Man-machine interface for airport traffic control purposes

Details Man-machine interface for airport traffic control purposes Man-machine interface for airport traffic control purposes

1999-03-03

2001-06-12

Lee, Benjamin C. (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Aircraft alarm or indicating systems

Potential collision with other aircraft

C340S947000, C340S933000, C340S953000, C342S029000, C342S036000, C342S059000, C342S450000, C342S456000, C701S016000, C701S120000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06246342

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to new and useful improvements to a man-machine interface (MMI) for airport traffic control purposes. More particularly, the invention relates to a man-machine interface (MMI) for safe taxiing and/or approach-departure control at an airport, having a display area on which processes and situations at the airport can be displayed and, possibly, can be influenced, for example the movements and the current positions of aircraft, and, possibly, vehicles, and lighting system switching states, etc.
The man-machine interfaces (MMI) in airport control centers, for example in air traffic control towers, have until now comprised relatively small screens, arranged in groups alongside one another. The screens are connected to computer units in which the information relating to an airport is collected, processed and changed to a form which can be displayed. Examples, in particular relating to processing, can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,374,932, 5,485,151 and 5,262,784, which are incorporated into the present application by reference. Also incorporated by reference are: EP 0725283, FR 2634945, EP 0714082, DE 19504923, FR 2668012, DE 4216281, GB 2289556, and DE 4304562.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a first object of the invention to change the large number of displays, masks etc. which can be displayed and processed on the small individual screens that are already known, into a form which can be displayed better and is more comprehensible. This will relieve the load on the controllers and improve not only taxiing safety, but also the safety of approach and departure movements and the processes linked to them. In particular it will make them even safer and simplify the controllers' work, thus allowing their concentration span to be lengthened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects are achieved by a MMI designed as a screen whose diagonal is more than 19 inches, in particular more than 21 inches. Screens larger than 19 inches have not so far been used in towers at airports, and although the use of screens of up to 21 inches has already been discussed, they have not yet been introduced. The previous screen sizes were generally regarded as being satisfactory. Furthermore, disadvantages included constriction of the controllers' field of view. Surprisingly, however, the screen size according to the invention offers more advantages than disadvantages.
A refinement of the invention provides for the MMI to be designed to be interactive. In previously known MMIs for airports, the display unit and the switching devices, which are preferably designed as keyboards, have been separated. This means that the controllers have to concentrate even harder, and have to continuously check that the right switches have been operated. An interactive configuration overcomes these problems and improves safety.
Another object of the invention is to provide a flat screen for the MMI, in addition to the screen being larger than ever before. Surprisingly, this makes it possible for even larger-format screens, for example with screen diagonals of more than 100 cm, to be arranged in the field of view of controllers in airport towers, while maintaining sufficient visibility of the runways, taxiways etc. This has not been possible with previously used monitors, since they are very deep. A particularly advantageous feature of the invention is to use a high-resolution flat screen with a daylight (sunlight) capability. Flat screens which can be used in daylight are already known, for example from the document “Tageslichttaugliche Flachdisplays” [Flat displays suitable for daylight use] from Siemens AG, Bereich Datentechnik, [Data Technology Division] dated October 1995 and incorporated herein by reference. However, the size of these known flat screens is only 10.4 inches. It is therefore impossible to use them to display the large amount of information required on screens in air traffic control towers. These flat screens have booster light sources to make them suitable for use in daylight. Equivalent techniques can also be used for large flat screens and their superimposed displays.
To simplify the controller's work, the invention advantageously provides for the use of touch screens for integrated displays and for controlling facilities, for example stop bars etc., at an airport, thus allowing direct traffic management at the airport. This will allow the controllers to issue commands and control instructions in the tower, safely and without the controller having to change the direction he is looking in, in a far better way than when attempting to carry out “blind” operation with a keyboard and a mouse.
It has been found to be advantageous in this case to display menus and windows on the MMI screen. These menus and windows can be called up, added to and edited using a keyboard, as well as using Windows technology, for example with a mouse. Traffic-relevant data can thus be corrected and adapted on the same screen as the switching functions, resulting in an integrated process for the controller. As one example, all the activities relating to the traffic at an airport can be processed in one place such that, and this is particularly advantageous, it is possible for one man to control operations when traffic levels are low, even at a large airport.
The screen can advantageously display both aircraft and vehicle movement areas at the airport, preferably as processed video. Even at a large airport, the main traffic areas can be displayed with sufficiently high resolution on a screen size of at least 100 cm. The two or more runways and taxiways can be displayed either as processed video or as raw video, with the positions of stop bars and other signal transmitters, sensors and their switching and display states also being indicated and/or superimposed on the processed video. At the same time, the display can also show the flight numbers of the aircraft, possibly as well as their type labels. Even with this large amount of detail, a screen size of 19 or 21 inches can provide the required clarity, according to the invention, particularly if very large formats are used.
The invention envisages lists of aircraft on the approach, preferably listed alphanumerically, with aircraft that have recently departed also being listed, likewise alphanumerically, and preferably on free areas of the display, for example in the corners or at the sides of the video. This will provide the controller with a complete overview of airborne and taxiing traffic in his area of responsibility. Departure control is particularly important for gate allocation, and the docking process can advantageously be displayed as well, for example superimposed on the corresponding airport building display, for gate allocation.
The various video displays will preferably have aircraft position indications added, with aircraft indications and, possibly, with associated selected flight plan data, possibly together with vehicle identifications. A transponder system is particularly advantageous in this case, to provide identification reliability, as is shown, for example, in said U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,784. The MMI according to the invention displays both aircraft positions and other information superimposed, both in the respectively appropriate form, that is to say, for example, as raw video, as processed video, obtained optically or by radar, and directly or alphanumerically.
Details or sections from displays, switching states, positions etc. can advantageously be displayed enlarged (zoomed). For example, the precise positions of aircraft and, possibly, vehicles can advantageously be indicated in relation to individual lights, stop bars, sensors etc. The zoomed—and possibly also reduced—displays can optionally be arranged on free areas, or superimposed on the basic image.
The invention also allows aircraft and vehicles to be displayed on the basis of their current position on the movement areas, with an identification of the responsibility for the aircraft or vehicl

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