Thomas B Breen

US Patent:

7437250, Oct 14, 2008

Filed:

Jun 6, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/145170

Inventors:

Thomas J. Breen - Tyngsboro MA, US
Alexander E. Smith - McLean VA, US

Assignee:

ERA Systems Corporation - Reston VA

International Classification:

G01B 3/44
E01C 7/00

US Classification:

702 34, 404 17

Abstract:

The AirScene™ Pavement Management System of the present invention automatically tracks data required to determine various factors in an assessment of current and future pavement maintenance needs and utilizes this data to quantify the pavement damage caused by each individual aircraft movement and thus compute pavement condition based on an initial survey and the calculations of accrued damage over time. This information can be displayed through AirScene™ in the form of tables, graphs, or graphically represented on an airport diagram showing present conditions, rates of accruing damage, and future wear rates and areas. The system draws on the data from the AirScene™ Data Warehouse (ADW), a single repository for all the information acquired from a number of different sources. These data include: Aircraft or vehicle type (wheel layout, weight, vehicle specific parameters, and the like), Aircraft or vehicle location (ground track, position, gate used, and the like), Aircraft or vehicle dynamics (velocity, acceleration, take off, touchdown, and the like), Aircraft or vehicle actual weight (cargo load, fuel load, and the like), as well as Future operational data (flight schedules, increasing flight loads and demand, and the like).

US Patent:

7667647, Feb 23, 2010

Filed:

Oct 10, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/545800

Inventors:

Thomas J. Breen - Tyngsboro MA, US
Alexander E. Smith - McLean MA, US
Christopher F. Rossano - Chelmsford MA, US

Assignee:

ERA Systems Corporation - Reston VA

International Classification:

G01S 3/02

US Classification:

342450, 342456

Abstract:

At most airports, responsibility of air traffic control starts and stops at the entrance or exit to the runway movement areas, which are taxiways and runways. In the non-movement areas, such as hangers, ramps, and aprons, aircraft movements and separation are no longer the responsibility of air traffic control, but is the responsibility of other parties such as the airport itself, airlines, or other parties. The use of tracking technologies for air traffic control is therefore focused on the movement areas, not the non-movement areas, where there are limitations in aircraft tracking. Furthermore, many of the aircraft transmitting devices are switched off in non-movement areas exacerbating tracking problems in these areas. The present invention includes several methods including broadband multilateration, to extend aircraft tracking from the movement areas into non-movement areas without the need to extend special air traffic control equipment into those areas.

US Patent:

7739167, Jun 15, 2010

Filed:

Aug 15, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/203823

Inventors:

Thomas J. Breen - Tyngsboro MA, US
Alexander E. Smith - McLean VA, US

Assignee:

ERA Systems Corporation - Reston VA

International Classification:

G06Q 40/00

US Classification:

705 35, 705 9, 342454

Abstract:

A solution is described which provides an airport with the tools to accurately manage all sources of airside revenues, including operational revenues and capital programs. The system of the present invention relies on the acquisition of any and all data related to the operations, property, lease, and revenue management of an airport, including aircraft tracking data. This data is then stored in a central database where it is processed, sorted, and stored for later retrieval. The data may exist in a number of forms including real-time streams, tabular, or in the form of a database. From this data, airport revenue information can be accurately managed.

US Patent:

20100198490, Aug 5, 2010

Filed:

Jan 30, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/697234

Inventors:

Thomas J. Breen - Tyngsboro MA, US
Alexander E. Smith - McLean VA, US
Christopher F. Rossano - Chelmsford MA, US

International Classification:

G06F 19/00
G06G 7/76

US Classification:

701120

Abstract:

At most airports, responsibility of air traffic control starts and stops at the entrance or exit to the runway movement areas, which are taxiways and runways. In the non-movement areas, such as hangers, ramps, and aprons, aircraft movements and separation are no longer the responsibility of air traffic control, but is the responsibility of other parties such as the airport itself, airlines, or other parties. The use of tracking technologies for air traffic control is therefore focused on the movement areas, not the non-movement areas, where there are limitations in aircraft tracking. Furthermore, many of the aircraft transmitting devices are switched off in non-movement areas exacerbating tracking problems in these areas. The present invention includes several methods including broadband multilateration, to extend aircraft tracking from the movement areas into non-movement areas without the need to extend special air traffic control equipment into those areas.