Thomas J Breen

US Patent:

7375683, May 20, 2008

Filed:

Jan 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/343079

Inventors:

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

Assignee:

ERA Systems Corporation - Reston VA

International Classification:

G01S 3/02
G01S 1/24

US Classification:

342387, 342465

Abstract:

The present invention improves WAMLAT Timing Availability by using timing from one or more of a variety of sources. These sources include unaugmented SATNAV timing, from GPS or/and GALILEO, GEO timing from pseudo SATNAV signals, additional GEO timing for non SATNAV applications, timing derived from both terrestrial and satellite television and radio transmissions, and stable on board oscillators to withstand short term interruptions in satellite timing. The use of one or more of these multiple sources of timing improves accuracy and reliability of wide area multilateration systems.

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:

7477193, Jan 13, 2009

Filed:

May 8, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/429926

Inventors:

Carl A. Evers - Vienna VA, US
Yue Xie - Fairfax VA, US
Thomas J. Breen - Tyngsborough MA, US

Assignee:

ERA Systems Corporation - Reston VA

International Classification:

G01S 3/02
G01S 13/08

US Classification:

342463, 34126, 34453

Abstract:

A method and system are provided for performing elliptical-based and hybrid surveillance, performing false target detection and resolution, and performing integrity monitoring using one or more receiving and transmitting elements time synchronized to a common precision time reference, and a central workstation. Antennas for transmitting and receiving elements are located at known positions separated from one another. At a given time, one of the transmitting elements transmits an interrogation signal to one or more targets, which respond to the interrogation with a reply transmission, received by one or more receiving elements. The central workstation calculates each target's ellipse of position with respect to each receiving element, using the interrogator element time of interrogation measurement and each receiving element's time of arrival measurement for the corresponding reply transmission, and then fuses the elliptical line of positions for each receiving element to compute target positions or augment passive surveillance position. At a scheduled time, the one or more transmitting elements transmit a reference signal to the receiving elements(s). The central workstation uses each of the receiving elements time stamped signals to perform integrity monitoring.

US Patent:

7570214, Aug 4, 2009

Filed:

Sep 29, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/541480

Inventors:

Alexander E. Smith - McLean VA, US
Russell Hulstrom - Williamstown, AU
Carl A. Evers - Vienna VA, US
Thomas J. Breen - Tyngsboro MA, US

Assignee:

ERA Systems, Inc. - Reston VA

International Classification:

G01S 3/02

US Classification:

342463, 342451

Abstract:

A system and method are disclosed to track aircraft or other vehicles using techniques including multilateration and elliptical surveillance. Unlike conventional approaches that use time difference of arrival for multilateration at a fixed set of reception points, this technique allows targets to be tracked from a number of dynamic or moving reception points. This allows for triangulation/multilateration and elliptical surveillance of targets from combinations of fixed, fixed and moving or only moving ground-based receivers, sea-based receivers, airborne receivers and space-based receivers. Additionally this technique allows for ADS-B validation through data derived from only two receivers to assess the validity and integrity of the aircraft self-reported position by comparing the time of arrival of the emitted message at the second receiver to the predicted time of message arrival at the second receiver based on the self-reported position of the aircraft and the time of arrival at the first receiver. The benefits of using less than three receivers for validation include greater validation coverage areas using a smaller set of ground stations at a lower infrastructure cost.

US Patent:

7576695, Aug 18, 2009

Filed:

Jan 28, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342289

Inventors:

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

Assignee:

ERA Systems Corporation - Reston VA

International Classification:

G01S 3/02

US Classification:

342465, 342457

Abstract:

Multilateration techniques are used to provide accurate aircraft tracking data for aircraft on the ground and in the vicinity of an airport. From this data, aircraft noise and operations management may be enhanced. Aircraft noise may be calculated virtually using track data in real-time and provided to a user to determine noise violations. Tracking data may be used to control noise monitoring stations to gate out ambient noise. Aircraft emissions, both on the ground and in the air may be determined using tracking data. This and other data may be displayed in real time or generated in reports, and/or may be displayed on a website for viewing by airport operators and/or members of the public. The system may be readily installed in a compact package using a plurality of receivers and sensor packages located at shared wireless communication towers near an airport, and a central processing station located in or near the airport.

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:

7889133, Feb 15, 2011

Filed:

Jan 27, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/360702

Inventors:

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

Assignee:

ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. - Wilmington DE

International Classification:

G01S 3/02

US Classification:

342450, 342465

Abstract:

Multilateration techniques are used to provide accurate aircraft tracking data for aircraft on the ground and in the vicinity of an airport. From this data, aircraft noise and operations management may be enhanced. Aircraft noise may be calculated virtually using track data in real-time and provided to a user to determine noise violations. Tracking data may be used to control noise monitoring stations to gate out ambient noise. Aircraft emissions, both on the ground and in the air may be determined using tracking data. This and other data may be displayed in real time or generated in reports, and/or may be displayed on a website for viewing by airport operators and/or members of the public. The system may be readily installed in a compact package using a plurality of receivers and sensor packages located at shared wireless communication towers near an airport, and a central processing station located in or near the airport.