WO2023081293A1

WO2023081293A1 - Smart routing for aircraft flight planning and associated systems and methods

Info

Publication number: WO2023081293A1
Application number: PCT/US2022/048843
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Hunter; Eric Dowty; James Crasta; Robert Schaefer
Original assignee: Boom Technology, Inc.
Priority date: 2021-11-03
Filing date: 2022-11-03
Publication date: 2023-05-11

Abstract

A smart routing module, with supporting databases and computational components, that can handle analyzing the myriad of factors influencing the selection of a three-dimensional flight path from origin to destination airport is disclosed herein. Multiple routing solutions are considered by mixing costs associated with reaching the destination as quickly as possible vs. completing the mission consuming the fewest resources. Routes can be influenced by historical or forecast winds.

Description

SMART ROUTING FOR AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PLANNING AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] The present application claims priority to pending US Provisional Application 63/275,151 , filed on November s, 2021 , and incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The disclosed technology relates to smart routing for aircraft flight planning, and associated systems and methods.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Operating an airplane for profit requires mastering logistics and optimizing airplane movements. Airlines and other commercial operators have over a century of experience operating airplanes under conventional conditions. Typically, these conditions include speeds less than the speed of sound (Mach 1.0) and altitudes less than 45,000 feet.

[0004] With the pending widespread adoption of supersonic transport category airliners, the historical operational experience of airlines and other commercial operators may be inadequate. For example, the conditions present during supersonic flight can differ from the conditions present during conventional flight (e.g., accounting for differences in speed, altitude, and other characteristics), which can necessitate changes to conventional flight planning methods. It would therefore be advantageous to enable airlines and other commercial operators to plan the flight paths of supersonic aircraft in a manner that accounts for these different conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Fig. 1 is a component diagram illustrating components of a supersonic aircraft flight planning system, in accordance with representative embodiments of the present technology. [0006] Fig. 2 illustrates a portion of a directed graph data structure, used by a supersonic aircraft flight planning system, in accordance with representative embodiments of the present technology.

[0007] Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a process implemented by a supersonic aircraft flight planning system for generating an aircraft route, in accordance with representative embodiments of the present technology.

[0008] Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating different sonic boom carpet shapes that can be produced by a supersonic aircraft, in accordance with representative embodiments of the present technology.

[0009] In the present disclosure, the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, some components and/or operations can be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purpose of discussion of some of the implementations of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific implementations have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in greater detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular implementations described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all suitable modifications, equivalents, and alternatives.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Systems and methods that generate a flight path for an aircraft, including supersonic aircraft (a “supersonic aircraft flight planning system”) are described herein. As described herein, the system can generate a flight path that characterizes and/or specifies a route taken by an aircraft (including supersonic aircraft) from an origin to a destination. The flight path can include a set of waypoints, landmarks, coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude) and/or other geographic locations that characterize the planned route from the origin to destination. The flight path can additionally include the planned aircraft altitude along the route.

[0011] The supersonic aircraft flight planning system can generate the flight path based on a directed graph, which characterizes a region and the geographic locations found therein. For example, a directed graph can characterize the world, the continental United States, the Atlantic Ocean, one or more continents and oceans or other bodies of water found between, etc. The directed graph includes routing nodes, each of which corresponds to a geographic location within the region characterized by the directed graph (e.g., waypoints over the Atlantic Ocean that may be used during a trans-Atlantic flight). The directed graph additionally includes directed edges, each of which connects two routing notes of the directed graph, and characterizes aspects of air travel between the two corresponding geographic locations (e.g., the distance between the two geographic locations, limitations on the use supersonic flight between the two geographic locations, expected flight time between the two geographic locations, expected air speed when flying between the two geographic locations, maximum airspeed, etc.). As described herein, the system uses the directed graph to generate a flight path between an origin (e.g., a departure airport) and a destination (e.g., an arrival airport), each of which corresponds to a routing node of the directed graph, using a route made up of additional routing nodes in the directed graph. For example, the system can generate a cost associated with traversing between any two connected nodes (based on characteristics of flight indicated by the associated edge and/or other factors), based on which the system can determine which nodes to traverse as it generates a flight path.

[0012] In some embodiments, the supersonic aircraft flight planning system can utilize one or more directed graphs, each of which is associated with an altitude. For example, a first directed graph can be associated with a cruising altitude of subsonic flight and characterizes (e.g., using data associated with edges of the graph) parameters of subsonic flight, a second directed graph can be associated with a cruising altitude of supersonic flight and characterizes parameters of supersonic flight, etc. When the planned route of an aircraft involves a change in altitude (e.g., a climb in altitude following an increase in speed from subsonic to supersonic flight), the system can utilize the corresponding directed graph associated with the new altitude for remaining flight path planning. In other words, the system can plan a flight path of an aircraft based on more than one directed graphs based on altitude changes of the aircraft along the route. In some embodiments, the system plans a flight path based on one directed graph, where nodes in the directed graph are each associated with an altitude. In some embodiments with a directed graph where nodes are each associated with an altitude, only nodes at the same altitude are connected by edges. In some embodiments, the flight path is based on one or more directed graphs, each of which characterizes a portion of a route from an origin to a destination.

[0013] The supersonic aircraft flight planning system can additionally calculate an amount of fuel expected to be consumed by an aircraft flying according to the generate flight path. Based on the calculated fuel consumption, the system can determine a starting fuel amount, which may account for other factors (e.g., landing with a required amount of fuel in reserve, extra fuel requirements, etc.). As described herein, in some embodiments the system generates the flight path based on fuel calculations (e.g., to reduce the amount of fuel consumed).

[0014] Various implementations of the system will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and an enabling description of these implementations. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the system can be practiced without many of these details and/or with alternative approaches. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various implementations. The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific implementations of the system.

Suitable Environments

[0015] Fig. 1 and the following discussion provide a brief, general description of a suitable environment in which a supersonic aircraft flight planning system can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the system are described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as routines executed by a general- purpose computer, a personal computer, a server, and/or other computing system. The system can also be embodied in a special purpose computer or data processor that is specifically programmed, configured, and/or constructed to perform one or more of the computer-executable instructions explained in detail herein. Indeed, the terms “computer” and “computing device,” as used generally herein, refer to devices that have a processor and non-transitory memory, like any of the above devices, as well as any data processor or any device capable of communicating with a network. Data processors include programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors, programmable controllers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or the like, and/or any suitable combination of such devices. Computerexecutable instructions may be stored in memory, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, or the like, and/or any suitable combination of such components. Computer-executable instructions may also be stored in one or more storage devices, such as magnetic or optical-based disks, flash memory devices, and/or any other suitable type of non-volatile storage medium or non- transitory medium for data. Computer-executable instructions may include one or more program modules, which can include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so on, that perform particular tasks and/or implement particular abstract data types. Information handled by these computing systems can be presented through any suitable display medium, including a CRT display or LCD.

[0016] Aspects of the supersonic aircraft flight planning system can also be practiced in distributed computing environments, where tasks or modules are performed by remote processing devices, which are linked through a communications network such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, program modules or subroutines may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. Aspects of the system described herein may be stored or distributed on tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media, including magnetic and optically readable and removable computer discs, stored in firmware in chips (e.g., EEPROM chips). Alternatively, aspects of the system may be distributed electronically over the Internet or over other networks (including wireless networks). That is, aspects of the supersonic aircraft flight planning system can be executed by computing systems within a commercial supersonic aircraft, by computing systems located on the ground (e.g., at a ground-based controller, a computing system associated with an aircraft operator, etc.), or in combinations of the two (e.g., aircraftbased and ground-based computing systems, in communication with each other, implementing aspects of the supersonic aircraft flight planning system). Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that portions of the system may reside on a server computer, while corresponding portions reside on a client computer. Data structures and transmission of data particular to aspects of the system are also encompassed within the scope of the system. [0017] Fig. 1 is a component diagram illustrating components of a supersonic aircraft flight planning system 1 , including a smart routing module 10, a wind data module 11 , and a mission analysis module 12. As described above, aspects of the supersonic aircraft flight planning system, including smart routing module 10, wind data module 11 , and/or mission analysis module 12, can be implemented using computerexecutable instructions (e.g., in software), computer hardware (e.g., application-specific and/or configurable circuits), and any combination thereof.

[0018] In representative embodiments, the smart routing module 10 determines a three-dimensional path or route for an aircraft as described below. In some implementations, the smart routing module 10 can determine a path or route for the aircraft using one or more directed graph data structures and/or other graph data structures. Additional details regarding processes for determining a path or route are described below with reference to Fig. 2.

[0019] The smart routing module 10 can also determine a sonic boom carpet for an aircraft, which can include determining geographic areas that will be affected by a sonic boom when the aircraft accelerates to, and travels at, supersonic speeds. As described herein, the determination of a path or route by the smart routing module 10 can be based on the determination of a sonic boom carpet. For example, if the smart routing module 10 determines that flying supersonic at a particular location will result in a sonic boom carpet striking land, then a cost associated with traversing to a node associated with that particular location may be increased, thereby decreasing the likelihood that the smart routing module will generate a path or route that traverses the node. As a further example, if the smart routing module 10 determines that flying supersonic at a particular location will result in a sonic boom carpet striking land, then flight parameters associated with traversing an associated node (e.g., maximum allowed airspeed, whether supersonic flight is permitted, etc.) may be changed. In other words, in some embodiments the system can make routing decisions, based on predicted sonic boom carpets, to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of generating sonic boom carpets in certain regions (e.g., over land). Similarly, the system can make routing decisions, based on predicted sonic boom carpets, that allow the aircraft to operate at supersonic speeds longer than what could be achieved with conventional systems (e.g., by generating a flight path that avoids sonic boom strikes over land, thereby allowing the aircraft to travel at supersonic speeds). Additional details regarding determining a sonic boom carpet for an aircraft are provided in commonly- assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 17/330,322, “REAL TIME SONIC BOOM WARNING SYSTEM,” filed May 25, 2021 (the “’322 application”), the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[0020] The wind data module 11 retrieves and/or accesses historical wind data and/or forecast wind data for various available flight paths, geographic areas, altitudes, and/or other parameters. For example, historical wind data for a particular flight path over a geographical feature (such as mountains or large bodies of water) can be obtained and used to statistically model wind conditions along possible routes, including the route planned by the system. More generally, wind data (e.g., historical, predicted, observed, etc.) at points along a potential flight path can be used (e.g., by the smart routing module 10 or other components of the system) to weigh the cost of possible routes, such as continuing straight ahead or altering course to find more favorable winds. Furthermore, additional factors such as time of year (e.g., a current season) can be used to model specific weather patterns, based on which the system can generate a flight path to the destination. In some embodiments, current wind and other weather conditions can be used to plan a flight path and/or adjust an existing flight path. It will be appreciated that the use of wind and/or additional weather data can enable the system to generate a flight path that avoids unfavorable conditions, thereby improving aircraft efficiency.

[0021] The mission analysis module 12 obtains, accesses, and/or determines performance characteristics of the aircraft during all phases of flight. Aircraft performance characteristics can include a top speed of the aircraft and maximum operating altitude of the aircraft at various fuel levels of the aircraft (e.g., at full fuel load). The mission analysis module 12 can also calculate expected engine performance and aircraft fuel consumption based on various flight parameters, such as operating altitude, operating speed, flight path, weather information, and/or other suitable parameters. The mission analysis module 12 can calculate aircraft performance characteristics differently depending on the phase of flight and other flight parameters. For example, the mission analysis module 12 can determine one rate of fuel consumption by an aircraft when the aircraft is in a hold over an airport, and a different rate of fuel consumption when an aircraft is flying supersonic. In some embodiments, the mission analysis module 12 can determine a cruising altitude for the aircraft based on the aircraft performance characteristics and/or generated flight path.

Routing Domain

[0022] As described herein, the supersonic aircraft flight planning system (e.g., the smart routing module 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 ) can generate a flight path routing using one or more directed graph data structures and/or another suitable data structures. Fig. 2 illustrates a representative directed graph data structure. The directed graph is made up of routing nodes 20a-h with directed edges 21 a-h connecting individual routing nodes to other routing nodes in the directed graph data structure. For example, each routing decision made by the system can start at a central node 27. The central node 27 can be an origin node of a flight path, a destination node of a flight path, a waypoint in the flight path, and/or another type of node in the flight path. The directed edges 21 a-h connect the central node 27 to routing nodes 20a-h, which represent possible origins, destinations, and/or waypoints that can be included in the flight path. As described herein, the system evaluates the routing nodes 20a-h and the directed edges 21 a-h connecting them to the central node 27, and determines to which routing node 20a-h an aircraft should traverse from the central node 27 for the next portion of a flight path (e.g., what path an aircraft should take from the central node 27). After the system selects one of the routing nodes 20a-h to include in a flight path for the aircraft (e.g., the routing node 20a-h to which the aircraft should traverse for the next portion of the flight plan), the system moves to the selected routing node (for example, routing node 20c) and uses the selected routing node as a new central node 27 to generate the next portion of a flight path (e.g., to select the next origin, destination, and/or waypoint to include in the flight plan). That is, once the system traverses to a selected routing node 20a-h and designates it as a new central node 27 (e.g., the system generates a portion of a flight path), the system selects a new routing node 20a-h connected to the new central node 27 by a directed edge to generate the next portion of the flight path. Therefore, while Fig. 2 illustrates a representative directed graph with routing nodes 20a-h connected to a single central node 27, it will be appreciated that routing nodes can be connected by directed edges to multiple other routing nodes, and that as the system traverses the directed graph (e.g., generates portions of a flight path), the routing node designated as the central node will change with each portion of the flight path that is being generated. In some implementations, each of the routing nodes 20a- h can have eight directed edges leading out of the routing node to other routing nodes. In other implementations, each of the routing nodes 20a-h can include more or less than eight directed edges leading out of the routing node. The routing nodes 20a-h in the directed graph data structure can be regularly or irregularly spaced in relation to other nodes in the directed graph data structure (e.g., the geographic locations corresponding to the routing nodes can be regularly or irregularly spaced from one another). One example of a directed graph data structure is a directed graph data structure with routing nodes associated with geographic locations such as waypoints, landmarks, coordinates (e.g., different degrees of latitude and/or longitude).

[0023] The individual directed edges 21 a-h of the directed graph can include attributes that define parameters of flight between the corresponding connected routing nodes 20a-h (e.g., along a flight path segment), such as a length or distance 22 of the particular flight path or flight path segment, and a type 23 of flight allowed or not allowed on the flight path segment, such as “no-fly,” “cannot take path,” “subsonic flight only,” “subsonic or supersonic flight allowed,” and/or other descriptors for types of flight allowed on the flight path. In some instances, these allowed flight types reflect rules and/or regulations by the governing authorities of the territories being overflown, and/or of policies set forth by the owner or operator of the aircraft being routed. Additional attributes for each directed edge 21a-h can include a maximum allowed airspeed when flying the flight path segment, a duration of flight of the flight path segment, wind effects of the flight path segment, and/or other characteristics of flight between the corresponding two connected routing nodes 20a-h. In some embodiments, the attributes of the directed edges 21 a-h can represent initial default values and/or values that the system modifies. For example, the flight type attribute of a directed edge may initially indicate that supersonic flight is allowed along that flight path segment. However if the system detects that an aircraft at a connected routing node and traveling at supersonic speeds will generate a sonic boom carpet that will impact land (e.g., due to prevailing weather and/or wind conditions), the system can modify the flight type attribute to reflect that only subsonic flight is allowed along that flight path segment. As a further example, the system may reduce the maximum allowed airspeed attribute due to sonic boom detection. As a still further example, wind effect and/or other weather effect attributes may change based on new weather data or models. It will be appreciated that by updating directed edge attributes based on observed or predicted data, the system can make more effective flight path decisions. In some embodiments, the directed edges 21 a-h can include different attributes for different directions. For example, a directed edge connecting two routing nodes may indicate that supersonic flight is allowed in one direction between the two nodes, and that no flight is allowed in the other direction between the two nodes. In some embodiments directed edges 21 a- h can include different attributes for different altitudes and/or the directed graph may include different directed edges corresponding to different altitudes. It will be appreciated that the directed edges can characterize any suitable parameters of flight.

Processes of a Supersonic Aircraft Flight Planning System

[0024] Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a process, implemented by a supersonic aircraft flight planning system, for determining a flight path or route of an aircraft. The process can be performed, for example, by the smart routing module 10, wind data module 11 , and/or mission analysis module 12 illustrated in Fig. 1. The process can be performed prior to the flight of the aircraft, during the aircraft flight, or a combination. For example, the process can be performed to generate an initial flight path for the aircraft, and then the process may be performed one or more times during flight to revise the flight path. As described herein, the process can be performed by computing systems within the aircraft and/or ground-based computing systems.

[0025] The process begins at block 300, where the system determines and/or receives identifications of an origin (e.g., a departure airport) and a destination (e.g., an arrival airport) defining the endpoints of a trip or flight path for the aircraft. As described herein, the process generates a flight path that enables the aircraft to fly from the origin to the destination. In the representative process illustrated herein, the system generates a flight back by working “backwards” from the destination to the origin. In some embodiments (not illustrated), the system can generate a flight path by starting at the origin and working “forwards” to the destination.

[0026] At block 301 , the system initializes a fuel amount based on a desired fuel reserve the aircraft should have at landing at the conclusion of the flight (e.g., as required by rules or regulations, aircraft operator best practices, etc.). As described herein, the system can estimate the amount of fuel consumed by the aircraft flying the flight path generated by the system which, in combination with the initial fuel amount, can indicate the amount of fuel the aircraft should start with at the beginning of the trip. In some embodiments the system can determine en-route altitudes based on fuel remaining at various waypoints in the flight path.

[0027] At block 302, the system can modify the fuel amount (initialized at block 301 based on fuel reserve requirements) to include extra fuel reserves (e.g., beyond the minimum required by regulations).

[0028] At blocks 303-308, the system evaluates data (e.g., one or more directed graphs characterizing possible routes between the origin and destination, wind and/or weather data, mission analysis data, sonic boom carpet data, etc.) to select flight path segments that in combination form a flight path between the origin and destination. The steps performed by blocks 303-308 repeat until the flight path has connected back to the origin (e.g., when the flight path generation begins with the destination) as reflected by decision block 309. Further details of the flight path generation are described below.

[0029] At block 303, the system selects directed edges from a current route node in the directed graph. The current routing node can represent, for example, to the destination of a trip (e.g., when block 303 is first performed in embodiments of the system that generate a flight path backwards from the trip destination) and/or a waypoint within the flight path (e.g., when the block 303 has been performed at least once, one or more portions of the flight path have been generated by the system, and the current node corresponds to the aircraft’s current planned location within the partial flight path). In some embodiments, the system selects all directed edges that allow flight from the current node (e.g., do not have a “do not fly” or “cannot take path” attribute). As described herein, the evaluation of which edges allow or not allow flight can be based on a combination of initial direct edge node attributes for allowed flight types, and dynamic analysis of the airplane’s sonic boom carpet. For example, if the system detects that flying from the current node to another routing node will result in a sonic boom striking land, the attribute of the corresponding directed edge may change to “do not fly” or “cannot take path.” Additional details regarding dynamic analysis of an airplane’s sonic boom carpet can be found in the ‘322 application.

[0030] At block 304, the system (e.g., using data from the mission analysis service 12, illustrated in Fig. 1 ) fetches and/or determines an appropriate altitude for the current phase of flight. For example, the system can determine that the aircraft should fly at a higher altitude as fuel is consumed during flight. This analysis can include various aspects of the airplane (e.g., maximum speed at the current state of the mission, maximum allowable altitude for fuel load, and the like).

[0031] At block 305, the system (e.g., using the wind data module 11 , illustrated in Fig. 1 ) determines course-specific winds for the candidate directed edges (selected at block 303) at the airplane’s optimal operating altitude (fetched and/or determined at block 304). For example, wind speed, direction, and the like for particular routes or portions of routes can be acquired or modeled based on historical data and/or real-time data.

[0032] At block 306, the system calculates a cost for each candidate directed edge (e.g., selected at block 303). The system can calculate each directed edge’s cost based on a variety of factors, including wind, distance, time, mission analysis data, and/or any other airplane performance determining factors. The edge cost can further be based on other factors, such as pilot selection, other known weather data, known air traffic data, and/or other factors. In some embodiments, the system can use environmental factors, fuel usage factors, travel time factors, engine maintenance factors, and/or other factors to calculate an edge cost. For example, a directed edge can have an initial cost based on a calculation focused on reducing fuel consumption during the flight of the aircraft, while the directed edge can have an alternative edge cost based on a calculation focused on reducing time in air for the aircraft during the flight. The selected edge cost can accordingly correspond to the parameter (or parameters) that are the focus of the particular portion of the flight.

[0033] In some embodiments, the system can calculate a directed edge’s cost based further on geographical zones. For example, certain nodes can be associated with locations where supersonic flight is not permitted, such as locations below an altitude of 10,000, locations near landmasses, restricted flight zones, and/or other restricted locations. The system can use a dynamic sonic boom carpet analysis (e.g., from the mission analysis service 12 illustrated in Fig. 1 , and as described in the ‘322 application) to determine if the aircraft will cause a sonic boom in proximity to a location where supersonic flight is not permitted. If the system detects that the aircraft will cause a sonic boom, the system can modify a cost of the directed edge to indicate that the sonic boom will occur. For example, the system can increase the cost of a directed edge connected to a routing node that could lead to a prohibited sonic boom, such that the system is less likely to incorporate the routing note in the flight path. As a further example, in some embodiments the detection of a sonic boom could result in the system modifying the flight type of a directed edge (e.g., to be limited to subsonic slight) and/or to reduce the maximum airspeed associated with the directed edge, which can similarly result in the system generating an increase cost for the directed edge. In some implementations, a directed edge’s attributes can be adjusted to determine a best supersonic speed for the aircraft to generate the most favorable sonic boom carpet shape. For example, Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating different sonic boom carpet shapes 40-42 that can be produced by a supersonic aircraft, e.g., at different speeds. When an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound, the air it displaces compresses into a shockwave, or a sonic boom. A sonic boom carpet is an area on the ground affected by the sonic boom. In general, a supersonic airplane’s sonic boom carpet changes as a function of the Mach number at which the aircraft is flying(e.g., the current true airspeed of the aircraft relative to the speed of sound). At lower speeds, such as Mach 1 .2, a narrower sonic boom carpet, such as sonic boom carpet 40, is produced. At higher speeds, such as Mach 1 .6 or Mach 2.0, wider sonic boom carpets, like sonic boom carpets 41 and 42, respectively, can be produced. These depicted idealized sonic boom carpet shapes ignore the complexity added by wind and air temperature as a sonic boom radiates out from a supersonic vehicle. Additional details regarding the production of sonic boom carpets can be found in the ‘322 application. Along with factors such as altitude, wind, and air temperature, the width of a sonic boom carpet can be used to calculate the cost of an edge, e.g., one of the edges shown in Fig. 2. For example, a narrow sonic boom carpet at a lower Mach number can be advantageous when flying parallel to a coastline, while a wider sonic boom carpet at a higher Mach number can be advantageous when further offshore and away from populated areas. These considerations can be taken into account when assigning cost to a directed edge’s attributes.

[0034] Returning to Fig. 3, at block 307 the system organizes the candidate directed edges (e.g., selected at block 303) from the directed graph based on calculated directed edge costs (e.g., generated at block 306). The system can organize the candidate directed edges based on a pathfinding algorithm, such as any number of known pathfinding algorithms, including a shortest path algorithm, an all pairs shortest path algorithm, a single source shortest path algorithm, a minimum spanning tree algorithm, and/or other suitable pathfinding algorithms. The pathfinding algorithms can be chosen, for example, based on a best fit between the algorithm and one or more candidate directed edges based on the costs of the directed edges.

[0035] At block 308, the system selects a directed edge, from the organized candidate directed edges, to traverse from the current routing node to a new routing node in the directed graph (e.g., the routing node connected to the selected directed edge). The selected directed edge can be selected based on allowable flight type, fuel consumption associated with the directed edge, course-specific winds associated with the directed edge, and/or other parameters associated with the directed edge. For example, system can select a first directed edge connecting a destination node of the flight path to a first node. In some implementations, the first node can be an origin node of the flight path. In other implementations, the first node can be an intermediate node in the directed graph data structure. Furthermore, the system can also select a second directed edge connecting the first node to a second node in the directed graph data structure and/or a second directed edge connecting the first node to the origin node of the flight path. The system can also connect the second node to a further node and/or to the origin node by selecting a further directed edge in the directed graph data structure. The system can additionally add fuel amounts associated with each selected directed edge to a fuel sum (e.g., initialized at blocks 301 and 302) to account for the traversal.

[0036] At decision block 309, the system determines whether the new routing node corresponds to the trip origin (e.g., as indicated at block 300). If the system determines that the new routing node does not correspond to the trip origin, then the process can return to block 303, such that certain portions of the above flow can be repeated until the origin airport is found. If the system determines that the new routing node does correspond to the trip origin (e.g., the system has selected a set of candidate directed edges that in combination connect the routing node of the destination to the routing node of the origin), then the process continues to block 310.

[0037] At block 310, the system calculates a mission analysis (e.g., using data from the mission analysis module 12, illustrated in Fig. 1 ). The mission analysis can include a calculated fuel bum for the generated flight path. The system can output the selected route (e.g., corresponding to the generated flight path) with added associated metadata (e.g., calculated fuel bum). The selected route can be identified in reverse (e.g., from destination to origin) to more accurately determine required fuel for the selected flight path, and to determine cruising altitude and changes in cruising altitude during the flight. The process then ends.

[0038] It will be appreciated that in some embodiments of the system, different attributes that factor into the cost calculation can be attributed different weights, which influence the extent to which the corresponding attribute negatively or positively impacts a generated cost. For example, the cost of travel time and resources consumed (e.g., fuel) can be varied, and alternate routes can be sought by repeating the above routing calculations. In some embodiments, the system can solve for the extremes of shortest travel time and/or least resources consumed for particular routes or portions of routes. In some embodiments, the system can also solve for several points of blended time/resource priorities. On these multiple candidate routes, the system can run a full mission analysis and select the best route that favors time and the best route that favors conserving resources, and present both solutions to pilots for route planning selection or automatically plot the route into, for example, an autopilot system.

CONCLUSION

[0039] Embodiments of the disclosed technology determine a flight path or route for a supersonic aircraft traveling from an origin to a destination. In contrast to prior systems, the disclosed technology accounts for flight characteristics that are unique to supersonic flight, including the generation of sonic booms. The disclosed technology can therefore be advantageously used with commercial supersonic aircraft that are prohibited from causing sonic booms that disturb designated areas (e.g., over land or population centers).

[0040] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the examples, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and/or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling and/or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, and/or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Furthermore, the word “or” is to be construed as “and/or” unless the context clearly requires otherwise. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively.

[0041] The above detailed description of implementations of the system is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the system to the precise form disclosed above. While specific implementations of, and examples for, the system are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the system, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, some network elements are described herein as performing certain functions. Those functions could be performed by other elements in the same or differing networks, which could reduce the number of network elements. Alternatively, or additionally, network elements performing those functions could be replaced by two or more elements to perform portions of those functions. In addition, while processes, message/data flows, and/or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative implementations may perform routines having blocks, or employ systems having blocks, in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to provide alternative combinations or subcombinations. Each of these processes, message/data flows, and/or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes and/or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed in parallel, and/or may be performed at different times. Further, any specific numbers noted herein are only examples: alternative implementations may employ differing values and/or ranges. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the actual implementation of a database may take a variety of forms, and the term “database” is used herein in the generic sense to refer to any data structure that allows data to be stored and accessed, such as tables, linked lists, arrays, etc.

[0042] The teachings of the methods and systems provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements, blocks, and acts of the various implementations described above can be combined to provide further implementations. [0043] Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent any materials incorporated herein by reference conflict with the present disclosure, the present disclosure controls. Aspects of the technology can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further implementations of the technology.

[0044] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the technology. For example, a flight path can be determined from origin to destination instead of from destination to origin as described above. Certain aspects of the technology described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. For example, a flight path can be determined between a destination node and an origin node without requiring the determination of a central node in between the destination node and the origin node. Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology can encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein.

Claims

CLAIMS l/We claim:

1 . A method, performed by a computing system, to generate a flight path for a supersonic aircraft, the method comprising: receiving a flight origin and a flight destination for a supersonic aircraft; receiving a directed graph comprised of a plurality of routing nodes and a plurality of edges, wherein each routing node represents a geographic location, and wherein an individual edge: connects a first routing node from the plurality of routing nodes to a second routing node from the plurality of routing node, and represents a flight path segment between the first routing node and the second routing node, and comprises a plurality of attributes characterizing the flight path segment between the first routing node and the second routing node; identifying an origin node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the flight origin; identifying a destination node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the flight destination; for each of a plurality of edges connected to the destination node, determining an edge cost for the edge based on the attributes associated with the edge; modifying the edge cost of at least one edge based on sonic boom data; and generating a flight path by: selecting a first edge connected to the destination node and a first intermediate node from the plurality of routing nodes, wherein the first edge is selected based on the edge cost of the first edge; and selecting a second edge connected to a second intermediate node from the plurality of routing nodes and the origin node, wherein the second edge is selected based on the edge cost of the second edge.

2. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising: receiving aircraft performance data for the supersonic aircraft, the aircraft performance data comprising predicted fuel consumption data for the supersonic aircraft; and generating an estimated total fuel consumption based on the aircraft performance data and the generated flight path.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the estimated total fuel consumption comprises: estimating a first fuel amount for a first flight path segment based on an attribute of the first edge; estimating a second fuel amount for a second flight path segment based on an attribute of the second edge; determining a reserve fuel amount; and generating the estimated total consumption based on the first fuel amount, the second fuel amount, and the reserve fuel amount.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein an attribute of at least one of the edges characterizes an allowed flight type.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the allowed flight type can comprise subsonic flight, supersonic-perm itted flight, or no flight.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sonic boom data characterizes a sonic boom carpet, and wherein the method further comprises identifying a geographic location impacted by the sonic boom carpet.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the edge cost of at least one edge based on the sonic boom data comprises: identifying a geographic location at which the supersonic aircraft generates a sonic boom carpet striking a landmass; identifying a routing node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the geographic location; and increasing the edge cost of at least one edge connected to the identified routing node.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one attribute of the at least one edge characterizes a maximum allowed airspeed along the corresponding flight path segment, and wherein the method further comprises reduces the maximum allowed airspeed associated with the at least one edge.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one attribute of the at least one edge characterizes allowed flight types along the corresponding flight path segment, and wherein the method further comprises modifying the allowed flight type to indicate supersonic flight is prohibited along the flight path segment.

10. A computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed: receive a flight origin and a flight destination for a supersonic aircraft; receive a directed graph comprised of a plurality of routing nodes and a plurality of edges, wherein each routing node represents a geographic location, and wherein each edge: connects a first routing node from the plurality of routing nodes to a second routing node from the plurality of routing node, and represents a flight path segment between the first routing node and the second routing node, and comprises a plurality of attributes characterizing the flight path segment between the first routing node and the second routing node; identify an origin node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the flight origin; identify a destination node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the flight destination; for each of a plurality of edges connected to the destination node, determine an edge cost for the edge based on the attributes associated with the edge; modify the edge cost of at least one edge based on sonic boom data; and generate a flight path by: selecting a first edge connected to the destination node and a first intermediate node from the plurality of routing nodes, wherein the first edge is selected based on the edge cost of the first edge; and selecting a second edge connected to a second intermedia node from the plurality of routing nodes and the origin node, wherein the second edge is selected based on the edge cost of the second edge.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, having further instructions that when executed: receive aircraft performance data for the supersonic aircraft, the aircraft performance data comprising predicted fuel consumption data for the supersonic aircraft; and generate an estimated total fuel consumption based on the aircraft performance data and the generated flight path.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein an attribute of at least one of the edges characterizes an allowed flight type.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the allowed flight type can comprise subsonic flight, supersonic-perm itted flight, or no flight.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the sonic boom data characterizes a sonic boom carpet, and having further instructions that when executed identify a geographic location impacted by the sonic boom carpet.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein modifying the edge cost of at least one edge based on the sonic boom data comprises: identifying a geographic location at which the supersonic aircraft generates a sonic boom carpet striking a landmass; identifying a routing node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the geographic location; and increasing the edge cost of at least one edge connected to the identified routing node.

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16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least one attribute of the at least one edge characterizes a maximum allowed airspeed along the corresponding flight path segment, and wherein the method further comprises reduces the maximum allowed airspeed associated with the at least one edge.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least one attribute of the at least one edge characterizes allowed flight types along the corresponding flight path segment, and wherein the method further comprises modifying the allowed flight type to indicate supersonic flight is prohibited along the flight path segment.

18. A supersonic aircraft, comprising: a computing controller having instructions that, when executed: receive a flight origin and a flight destination for a supersonic aircraft; receive a directed graph comprised of a plurality of routing nodes and a plurality of edges, wherein each routing node represents a geographic location, and wherein each edge: connects a first routing node from the plurality of routing nodes to a second routing node from the plurality of routing node, and represents a flight path segment between the first routing node and the second routing node, and comprises a plurality of attributes characterizing the flight path segment between the first routing node and the second routing node; identify an origin node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the flight origin; identify a destination node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the flight destination; for each of a plurality of edges connected to the destination node, determine an edge cost for the edge based on the attributes associated with the edge; modify the edge cost of at least one edge based on sonic boom data; and generate a flight path by:

-22- selecting a first edge connected to the destination node and a first intermediate node from the plurality of routing nodes, wherein the first edge is selected based on the edge cost of the first edge; and selecting a second edge connected to a second intermedia node from the plurality of routing nodes and the origin node, wherein the second edge is selected based on the edge cost of the second edge.

19. The supersonic aircraft of claim 18, wherein modifying the edge cost of at least one edge based on the sonic boom data comprises: identifying a geographic location at which the supersonic aircraft generates a sonic boom carpet striking a landmass; identifying a routing node, from the plurality of routing nodes, representing the geographic location; and increasing the edge cost of at least one edge connected to the identified routing node.

20. The supersonic aircraft of claim 18, the supersonic aircraft further comprising: a flight deck having a display; and wherein the generated flight path is provided on the display of the flight deck.

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