System and method for determining an alternative flight route based on sector geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9870711-B2
Application number	US-201514733550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 8, 2015
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A flight routing system for determining an alternative route for an aircraft based on an airspace partitioned into a plurality of sectors, and an original flight route having an initial point of takeoff and a destination point is disclosed. The flight routing system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including determining a plurality of points within each of the plurality of sectors. The plurality of points are each located along an edge of one of the plurality of sectors. The processor also performs operations including determining at least one connecting arc for each sector, where the connecting arc connects a first point with another point within each sector. The processor further performs operations for determining a complete time-based airspace network based on at least a forecast capacity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flight routing system for determining an alternative route for an aircraft based on an airspace that is partitioned into a plurality of sectors and an original flight route, wherein the original flight route has an initial point of takeoff and a destination point, the flight routing system comprising:
a processor that receives as input a maximum connecting angle measured between a perpendicular line at a specific point on a selected edge of a selected sector and at least one connecting arc; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a plurality of points within each of the plurality of sectors, wherein the plurality of points are each located along an edge of one of the plurality of sectors;
determining the at least one connecting arc for each of the plurality of sectors, wherein the at least one connecting arc connects a first point with another point located along one of the edges of each of the plurality of sectors such that an angle measured between the first point and the another point located along one of the edges is less than the maximum connecting angle;
determining a complete time-based airspace network based on at least a forecast capacity, wherein the forecast capacity indicates an available capacity for each of the plurality of sectors and which of the plurality of sectors are unavailable, and wherein the maximum connecting angle is based on at least one of aircraft performance, air traffic control, and an amount of connectivity of the time-based airspace network within a single sector; and
selecting the alternative route as output based on at least the complete time-based airspace network and the at least one connecting arc for each of the plurality of sectors, wherein the processor determines the alternative route without any of the at least one connecting arcs located within an unavailable sector, and wherein the unavailable sector is representative of unavailable airspace.

2. The flight routing system of claim 1 , wherein the processor performs an operation to determine a plurality of intersections, wherein each of the plurality of intersections represent where the edge of one of the plurality of sectors and the original flight route intersect.

3. The flight routing system of claim 2 , wherein the processor performs an operation to partition the original flight route into a series of individual arcs based on the plurality of intersections.

4. The flight routing system of claim 2 , wherein the processor performs an operation to determine at least one jump on arc based on either the destination point or one of the plurality of intersections, wherein the at least one jumping on arc connects the one of the plurality of points to either one of the plurality of intersections or the destination point.

5. The flight routing system of claim 2 , wherein the processor performs an operation to determine at least one jump off arc based on either the one of the plurality of intersections of the initial point of takeoff, wherein the at least one jump off arc connects one of the plurality of points to either one of the plurality of intersections or the initial point of takeoff.

6. The flight routing system of claim 1 , wherein the available capacity is based on a number of aircraft that are simultaneously located within a single sector.

7. The flight routing system of claim 1 , wherein the forecast capacity is based on at least one of convective weather conditions, air traffic congestion, and restricted airspace.

8. The flight routing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sectors each include a unique shape that is a reflection of a flow and density of air traffic within the airspace.

9. A computer-implemented method of determining an alternative route for an aircraft based on an airspace that is partitioned into a plurality of sectors and an original flight route having an initial point of takeoff and a destination point, the method comprising:
receiving as input, by a processor, a maximum connecting angle measured between a perpendicular line at a specific point on a selected edge of a selected sector and at least one connecting arc;
determining a plurality of points within each of the plurality of sectors by the processor, wherein the plurality of points are each located along an edge of one of the plurality of sectors such that an angle measured between the first point and the another point located along one of the edges is less than the maximum connecting angle;
determining at least one connecting arc for each of the plurality of sectors by the processor, wherein the at least one connecting arc connects a first point with another point located along one of the edges of each of the plurality of sectors;
determining a complete time-based airspace network based on at least a forecast capacity, wherein the forecast capacity indicates an available capacity for each of the plurality of sectors, and which of the plurality of sectors are unavailable, and wherein the maximum connecting angle is based on at least one of aircraft performance, air traffic control, and an amount of connectively of the time-based airspace network within a single sector; and
selecting the alternative route by the processor based on at least the complete time-based airspace network and the at least one connecting arc for each of the plurality of sectors, wherein the processor determines the alternative route without any of the at least one connecting arcs located within an unavailable sector, and wherein the unavailable sector is representative of unavailable airspace.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the processor determines a plurality of intersections, wherein each of the plurality of intersections represent where the edge of one of the plurality of sectors and the original flight route intersect.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor partitions the original flight route into a series of individual arcs based on the plurality of intersections.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor determines at least one jump on arc based on either the destination point or one of the plurality of intersections, wherein the at least one jumping on arc connects the one of the plurality of points to either one of the plurality of intersections or the destination point.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor determines at least one jump off arc based on either the one of the plurality of intersections of the initial point of takeoff, wherein the at least one jump off arc connects one of the plurality of points to either one of the plurality of intersections or the initial point of takeoff.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the available capacity is based on a number of aircraft that are simultaneously located within a single sector.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forecast capacity is based on at least one of convective weather conditions, air traffic congestion and restricted airspace.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sectors each include a unique shape that is a reflection of a flow and density of air traffic within the airspace.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kang Laura S
• Frafford Darryn R
• Carter Michael L
• Berge Matthew E

Classifications

• G08G5/0026

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/0034

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/0039 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01C21/00 Primary

  Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00 (measuring distance traversed on the ground by a vehicle G01C22/00; control of position, course, altitude or attitude of vehicles G05D1/00; traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title

• G08G5/0043

  Physics · mapped topic