Patent Application
20200202724
The present disclosure is directed to a method for planning flight trajectories for at least two aircraft aiming to subsequently approach a predefined reference point, in particular a predefined destination such as a runway. The present disclosure is also directed to a corresponding planning device for planning such flight trajectories and the disclosure is directed to a corresponding computer program.
One of the main tasks in Air Traffic Control (ATC) is to keep aircraft properly separated. This defines the background for all Air Traffic Management (ATM) services, many of which rely on forecasts provided by trajectory predictions. This problem of keeping aircraft properly separated is also directed to arrival flights of aircraft at the same airport and in particular at the same runway. Accordingly, the separation is directed to a distance between the at least two aircraft and to the time difference between these with respect to the same reference point.
Nowadays appropriate separations are incorporated by air traffic management tools such as an Arrival Manager (AMAN) at one point, e.g., the landing runway. Such concepts assume that that point, i.e., the landing runway is the most critical point, i.e., that at the landing runway two aircraft have the closest approach, i.e., the smallest separation. However, if the first aircraft of such two aircraft approaches the runway with a higher speed than the other aircraft the closest approach of both aircraft may not be at the landing runway.
One possibility to address this problem might be to ensure separations at several discrete points. That might be an improvement for advanced tools. However, in this case the minimum separation may not be ensured on continuous parts of the route. To ensure separations on continuous parts of the route one possibility might be assuming common speed profiles along these parts, i.e., if the separation is ensured at two adjacent points such separation may also be assumed on the part between these two points if the speed of both aircraft is constant and the faster aircraft is not overtaking the slower aircraft. However, usually a separation on continuous parts of the route which two flights have in common is only indirectly guaranteed by assuming common speed profiles along these parts.
To further improve such air traffic management, trajectory prediction incorporates more and more details to increase the precision. This also takes into account that there is frequently more and more air traffic to be managed. There is a trend to design airspaces to be more flexible to allow efficient usage. Such developments lead to trajectories with individual and detailed speed profiles. Accordingly, it might soon become insufficient for an AMAN to assume common speed profiles or explicitly ensure separations only at discrete points.
The European Patent Office has cited the following prior art documents in the priority application: US 2018/240348 A1, US 2010/217510 A1 and US 2015/269846 A1.
One or more embodiments are directed to ensuring separation along continuous stretches based on a pair of trajectories with individual speed profiles. One or more embodiments is directed to a method is directed for planning flight trajectories for at least two aircraft aiming to subsequently approach a predefined reference point. Such predefined reference point may in particular be a predefined destination, such as the runway of an arrival airport.
A flight trajectory is basically a flight route or flight path with additional information, in particular the time or points in time at which the corresponding aircraft reaches particular points of the route or the flight path. Accordingly, a flight trajectory defines where the aircraft flies and when. It might in addition comprise information on how fast the aircraft flies at each point of its trajectory.
Each aircraft travels along a flight route according to an individual flight trajectory, such that a first aircraft travels along a first flight route according to a first flight trajectory and a second aircraft travels along a second flight route according to a second flight trajectory. The first and second flight routes can be different or can be partly or completely the same. Based on that at least the second flight trajectory is set or adjusted such that at least one predetermined minimum separation between the two aircraft approaching the predefine destination according to their respective flight trajectories is ensured. Such predetermined minimum separation may be a distance between the two aircraft and in this case the minimum separation may for example be 5 kilometers and that means that these two aircraft do not come closer than 5 kilometers.
It is further suggested that the predetermined minimum separation is ensured throughout the whole flight trajectories. Accordingly, picking up the last example, the two aircraft never get closer than 5 kilometers.
Accordingly, the suggested method does not only ensure such minimum separation for a single destination point such as the runway of an arrival airport, or even for two or more predefined points along a travel path, but that such predetermined minimum separation is ensured throughout the whole flight trajectories.
It was found that according to individual speed profiles of these two aircraft, the aircraft may come closer than the minimum separation, if only the predefined destination is observed. Even when considering more points along the flight path of flight trajectories the separation between the two aircraft may be smallest in between of such two predefined points.
Instead of that, it was found that it is important to consider not only a few points along the trajectories, but to consider the whole flight trajectories in order to ensure said predetermined minimum separation.
It is thus suggested that the predetermined minimum separation is ensured throughout the whole flight trajectories by setting or adjusting an adjustable trajectory parameter of the first or second flight trajectory. Accordingly, by using an adjustable trajectory parameter, in particular an arrival time difference between the first and second aircrafts, the first or second flight trajectory, or both, can be defined to ensure the minimum separation throughout the whole flight trajectories. Simply speaking, it was realized that the closest approach may be anywhere between the two flight trajectories and at least one of these two flight trajectories is changed, e.g., shifted, by the adjustable trajectory parameter such that this closest approach becomes as big as the minimum separation.
One embodiment uses only one adjustable trajectory parameter, but there could also two or several parameters be used.
Below it is described how to change the second trajectory, i.e., the trajectory of the second aircraft following the first aircraft. However, the described and explained method can also be used for changing the first trajectory, or both trajectories, without departing from the scope of the invention. Even both flight trajectories are considered, that may however not mean, that the whole flight trajectories of both aircraft are considered from starting airport to arrival airport, as usually the starting airport of both aircraft are not the same and thus it is only necessary to define the relevant flight trajectories in the proximity of the arrival runway, e.g., this might be 12 nautical miles (12 NM) before the arrival airport, to give a simple example. These relevant parts of the flight trajectories can be understood as the whole flight.
In particular, for the cases where the flight trajectories of two aircraft have an identical flight route but different times, it might also, under consideration of the speed of the aircraft, be possible to observe a time difference as minimum separation. At least with known flight speed, a minimum separation in the meaning of a minimum distance can be transformed in a minimum separation being defined by a minimum time difference. Regulations may specify the passage of the same point by two flights to be separated by a minimum time difference. However, further features and explanations given below are focusing mainly on a distance as a minimum separation. However, this can be equivalent to a time lag defining a minimum separation.
According to one aspect, an arrival time difference defining a time difference between the first and the second aircraft to reach the predefined reference point is determined as a parameter of the second flight trajectory and the arrival time difference is determined such that the predetermined minimum separation is ensured throughout the whole flight trajectories.
It is generally a common task, e.g., in arrival management (AMAN) systems to set an arrival time difference, i.e., to set an arrival time for a second aircraft with respect to the arrival time of a first aircraft that lands before the second aircraft. However, it was realized that setting such arrival time difference to ensure a predetermined minimum separation at the point in time of the arrival of the first aircraft does not necessarily mean that that is the minimum separation throughout the whole flight trajectories. Instead, it was realized that there might be smaller separations than the minimum separation, in particular smaller distances at an earlier state. One possibility could be, that the first aircraft is generally having a higher speed than the second aircraft. It is also possible that the first aircraft is generally having a higher speed than the second aircraft, but according to reducing the flight speed close to arrival the speed of the first aircraft becomes smaller than the speed of the second aircraft but only in a very late state just before the final arrival. In that situation, the smallest separation can be at any time before the arrival of the first aircraft.
Accordingly, this aspect suggests a solution that the arrival time difference for the second aircraft to the first aircraft is set such that the predetermined minimum separation is ensured throughout the whole flight trajectories of these two aircraft.
According to one aspect, the first flight trajectory is associated to a preceding aircraft approaching the reference point before a following aircraft and the second flight trajectory is associated to the following aircraft reaching the reference point subsequently after the preceding aircraft. For this constellation the second flight trajectory, at least part of it, is calculated or adjusted based on the first trajectory and based on the minimum separation such that the second flight trajectory ensures the minimum separation with respect to the first trajectory.
According to this suggestion, the first flight trajectory and thus the flight trajectory of the preceding aircraft is just taken as given information and is not further amended in order to ensure the minimum separation. Of course, the first flight trajectory of the current situation might have been the second trajectory of a preceding situation. However, the general underlying idea is that the following trajectory is accepting the trajectory of the preceding aircraft and thus the following trajectory is, if necessary, adjusted accordingly in order to ensure the predetermined minimum separation throughout the whole flight trajectories.
According to one aspect, each flight trajectory comprises at least one of: a plurality of nodes; and at least one trajectory segment connecting a preceding nodes and the following node.
According to one aspect, each flight trajectory comprises a plurality of trajectory segments.
Each node is defined at least by:
The node location may be defined by absolute coordinates, but according to one aspect, it is suggested that the node location is defined by a distance to the predefined reference point. Underlying this concept is that at least the first and second flight trajectories both use the same route. Accordingly, the first and the second aircraft fly along the same route but of course at different times, i.e., the first aircraft flies first and the second aircraft later, in particular a few minutes later, may be less. This is particularly designed for flight trajectories defining the approach of the aircraft to an arrival runway. This assumes that in a certain distance from the arrival runway the different routes of both aircraft, as these probably come from different starting airports, merged to one route. This route is primarily defining a common route to approach the arrival airport, in particular the arrival runway. There may of course be at least one further route for the same arrival runway for other wind directions.
The node is also defined by a node time defining a point of time for the respective aircraft to reach the node location. In other words, this node time may just define when the respective aircraft reaches the predefined distance to the predefined reference point defining the particular node location.
In other words regarding the approach of two aircraft to a particular arrival runway a trajectory may define certain distance to the arrival runway, such as 5 km, 10 km, 15 km and 20 km before the arrival runway. However, these do neither need to be of equal distance nor be the same for both trajectories. The flight trajectory may then be defined by these distances and the points in time when the aircraft reaches all these distances. For such definition of a flight trajectory, at least the relevant and common parts of the flight trajectories have the same route. In other words, the flight trajectory may be defined by the question, when is each aircraft how close to the arrival runway.
However, the flight speed of the respective aircraft at each node may also be additional information and that may be part of the definition of a node of a flight trajectory. This is in particular advantageous if each aircraft has an individual speed profile. In this case, all routes of all these flight trajectories may be the same but the particular points of time and the particular speed, i.e., the particular speed profile define the flight trajectory for each aircraft.
The flight trajectory may also be defined by trajectory segments connecting a preceding node and the following node. Preferably, there is a plurality of flight trajectory segments. One of such segments may be a segment connecting the arrival runway with the first distance of 5 km, to use the above example again. And another trajectory segment may be one connecting the 5 km distance with the 10 km distance, and another one may be the segment connecting the 10 km distance and the 15 km distance. However, each of these trajectory segments is also defined by the point of time of said defined distances with respect to the point of time at the arrival at the arrival runway.
However, in a particular embodiment it might be enough just to have two nodes and one trajectory segment, i.e., connecting these two nodes. One of these nodes is the predefined reference point, in particular, the arrival runway and the other node may just be the last distance before the arrival runway.
According to one aspect, the position of the aircraft at any point in time within a trajectory segment between two nodes is modeled by a position function. In addition or alternatively, the time of the aircraft at any location within the trajectory segment between two nodes is defined by a time function.
According to both aspects, which may be combined, there is only an analytical definition of the position or time of the aircraft respectively and thus a function modeling or defining it. Accordingly, this function can be used, in particular in an analytical way, to analyze the flight trajectory with the varying parameters. The idea is to finally set or define the second flight trajectory in order to ensure the minimum separation for the whole flight trajectory. Accordingly, the whole flight trajectory, including the segment in between nodes will be known by using said position function or time function. Any change of parameters, in order to adjust at least the second flight trajectory can be considered throughout the whole flight trajectory if such position function or time function is used for modeling or defining the corresponding trajectory segment.
According to one aspect, the position function or the time function respectively is given by a polynomial function and/or the position function or the time function respectively comprises a predefined constant acceleration between two nodes over ground assuming a constant acceleration of the aircraft travelling along the respective trajectory segment, i.e., travelling along the respective route underlying the trajectory segment. Alternatively, or additionally, the position function or the time function may at least be based on such constant acceleration.
Said polynomial function may thus define said position function or time function. Using such mathematical description enables a generalized description of said position or time and such description can be used for further calculation in particular for further finding a solution that results in ensuring the minimum separation for the whole trajectory.
A simple form of such polynomial function may also define a constant acceleration. In this respect, using a polynomial function and defining a constant acceleration are combinable.
Using a constant acceleration provides a particularly simple method of describing the individual behavior of each aircraft for each trajectory segment. The underlying idea is that the assumption of constant speed between two nodes along a trajectory segment is too simple and may not reflect the actual situation or would specify a much higher number of segments per trajectory. In particular, individual flight speed profiles may not be reflected correctly. As a result, a solution might be found that ensures a minimum separation for each node but not for the trajectory segment between such two notes.
Assuming a constant acceleration might still be a simplification of the reality. However, such constant acceleration is fairly close to reality. In this respect, it was found that said nodes often define points of the flight trajectory and thus points of the route the aircraft flies, at which the aircraft changes its flight behavior. Accordingly, if at one node the aircraft receives, e.g., a particular time to reach the next node making it necessary for the aircraft to change its flight speed, this will result in an acceleration or deceleration that will take place at this coming segment approaching the next node. The aircraft will not abruptly change its flight speed, as that is physically not possible and even a too strong or hard acceleration will stress the aircraft to much and thus such change of flight speed will be done smoothly resulting in a fairly constant acceleration.
At the next node, a new acceleration may be relevant and that can be considered. However, the underlying idea is that finally the result of the method for planning flight trajectories results in a flight trajectory which the aircraft is expected to follow. For such flight trajectory which is thus given by this method for the aircraft to follow it makes sense to assume constant accelerations.
According to one aspect, a last node of each flight trajectory defines a destination at a runway and/or a first node of each flight trajectory defines a starting point at a runway. Many aspects explained above are directed to the aspect that the last node of each flight trajectory defines a destination at runway, i.e., the last node of a corresponding route of the flight trajectory defines the destination at a runway. In other words for this aspect the arrival of at least two aircraft at a runway is planned.
However, the same underlying idea can also be used to plan the start of at least two aircraft starting one after another from a runway. This may particularly be useful when such aircraft have to follow for a certain distance a common route. The reason for this may be geographical reasons near the airport of that runway. The presence of urban areas close to the runway may also be the reason for a strict route to follow when starting for a particular airport.
However, it is also possible to plan the complete travel of an aircraft from a starting point at one runway to arriving at another runway.
It is also possible to plan part of the travel of two aircraft, e.g., along a common route segment neither starting nor ending at a runway, by determining one or more parameters of the trajectory of the second flight, e.g., the time it passes a defined point within that common route.
According to one aspect, at least the first flight trajectory and the second flight trajectory use the same route but at different time and in particular with individual flight speeds. Accordingly, the aircraft are guided along the same flight route and the flight planning, i.e., planning each flight trajectories is focused on providing a time frame for each aircraft which each aircraft has to use to fly along the flight route. It is particularly provided for a flight route for approaching an arrival runway. As explained above aircraft coming from different origins merge their flight routes to one flight route in the proximity of an airport and in particular in the proximity of a corresponding arrival runway. However, such common route for the flight trajectories is not only restricted to this example.
In addition, one aircraft after another may be guided on the same flight route to the predefined reference point, in particular to said arrival runway and this can consider the different speed profiles of the aircraft. Each flight trajectory may provide a particular timeframe and thus a particular flight trajectory for each aircraft, but that does not mean that all aircraft receive the same time frame, just shifted by a particular time difference. Instead, each aircraft is individual and has individual abilities and thus individual speed profiles are to be considered. The proposed solution that ensures a minimum separation throughout the whole flight trajectories can take such different speed profiles into account.
According to one aspect for each flight trajectory and each trajectory segment n it is defined a distance D(t) over ground with respect to a predefined reference location along the defined route, in particular the predefined reference point or the final destination, by the following equation depending on time t:
D(t)=Dn(t−tn)=1/2an(t−tn)2+vn(t−tn)+dn,
wherein:
This way a general description of each trajectory segment is provided whereas this description is based on the same predefined reference location or reference point for all trajectory segments. This way there is a generalized description for the whole trajectory. Using such definition of two flight trajectories the separation between these two flight trajectories can be calculated in a generalized way. The calculation uses characteristic parameter of the trajectory segment that is described, i.e., the characteristic parameters dn, an, and tn.
According to one aspect, the setting or adjusting of at least the second flight trajectory uses:
S(t,θ)=DA(t)DB(t,θ).
with:
It is pointed out that the adjustable trajectory parameter θ in particular the time difference between the points of time for the first and the second aircraft to reach the predefined reference point, influences characteristic parameters of the trajectory segment, at least one or some of them. As the distance function, in particular the distance function
D(t)=Dn(t−tn)=1/2an(t−tn)2+vn(t−tn)+dn,
depends on such characteristic parameters the distance function thus depends on the adjustable trajectory parameter θ.
Accordingly a determination function is suggested that determines, in particular calculates, the setting or adjusting of at least the second flight trajectory. One possibility to set or adjust the at least second flight trajectory is to calculate an arrival time difference, which is depicted with the Greek letter θ. This arrival time difference may also be an adjustable trajectory parameter of the second flight trajectory. Such determination function may be calculated for each trajectory segment and thus a plurality of determination functions may be used. How these plurality of determination functions may interact will be described later.
The determination function is based on a separation function defining a separation between the two aircraft travelling according to the first and the second trajectory, at least for part of their travel and/or at least for part of the first and a part of the second trajectory. Accordingly, for calculating the determination function a separation function may be defined first. The separation function may thus define a distance between the two aircraft as an analytical expression. One possibility to calculate such separation function is to take the difference between an analytic expression defining a first distance function defining the distance of the first aircraft to the predefined reference point and a second distance function defining the distance of the second aircraft to the predefined reference point. In particular, the first and the second distance function define a distance of the first or second aircraft respectively to the same arrival runway.
According to this example, the separation function thus defines a distance between the two aircraft.
The separation function may be modelled such that it at least depends on the second flight trajectory. Preferably, the separation function is defined as the difference between the first and the second distance function. In particular, the second distance function may be defined as being dependent on the arrival time difference, such that this arrival time difference is considered as an adjustable trajectory parameter, whereas the first distance function may not be dependent on the arrival time difference. As a result, the first distance function may be defined such, that it does not contain further individual parameters, which are not also present in the second distance function. However, the separation function may depend on the second flight trajectory and the first flight trajectory as well. It is to mention that using a distance function may be one way of defining the corresponding trajectory or at least part of the corresponding trajectory.
It is thus suggested that the separation function depends on at least one adjustable trajectory parameter of the second flight trajectory. In particular, the separation function is calculated by a difference of the first and the second distance function and this way a parameter of the second distance function and thus an adjustable trajectory parameter of the second flight trajectory remains in the separation function. In other words, the separation function is defined by an analytic expression and this analytic expression comprises at least one adjustable trajectory parameter of the second flight trajectory. In particular, it is suggested that the separation function and thus said analytic expression of the separation function depends and/or comprises the arrival time difference θ.
As a further step, it is suggested to determine a point in time of a local minimum of the separation function. This local minimum can be used to calculate the determination function. In particular, the separation function is differentiated with respect to time. This way said minimum of the separation function may be found, i.e., the minimum is at that point in time where the differentiation of the separation function with respect to time is θ or at the point in time where the considered parts of the trajectories begin or end.
In particular, a separation function is used which is dependent on time, the minimum of the separation function is provided as an analytical expression and this analytical expression is determined such that an expression results which is independent of time. In other words, the differentiation of the separation function with respect to time is set to 0 and this equation is resolved and the result is inserted in the separation function such that the variable time (t) is eliminated.
Preferably, the separation function is defined such that the point in time when the distance between the two aircraft is at a minimum is considered by a corresponding parameter namely be the parameter tmn which can be named as time of minimum distance.
It is according to one aspect suggested that the differentiation of the separation function with respect to time, setting that to θ and resolving it in order to eliminate the variable time t, may be done such that an analytic expression for the time of minimum distance tmin results. It is also suggested that additional conditions may result in the time of minimum distance tmin as an analytical expression pertaining to the start or end time of the considered parts of the trajectory. In particular, this analytic expression for this time of minimum distance tmin depends on the arrival time difference θ.
Such analytical expression for the time of minimum distance tmin is inserted in the separation function, which results in an analytical expression for the separation function which is independent of time and still dependent on the arrival time difference θ. The value of this analytical expression may be interpreted as the minimum of the separation function.
It is suggested that the analytical expression for the minimum of the separation function is set equal to the predetermined minimum separation σ and can then be resolved such that the arrival time difference θ may be calculated. However, it is important to note that for resolving said analytic expression a solution of a quadratic equation may be needed and accordingly, there may not only be one solution. However, the result received by resolving said analytic expression is the determination function.
According to one aspect, such determination functions are prepared in an offline process and a plurality of such determination functions may be prepared, but as analytic expressions. These plurality of determination functions may be stored and used as a template, in particular as computer programs or program parts, for each new pair of flight trajectories for which a minimum separation are to be ensured. It is particularly important to point out that according to this suggestion some analytical mathematical transformation, in particular the differentiation by time and the resolving of a quadratic equation, which are of course also done in an analytical way, do not need to be performed during each new planning for a new pair of flight trajectories.
According to one aspect, it is therefore suggested that:
This way it is possible to ensure the minimum separation throughout the whole flight trajectories by calculating an arrival time difference θ according to the steps described for calculation or determining the determination function. Additionally, rules and conditions describing how to determine the correct function to calculate the at least one adjustable trajectory parameter, in particular to calculate the arrival time difference θ can be considered. The correct function according to that understanding is particularly a function that fulfils corresponding rules and conditions. Examples for this are given below when describing the formulas in detail. However, to give one general example, it is commonly known to the skilled person that for solving a quadratic equation there are usually two solutions but usually only one of the solutions makes sense and thus only one of the solutions is a correct solution and thus leads to the correct function to calculate the wanted adjustable trajectory parameter, in particular to calculate the arrival time difference θ.
According to a further aspect of any preceding methods:
S(t,θ)=DA(t)−DB(t,θ).
with the parameters as defined above.
This way the predetermined minimum separation, namely the overall minimum separation, can be achieved by piecewise ensuring that the minimum separation for each overlapping time interval where segments of the first and second trajectories overlap, does not exceed the overall minimum separation. Segments having overlapping time intervals can be denoted as overlapping segments and segments having identical time intervals can be denoted as matching segments.
According to one aspect:
The determination function is designed such that it calculates the at least one adjustable trajectory parameter, in particular the arrival time difference θ such, that a minimum separation is ensured. However, when the flight trajectories are defined by a plurality of trajectory segments such calculation needs to be repeated for each overlapping pair of trajectory segments. Accordingly, such calculation is successively performed until all pairs of two overlapping trajectory segments have been considered. The pair of two current trajectory segments defines that particular pair that is used for calculation in the actual repetition. For each calculation there will be the adjustable trajectory parameter the result of the calculation. In particular, each calculation will generate a value for the arrival time difference θ. Of the plurality of arrival time differences received this way, simply speaking, the largest arrival time difference needs to be picked in order to ensure a minimum separation not only for the corresponding trajectory segment pair, but to ensure the minimum separation for the whole flight trajectories, i.e., for all overlapping segment pairs.
Even further, the trajectory segments of the first and the second trajectories do not necessarily match and accordingly applying the determination function is basically suggested for each overlapping area of corresponding segments of the first and second trajectory. Of course, such calculation is also suggested for matching segments of the first and second trajectories, if such matching segments exist. It shall also be noted, that for applying at least one determination function the formerly mentioned rules and conditions have to be considered and such rules and conditions may include information on the particular overlapping area of the two segments. According to one example, such rules and conditions may include where the one segment ends with respect to the other segments.
According to one aspect, it is suggested that:
Accordingly, the process starts with a minimal value for the at least one adjustable trajectory parameter. If that is the arrival time difference, its minimal value, i.e., the minimal value of the arrival time difference can be calculated as a flight duration of the second aircraft for a distance being as long as the predetermined minimum separation. As the flight speed of the aircraft will probably not be constant and in particular will be the smallest just before the arrival, the final part of its flight route having a length of the predetermined minimum separation is used. Accordingly, the final part of its flight trajectory is used and the corresponding speed profile is used.
Based on that, basically any kind of at least partially matching trajectory segments of the first and second trajectories are taken and for each of these the minimal value is determined. Whenever this minimum value is larger than the previous minimum value this larger value is taken. This is thus repeated for each pair of trajectory segments and the result is a smallest value for the at least one adjustable trajectory parameter, in particular for the arrival time difference which still ensures the predetermined minimum separation for the complete second trajectory with respect to the first trajectory. This will in fact be the largest value found during repeating the third and fourths steps.
According to a further aspect and referring to the above explained control loop for applying the determination function it is suggested that in the fourth step the new current pair of trajectory segments is determined by:
Accordingly, a solution is provided that enables calculating or changing the minimal value of the at least one adjustable trajectory parameter for each pair of trajectory segments in an efficient way. The suggested solution ensures that no overlapping or matching area of two trajectory segments of the two trajectories is overlooked. This way it is ensured that the smallest value for the at least one adjustable trajectory parameter of the second flight trajectory is found such that the predetermined minimum separation is ensured for the complete second trajectory.
According to a further aspect, it is suggested that:
This way a solution is suggested that provides a fairly simple adjustment of the second trajectory, namely just to shift this trajectory with respect to the first flight trajectory and thus with respect to time. However, this is done in a way that a minimum separation is ensured throughout the whole flight trajectories. It also important to note that accordingly the improved method can easily be implemented in known systems. At least some known systems can shift a second flight trajectory, but cannot ensure the minimum separation throughout the whole flight trajectory, but often can only ensure the minimum separation for the arrival situation, i.e., when the first aircraft arrives at the arrival runway.
An embodiment is also directed to a device for planning flight trajectories for at least two aircraft aiming to subsequently approach a predefined reference point, in particular a predefined destination, comprising a processing unit, in particular a microprocessor, adapted to perform the planning of the flight trajectories, wherein
According to one aspect, the device for planning flight trajectories is adapted to perform a method as described above with respect to any aspects of the method explained above. In particular, the device has at least one of these methods according to at least one aspect implemented on its processing unit.
An embodiment is also directed to computer program prepared to perform a method according to any of the predefined aspects when executed on a computer.
The Invention is now explained in more detail according to at least one aspect as an example based on the accompanying figures.
The task is to determine θ. The separation S has to be greater or equal to the given a at all points in time. As an example, three separation values S1, S2, and S3 are shown.
According to one aspect, trajectories are given as a list of nodes defining points in space and time each with additional information about the predicted state of the flight at that point, e.g., the speed. These nodes are not shown in
These trajectory nodes split a trajectory into segments. During each segment, the flight is assumed to behave in a specific way, such as:
The trajectory nodes define the start and end conditions for these segments, which are explained in
For the purpose of the given task, the relevant information in a trajectory is the traversed distance over ground D(t) as a function of the time t (See
If a trajectory predictor generated regular sampling points, e.g., every 10 seconds, a linear interpolation between the points would be sufficient assuming constant speed between points. Such trajectories would comprise of a large amount of points. Ensuring separation with such trajectories would mean transferring, storing, and iterating over them, therefore impairing performance of the system. It is preferred to handle trajectories containing points only where flight behavior changes. Therefore, we cannot assume constant speed between points. Such points are described as nodes.
Further explanations are given based on
This model enables us to perform analytic calculations with segments of trajectories. Specifically, it is possible to calculate in closed form the time separation θ (at the end of both trajectories) required by a segment of the trajectory A and a segment of the trajectory B such that the minimum separation σ is obeyed for all times where both segments are defined.
For this, the following notation is used to describe one trajectory. We use the index n (1≤n≤N, where N is the number of segments) to denote the segment which defines the trajectory for all t with tn-1≤t≤tn, where tn-1 is the time when the flight will pass the start node of the segment and tn the corresponding time for the end node. The end node is thus the end node for the particular segment and can also be denoted as the following node. Now we can express the flying distance for any time t in that interval as
D(t)=Dn(t−tn)=1/2an(t−tn)2+vn(t−tn)+dn (1)
where an is the acceleration throughout the segment n, vn the ground speed at the end node (i.e., when t=tn), and dn the flying distance at the end node. The function D(t) is defined piece-wise as D(t)=Dn(t−tn) where tn-1<t≤tn for each n.
We require continuity, i.e., dn-1=Dn(tn-1−tn), but no differentiability of the complete function D(t). Also, the speeds have to be positive at every point in time.
Let us choose the function D(t) to be zero when the flight arrives at the point P (the runway). This can be achieved by shifting all the dn of one trajectory by a constant value. D(t) may then be interpreted as the negative distance to go (DTG) of the flight at the time t.
It has to be noted, that even though this model corresponds to the laws of physics, this is still an approximation. In climb or descend, the Indicated Air Speed (IAS) is kept constant, which has a non-linear relationship with altitude and ground speed. The speeds vn are ground speeds.
It is helpful to illuminate the variations appearing during the task of determining the time separation θ, by discussing four examples which are shown in
In example a), let the two flights A and B land with the same speed and altitude profile, i.e., at a given distance from the runway, both flights will have the same given ground speed. Also, both flights will only decelerate.
At any point in time the second flight B will be further away from the runway and therefore be faster than the first flight A. From this it is immediately clear, that the distance S of the flights will always decrease with increasing time. Therefore, the moment of closest approach of flight B and flight A will be the time, when flight A lands, which is marked with σ in
Note the optical illusion, the curve representing the trajectory of flight A seems to be steeper than that of flight B. This can be verified to be an illusion with a ruler by measuring the vertical distance of the lines at several points. They are equal.
In example b), the two flights start with the same speed at point R. Let flight A use a landing speed, which is lower than that of flight B. It is immediately clear, that flight A will always be slower than flight B at the same point in time. The same reasoning as in example a) applies.
In both examples, it is sufficient to ensure that flight B is at least the distance a from the runway, when flight A lands. Therefore, a planning tool shall use the time separation θ calculated as the flight duration of flight B for this last part of its approach of length σ.
These examples might lead to the assumption that it is always sufficient to ensure the separation σ at the point in time when the first flight A lands and that the time separation θ may always be calculated by determining the flight duration of the second flight B for the last σ-length of its approach. On the other hand,
In example c), the two flights A and B have the same speed at point R. The first flight A does not reduce speed and lands with the same speed. However, the second flight B reduces speed starting at point R.
The moment flight B starts decelerating, the distance between the two flights increases. Therefore, the minimum separation σ has to be ensured at the point in time when flight B reaches point R. The time separation θ may in this case be calculated as the flight duration of flight B from point R to point P reduced by the flight duration of flight A from a point which is the distance σ from point R to point P.
The example c) shows that it is not sufficient to use flight durations of the second flight B. However, it might still suggest, that in all cases a fixed point on the route may be found, where the check has to be performed.
This turns out to be wrong as example d) shows. As in example c), the flights A and B start with the same speed. Both flights reduce speed starting at point R.
However, flight A reduces a little and flight B reduces a lot.
When flight A arrives at point R, it will start reducing speed. Once flight B arrives at point R, flight A is slower than flight B. Flight B now starts reducing speed, but is still faster than flight A for a while. Therefore, the distance between the two flights will reduce further. Since flight B reduces its speed faster than flight A, both flights will at one point have equal speeds, unless flight A reaches point P first—which we assume not to be the case for this example. That moment in time where both have equal speeds will be the moment of closest approach of the two flights. The distance between flight A and flight B will increase afterwards, since flight B will gradually become slower than flight A.
If flight A reaches the runway before the moment of equal speed, we can proceed as in example a) an b) for the calculation.
The moment of equal speeds is highly dependent on the flight profiles of both flights and on the separation of the flights. Enlarging the separation will shorten the distance flight B has to slow down before flight A lands and it will decrease the speed of flight A when flight B passes point R and starts to reduce speed, thereby enlarging the speed difference flight B has to compensate.
It directly follows from this last example that the time separation θ necessary to ensure the required minimum separation σ has to be calculated based on a point in time tmin of closest approach, which may be anywhere in the common definition interval of both trajectories. The time tmin depends not only on the flight profiles of the two flights, but also on the required and/or predetermined separation σ or —equivalently—the resulting time separation θ.
Note, that there was no reference to segments defining the trajectories of flight A and B. If the points R and P are, respectively, the start and end node of a single segment of the trajectory of flight A as well as of a single segment of the trajectory of flight B, the examples still apply. Therefore, example d) shows that the point in time tmin of closest approach may be a point not given by a start node or end node of a trajectory segment. Therefore, just checking at the start and end points is not sufficient.
Based on these definitions the separation function S(t, θ) is defined as a difference between the first and second distance functions. This is done in the separation block 404.
Based on that, a further step is performed in the boundary check block 406. In the boundary check block 406 the first step, which is illustrated in
This minimum time point tmin is than inserted in the separation function in order to further receive an analytic expression of the separation function. This analytic expression for the separation function is than independent of time as the analytic expression for the time of minimum distance tmin is inserted, which depends on θ. That is shown in the time eliminated block 410. According to that, the separation function S(tmin(θ), θ) with eliminated time is described as an analytic expression which only depends on θ. For any θ the value S(tmin(θ), θ) of is the minimum value of the separation function.
The next step is to set this analytic expression for the separation function S(tmin(θ), θ) equal to the predetermined minimum separation σ. This is illustrated in the minimum condition block 411. A further step it to resolve this equation to get an analytic expression for calculation the arrival time difference θ. This is basically the determination function and thus this further step is illustrated in the determination block 412. According to the determination block 412 the determination function is an analytic expression for calculating the arrival time difference θ=ƒ(σ). This determination function is still an analytic expression but there might be more than one determination functions depending on rules and conditions. Particularly, results of the boundary check block 406 and resolving the analytic expression for the separation function according to the time eliminated block 410 results in a plurality of determination functions. These determination functions depending on rules and conditions are described further below in more detail.
The determination function or determination functions according to the determination block 412 depend on the general description of the flight trajectories according to the definition block 402, but do not depend on particular flight trajectories, i.e., do not depend on particular values of flight trajectories. Accordingly, the steps from the definition block 402 to the determination block 412 only need to be done once. Accordingly, these steps, in particular any resolving steps, may be complicated or at least be done offline. In order to now use the determination function to calculate a particular value for the arrival time difference θ for a particular pair of flight trajectories the calculation block 414 is provided. Besides receiving the determination function ƒrom the determination block 412 the calculation block also receives individual flight trajectories, in particular individual distance functions from the data block 416. The data block 416 thus constantly or at least frequently and/or repeatedly provides new individual data.
Accordingly, the calculation block 414 uses the determination function which is basically an analytic expression for each determination function and applies this to the individual flight trajectories received from the data block 416. The result is a particular arrival time difference θ, i.e., a particular value for the arrival time difference θ. Based on that the second flight trajectory of the pair of flight trajectories which the calculation block 414 has just received from the data block 416 can be amended such that its arrival time is deferred by this arrival time difference θ with respect to the arrival time of the first flight trajectory of the same pair of flight trajectories.
Accordingly, the particular value for the arrival time difference θ is the output of the calculation block 414 and the process then returns to the data block 416 in order to provide a new pair of flight trajectories in order to calculate a new arrival time difference θ. In such new pair of flight trajectories the first flight trajectory may be the second flight trajectory of the previous pair of flight trajectories.
It is to be noted that the calculation block 414 may comprise a plurality of calculation loops which will be explained with respect to
Accordingly, the iteration flow chart 500 basically represents the calculation block 414 of
This starting value is passed to the segments determination block 504. In the segment determination block 504 a pair of trajectory segments is determined.
When first using this segment determination block 504 an index i is initialized with 1 and the first pair of trajectory segments comprises the segment of the first flight trajectory having the runway as one node and the segment of the second flight trajectory which contains the point with remaining flying distance equal to the predetermined minimum separation σ. In other words, when first applying the segment determination block 504 the first pair of segments comprises the segment of the first flight trajectory of the last part of the flight trajectory.
During each subsequent use of the segment determination block 504 the index i is increased by one and either for the first trajectory or the second trajectory or both the current trajectory segment is exchanged by a new current trajectory segment. The new trajectory segment is chosen such that the current trajectory segment and the new current trajectory segment are connected by having a common node and the new trajectory segments of both trajectories overlap in the time domain. For this, the node times of the start nodes of the current trajectories under the assumption that the second trajectory is parametrized with the previous value of the minimal arrival time difference are compared and the current trajectory segment with the larger node time is exchanged with a new trajectory segment. Both are exchanged at the same time only if the common node connecting the current and the new trajectory segments have the same node time for the first and the second trajectory,
Based on this pair of segments, a new minimum arrival time difference θi is calculated. This new minimum arrival time difference θi can also be named as minimal value of the arrival time difference. It is thus calculated an arrival time difference as small as possible to still ensure that the minimum separation σ is ensured for the current pair of segments. This is done in the parameter calculation block 506. The result is forwarded to the comparison block 508. In the comparison block 508 the new and the previous value of the minimal arrival time difference θi-1 are compared and the bigger one is taken. Accordingly, if in the comparison block 508 it was found that the new minimum value of the arrival time difference, i.e., the one just calculated in the parameter calculation block 506, is smaller than the old one, the new one θi is increased to the old one θi-1. That is done in the allocation block 510. Otherwise, the old value will not be changed.
The flow chart goes further to the all pairs block 512. In the all pairs block 512 it is evaluated whether all possible pairs of segments for the current two flight trajectories have been considered. If not, the all pairs block 512 branches back to the segment determination block 504. Otherwise, it goes on to the final block 514. In the final block 514 the value of the arrival time difference θ is set to the current new value of the minimal arrival time difference θi. In other words in the final block the arrival time difference will be set to the maximum value of all minimal values of the arrival time difference of all minimal arrival time differences calculated in the parameter calculation block 506 or the initialization block 502. The result is output as the arrival time difference θ and can be used to adjust the current second flight trajectory.
It is to be noted that the iteration flow chart 500 does not seem to receive an input from the determination block 412 according to
The parameter calculation block 506 comprises of steps and decisions which will be explained with respect to
Accordingly, the parameter calculation flow chart 600 represents the parameter calculation block 506 of
In the boundary choice block 606 it is checked whether the segment of the first trajectory determines the beginning of a common validity interval of both segments. If yes, it is continued with the first boundary calculation block 608, otherwise, with the second boundary calculation block 612. In the first boundary calculation block 608 a determination function ƒbA(σ) is evaluated as a candidate minimum arrival time difference θi. In the following candidate evaluation block 610 it is checked whether this candidate θi is a valid choice by checking if the segment of the first trajectory determines the beginning of the common validity interval of both segments under the assumption that the adjustable trajectory parameter (θ) of the second trajectory is chosen as the candidate θi. If this is the case, the candidate is handed to the boundary allocation block 614, otherwise the candidate is rejected and processing continues with the second boundary calculation block 612.
In the second boundary calculation block 612 a determination function ƒbB(σ) is evaluated as the candidate minimum arrival time difference θi, which is handed to the boundary allocation block 614. In the boundary allocation block 614 the candidate arrival time difference θi is set to the old arrival time difference θi-1 if the latter is bigger. In the following intermediate check block 616 it is checked whether the separation function has a minimum within the common validity interval of both segments which is not at the boundaries of the common validity interval. If yes, processing continues with the intermediate calculation block 618, otherwise the candidate arrival time difference θi is the result of the parameter calculation block 506. In the intermediate calculation block 618 a determination function ƒm(σ) is evaluated as the candidate minimum arrival time θiMed which in the final allocation block 620 is compared with the candidate θi from the boundary allocation block 614. The larger of the two candidates θi and θiMed is then used as the result of the parameter calculation block 506.
In the following further details in particular of formulas used for receiving the analytic expressions for the determination functions, i.e., basically the result according to the determination block 412 are explained in detail below. The formulas also include explanations regarding the conditions and rules to be considered. The formulas also include explanations for details illustrated by the iterative flow chart 500 of
The task is to determine the time separation θ at the runway, i.e., the arrival time difference θ, such that the separation
S(t)=DA(t)−DB(t)
is never below a given required separation σ for all points in time t.
One approximate approach would be to estimate a θ and to check that S(t)≥σ for closely spaced values of t over the valid range of t. If this check fails at one point, increase θ and start over again. Another approach would be to determine the three values S1, S2, and S3 for an estimated θ and for a given pair of segments and stepwise enlarge the estimate of θ as long as one of them is below σ. The suggested method does not do either of these.
Enlarging θ means changing at least one of the trajectories of flight A and B. We choose to keep the landing time of flight A fixed and adjust the trajectory of flight B such that it lands θ seconds after flight A. Thus, DA(t) is independent of θ and DB (t)=DB(t, θ) depends on, i.e., the separation at a given point in time t depends also on θ:
S(t,θ)=DA(t)−DB(t,θ).
As we have shown with example d), the point in time tmin, where the separation S(t, θ) reaches its minimum will change with θ. tmin(θ), i.e., it is not possible to determine tmin independently of θ, insert the result in S(tmin, θ)=σ, and solve for θ. The resulting θ would lead to a changed tmin invalidating the result for θ. Nevertheless, this could be the basis for another iterative approach. However, the suggested method is more direct:
For one pair of trajectory segments the correct θ is determined in one analytic calculation. The place of minimum of S(tmin, θ) is analytically determined as tmin(θ), e.g., by solving
for t. The resulting expression for tmin(θ) is then inserted in
S(tmin(θ),θ)=σ
which may then be solved for θ. This will eliminate the dependency on t and give us an expression for θ which only depends on a and the parameters defining the form of S(t, θ).
The results will be given below, after the dependency on the validity intervals of the trajectory segments and a number of other parameters and terminology have been defined.
The presented mechanism is still iterative, since this analytic calculation has to be done for each overlapping pair of trajectory segments. In contrast to the possible approaches hinted at above, only a single calculation is needed for each overlapping pair of trajectory segments. For each segment pair, the result is determined analytically.
To further explain the mechanism, let us fix the trajectory of flight A such that it lands (arrives at P) at time θ and vary the trajectory of flight B such that it arrives at time θ. Since the functions D(t) were chosen to be zero at P, this may be expressed as
D
A(0)=0
D
B(θ,θ)=0
The first equation may be used to fix the parameters tAn and ensure that they are independent of θ. The second equation helps making the dependency of D(t, θ) on θ explicit by tBn(θ)=θ−ΔtBn, where ΔtBn is the positive flying time (time to go) of flight B from the end node of segment n to point P. (Similarly, tAm=−ΔtAm.) This results in:
Reference numerals shown below in parenthesis refer to blocks in the structures of
The input into the mechanism are the characteristic parameters describing all segments of the first trajectory, i.e., of the trajectory of flight A, aA, vA, dA, and Δtm A for all 1≤m≤NA and ΔtA0, the characteristic parameters describing the second trajectory, i.e., the trajectory B, aBn, vBn, dBn, ΔtBn for all 1≤n≤NB and ΔtB0), and the required separation σ. Possibly also parameters restricting the range in which this separation shall be ensured. Accordingly, index A refers to trajectory A, i.e., the first trajectory and index B refers to trajectory B, i.e., the second trajectory. (516)
This is a short overview of the mechanism, which is elaborated in the sections below:
In an initializing step, θ0 is determined such that the second flight B is exactly the distance a before the point P at the time 0 when flight A arrives at point P. This may be done by solving the following equation for θ0:
D
B(0,θ0)=−σ
For this, the correct segment n of DB(t, θ) may be found with dn-1<σ≤dn, and with equation (1) we get:
D
Bn(0−tBn(θ0))=DBn(0−θ0+ΔtBn)=−σ.
This equation is either quadratic or linear in θ0 and therefore has three possible solutions, the two signs of the root and the linear case. The solution is the function θ0=ƒ0(σ).
An iteration will be described and from now on we will use the index n for the current segment of the trajectory of flight B and the index m for the current segment of the trajectory of flight A. The indices are decreased as we iterate backward over the trajectories. DBn and DAm are the corresponding functions describing the current segments, aBn, vBn, dBn, ΔtBn the parameters determining DBn, and aAm, vAm, dAm, ΔtAm the parameters determining DAm.
The initial index n for t=0 is the same as the one used when determining θ0. For it holds
t
Bn-1(θ0)≤0≤tBn(θ0)
The initial index m=NA denotes the last segment of the trajectory for which dAm=0 and tAm=ΔtAm=0.
Each iteration i=1, 2, . . . consists of the following steps:
For each pair n, m, the θi≥θi-1 will be determined below such that the separation σ is obeyed for all times t in the common validity interval:
S(t,θi)≥σ for all max(tBn-1(θi),tAm-1)≤t≤min(tBn(θi),tAm). (2)
Assuming the previous check has shown that
S(t,θi-1)≥σ for all min(tBn(θi-1),tAm)≤t≤0 (3)
it follows that
S(t,θi)≥σ for all max(tBn-1(θi),tAm-1)≤t≤0, (4)
assuming the speed is never negative. This is then the condition (3) for the next iteration when incrementing i and decrementing either n or m or both as explained above. The larger of tBn-1(θi) and tAm-1 will become tBn(θi-1) or, respectively, tAm.
The mechanism continues traversing the trajectories backwards toward the beginning, decreasing either m or n or both and increasing i, until one of a number of end-conditions has been reached. It stops when n or m reaches zero. It may possibly stop, when other conditions are satisfied, e.g., when m reaches the point where the predecessor trajectory merges with the successor route, or when a maximum DTG is reached by the predecessor.
When all iterations are done, the last θi will be our final result. If one of the trajectories was fully iterated, it will hold
S(t,θi)≥σ for all max(tB0(θi),tA0)≤t≤0, (5),
i.e., for the whole time interval where both trajectories are defined. Otherwise, in the presence of other stop-conditions, it will be true for all t where both trajectories are defined and the other conditions are satisfied.
A separation of a pair of segments will now be described and it remains to show, how for a given pair of indices m and n the θi is determined which satisfies equation (2).
With tmin we will denote the point in time where flight A and B have their closest approach within the current combined validity interval max(tBn-1(θi), tAm-1)≤t≤min(tBn(θi),tAm) of the current segments of both trajectories. Unless equation (2) is already satisfied for θi=θi-1, we will determine θi>θi-1 such that
S(tmin,θi)=σ (6)
holds. Note, that tmin depends on the form of S as well as on θi.
There are three candidates which have to be considered and checked separately:
t
min
max=max(tBn-1(θi),tAm-1)
t
min
Min=min(tBn(θi),tAm-1)
MAX(tBn-1(θi),tAm-1)<tminMed<min(tBn(θi),tAm)
For each candidate for tmin, a θi may be found which would satisfy equation (2) if the true tmin were equal to the candidate. We will call these solutions θiMax, θiMin, and θiMed, respectively. The largest of these will be the solution θi, since a larger θ always leads to a larger S(t, θ) and thus if the largest candidate satisfies equation (2), the other two candidates will, as well. This will automatically determine, which of the candidates is the true tmin, i.e., the time of the closest approach within the current combined validity interval.
For the candidate tminMin at the end of the interval, equation (3) and continuity of the function S(t, θ) directly show that θiMin=θi-1 already satisfies equation (2).
The cases “Max” and “Med” will be handled as follows:
t
min
Max=max(tBn-1(θiMax),tAm-1)
S(max(tBn-1(θiMax),tAm-1),θiMax)=σ
Due to the maximum, there are two cases, which we call “MaxB” and “MaxA”.
It is important to note that tBn-1(θ)=θ−ΔtBn-1 increases together with θ and may therefore become greater than tAm-1 for a larger θ when it initially was less or equal for a smaller θ.
Since we do not know θiMax, yet, it is not clear, which of the two cases hold, and we might have to check both. Initially, we can only use θi-1. In the case,
max(tBn-1(θ),tAm-1)=tAm-1 (7)
for θ=θi-1, we have to start assuming that MaxA is relevant and have to find the solution θiMaxA of the equation
S(tAm-1,θiMaxA)=σ. (8)
The solution is the determination function θiMaxA=ƒbA(σ). If it results in θiMaxA>θi-1 we have to re-check, that equation (7) still holds for θ=θiMaxA If it does not hold, θiMaxA is not a valid candidate for θi and the case MaxB will result in a valid candidate.
Either if the MaxA case did not lead to a valid candidate, or if
max(tBn-1(θ),tmn-1)=tBn-1(θ), (9)
already holds for θ=θi-1, the case MaxB has to be used. For this, we have to find the solution or θiMaxB of the equation
S(tBn-1(θiMaxB),θiMaxB)=σ. (10)
The solution is the determination function θiMaxB=ƒbB(σ). This will always satisfy equation (9) for θ=θiMaxB, if θiMaxB≥θi-1:
t
Bn(θi-1)=θi-1−ΔtBn≤θiMaxB−ΔtBn=tBn(θiMaxB).
So far the mechanism has determined a θiMax such that
S(t,θiMax)≥σ for all t≥min(tBb(θiMax),tAm)
and for t=max(tBn-1(θiMax),tAm-1). (11)
This can only lead to a larger θiMed>θiMax, if S(t, θ) has a minimum between the boundaries of the validity interval, i.e., between max(tBn-1(θ), tAm-1) and min(tBn(θ), tAm), which may be checked with
These two conditions are necessary and sufficient due to the quadratic nature of S(t, θ) for a given pair of indices m and n. It suffices to check these conditions for θ=θiMax. They will then hold for any θiMed>θiMax.
In order to determine the formula for solution θiMed for candidate tminMed, the time of the minimum tminMed(θ) has to be determined by solving
The result tminMed(θ) has to be inserted in
S(tminMed(θiMed),θiMed)=σ, (13)
and solved for θiMed. The solution is the determination function θiMed=ƒm(σ).
The step considering a pair m and n therefore results in a θi≥θi-1 which is either θi=θi-1, θi=θiMaxA=ƒbA(σ), θiθiMaxB=ƒbB(σ), or θi=θiMed=ƒm(σ). The analytical expressions for the determination functions ƒbA, ƒbB, and ƒm are obtained by solving equations (8), (10), and (13). They only depend on a and the parameters determining the trajectory segments aBn, vBn, dBn, ΔtBn, aAm, vAm, dAm, and ΔtAm and may thus be efficiently implemented in a computer program.
The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18215271.0 | Dec 2018 | EP | regional |
