Patent ID: 11955018
Assignee: SMARTSKY NETWORKS LLC
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 7:
8. A system for simulation and management of aircraft trajectories within an airspace, the system comprising:
a network interface, operably connectable to one or more sources of electronic data relevant to an airspace model;
a computer memory coupled to the network interface;
a processor coupled to the computer memory and the network interface;
an airspace model stored in the computer memory, the airspace model initialized to a plurality of parameters which collectively define characteristics of the airspace;
a plurality of trajectory data structures stored in computer memory, each trajectory data structure representing a trajectory to be flown by respective aircraft within the defined airspace model; and
a trajectory management server application executable on the processor and configured for:
acquiring electronic data describing a plurality of trajectories each representing respective aircraft or obstacles within an airspace;
defining a best path for an aircraft associated with a selected one of the trajectories, the best path maintaining a predefined separation to others of the trajectories into the future along the best path;
communicating the best path to the aircraft associated with the selected one of the trajectories for execution by the aircraft;
responsive to the best path being flown for a selected time interval, recalculating each of the trajectories and defining a new best path for the selected one of the trajectories; and
repeating the recalculating and definition of the new best path each time the selected time interval passes until a destination of the best path is reached,

wherein recalculating each of the trajectories comprises:
applying a repulsion force between trajectories that conflict;
applying an elasticity or smoothing force with respect to all of the trajectories; and
applying a bounding force with respect to all of the trajectories.