초록 ▼

An improved system and methods for correlating an interrogation-based air traffic surveillance intruder, such as an Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) intruder, and a GPS-based air traffic surveillance target, such as an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) target to m

An improved system and methods for correlating an interrogation-based air traffic surveillance intruder, such as an Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) intruder, and a GPS-based air traffic surveillance target, such as an Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) target to minimize or eliminate the display of two symbols for the same intruder/target on the CDTI of an aircraft. The method comprises the steps of receiving ADS-B data at a processing unit and calculating select component deltas for the ADS-B data versus an entry in a TCAS intruder file. Progressive weights are assigned to the deltas and the progressive weights are summed, resulting in a total confidence score. Total confidence scores of ADS-B target and TCAS intruder pairs are compared to determine correlation between the ADS-B target and the TCAS intruders.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for correlating the positional data of a intruder in an interrogation-based air traffic surveillance system and the positional data of a target in a Global Positioning System-based air traffic surveillance system, the method comprising the steps of:receiving a GPS-based surveillance broa

1. A method for correlating the positional data of a intruder in an interrogation-based air traffic surveillance system and the positional data of a target in a Global Positioning System-based air traffic surveillance system, the method comprising the steps of:receiving a GPS-based surveillance broadcast from a target including positional data;correlating the target positional data with positional data from one or more entries in an intruder file, each entry associated with one or more intruders; anddisplaying a single icon on a display terminal if the correlation process results in a determination that the target and one of the intruders are the same aircraft. 2. The method of claim 1, correlating the target positional data with positional data from one or more entries in an intruder file, each entry associated with one or more intruders further comprises the steps of:determining deltas of predetermined components of the target positional data and positional data associated with an intruder file entry;assigning a progressive weight value to the deltas of the predetermined components;summing the progressive weight values to result in a total confidence score; anddetermining a highest total confidence score amongst the target positional data and one or more entries in the intruder file associated with one or more intruders. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of adding an additional value to the total confidence score if the ADS-B target associated with the ADS-B positional data and the TCAS intruder associated with the TCAS intruder file entry have been previously correlated. 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of adding an additional value to the total confidence score if all of the deltas of the predetermined components of the ADB-S positional data and positional data associated with a TCAS intruder file entry exceed predetermined minimum thresholds. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined components include relative altitude, relative bearing and range. 6. A method for correlating Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) intruder aircraft position data and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) target position data aircraft in an air traffic control system, the method comprising:receiving an ADS-B broadcast from an ADS-B target including positional data;correlating the ADS-B positional data with positional data from an one or more entries in a TCAS intruder file associated with one or more TCAS intruders; anddisplaying a single icon on a display terminal if the correlation process results in a determination that the ADS-B target and one of the TCAS intruders are the same aircraft. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein correlating the ADS-B positional data with positional data from one or more entries in a TCAS intruder file associated with one or more TCAS intruders further comprises the steps of:determining deltas of predetermined components of the ADB-S positional data and positional data associated with a TCAS intruder file entry;assigning a progressive weight value to the deltas of the predetermined components;summing the progressive weight values to result in a total confidence score; anddetermining a highest total confidence score amongst the ADS-B positional data and one or more entries in a TCAS intruder file associated with one or more TCAS intruders. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of adding an additional value to the total confidence score if the ADS-B target associated with the ADS-B positional data and the TCAS intruder associated with the TCAS intruder file entry have been previously correlated. 9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of adding an additional value to the total confidence score if all of the deltas of the predetermined components of the ADB-S positional data and positional data associated with a TCAS intruder file entry exceed predetermined minimum thresholds. 10. The method of claim 7, where in the predetermined components include relative altitude, relative bearing and range. 11. A method for correlating TCAS and ADS-B data in an air traffic collision avoidance system, the method comprising the steps of:receiving one or more ADS-B broadcasts from one or more associated ADS-B targets including positional data;matching the one or more ADS-B broadcasts with entries in a TCAS intruder file to determine one or more correlation pair candidates;calculating deltas for predetermined correlation components of the one or more correlation pair candidates;assigning predetermined progressive weights to the deltas;summing the progressive weights to result in a total confidence score;determining a highest confidence score amongst the one or more correlation pair candidates; andproviding for correlation of the correlation pair candidate having the highest confidence score. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein matching the one or more ADS-B broadcasts with entries in a TCAS intruder file to determine one or more correlation pair candidates further comprises qualifying the one or more correlation pair candidates based on one or more predetermined qualification parameters. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined correlation components include range, relative altitude and relative bearing. 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:removing from further correlation processing the ADS-B broadcast and the entry in the TCAS intruder file associated with correlated pair to result in one or more remaining viable correlation pair candidates; anddetermining a next highest confidence score amongst the one or more remaining viable correlation pair candidates; andproviding for correlation of the correlation pair candidate having the next highest confidence score. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein providing for correlation of the correlation pair candidate having the highest confidence score further comprises displaying a single icon on a Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) representing the correlated pair. 16. A system for correlating an interrogation-based air traffic communication system and GPS based air traffic communication system, the system comprising:a means for receiving a GPS-based broadcast having positional data associated with a target;a memory component that stores interrogation-based communication data, the communication data including positional data for one or more intruders;a processing unit that receives the positional data associated with the target from the means for receiving a GPS-Based broadcast and positional data of an intruder from the memory component and implements a routine to determine if the target and the intruder are a single aircraft; anda display terminal that indicates a single icon if the processing unit determines that the target and the intruder are a single aircraft. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for receiving a GPS-based broadcast comprises a Mode S transponder. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for receiving a GPS-based broadcast comprises a Universal Access Transceiver (UAT). 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for receiving a GPS-based broadcast comprises a VHF Data Link Mode 4 receiver. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein the routine to determine if the target and the intruder are a single aircraft includes determining deltas for predetermined positional components, assigning progressive weight values to the deltas, summing the progressive weight values to result in a total confidence score and comparing the total confidence score to determine a highest total confidence score. 21. The system of claim 16, wherein the CDTI indicates distinct icons for the target and the intruder if the routine determines that the target and the intruder are separate aircraft. 22. A computer program product for causing correlation between GPS-based air traffic communication system targets and interrogation-based air traffic communication s ystem intruders, comprising:a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium for causing correlation between targets and intruders in an air traffic control system, the computer readable program code including:computer readable program code for causing said computer to determine a delta between predetermined positional components associated with correlation pair candidates, each correlation pair candidate comprising positional data related to a GPS-based communication and positional data related to an interrogation-based communication;computer readable program code for causing said computer to assign predetermined progressive weights to the deltas;computer readable program code for causing said computer to sum the progressive weights to determine a total confidence score; andcomputer readable program code for causing said computer to compare total confidence scores of the correlation pair candidates to determine a highest total confidence score. 23. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising computer readable program code for causing said computer to display a single icon on a display terminal if the correlation process results in successful correlation of a target and an intruder and display of two unique icons if the correlation process results in unsuccessful correlation of an the target and the intruder.