GB2406998A - The use of mobile telephone communication technology in air traffic control - Google Patents

Abstract

In the present system each aircraft is considered as a single mobile telephone. On approaching an Air Traffic Control area, or before take-off, the pilot of the aircraft dials up the Air Traffic Controller. The mobile telephone will then transmit continuous information from the aeroplane, e.g. aircraft identification, height, airspeed, location, etc. This then enables the Air Traffic Control computer to transmit instructions automatically to the pilot (e.g. climb, turn, increase speed) to avoid keep the aircraft on course without the need for human intervention.

Description

2406998 PATENT APPLICATION.

TITLE: THE USE OF MOBILE 'PHONE (CELL 'PHONE)

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

DESCRIPTION.

This Application proposes the use of Mobile 'Phone(Cell 'Phone), Technology in Air Traffic Control Systems, such that the identification, ongoing location, and flight characteristics, of any aircraft, is Digitalised, from the aircraft's own Flight Deck, and transmitted directly into the Air Traffic Control Computers (A.T.C.Computers), without the first reliance on Air Traffic Control Radar, ( A.T.C. Radar), by means of the Aircraft's own Mobile 'Phone.

In such a system, A.T.C. Radar, is used primarily as an ongoing confirmation of Flight Deck Instrumentation Readings, through this communication link, specific to the particular aircraft, and the feeding of this information into the A.T.C.Computers, which then supervise, and direct the pilot, by means of a separate, Flight Deck Visual Monitor, (F.D.V.M.),attached to the Aircraft's Mobile 'Phone.

Through the ongoing referral of the Aircraft's Flight Instrument readouts, of Height, Airspeed, Heading, and G.P.S.reference, to a three dimensional space grid centred on the airport, the flight path of an aircraft, through the grid is defined simply as a progression of digits. The A.T.C.Radar, and A.T.C.Computers, are used to confirm these readings, and return them, (corrected where necessary), onto the Aircraft's, F.D.V. M., through the Mobile 'Phone link. Any designated aircraft flight path, through this reference grid, is programmed into the A.T.C.Computer, and is used to direct the pilot along it, and to give warning of any deviation from it, on the aircraft's F.D.V.M.

At present these parameters, for Air Traffic Control purposes are identified by A.T.C.

Radar alone, and appear as a myriad of 'blips', or numbered boxes, on the A.T.C. Radar screens. Unfortunately with rapidly increasing Traffic Densities, the present system is fast approaching saturation, because of the human limitations, of the Controllers themselves, to assimilate, process, and correctly respond to the myriad and complex bites of information. This situation is made even worse, since it relies entirely on verbal communication, which is very slow, and liable to misinterpretation.

The use of this Mobile 'Phone link however, not only creates a continuous, secure, and specific communication route, between the aircraft and the A. T.C.Computers, using this instantaneous Digital format, but also an ongoing avenue of any necessary 'control' instructions to the pilot, from these Computers, or from the Controllers themselves, via the Mobile 'Phone's own Visual Monitor, (F.D.V.M.).

SPECIFICATION.

The System proposed in this Application would operate as follows: Each Aircraft is distinct, and is to be considered in terms of this Patent Application, as a single Mobile 'Phone.

On approaching an Air Traffic Control Area, or when awaiting instructions for Take -Off, the pilot of the aircraft, would simply 'DIAL UP', the Air Traffic Controller.

Once the connection is made, aircraft's, 'Phone', would then continuously transmit in digital format, the following information, into the Air Traffic Control Computers: 1) Aircraft identification Number. and Mobile Phone telephone number 2) Flight number. take off destination. and manifest details.

3) Intended Action w.r.t., to the Air Traffic Control Airspace e.g. Passing Through, Landing Approach, Awaiting Take-Off.

4) Flight Deck Information.

Height Airspeed Directional Heading G.P.S., Reference.

This information, enables the A.T.C. Radar, to 'lock onto', and label, the aircraft, on its own radar screens.

Confirmation ofthe receipt and checking ofthis information, and it's acceptance into he Air Traffic Control Computers, (A.T.C.Computers), would be given, simply by retransmitting it back to the aircraft, corrected if necessary, where it would appear onto the separate Visual Monitor, situated on the Aircraft's Flight Deck, so that it's values can be visually compared, with the Flight Deck Instruments. The aircraft's G. P S., Reference, being automatically converted, by the A.T.C.Computer via the A.T.C.Radar, into 'Distance from, Control Tower', and it's position within the 3 Dimensional Reference Grid, fixed. Additionally, the aircraft's own On Board Computer, would also convert these Flight deck readings, into the 3D, grid system, centred on the Airport.

Audible warning of discrepancies would also be given by the Aircraft's, Mobile 'Phone, as would deviations, from command instructions issued by the A.T.C.Computer, which are being fed into the Flight Deck Visual Monitor. The continuous feeding and checking of these Flight Deck parameters, would then take place, automatically, between the Aircraft and the A.T.C.Computer, using the Aircraft's 'Mobile Phone', link.

In order to plot the position and flight path, of each aircraft, within the Air Traffic Control Airspace, (A.T.C.A.), and define it digitally in three dimensions, it is necessary to construct a 3D reference grid, as follows: The A.T.C.A., is divided into rectangular boxes or cubes, which are stacked in the four quadrants, North West, North East, South West, and South East, the centre of the grid, being say a vertical line through the Control Tower of the Airport.

For simplicity these units could be 1000 ft. cubes, and would obviously stack in 1000ft.

layers.

Each individual cube, would then have a reference number, built up as follows: Layer Prefix.(height in multiples of 1000ft.) Quadrant Ref.

East or West Number North or South Number.

For Example:

01NE000623N000524E. Giving the cube located at: First Layer-NE Quadrant623rd.N-524'h E. The A.T.C. Computer, instantaneously converts, the positional, and distance A.T.C.

Radar readings, of each aircraft as it passes through these individual cubes of airspace, into a sequence of digits.

The actual and required Flight Path of any aircraft through the grids can therefore be digitally defined. merely as a continuous ribbon sequence of these cube reference codes which is instantaneously programmed into the A. T.C.Computer.

Also, each available Take Off end Landing Path, and Transit Path, is already defined and memorised in these terms and controlled by the A.T.C. Computer.

Since, the Position, Height, Airspeed (corrected to Groundspeed), and Course, of each aircraft is continually and automatically related to the Reference Grid, by the A.T.C.Computer, (derived from it's Radar), and that of the individual aircraft constantly relayed back, to the Visual Monitor on it's own flight deck, such a system could conceivably be used in the future to pilot aircraft by remote control.

Until then, the A.T.C.Computer, is able to predict, compare, and accordingly modify where necessary, the flight path of each aircraft relative to the others within the Reference Grid, by simply instructing the pilot via his Flight Deck Visual Monitor, using the 6 basic commands.

CLIMB to-( )DESCEND to-( ) TURN LEFT onto-( ) TURN RIGHT onto-( ) INCREASE AlRSPED to-( ).REDUCE AIRSPEED to-( ).

The Flight Deck Monitor, could also continually display the 'cube', numbers ofthe Reference Grid, as the Aircraft passes through them.(At an airspeed of 600 mph., the aircraft would take, 1.14 seconds, to traverse a 1000ft. cube).

This could give the pilot, further indication ofthe aircraft's actual flightpath, which is ongoingly and instantaneously compared, to that required by the A.T.C. Computer., constantly displayed on the Flight Deck Monitor.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS.

   1) By considering each Aircraft, as a separate Mobile 'Phone, and by the use of Mobile Phone, (Cell'Phone), Technology, a distinct, secure, and continuous, channel of communication, in the Digital Format, can be set up, between a particular Aircraft, and the Air Traffic Control Computers, (A.T.C. Computers).

   To enter the Air Traffic Control System, the pilot merely Dials Up, the Air Traffic Controller, and the aircraft's Mobile 'phone, automatically and constantly transmits: Aircraft Identification Particulars Mobile 'phone Number Flight Details Existing Flight Deck Readings: Directional Heading.

   Height.

   Airspeed.

   G.P.S., Reference, (immediately converted to 'distance from airport'), and location within the Air Traffic Control Airspace's, Three Dimensional Grid, (centered on the airport), by the A,T,C, Computer, from the A.T.C. Radar).

   As a check, the aircrafl's own onboard computer, could also be programmed, to constantly convert the flight deck, instrument readings, into positioning within this Three Dimensional Grid, and transmit this, to be compared to and corrected as necessary in the same way, by the A.T.C. Computer, against it's own A.T.C.Radar.

   2) Confirmation to the pilot that this connection has been made, is given by the A.T.C.Computer, instantaneously, retransmitting this information, (corrected, where necessary, by the A.T.C.Radar), back to the Aircraft, directly into the separate Flight Deck Visual Monitor, attached to the Aircraft's Mobile 'Phone.

   Once this communication link has been made and confirmed, in this way by the A.T.C.Computer, the Aircraft's 'Phone, constantly, transmits and receives back, in corrected form the critical information from it's own Flight Deck, plus any additional instructions or information for the pilot.

   This information, not only allows the A.T.C. Radar, to 'Lock On', the aircraft, and label it on the A.T.C.Radar Screens, but also locate the aircraft within the Three Dimensional Grid System, into which the A.T.C. Airspace has been divided.

   In this way identification, and flight details of every aircraft, within the Air Traffic Control Airspace are entered into the A.T.C.Computer, and each individual pilot, is able to constantly, verify his Flight Deck Instruments, against the Radar-backed, readings from the A.T.C.Computer.

   3) To construct a Three Dimensional Grid, the Airspace of the A.T.C.Area, is divided into 1 000ft. cubes, centered on the Airport Control Tower.

   The cubes are stacked, in 1 OOOft. layers, into the four segments, North East, North West, South East and South West, so that each individual cube, has a reference number, given by: Layer Number Segment ( NE. NW. SE. SW.) .

   Number of cube North or South Number of cube East or West 4) This Three Dimensional Grid reference, when Digitalised, not only defines the position of an aircraft within it, at any point in time, but also describes, the Flight Path of the aircraft, as it traverses the cubes of the grid., merely as a continuing stream of digits.

   In this way, the A.T.C.Conputer, knows the Position and Flight Path of every aircraft, it is in communication with. It can therefore, memorise, predict, and ultimately control, the Flight Path, of all the aircraft within it's remit. Additionally, as further confirmation, the aircraft's own onboard computer would process the information, from it's own instruments, to give an ongoing, location and process within this same Three Dimensional Grid system.

   5) Instructions to the pilot, to change course, height, and airspeed, can then be given, instantaneously by the A.T.C.Computer, directly into the Visual Monitor, situated on the flight deck. It is possible to conceive an automatic aircraft control system, based on these principles.

   Audible warning would also be given, to the pilot, in the event of any discrepancies, between the Flight Deck instrumentation readings, and the readings based on the A.T.C.Radar, and any deviation from the designated flight path.