Extension of aircraft tracking and positive identification from movement areas into non-movement areas

Abstract

At most airports, responsibility of air traffic control starts and stops at the entrance or exit to the runway movement areas, which are taxiways and runways. In the non-movement areas, such as hangers, ramps, and aprons, aircraft movements and separation are no longer the responsibility of air traffic control, but is the responsibility of other parties such as the airport itself, airlines, or other parties. The use of tracking technologies for air traffic control is therefore focused on the movement areas, not the non-movement areas, where there are limitations in aircraft tracking. Furthermore, many of the aircraft transmitting devices are switched off in non-movement areas exacerbating tracking problems in these areas. The present invention includes several methods including broadband multilateration, to extend aircraft tracking from the movement areas into non-movement areas without the need to extend special air traffic control equipment into those areas.

1 . A system to for determining if proximate aircraft at the airport are using different communication frequencies and provide aircraft and controller alerts accordingly, comprising:
 means for tracking aircraft proximate to an airport,   means for receiving from aircraft, radio communication signals,   means for correlating radio communication signals with corresponding aircraft,   comparing received frequency of received radio communication from one proximate aircraft with frequency of a received radio communication of another proximate aircraft, and   generating a controller alert of a frequency of received radio communication from one proximate aircraft is different than a frequency of a received radio communication of another proximate aircraft.   
   
   
       2 . A system for detecting anomalies in aircraft data, comprising the steps of:
 a receiver or receivers for receiving from the aircraft, an electronic signal indicating an indicia of aircraft data;   means for comparing the indicia with a second source of aircraft data; and   means for indicating when a disagreement between the indicia and the second source of aircraft data occurs.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia comprises a reported aircraft number and the second source of aircraft data includes an optical reading of the aircraft number from the aircraft. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia comprises a reporting of fuel on board, and the second source of aircraft data includes an estimate of an amount of fuel consumed for a given aircraft flight path, wherein the means for indicating reports if the reported amount of fuel on board is inconsistent with the fuel consumption for a reported flight path. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia comprises a reporting of aircraft position, and the second source of aircraft data includes a determined calculation of aircraft position, wherein the means for indicating reports if the reported position is inconsistent with the determined position. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia comprises a reporting of aircraft number, and the second source of aircraft data includes an optically read aircraft number, wherein the means for indicating reports if the reported aircraft number is inconsistent with the optically read aircraft number. 
   
   
       7 . A system for improving the accuracy and completeness of aircraft data, comprising the steps of:
 a receiver or receivers for receiving from the aircraft, an electronic signal indicating an indicia of aircraft data;   means for comparing the indicia with a second source of aircraft data; and   means for indicating when a disagreement between the indicia and the second source of aircraft data occurs   means for determining what data are incomplete, incorrect, or missing   means of inserting the corrected data into the database   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the indicia comprises a reported aircraft number and the second source of aircraft data includes an optical reading of the aircraft number from the aircraft. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the indicia comprises a reporting of aircraft position, and the second source of aircraft data includes a determined calculation of aircraft position, wherein the means for indicating reports if the reported position is inconsistent with the determined position. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the indicia comprises a reporting of aircraft number, and the second source of aircraft data includes an optically read aircraft number, wherein the means for indicating reports if the reported aircraft number is inconsistent with the optically read aircraft number.