration of offset, then ease of operation is maintained, but the likelihood of flight crews picking the same offset value increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where the flight management computer automatically generates and manages the variable offset values without requiring manual input from the flight crew. The system autonomously calculates time-varying offsets within predetermined boundaries, maintaining ease of operation while eliminating the problem of crews selecting identical fixed offset values.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes predetermined boundaries for offset values before flight operations begin. These pre-defined constraints (e.g., offset range of 0.5 to 2.5 nautical miles) guide the automatic generation process, ensuring that the system produces safe and effective offset variations without requiring real-time crew decisions about specific offset values.
Data Source
AI summary
A system may generate a modified flight plan for an aircraft based on an original flight plan. The system may provide an automatic strategic offset function that includes an autoflight system; a sensor system including at least one of a global positioning system, an inertial reference unit, or an air data computer; and a flight management computer. The flight management computer may be operably coupled with the autoflight system and/or the sensor system. The flight management computer may process a flight plan of the vehicle and generate a non-uniform offset value in the vertical and/or lateral orientation between the flight plan and a boundary. The offset value may be used to create an offset flight plan for navigating an aircraft.