Contextual Alerting for Airport Ground Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for contextual alerts during ground operations at airports are limited in identifying and addressing complex or inadequate aerodrome design issues that contribute to runway incursions, despite advancements in GIS databases and air traffic control integration.
Innovation Solution
A control module that integrates with aircraft systems to prioritize and display alerts for problematic aerodrome design factors, using a database of predefined scenarios and real-time aircraft state data to identify and emphasize relevant signage and hot-spots, thereby enhancing pilot awareness during ground operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a GIS database inventory of reported runway incursions and problematic taxiway geometry is used for contextual alerting, then the system can identify hot spots and problematic areas, but the system fails to address complex or inadequate aerodrome design issues that contribute to runway incursions
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-identifies and catalogs problematic aerodrome design scenarios (PADS) including complex intersections, inadequate signage placement, and problematic taxiway geometry before incidents occur. By establishing a database of predefined problematic scenarios with geometric criteria and alert parameters in advance, the system enables proactive alerting when aircraft approach these identified hot spots, rather than merely reacting to historical incident data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer of predefined aerodrome design scenario analysis between the raw GIS database and the alerting system. This intermediary processes airport layout data, terrain information, and signage locations to identify problematic geometric configurations, translating static geographic data into dynamic safety alerts that guide pilots through complex aerodrome environments.
2Ease of operation
If real-time aircraft state data and predefined scenario databases are integrated, then the system can provide contextually relevant alerts, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex aerodrome environment into discrete predefined problematic scenarios, each with specific geometric criteria and alert parameters. By dividing the airport layout into identifiable hot spots (complex intersections, signage zones, taxiway geometry issues), the system processes information in manageable units rather than overwhelming the pilot with comprehensive airport data, simplifying the presentation while maintaining thoroughness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts alert parameters based on real-time aircraft state data including position, heading, speed, and aircraft type. As the aircraft approaches different problematic scenarios, the system modifies alert timing, intensity, and content to match the specific context, providing optimized guidance without requiring a complete system redesign for each scenario type.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for contextual alerts during ground operations are provided. The system generates unique alerts for each type of hot-spot and commands a display system to render an image of the route, the relevant signage features, and the hot-spots. The system receives an assigned runway and references an airport features database to construct a route and travel direction for the aircraft. The system analyzes the signage features associated with the route and identifies the relevant signage features. The system processes the route with external inputs, such as notices to airmen (NOTAM), traffic data, and novel rules and data tables, from which the system identifies various kinds of hot-spots. The hot-spots include those that are aerodrome design based, those that are traffic related, and those that are temporal, based on short term closures or operational scenarios.