| NATS (EN ROUTE) PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20100049430 | AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - An air traffic control system, for use by a human controller controlling a plurality of aircraft held vertically separated in a stack above a minimum stack level, the system comprising at least one processor, and a display device for the human controller, controlled by said at least one processor; further comprising: means for periodically inputting a value representative of local terrestrial air pressure conditions; means for periodically inputting an aircraft flight level reading representing an altitude defined by a reference air pressure measured on the aircraft; means for periodically generating a display on said display device comprising a plurality of flight levels vertically arranged; means for indicating in said display said plurality of aircraft, arranged in a vertical list ranked by flight level; said at least one processor being arranged, on reception of a new said value, to redetermine said minimum stack level and to vary said display so as to indicate changes to said minimum stack level. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100030457 | AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - An air traffic control system, for use by a controller controlling a plurality of aircraft held vertically separated in a stack, the system comprising at least one processor; a display device for the control generating a display controlled by said at least one processor, and at least one device for selectively receiving, from said aircraft, an indication of their intended future altitudes; in which said processor is arranged to receive such intended altitude data; to compare said intended altitude data with current altitude and/or intended altitude data of other aircraft; and to generate said display on said display device so as to list said plurality of aircraft, to highlight a first part of the display relating to a first aircraft whose intended altitude overlaps with the current or intended altitude of at least one said second aircraft, and to highlight also a second part of the display relating to said second aircraft. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20090012660 | Air Traffic Control - An air traffic control system, for use by a controller controlling multiple aircraft, comprising a processor, an input device and a display device, further comprising: trajectory prediction means for calculating a trajectory for each aircraft, for inputting aircraft detected position data, and for recalculating the trajectories based on said position data, and conflict detection means for detecting, based on the trajectories, future circumstances under which pairs of aircraft violate predetermined proximity tests, and for causing a display on the display device indicating said circumstances, further comprising means for inputting instruction data corresponding to instructions issued by the controller to an aircraft, and in which the proximity indication means is arranged to use a first proximity test and a second, more restrictive, proximity test; and in which the system is arranged to display a symbol representing pairs of aircraft which violate the second test in a first display mode, and those which violate the first set but not the second set in a second display mode, and in which the system is arranged, on input of a said instruction by a controller in relation to a pair of aircraft, to change the display mode of the symbol for said pair from the second mode to a third mode indicating that no further action is necessary. | 01-08-2009 |
