Onboard Constraint Processing for Dynamic Aircraft Trajectory Planning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air traffic control systems are inflexible and unable to consider dynamic or real-time operational and environmental factors in flight trajectory planning, leading to inefficient and rigid flight paths that do not account for changing conditions such as weather, traffic, and terrain.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft-centric trajectory planning system that utilizes constraint processing onboard the aircraft to analyze and optimize flight paths based on real-time data from various sensors and systems, including traffic, weather, terrain, and airspace restrictions, allowing for dynamic adjustments during flight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If ground-based flight management systems are used to coordinate flight planning, then centralized control and pre-established trajectories are achieved, but the system becomes rigid and unable to consider dynamic real-time operational and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flight management system into two segments: ground-based systems that provide pre-established trajectories and constraints, and onboard aircraft systems that perform real-time constraint processing and trajectory optimization. This segmentation allows adaptability to real-time factors while distributing processing requirements across multiple systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The aircraft's onboard system performs self-service by autonomously processing constraints and optimizing trajectories in real-time without requiring constant ground system intervention. The system uses its own sensors and onboard data to dynamically adjust flight paths while complying with constraints provided by ground systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If rigid rule-based flight management systems are used, then standardized flight plan execution is achieved, but flexibility to account for changing conditions such as weather, traffic, and terrain is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, pre-established trajectories to dynamic trajectory optimization that continuously adapts to changing conditions. The onboard system dynamically adjusts flight paths in real-time while maintaining compliance with constraints through continuous constraint processing and re-optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the onboard constraint processing system continuously monitors real-time operational and environmental factors, compares current flight status with constraints, and adjusts trajectories accordingly. This closed-loop feedback ensures both flexibility and compliance with established constraints.
3Productivity
If ground systems prepare all trajectories with full consideration of real-time factors, then optimal flight paths are achieved, but the processing burden on ground systems increases rapidly with air traffic growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the real-time constraint processing function from ground-based systems and relocates it to onboard aircraft systems. Ground systems retain responsibility for establishing constraints and pre-planned trajectories, while onboard systems handle the computationally intensive real-time optimization, thereby reducing ground processing burden while maintaining operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for providing trajectory planning for an aircraft based on constraint processing are disclosed. The method may take into consideration the dynamic or real-time operational and environmental factors, and utilizes constraint processing to provide trajectory optimizations between the end points of the flight. The trajectory planning method may be performed utilizing a computer or processor onboard the aircraft. The method may include receiving a starting location and an ending location for a phase of flight of the aircraft; receiving a set of constraints from multiple systems and sensors for the phase of flight of the aircraft, wherein operations of the aircraft during the phase of flight are subject to the set of constraints; and analyzing the set of constraints to determine an optimal trajectory between the starting location and the ending location, the optimal trajectory is determined based on compliance with the set of constraints.