FR2854977A1 - Automated aircraft circulation assistance system has computer programmed to receive aircraft flight plans and radar data and data to process possible conflict data - Google Patents

Abstract

The automated aircraft (10) circulation assist has a computer (1) programmed to receive aircraft flight plans (3) and radar data (4) to provide information to a flight sector flight controller (6) in radio communication with the aircraft. A computer prepares a list of aircraft flight conflicts for pairs of aircraft dependent on disparities between the flight controller agenda and the computer agenda.

Description

- 1

  "Device and method for automated assistance to air traffic controllers" The present invention relates to a user-friendly and scalable device for automated assistance to air traffic controllers. It also relates to a method implemented in this device.

  Air traffic control systems have the function of preventing collisions and ensuring the safe and efficient flow of air traffic. All decisions and responsibility for safety rest exclusively with air traffic controllers.

  Each team ensures control over a determined fraction of the airspace, called the control sector. This team is made up of a Radar controller and an assistant more specifically responsible for coordinating with the adjacent sectors.

  The role of computers is currently limited to acquiring, correlating, developing and automatically presenting to controllers, in the appropriate form and at the appropriate time, the information on the current position (Radar) and the flight intentions (Flight plans) of each aircraft. taken in isolation.

  The computers do not carry out any calculation of forecast of the relative positions of the planes taken in pairs and a fortiori of the probability of a collision between them, except to cause a final alarm in the event of imminent danger of collision (safety net). 2 0 The controllers' perceptual, cognitive and mnemonic capacities limit the quantity and the precision of the information which, in real time, they can effectively acquire, retain and submit to mental calculation, in particular to evaluate the current and future relative positions of aircraft two to of them.

  Because of the vagueness in which they operate, the controllers are forced to take significant margins in their assessments and to constantly monitor the evolution of the situation, consuming time and attention. They are constantly called upon to treat all traffic as a whole; to this end, they develop an overall strategy and tactics which are gradually adapted to the development of the situation and their workload.

  The saturation of the system capacity thus results from the partial use of fuzzy information leading to both imperfect use of the available airspace and a real time overload of controllers.

  A computer, assumed to be programmed to take full advantage of the information and computing capacities available to it in order to perform the task currently assigned to them in place of the controllers, would not meet any of these limitations. He would have to develop a strategy, tactics and decisions radically different from those of a controller. This disparity in perception and appreciation of the situation and its development would constitute an irreducible source of incommunicability and incomprehension 5 between the controllers and a computer thus programmed. Likewise, the controllers would not have the time necessary to interrogate such a computer piecemeal to enrich or refine their knowledge of the current situation and its future, to test a solution or to have it perform calculations at their request. 'optimization.

  Finally, in the current state of the art, such a computer ignoring the controllers' cognitive approach and their intentions would not be able to provide them with assistance in the form and at the right time and would on the contrary risk to inadvertently disturb the thread of their thought. A proposal for action proposed at a given time by the computer would have no chance of fitting harmoniously into the strategy developed by the controller concerned, of which the computer 15 is not aware; such proposals could only seem incomprehensible or inappropriate to him.

  For these reasons, and in the current state of the art, there is no device enabling a computer to provide real-time assistance in drawing up the decisions of controllers, who are the sole masters of the organization of their work. , developing their strategy and sole judges and those responsible for their decisions and for security.

  For obvious reasons, the decision and the responsibility in a given space cannot be unique and cannot be shared between a controller and a computer under the risk of giving rise to dangerous situations.

  For all of these reasons, all attempts to introduce a computer 25 into the controllers' decision-making processes have so far been unsuccessful.

  Conversely, it is not possible to introduce the controller in an automatic loop whose purpose and processes would escape him.

  Thus the system as it currently exists has not evolved significantly for many years; as a result, it cannot always benefit from neither the whole quantity and all the precision of the information available, nor the computational capacities of computers for forecasting, monitoring or resolving potential conflicts between two aircraft. together. The situation is thus blocked despite the fact that the system is equipped with powerful computers to perform the only limited functions that can currently be devolved to them.

  To overcome the aforementioned obstacles, which stand in the way of the communicability between a controller and a computer for the exercise of the control function proper, one could consider proceeding directly to full automation of the system. Such a radical possibility could be made theoretically possible because it becomes possible to equip the aircraft with navigation and control computers as well as automatic air / ground and air / air data links. In theory, it would even be possible to think of giving up centralized ground control in order to confer this function on the network of on-board computers of planes in pairs. A third way sometimes suggested would consist in taking full advantage of the precision and l0 flexibility of navigation of planes managed by computer to make the system deterministic and therefore planable.

  All of these possibilities, however, remain in the state of theoretical debate. Indeed, the effective realization of such automated systems would encounter at least two insurmountable obstacles: on the one hand, all the airplanes should be simultaneously equipped accordingly on D-day and, on the other hand, all of such extremely complex devices could have been tested and certified beforehand in a real environment in the face of all the hazards to which they would not fail to be subjected.

  Faced with the unrealism of total automation or of the possibility of implementing cooperation between computer and controller, it follows from the current state of the art that not only is the current information and means incompletely updated. profit but also that the new means likely to enrich them radically (more precise navigation in particular by satellites, on-board computers and air / ground and air / air data links) remain unusable for the purpose of improving air traffic control, so that some planes are already equipped with it and that others 25 could be if a benefit could actually be drawn from it.

  Given the saturation of the air traffic control system and the resulting cost of delays, airlines would be willing to make an equipment effort if they were assured that the efficiency of the system could be immediately improved.

  The aim of the present invention is to overcome all the pitfalls inherent in the current state of the art and thus to open up a new field for the evolution of this system, without, however, imposing new aircraft equipment. , then to provide it with increasing efficiency as these equipments become more numerous, because of their very contribution to the safety and the efficiency of the system.

  This objective is achieved with an evolving automated air traffic control assistance device intended to equip an air traffic control system comprising a computer comprising: - a program enabling it to receive information concerning 5 flight plans from planes and Radars and to develop them to present them to an operator controller of a control sector, said controller having a radiotelephone link to communicate with said planes (10), and - an add-on program provided to enable the controller to draw up and display a list, known as the "Controller Calendar", ordered in time, of conflicts such that said controller can predict them with the only information and means of analysis available to him. According to the invention, this device comprises: - means for establishing a data link with the on-board computers of the 15 aircraft, with a view to collecting flight data ol and to send instructions, means to establish and keep up to date a list of conflicts, called "Computer Agenda" on the basis of all the information and calculation means available to the computer, - means to compare, pair of planes by pair of planes, the Controller Agenda 20 and the Computer Agenda, intended to highlight each forecast disparity in said Agendas, - means for developing optimal solutions to the conflicts listed in the Computer Agenda, - means for exchanging messages between the computer and the controllers by means of the screens, and - means for developing and implementing aircraft avoidances by means of an automatic link data with aircraft on-board computers.

  The device according to the invention can also advantageously comprise means for selecting, by comparison of the Controller Calendar and the Computer Calendar, those conflicts which arise from the lack of precision of the forecast made by the controller.

  It also preferably includes means for collecting additional information for drawing up the list of conflicts, using the automatic digital link to the on-board computers of the aircraft.

  This device can also advantageously include means for developing an optimal solution for resolving each of the conflicts on the list. There are already techniques for developing an optimal solution in the field of air conflict management and one can for example usefully refer to the document "Optimal resolution of en 5 route conflicts" by G. Granger, N. Durand and J. Alliot, 4th Air Traffic Management R. and D. Seminar 2001.

  In particular, the assistance device according to the invention may also comprise means for selecting from the pairs of planes in the list those whose conflict can be resolved by modifying the flight parameters, in particular speed or rate of 10 climb or descent, of one or both aircraft (s) concerned, said modification remaining within the limits of normal tolerances for monitoring their flight plan. The device according to the invention fully respects all the responsibility and the control of the controllers' decisions and preserves the total autonomy of their strategic and tactical choices as of the organization of their work. It does not impose on them any involuntary intervention or manipulation likely to disturb the course of their cognitive or mnemonic activity.

  This device was designed on the basis of an in-depth knowledge of the nature and specificity of the controllers' work and aims to allow them to benefit from all the current and future information and calculation means on the ground and on board the aircraft.

  2 0 It provides controllers with a range of services and tools which they can use as they wish, if and when they wish; it may in particular receive delegations of responsibility from them.

  This device will already find its effectiveness in the current state of aircraft equipment and will take advantage of any new equipment by accommodating their disparity and their diversity.

  The invention will be better understood if we deepen the effective nature of what is called a "conflict" between aircraft, that is to say the recognition at a given moment of a risk of potential occurrence of a collision.

  It is not an "all or nothing" forecast, as it is often considered, 30 but a contingent estimate which depends on the quality of the information available (positions and speeds) concerning the two planes involved and its treatment. Thus, for example in the horizontal plane, an inaccuracy, even slight, on the knowledge of the ground speed of airplanes, for example 15 minutes in advance, can transform a declaration of "conflict" into "no -conflict "or vice versa (the speed of each aircraft is around 800 km / h while the minimum separations to be ensured during crossing is only around 8 km).

  The "conflict" or "non-conflict" estimate is also an evolutionary statement as the moment of potential collision approaches: the farther this moment 5 the fuzzier this estimate. On the other hand, the more distant this moment the more effective corrective actions on speeds can be effective.

  However, the controller can only proceed on the Radar screen to a rough assessment of the aircraft ground speed and to approximate mental calculations of extrapolation (the same is true in the vertical plane).

  As a result, the controllers are forced to take large margins of estimate, which have the effect of declaring numerous "false conflicts", then to proceed for each of them to a permanent memorization and monitoring of the evolution of the situation, source of a heavy workload and attention which contributes very significantly to their stress and to the saturation of their mental capacity.

  In addition, not being able to determine with precision how to act on the speed of airplanes, they cannot take optimal advantage of the nominal capacity of the space in the vicinity of the crossing points of the trajectories.

  To overcome these obstacles and take full advantage of the capabilities offered by automatic data processing, the user-friendly and scalable device for automated assistance to air traffic controllers, object of the present invention, provides the set of functions described above. below.

  It brings a series of new functions to the classic air traffic control system as it conventionally operates in the large Control Centers currently in service; this includes a computer programmed so that it can receive the information relating to the flight plans of the planes and coming from the radars, prepare them, correlate them and present them to the controllers and assistant controllers of each control sector; these have a radiotelephone link to communicate with airplanes.

  This system could advantageously be supplemented by an already experienced system, called ERATO or equivalent, which will assist the controllers to construct and display on an additional screen a list ordered in time of the conflicts, called "Agenda Controller", such that said controllers can provide them with the only information and means of analysis available to them. A presentation of the ERATO system is provided by the document "ERATO, an aid to the air traffic controller", by Marcel Leroux, published in the review "CONTROL, Magazine of Air traffic control and Airports, Year 1997".

  The first merit of this combination will reside in the fact that the controllers will thus have a material visualization of said conflicts ordered in time 5 according to their possible moment of occurrence; this visualization will constitute a material reflection of the controller's "operational memory", which is all the more relieved, and will be a particularly effective tool for coordination within the control team.

  The device according to the invention takes full advantage of the fact, hitherto unexploited, that the Controller Calendar will constitute for the computer a precious source of knowledge of the representation made by the controllers of the situation taking into account the vagueness of which their forecasts are affected. It also benefits from the fact that the conflicts as presented on the Controller Agenda are ordered in time and that their order, unlike that of the traditional board (called "strips") concerning each of the planes taken in isolation, has not necessary to be manipulated by the controllers without the knowledge of the computer: for this reason, bilateral exchanges between the computers and the controllers can take as a basis the display or the designation of the line relating to the conflict in question or one of the planes in conflict.

  The device according to the invention makes it possible in particular to carry out all or part of the following functions: - establishment and keeping up to date in memory of a second list of conflicts, known as 2 0 "Computer Agenda" on the basis of all the means of 'information and calculation available to the computer: this list includes all conflicts even before the planes involved enter the control sector in which the conflict is likely to occur; - comparison of pair of planes by pair of planes from the "Controller Calendar" and from 2 to 5 "the Computer Calendar" and highlighting each forecast disparity between them, - search for those in the conflicts of the Calendar Controllers who only have their source in the lack of precision of the forecast made by the controller, and information from the latter that the said conflicts have no, or no longer, reason to be taken into account.

  Given the imprecision of the estimate made by the controllers, 30 in particular when an aircraft enters their sector, and the low value of the minimum separation to be ensured when crossing their trajectories, the proportion of these "false conflicts" is significant. As a result of this function, the controllers will thus be relieved of the important task of either keeping their attention constantly alert to unnecessarily follow the evolution of many situations, or taking an early decision to carry out a penalizing avoidance for the plane and for itself, when it would not have been necessary.

  The device according to the invention also provides the following functions.

  Thanks to the automatic data link to the on-board computers 5 of the planes which are equipped with it, it collects additional information to refine the establishment of the Computer Agenda As the planes are equipped with computers. on board and data links, the list of "false conflicts" can be extended in complete security taking into account more precise information which can be collected automatically. In particular, these connections will make it possible to access better knowledge of the pilot's intentions, at "air speed" but also thanks in particular to GPS at "ground speeds" and to keep knowledge of the wind speed up to date. be deducted through the passage of successive aircraft.

  The assistance device according to the invention sends flight instructions as necessary to the computers of the planes, by means of these same data links, in order to modify the flight parameters of the planes. However, due to the unique responsibility in a given space, he cannot address such instructions without the prior request or agreement of the controller concerned.

  It takes advantage of the very important case where this last rule of uniqueness of command can be transgressed within the limit of the blur of the information of the controller which blur 2 0 results at the same time from the wide tolerance of which the keeping of the flight plans aircraft is affected and the imprecision added by the imperfection of the forecast made by the controllers.

  Within the limits of this imperfect knowledge on the part of the controllers, nothing prevents the device from fine-tuning, without the controllers' knowledge, the flight parameters of one or both of the planes concerned sufficiently in advance to ensure their separation at the time of crossing their trajectories. This possibility of subliminal action allows the device according to the invention to significantly increase the number of "false conflicts" in the Controller Calendar. Because of its subliminal nature for controllers, this type of action can be exercised at any time, and therefore even if the conflict to be eradicated is only likely to occur in the space of a sector located downstream that of which the airplane 30 moves at a given moment; By thus having more time to benefit from the effect of even a slight modification of the flight parameters, this extended function further contributes to reducing the number of residual conflicts that will have to be dealt with by the controllers.

  The assistance device according to the invention establishes the list of conflicts which are likely to occur in a cluster (that is to say almost simultaneously at a future time) and proposes in good time to the controllers provisions capable of preventing them. ; these arrangements can be proposed at a time when an aircraft flies over a sector 5 upstream from that in which one of these conflicts should take place. He draws the attention of the controller currently in charge of this aircraft and specifically suggests that he implement the proposed solution even if said controller is unable to understand the reason and the usefulness. This device provides monitoring permanent development of the situation and 10 intervenes with controllers in all cases of unforeseen hazards, or even breach of controllers.

  For all conflicts which have not been eliminated by the play of the preceding functions, the device according to the invention searches for one or more solution (s) from a set of standard maneuvers previously identified and standardized: change of speed or of 15 level or rate of vertical evolution, avoidance Classic radar, direct routes, followed by a plane with a dog curve aiming with the necessary margins a virtual plane offset from the minimum separation of the plane to avoid.

  When the planes are equipped accordingly, the assistance device according to the invention adds to this list the delegation to planes in conflict of the task of ensuring by their own means their separation under defined conditions: in the latter case of a piecemeal progressive decentralization of conventional centralized control, Furthermore, this device makes the controllers concerned aware, on the screen of their Diary, that they keep at their disposal such solutions that are constantly updated. day and theirs signals them in a one-to-one manner, for example by a specific icon, with the conflict concerned, thereby taking advantage of the fact that the order in which the conflicts are displayed is intangible.

  The assistance device according to the invention also receives via this same screen the possible request from the controllers aiming to know the solution (s), and displays in this case and on this same screen a keyboard virtual facilitating the entry of the 30 methods of implementing the type of solution chosen; this virtual keyboard specific to each selected function developed according to each circumstance anticipates the probable intentions of the controller in order to allow the entry of the message by the play of a very small number of designations among the blocks of information presented.

  This device takes note of the solution chosen by the controllers and which the latter then sends by radiotelephone to the aircraft concerned, or, at its request, it directly sends the said instructions to the on-board computers of the aircraft which are equipped accordingly, then in follows the execution.

  It keeps up to date on the Controller Calendar, according to ergonomically chosen codes (color or intensity of the display, icons, lateral sliding of the information line, etc.) the state of all conflicts: (false conflicts, conflicts eliminated, conflicts delegated by the controllers to the computer, then possibly by the latter to the aircraft, conflicts still to be resolved by the controller).

  In addition to its initial function, this Agenda thus becomes the "dashboard" of the situation, ie both an indicator of the conflicts still to be resolved, an indicator of the delegations already carried out for the benefit of the computer and a support communication virtual keyboard adapted to the specific nature of each transaction between the controller and the computer.

  The assistance device according to the invention provides additional security in the event of an incident affecting the centralized system - and thus facilitates a smooth transition to an increasingly automated system - by the increasing sub-delegation of the computer to the benefit of computers. on board as aircraft are equipped for this purpose.

  The above analysis of a mode of operation of the device according to the invention shows that it effectively overcomes the pitfalls which, in the state of the art, opposed any significant progress in the system. It shows in particular that this system makes it possible to achieve all the objectives of uniqueness of responsibility, conviviality, efficiency and progressive development which have been assigned to it.

  Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description of a nonlimiting embodiment, and the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows the essential elements of the device d assistance according to the invention, in their environment; - Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the assistance device according to the invention; - Figure 3 schematically shows an example of control position screens implemented in the assistance device according to the invention; - Figure 4 is a diagram of information representation on the screen of the Controller Calendar; and FIG. 5 shows the equipment of the planes and their connections with the outside, in an application of the assistance device according to the invention.

  We will first describe, with reference to the above figures, an embodiment of an assistance device according to the invention. This device complements a now conventional air traffic control system which is composed of a computer 1 comprising software modules 2 enabling it to receive information concerning the flight plans of the aircraft 3 as the pilots have deposited them before the flight and information from radars 4, to interpret this information, to correlate it and to develop it to present it on screens 5 of the controllers 6 and 10 assistant controllers 7 of each control sector 8; these having a radiotelephone link 9 for communicating with planes 10, 10 ′.

  The complementary ERATO device includes an add-on software module 11 assisting the controllers to enable them to establish and display on an additional screen 12 a list ordered in time of the conflicts 13, called "Agenda 15 Controller", so that these controllers are able to predict them with the only information and means of analysis available to them. This complementary device also includes software and a complementary screen 14 for managing coordination between the sectors.

  The device 15 according to the invention comprises, with reference to FIG. 2, a data link 16 between the computer and the on-board computers 17 of the planes which are equipped for this purpose in order to collect the flight data and '' send control instructions to it, - a software module 18, 18 'installed on the on-board computers 17, 17' of the planes 10, 10 'to enable them to ensure two by two and by themselves the prevention of their 2 5 collision, - a software module 19 making it possible, on the basis of all the information and calculation means available to the computer, to compare the planned trajectories of the aircraft and to search for all potential conflicts in order to establish and to keep up to date a list of said conflicts, known as a "Computer Calendar", which includes all the conflicts even before the planes involved enter the control sector in which the conflict is likely to occur, a software module 20 allowing to compare pair of planes per pair of planes "the Controller Diary" and "the Computer Diary" and to highlight any disparity of forecast between them at any time, - 12 a software module 21 making it possible to establish within the list 20 of conflicts in the Controller Calendar the list of conflicts which arise from the lack of precision in the forecast made by the controller and which do not need to be taken into account by the controllers, - a software module 22 for selecting from among the pairs of airplanes in the list 20 those of the conflicts likely to be resolved by a modification of the flight parameters (speed or rate of climb or descent) of one or of the two aircraft (s ) concerned who remains within the limits of normal tolerances for monitoring their flight plan and to develop these modifications and transmit the corresponding instructions via the data link 16, 10 - a software module 23 making it possible to search among the conflicts from the list 20 those of the conflicts which are likely to occur almost simultaneously (clusters) within the various sectors, a software module 24 making it possible to seek and to update optimal solutions to each of the "conflicts" appearing in "the Computer Agenda "19 and over 1 5 particularly to clusters of conflicts 23 (clusters), - a pre-established list 25 of standardized types of solutions to conflicts (climb or descent profiles, Radar avoidance, direct route, delegation of control to planes ...), - a software module 26 allowing messages to be exchanged between the computer and the controllers 6 and assistant controllers 7 by means of screens 5, 12 and 14, 20 - a software module 27 for developing and to display, as necessary, on the Controller Agendas the different types of functions specific to the device according to the invention which are offered by the computer and relate to each of these conflicts, which types of f anointing are associated in a one-to-one manner with the line relating to this conflict in the form of icons 28, of color, of signs or of lateral displacement of the information, 2 5 - a software module 29 to allow the interpretation of the designation designation maneuvers. such and such a block of information as displayed on their screens by the computer, - a software module 30 making it possible to display on the screens of the Controller Calendars 12 a keyboard 31 adapted to the message that the controller is capable of addressing to the computer following the designation by the latter of one of the types of functions 25. It should be noted that the keyboard 31 may be of the virtual type and reconfigurable according to the situations treated.

  Thus supplemented by the device according to the invention, the control system is able to take advantage of all the information available, in particular that which it can acquire via data links 16 with the planes which are equipped with it. - 13

  This assistance device according to the invention is able to provide controllers at any time with a wide range of services according to the circumstances and their wishes without requiring them to pay attention or carry heavy operations or those likely to interfere with the free development of their thinking and the organization of their work.

  Among these services, there are notably, with reference to the aforementioned figures and in particular to Figure 3: - the display on screens 12.1, 12.2, in relation to the conflict concerned, of a characteristic signal making known according to the lists 13.1, 13.2 established by the software modules 10 21 and 22 that this conflict does not need to be taken into consideration by the controller, followed by the designation by the controller of the said signal making it known that it has read it, thus delegating to the device the responsibility of monitoring the evolution of the situation and of causing an alarm in the event of unforeseen hazards, - automatic transmission without prior coordination with the controllers by the data link 16 to the aircraft which have a modification instruction thereof incoming flight parameters within normal tolerances affecting flight plans, followed by the display as above that the conflict is no longer necessary, - the display age on the screens 12.1, 12.2, in relation to the conflict concerned with a characteristic signal making known that the computer keeps at the disposal of the controller 20 different types of standardized solutions chosen from the list 25 and worked out according to the list worked out by the software module 25. Among the possible service offers, in particular, if the planes are equipped with the data link 16, the delegation of responsibility to the computer itself to address the instructions to the planes in accordance with the solution chosen by the controller and monitor its execution. If the planes are not equipped with link 16, the controller may take cognizance of this solution, address the instructions to the planes by radiotelephone link 9 and confirm to the computer by designation of this solution the arrangement which 'he took; the controller may likewise, if he so wishes, choose a type of solution by designation of the characteristic signal and thus trigger the appearance of a keyboard 31 adapted to the type of solution 30 designated and allowing him to easily express his intentions with a view, depending on the circumstances, to have them executed by the computer or to implement them itself as indicated above, - the display on the screens 14 of assistant controllers 7 of the sector in which the planes concerned operate at this time of a message according to the list established by the software module 23 suggesting to it to modify the flight parameters when these exceed the normal tolerance of the flight plans, in order to avoid the formation of subsequent clusters, followed by the possible approval of said assistant controller and the sending by himself of the messages as suggested by the computer, or of the automatic sending by the way of the data link 16 if the planes are teams.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. -

Claims (22)

  1. An evolving automated air traffic control assistance device intended to equip an air traffic control system comprising a computer (1) programmed to: receive information concerning flight plans (3) of airplanes (10 , 10 ') and Radars (4) and to develop them to present them (5) to an operator controller (6) of a control sector (8), said controller having a radiotelephone link (9) to communicate with said planes (10, 10 ′), and - drawing up and displaying (12) a list, known as a "Scheduler Controller, ordered in time," of conflicts (13) such that said controller can predict them with the sole information and means of analysis available to it, characterized in that it comprises: - means for establishing a data link (16) with the on-board computers 15 (17) of the planes, with a view to collecting the flight data and sending instructions, - means (19) for establishing and keep up to date a list of conflicts, known as "Computer Diary" on the basis of all the information and calculation means available to the computer, - means (20) for comparing, pair of planes by pair of 'planes, the Agenda 2 0 Controller and the Computer Agenda, intended to highlight each forecast disparity in said Agendas, - means (24) for developing optimal solutions to conflicts appearing in the Computer Agenda, - means (26) for exchanging messages between the computer and the 2 5 controllers (6) by means of the screens (5), and - means (24) for developing and implementing aircraft avoidances (10, 10 ') via said data link (16) with the on-board computers (17) of the planes (10, 10').   30 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises means for selecting by comparison of the Controller Calendar and the Computer Calendar those conflicts which arise from the lack of precision of the forecast made by the controller. - 16   3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises means for collecting additional information for the establishment of the list (19), using the automatic digital connection (16) to the aircraft on-board computers (17).   4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises means for developing an optimal solution to resolve each of the conflicts in the list (19).   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises means for selecting from the pairs of planes in the list (19) those whose conflict can be resolved by modifying the flight parameters, in particular speed or climb or descent rate, of one or both aircraft (s) concerned, said modification remaining within the limits of normal tolerances for monitoring their flight plan. 15 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises means for automatically modifying, via the digital link (16), the flight parameters of one or more aircraft (s) concerned.   7. Device according to claims 4, characterized in that it further comprises means for modifying, via the digital link (16), when it receives the order from the controller, the flight parameters of an airplane when said modifications cause the trajectory of said airplane to go outside the tolerances of its flight plan. 2 5 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means for determining among the conflicts in the list of the Controller Calendar (13) those which no longer need to be and for notify it on the screen (12) of the sector in charge of the aircraft involved.   30 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means for establishing the list (19) for all traffic, including all conflicts even before the planes involved enter the sector of control in which the conflict is likely to occur. - 17   10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises means for selecting from the list (19) particularly sensitive conflicts, in particular those which will give rise to clusters which are difficult to resolve, and means for proposing the modification of the flight parameters of an airplane on the screen (14) of the assistant controller (7) currently in charge of the airplane when said conflicts will only occur when flying over a subsequent sector.   11. Device according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that it further comprises means for selecting from the list (19) particularly sensitive conflicts 10 in particular those which will give rise to clusters which are difficult to resolve, and means for proposing transfer conditions on the screens (14) of assistant controllers of the transfer conditions of an aircraft from one of these sectors to the next 12. Device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that it further comprises means for displaying on the screens (14) of assistant controllers proposals for early conflict resolution in the most sensitive cases , either for conflicts which will only occur in the following sectors, or for coordination between two sectors.   13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the solutions developed are chosen from a set of pre-established standardized actions such as climb or descent profiles or Radar avoidance.   14. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the various types of messages from the computer to the controller are displayed on the screens (12) and (14) in the form of icons (28) in one-to-one relation with the pair of aircraft concerned, and are characterized by their shape or any other particularity (color, title, etc.), the so-called icons or other icons or any other information displayed on the screen, serving as a virtual key keyboard to send back messages to the computer concerning said conflict. 30 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that the display on the screen (12) for each conflict of the Controller Calendar of a specific icon or any other means whose designation by the controller brings up a virtual keyboard (31) specifically adapted to the situation allowing the controller to inform the computer by a minimum of - 18 designations of the way in which he intervenes by voice link (9) (sending clearance) on the flight of an airplane to resolve said conflict or to ask the computer itself to directly inform the on-board computers 16. Device characterized according to one of claims 14 or 15, characterized by the display on the screen (12) or (14) of an icon whose designation by the controller or by the assistant controller indicates the intention of it to know the solution (s) as the computer has developed them and then inform the computer of the chosen solution.   17. Device according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the icon set (28) is provided to allow the controller to consent, when he designates them, a delegation of responsibility to the computer.   18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises means for proceeding, for any delegated conflict, with automatic monitoring of the evolution of the pair of aircraft considered.   19. Device according to one of claims 17 or 18, characterized in that it further comprises means for sending control instructions to the on-board computers (17) 2 0 of the equipped aircraft, and means for receiving from those here is information on the execution of these instructions.   20. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that it further comprises means for sending a message to two aircraft in conflict when they are equipped with the equipment necessary to sub-delegate their responsibility for ensuring their separation. on their own.   21. Device according to one of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that it ensures the automatic identification (lateral sliding of the identification of the conflict, color, etc.) of any delegated conflict so that the Controller Calendar (12) constitutes for the controller a permanent dashboard providing a list of delegated conflicts and a list of conflicts still to be resolved.   22. A method of evolving automated air traffic control assistance, implemented in an air traffic control system comprising a computer (1) programmed to receive information relating to aircraft flight plans (3) and 5 Radars (4) and develop them to present (5) to a controller operator (6) of a control sector (8), said controller having a radiotelephone link (9) to communicate with said planes (10 ), and - elaborate and display (12) a list, known as a "Scheduler Controller, ordered in time," of conflicts (13) such that said controller can predict them with the only information and means of analysis available to him, characterized in that it comprises: - establishment of a data link (16) with on-board computers (17) of aircraft, with a view to collecting flight data and sending instructions, - establishment and updating a list of c onflits (19), called "Agenda 15 Computer" on the basis of all the information and calculation means available to the computer, - a comparison, pair of planes by pair of planes, of the Agenda Controller and the Computer Agenda, so as to highlight each forecast disparity in said Agendas, - development of optimal solutions to conflicts appearing in the Computer Agenda, - exchanges of messages between the computer and the controllers (6) via screens (5), and - an elaboration and an implementation of avoidances of the planes via said data link (16) with the on-board computers (17) of the planes.