DEPARTMENT OF

ELECTRONICS & INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEERING

A
PAPER PRESENTATION
ON
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM
BASED ON

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS
AUTHORS
M.MANOJ RAJA T.SATYA VINOD
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INTRODUCTION:

The technical Brilliance and Developments in different fields has led

to a drastic change especially in the communication field. Devices
with intelligence rule the world. Imbibing intelligence to these
devices is through a system called “EMBEDDED SYSTEMS”. It is
the evolution or further development of the computing system.
Its applications provide marvelous opportunities for ingenious use of
computer technology. Almost every new system introduced is an
example of Embedded System. These systems are more intelligent
and autonomous.
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 WHAT IS AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM?
"An embedded system is a special purpose computer system

built in to a larger device. An embedded system is typically

required to meet very different requirements than a general
purpose personal computer. "

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 OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION:
 What is an ATC?
 Embedded system in ATC.
 Motivation for ATC R&D.
 ATC basics, Facilities.
 Fly-by-wire.
 Architectures.
 Actuators.
 Components.
 Future uses.
 Challenges of Automation for ATC.

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 WHAT IS ATC?
Air Traffic Control

ATC contains everything that enables planes to communicate

directly with each other, or through a control tower. This level

is essential to create a global coordinated system that transports
people or equipment.

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 EMBEDDED SYSTEM DESIGN IN ATC:

Here, we discuss the entire system that enables planes to fly

and communicate with each other. Taking-off and landing

multiple planes at major airports for instance, is a difficult task
and requires a lot of subsystems. The main functionalities of
the entire flight management system are navigation, flight
planning and aircraft control.

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 MOTIVATION FOR ATC AUTOMATION :
 ATC system is already beyond its capacity. But FAA predicts that by 2010

the number of passengers will rise 59%, to 1 billion/year. Nothing on the

drawing board will handle this increase. (NY Times, 09/05/00)
 ATC system is very complex and hard to understand, analyze, or quantify,

which makes it interesting!

 Current level of automation is rudimentary compared with other systems (eg,

aircraft flight control systems)

 Application of usable automation to ATC is required to meet air travel

demands
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 ATC BASICS:
 Airline flights are under positive control at all times

 Control is effected by voice via radio

 Control is handed off from one controller/facility to another as flight proceeds across boun

 controller directs pilot to speak to next facility on a different radio frequency

 Communications include:

 speed, heading, altitude instructions (vectors)

 notification of other aircraft

 which course or runway to expect

 contact next facility on new frequency

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Central architecture -- centralized hardware/centralized software
One computer is used for, let say, maybe 10 subsystems. As all hardware
is centralized, the environment can be controlled very well.

Distributed architecture -- distributed hardware/distributed software

Calculations are finding place in the sensors. Only results are transmitted.
There is no central system, so the subsystems must be capable of
communicating with each other.
Federated architecture -- distributed hardware/centralized software
It is a compromise between central and distributed architecture.

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 Host Computer and ATC Information Network
Flight Strips, Flight Information Object

OAG
Flight Plan
Future Controller Active Controller
Voice
DA’s
Procedures

Voice
ACARS
Airline Flight Plan
Dispatch Flight Crew
AOC

Slide courtesy of Prof. J. Hansman

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The control surfaces of aircraft are actuated by servo motors
In larger planes, control surfaces are always steered by the use of motors.
The system is called “servo assisted”.
In the more advanced aircraft, a system called “fly by wire” is used. Here
there is no mechanical connection anymore, and the
aircraft is fully controlled by servo motors.

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•In order to explain why there is the quest for fully fly by wire, a short overview of the
systems used in the early days and nowadays is given. Basically the pilot action
consists of moving the stick. The stick can be directly coupled to the movable wing
devices, there can be a servo mechanism or the action of the pilot can be measured and
an electric signal is generated. The direct mechanical coupling between the pilot and
the movable wing devices is removed. This is fly by wire. Pro's and con's of fly by
wire

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PRO'S AND CON'S OF FLY BY WIRE:

(+) The size of the airplane or weather conditions are not important. The force that has to be
delivered by the pilot can be perfectly controlled.
(+) Using a haptic interface, the 'feel' of all airplanes can be generalized.
(+)Less energy consumption and fun to fly for the passengers.
(+) Electrical systems have less weight.
(-) Much attention must be paid to dependability.
(-) Since electric systems depend fully on electricity, a power breakdown is fatal.

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COMPONENTS:

There are many embedded control systems in an airplane on the component

level. Only some of the more interesting ones will be explained in further detail.
Black Box:
The FDR (flight data recorder) or black box is a special component in
the way that it interacts with aircraft systems.
Integrated Modular Avionics:
IMA represent standardized computer network systems which simplify the
development of avionics software. Apart from the easier software development it
also simplifies hardware and software integration and maintenance.

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 TMU

TRACON TRACON

ATCT ATCT

ARTCC
(Center)

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FUTURE USES:
Intelligent highways
Smart materials
Drive by wire
Medical: Implants, Monitoring etc.
Next Generation communications: 3G wireless, etc.
Infrastructure management: Energy,Water, etc.
Automobiles.
Hand Held Devices.
Homeland security:Identification,chemical and
biological sensors.
Smart spaces: Sensor networks, embedded audio.
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CONCLUSION:
Embedded Computing will provide more uses in the future in the fields of
Smart spaces,sensor networks, embedded audio and video; Entertainment:
Impressive environments, real time synthesis and reaction, etc.
Operating system and application functions are often combined in the same
program in Embedded Systems.
The only obvious strategy was to put more of the system onto the chip. So
reducing external components and cost and increasing reliability.
Embedded Systems follow a trend related to IC's i.e.: IC transistor capacity
will double roughly for every 18 to 24 months. This trend was predicted by Intel
co-founder Gordon Moore. The trend is therefore known as Moore's Law.
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