ITRM20070214A1 - ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FOR HIGH-PROTECTION SURVEILLANCE OF AIR TRAFFIC TO INHIBIT THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF AIRCRAFT - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled: ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FOR THE SURVEILLANCE OF AIR TRAFFIC WITH HIGH PROTECTION TO INHIBIT THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF AIRCRAFT;

The present invention substantially relates to the aviation safety sector, with particular reference to the use of aircraft operating from airfields, airfields and minor airports, both in relation to the Security and Safety aspects.

It should be noted that the protection from an aircraft candidate for "Kamikaze" actions is very difficult to achieve, as with the typical speed of a light aircraft you can travel 4 km in a minute, being able to reach a target in the center of a large metropolis after only 3 - 5 minutes from when the same plane has deviated from a normal route.

It is therefore desirable that the checks are carried out before, already at take-off, thanks to an apparatus that allows to know the pilot's intentions at take-off, transmits them to a surveillance center, which then follows the movement of the aircraft over time.

When the aircraft is in flight and is in a space not covered by the Radar, i.e. it is there but the aircraft proceeds at too low altitudes for which the Radar signal could be uncertain or absent, or flies following the flight rules on sight, it is necessary that the plane signals its position to the other planes flying in the area and that the same aircraft can notice the presence of the other traffic.

The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide such an apparatus capable of carrying out such checks following the movements of the aircraft.

This has been achieved, according to the invention, by providing a control apparatus as described in claim 1.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained with the following detailed description and with reference to the attached figures which illustrate, purely by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the parts making up the apparatus;

Figure 2 schematises the main phases of the various blocking levels that inhibit the unauthorized use of aircraft;

Figure 3 is an exemplary screen of what is displayed on the screen of the tower apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 4 is an exemplary screen of what is displayed on the screen of the on-board apparatus according to the invention, during the flight;

figure 5 is an exemplary screen relative to the airport database and relative radio frequencies available to the user;

Figure 6 is an exemplary screen similar to that of Figure 4, when the aircraft is in proximity to a landing strip;

Figure 7 is an exemplary screen similar to that of Figure 4, which shows the database and the waypoint.

With reference to Figure 1, the invention substantially comprises:

- a tablet PC or other functionally similar device;

- a satellite data and voice communication device;

- a FLARM type device;

- an ADS-B receiver;

- a Transponder;

- a GPS device;

- an electronic control unit for processing data provided by on-board sensors relating to navigation and engine operation, commercially known as BlueBox <®>;

- means of connecting the tablet PC with the other devices listed above.

According to the present invention, in order to satisfy the aspects relating to Security, it is envisaged to inhibit the pilot from carrying out a series of actions classified as unauthorized.

This impediment to proceeding is carried out through different levels of blocking:

A} A first level of blocking allows the control tower or surveillance personnel to recognize the person at the controls, who must send their data or identification codes to the ground, for example, fingerprints, preferably in encrypted form via Internet.

B) A second blocking level operates by prohibiting the presentation of flight and engine data, effectively preventing the use of the aircraft, unless there is sufficient time to install new instruments and make new electrical and pneumatic connections.

The block is ensured by a coded and variable message transmitted by a special electronic control unit (known with the commercial name BlueBox <®>), which must be answered by means of an appropriate software configured to respond selectively to the specific electronic control unit of that aircraft. .

According to a peculiar feature of the invention, said software is run on a PC that can be unlocked exclusively through the biometric data of the owner and is related to the code of the electronic control unit, so that only when the PC is unlocked and the program recognizes the code of the control unit is It is possible to view the data relating to the flight and engine parameters on the on-board instruments and send them to the ground (fig. 2).

C) A third level of blocking consists in verifying that the data relating to one's position and that are communicated on the ground are not deliberately wrong.

This is obtained, according to a further peculiar feature of the invention, by providing for the simultaneous sending, through the Internet in encrypted form, of the same position information detected by the instruments: in this way the ground surveillance center can immediately compare the correspondence of the encrypted data. with those provided spontaneously by the pilot. Furthermore, in the case of deployment on the territory of several receiving stations, thanks to the comparison of the reception times of the ADS-B message it is possible with the Multilateration technique, to estimate the position of the aircraft emitting the signals with an accuracy of a few hundred meters.

D) A fourth level of blocking consists in the continuous verification, by the surveillance center and the on-board equipment, of the occurrence of deviations from the flight program or from the selected waypoint. These deviations are automatically communicated to the ground via ADS-B and via an Internet connection.

Advantageously, the provision of these filters and controls that act before the start of the flight, during the flight and in the immediacy of an unjustified variation of the trajectory, guarantees a timely signaling on the ground of anomalies in behavior, and at the same time blocks third parties from unauthorized use.

The invention can also manage the automatic sending of predefined messages such as "hijacking in progress" or "weapons on board", sent during an apparent normal execution of piloting operation.

The device is able to activate the transmission of data to the on-board computer only after having recognized the response code issued by a specific software implemented by a PC and activated by biometric recognition or other means deemed suitable. This procedure is developed to increase safety, as it allows the use of the tablet PC only to authorized persons and allows only this specific PC to be interfaced with the surveillance and control apparatus described.

In the embodiment that is described, the electronic control apparatus described up to now is substantially adapted to acquire the flight and engine data and to generate a dynamically variable keyword (for example as a function of the data received from the GPS satellites and from the unique code of a special BlueBox <®> electronic control unit), which device is able to activate the transmission of the aforementioned data to the on-board computer only after having recognized the response code issued by a special software implemented by a PC that can be activated via biometric recognition or other means deemed suitable.

According to the invention, the electronic control apparatus described is capable of sending to the ground, with at least two independent communication systems, the information of its position.

To increase the level of safety, it is also possible to provide that the invention transmits the biometric data of the pilot and passengers to the ground in real time.

Advantageously, with reference to the safety aspects, the present invention allows to provide the pilot and / or ground staff with a particularly intuitive view of the air traffic situation, regardless of the weather and / or visibility conditions (figs. 3-4 ).

In fact, a multifunction display is provided on which the planes present in a certain airspace are displayed, which are shown, instead of as symbols (for example arrows), with their reconstruction in 3D, with position, direction and attitude corresponding to the their real position, also with respect to a georeferenced 3D cartography which is displayed at the same time. The reconstruction is possible since the electronic apparatus according to the invention is equipped with a database which associates to each aircraft present in the world, identified with a unique 24-bit code, a specific model of aircraft, whose dimensional and performance characteristics are known. and stored in the local database, which can be continuously updated via the Internet.

The invention also aims, by means of the "mode S" transponder signals and a FLARM (FLIGHT AlARM) type device, to be able to identify, display and show the flight data of different categories of flying objects such as: airliners, business jets, touring aircraft, ultralights, gliders, hang gliders and paratroopers.

This aspect is of considerable importance as normally only a part of the aircraft can be seen from the ground control: those that have a transmission-enabled transponder on board or that are of such size as to be identified by a primary radar. As regards the possibility of displaying the position of other aircraft on board, the number of aircraft fitted with an anti-collision device is normally limited to airliners, business jets, air taxis and some private aircraft with TCAS systems and, with the exception of light aviation field, gliders who are required to install the FLARM type sender / receiver during the race.

Given the number of accidents due to collisions in flight or against obstacles that rise from the ground, it is necessary to increase flight safety that is primarily usable by all types of aircraft without penalizing some. Secondly, that it is intuitive and easy to interpret. Finally, that it does not provide false alarms or possible warning of unreal collisions, as it could induce the pilot who has received many inconsistent danger warnings to deactivate the system or to ignore the real alarm, or to carry out dangerous maneuvers for himself and / or for a non-existent traffic in the vicinity.

For greater completeness of information, the main characteristics and data provided by the "mode S transponder" system and the "FLARM" type sender / receiver will be illustrated.

In telecommunications, the term transponder {abbreviation of Transmitter-Responder, sometimes abbreviated to XPDR, XPNDR, TPDR} means an automatic device that receives, amplifies and retransmits a signal on a different frequency or an automatic device that transmits a predetermined message in response to a received and predetermined signal.

The transponder is used to identify aircraft and provide the controller with a set of data that can allow him to safely control the airspace.

To date, the control of the airspace is performed by means of a primary radar that receives the echo signal of large aircraft with large metal surfaces very well, but if it is a small aircraft or made with composite materials there is a risk not to receive a clear signal and therefore not to be able to view their position. Furthermore, the spatial coverage is influenced by the morphology of the ground, by meteorological conditions such as rain or snow and also receives as an echo of the signal metal objects, which can be mistaken for aircraft if in motion (for example trucks or buses). Furthermore, not all primary radars provide the object's altitude, but only their position on a horizontal plane.

To compensate for the limitations of the primary radar, a system, called secondary radar, has been introduced which uses a different approach. The aircraft has installed a device on board, the transponder, which can communicate with the secondary radar, sending appropriate information so that it is still visible to the controller.

The "S Mode" is a new and advanced SSR (Secondary Surveillance Radar) secondary radar mode that is added to those currently used (3 / A and C), allowing selective interrogation / response. The choice of the assigned name "S" derives, in fact, from "selective".

The advantages of the S mode are many:

• reduction of conventional SSR problems (garbling and fruiting) through selective interrogation;

• resolution of the lack of Mode 3 / A codes;

• integrated data link capability;

• compatibility with conventional SSR radars;

• essential for the proper functioning of the ACAS (Airborne Collision Avoidance System);

• internationally standardized system.

As for the FLARM type sender, it should be noted that it has been developed to avoid collisions between gliders especially during competitions and when operating near a thermal as it often happens that more aircraft find themselves using the same updraft that normally it is limited in size. Furthermore, this system could also be used by paratroopers in order to signal their position during the fall.

The apparatus according to the invention obtains its position through a 16-channel GPS receiver connected to the FLARM type system and retransmits this position - via radio signal - within a radius of about 4 km. If another aircraft that mounts the FLARM type device receives this radio signal, the position of the other aircraft will appear on a display. The transmission of the FLARM type sender takes place with low power (10 mW) and using for example the free frequency in the Non-Specific Short Range Device (SRD), sub band f, between 868.0 and 868.9 Mhz as specified for Europe in the document ERC / REC 70-03 annex 1 and in ERC / DEC / (01) 04.

Furthermore, the invention manages in real time the setting of destinations and waypoints selected on board the aircraft.

The invention allows the setting of the flight route through waypoints and destination airport which can be changed during the flight. This function is made particularly simple thanks to the adoption of an internal database that collects airports and airfields and the relative radio frequencies so that the pilot can choose the destination with a simple operation using keys or buttons, without unfolding maps and without having to determine his own position. and that of the area sought, thus making its piloting safer (fig. 5).

The synthetic vision system on the tablet PC display allows the pilot to see where the airport or airfield is located in the scenario in front of which it is located and, if said airport or airfield has been introduced into the database in 3D, also to see the track drawn in detail. This function allows the pilot to approach and enter the circuit correctly, as it could happen that the entry into the airport area occurs in such a way as to intersect the descent path {fig. 6).

Another advantage provided by the visualization in the synthetic view of airports and airfields, in terms of increasing safety on the fly, consists in the possibility of avoiding the overflight of minor airports or airfields without realizing their presence (the grass runways, for example, are scarcely visible already at a few hundred meters) and therefore to avoid a possible collision with aircraft taking off or landing.

In addition, this synthetic view provides the real-time representation of the navigation data (speed, altitude, direction and waypoint) of your aircraft and of the surrounding ones, as well as the graphic representation of natural and artificial obstacles and any obstacles provided with an ADS transmitter. B or FLARM type.

The invention constantly provides real-time ground speed, altitude, heading data using the GPS receiver. Moreover, thanks to the various software and databases it is provided with, it can provide waypoints of interest to navigation, the destination airports or airfields or around the aircraft, so as to allow the pilot to view and choose a possible alternative destination or - in case of emergency - the nearest one (fig. 7).

It should be noted that according to the invention it is possible to carry out a continuous updating of the database with the possibility of adding artificial obstacles, such as high voltage pylons or chimneys, so as to increase flight safety when at low altitude as in the case of a approaching an airport or in the event of an emergency landing.

Another peculiarity of the invention consists in the ability to receive and show in the synthetic navigation system the ADS-B signals coming from special transmitters which, as required by law, can be installed on top of obstacles considered dangerous for air navigation or for indicate the presence of overhead cables.

There are also visual and audible alarms that are activated if the conditions of possible collision exist (for this purpose specific algorithms are provided that evaluate the real danger).

From what has been said, it is clear that the invention is capable of detecting and showing the pilot the presence of other aircraft in flight that have a mode S ADS-B transponder or a FLARM type system, as well as natural obstacles through the representation of the terrain map. in 3D, the boundaries of prohibited or regulated areas on the fly, artificial obstacles entered in the database or marked with ADS-B or FLARM type equipment. With this information and through specific algorithms it is possible to determine the possibility of collision with the ground, obstacles and above all with other aircraft. This danger is signaled to the pilot through acoustic and visual warnings with the further possibility of showing the pilot - on the synthetic vision system - the position of the threat (in the case of an airplane in the vicinity, it will be possible to see its 3D shape with the direct nose along the trajectory) so as to allow correct management of the danger with a maneuver in the safest direction.

According to the invention, the possibility of having the real direction of movement of the other aircraft and the direction of the waypoint towards which they are directed, allows the system to determine whether the aircraft entering a defined proximity zone is really a threat to the airplane in flight. This is important as the pilot is in any case communicated through the synthetic 3D vision of the presence of other aircraft, but if they enter the proximity area with directions that do not compromise the safety of the aircraft, the alarm systems are not activated.

As far as the flight controllers are concerned, it should be noted that, having available the data of the aircraft in flight, they can determine and anticipate the actions of the various aircraft with a good margin in order to make traffic management much more fluid and safe.

Given the possibility of providing ground vehicles, such as vehicles operating in the airport area, with ADS-B or FLARM type transmitters, it is possible both for the pilot (through the representation of these objects in the synthetic view) and for the control tower, management of ground movements even in poor visibility conditions and in the absence of a ground radar (equipment used in a few airports and with high investment and management costs).

By receiving the mode S transponder it is possible - with a single receiving antenna of the mode S transponder - to monitor traffic for over 300 km in optical range without requiring auxiliary equipment or equipment placed on the ground in the monitored area. This particularity allows a large-scale air traffic control without the need for expensive and bulky equipment.

The Tower apparatus consists of an ADS-B receiver, a FLARM-type receiver and a PC with a special software called "SVS TOWER BIOFLY" connected to the internet.

The tower-type station, thanks to the peculiarities of the "SVS TOWER BIOFLY" software, can also be positioned in a remote place with respect to the airport / airfield whose traffic is monitored.

Many aircraft operate, as required by law, without having a flight plan or without having to stay in contact with an information center which, in the event of an emergency, could signal the dispatch of help. This aspect, which provides the possibility of saving the pilot's life after a crash landing, can be guaranteed by means of the possibility of the invention to transmit the data of one's navigation and destination to a coordination center. This allows rescuers to have a precise area in which to search. Therefore the invention provides a system similar to that of Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), usually used in maritime navigation and Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs) used in aviation.

A disadvantage of these known systems, however, consists in the fact that they can be activated manually and in the more sophisticated versions with automatic sensors (for example pressure sensors which activate the signal after a violent impact with the ground). Their activation determines the sending, via a satellite signal, of an emergency message so that a special center can obtain its position and send help. Note that in order to activate the automatic signal, predefined critical conditions must be overcome, for example during impact, which may not happen if the crash landing does not occur by touching where the sensor is positioned. To send the manual signal it is instead necessary that someone is conscious and able to activate it.

Unlike these known systems, the apparatus described up to now is a valid safety aid since in the conditions in which the normal emergency systems may not work, it still provides the route, the position before the impact and, if the disaster does not causes its destruction, continues to provide the position to rescue even after landing.

As required by aviation regulations, take-offs and landings at an airport or airfield must be recorded in a special register by both the pilot and the operator. Operation that especially in the airfields becomes of considerable commitment as the manager is not always present.

The invention allows, through the sending of the ADS-B or FLARM type signal, to record the take-off or landing of the aircraft in which it was installed, through a specific fully automated system owned by the operator, so as to guarantee the compliance with the regulations in force, as well as allowing him to check the operations that took place on his track.

An interesting aspect that arises from the ability to obtain data relating to take-offs and landings at an airport or airfield, is that of being able to exchange these data with other operators via the Internet so as to be able to have a quick and complete scenario of all the movements of aircraft on the territory. Furthermore, if an aircraft does not land at the destination airport, it will be possible to quickly see if it has landed at another airport and if there is no news of landings made, the rescue system could be alerted in a timely manner. .

It is also interesting to observe that, given the need for an airport or airfield manager to know the movements on his runway, or through an exchange of information to be able to know the movements in all the other airports, thanks to the present invention it is possible obtain this information via any PC connected to the Internet and with the appropriate authorization. This exchange of information, possibly limited to the movement of the individual aircraft and in accordance with current privacy regulations, could be provided to people interested in following the movements of the aircraft in real time.

Finally, to facilitate the pilot's maneuvers, the invention provides the NEAREST function in an innovative way, which consists in showing the closest landing points on the screen in case of emergency, showing them directly on the 3D cartography present on the on-board display.

In the preferred embodiment that is described, the actuation of a right (or left) Arrow button causes the rotation of the point of view on the screen at a constant speed to the right (or left) allowing to observe all the possible options, with the name airport, distance and direction including any obstacles with their altitude.

The present invention has been described and illustrated in one of its preferred embodiments, but it is clear that any technician skilled in the art will be able to make changes and / or replacements that are technically and / or functionally equivalent, without however going beyond the scope of protection of this industrial patent. .

Claims (8)

CLAIMS: 1. On-board electronic equipment for air traffic surveillance with high protection to inhibit the unauthorized use of aircraft, characterized by the fact that it comprises, in combination: - a tablet PC or other similar processing apparatus equipped with a display; - a satellite voice and data communication device; - a FLARM type device; - an ADS-B receiver; - a Transponder; - a GPS device; - an electronic control unit for processing data provided by on-board sensors relating to navigation and engine operation, commercially known as BlueBox <®>; - means of connecting the tablet PC with the other devices listed above; further including means for biometric recognition of the pilot's identity. 2. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said satellite data and voice communication device is equipped with a suitable Docker device, 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said electronic control unit comprises, in combination, means for acquiring data from the sensors and instruments present on the means of transport, means for processing the acquired data, for storage means data, graphic display means, radio and satellite telephone means of communication and means of input / output interface with the pilot. 4. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized by the fact that said control unit is adapted to be connected to said tablet PC equipped with a suitable software which is able to generate a 3D graphic display which reproduces, in real time and regardless of real atmospheric conditions and / or external visibility, the landscape that the pilot would see looking out of the cockpit in conditions of excellent visibility, as well as the shape and trajectory of flying objects in the vicinity. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is adapted to interact with at least one electronic control unit of the aforesaid type connected to a PC enabled to surf the Internet, installed on the ground in the vicinity of an airport or airfield or airfield for the local air traffic control; said electronic control unit being connected to at least one telephone communication device, at least one FLARM type device, at least one ADS-B receiver, at least one transponder detector, thus obtaining the recognition and display of all types of aircraft: ULM, gliders, light aircraft , hang gliders, paratroopers, etc. 6. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said control unit is equipped with a special software which provides in real time, through an on-board display, the navigation data (speed, altitude, direction and waypoint) of its aircraft and of the surrounding ones, and provides graphical indications on alternative airports, natural and artificial obstacles. 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with visual and audible alarm devices to signal to the pilot the presence of possible collision conditions; the dangerous conditions being detected by special specific algorithms that evaluate the real danger. 8. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said control unit installed on the ground is suitable for exchanging information relating to airport traffic using the Internet.