Abstract :
A system and method for determining simultaneously and independently onboard of each aircraft and on the ground at Air Traffic Control Centers (ATCC) utilizing almost identical surveillance modules for determining the 3D position of all aircraft in an Air Traffic Control (ATC) area utilizing a Universal Time Clock (UTC) clock to further synchronize all of the surveillance modules on the aircraft and at ground level stations. Five ground stations including a master and four slaves communicate with each other and all aircraft in the ATC areas. The same precise 3D position of all aircraft operating in that ATC airspace is simultaneously computed by all the aircraft in that ATC area utilizing the measured distance between the aircraft and ground stations in that area providing full automated support for landing, take-off and taxi operation of the aircraft to a Gate or from a Gate, by using a ground infrastructure of radio communication stations which are operating worldwide within a 16 MHZ frequency spectrum from the existing DME 962-1213 MHZ spectrum. During functioning of the system, any mobile equipped with a dedicated receiver could determine its 2D position on the ground within an airport area or within any ATC area, such mobile being a truck, a car, a boat, a train, a mobile phone, or any other mobile operating in that ATC. Other implementation of this system is a RUNWAY system where one such system will cover the operation of aircraft on both side of Runway and could entirely replace existing ILS or MLS at a fraction cost. Similar operation could be achieved by using audio or ultrasonic signals for a precised 2D/3D position location for other applications.
Keywords :
air traffic control; aircraft landing guidance; position control; synchronisation; Air Traffic Control Centers; RUNWAY system; Universal Time Clock; ground based 2D/3D position location system; ground infrastructure; ground level stations; landing; surveillance modules; synchronize; take-off; taxi operation; Aerospace control; Air traffic control; Aircraft; Area measurement; Clocks; Frequency measurement; Frequency synchronization; Master-slave; Satellite ground stations; Surveillance;