Patent ID: 9536435
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: G01C,G01W,G05D,G08G

Claim:
1. A method for automatically determining a plurality of conflict-free flight trajectories for a first aircraft, comprising: providing a traffic avoidance spacing system having at least one electronic device to process instructions for determining a plurality of flight trajectories and providing a flight management system; providing information regarding a first aircraft moving in space according to a first state vector; providing information regarding a second aircraft moving in space according to a second state vector, said second aircraft having a standard avoidance interval extending in at least one direction from said second aircraft; determining, by said at least one electronic device, a first flight trajectory for said first aircraft based on said first state vector of said first aircraft, said first flight trajectory including a descent phase for said first aircraft, said first flight trajectory being optimized for a first parameter; comparing, by said at least one electronic device, said first flight trajectory to said second state vector of said second aircraft to determine a miss distance between said first aircraft and said second aircraft; comparing, by said at least one electronic device, said miss distance to said standard avoidance interval of said second aircraft to confirm that said miss distance is greater than said standard avoidance interval; providing information regarding an upper air speed and a lower air speed below a Mach-CAS transition altitude; comparing, by said at least one electronic device, a speed profile of said first flight trajectory to said upper air speed and said lower air speed to confirm that said speed profile of said first flight trajectory is less than said upper air speed and greater than said lower air speed when said first aircraft is below said Mach-CAS transition altitude; determining, by said at least one electronic device, a second flight trajectory for said first aircraft based on said first state vector of said first aircraft, said second flight trajectory including a descent phase for said first aircraft, said second flight trajectory being distinct from said first flight trajectory; and receiving, by said flight management system, one of said first and second flight trajectories to optimize a total energy state of said first aircraft, said flight trajectory received before a top-of-descent point of said selected trajectory.