Sensis Uses Multilateration to Provide Runway Occupancy Times and Interface to DDTC at Memphis

DEWITT, NY - October 1, 2000 - Sensis Corporation received a contract from NASA to use data derived from its multilateration system to provide runway occupancy times at Memphis International Airport (MEM). The multilateration data will also be integrated with ARINC's Data Link Delivery of Expected Taxi Clearances (DDTC) system to be used in Northwest Airline's ramp tower for gate management and scheduling activities.

Multilateration systems provide positive identification and location of all transponder-equipped aircraft in the terminal area and on the airport surface in all weather conditions. Runway occupancy will be generated using a Sensis developed database application that provides analysis and predictions of runway occupancy time based on real-time surveillance data from the multilateration system and measured environmental factors. The database also enables investigation of causal relationships between environmental factors and runway occupancy time. It is the high quality, highly accurate real-time data of the multilateration surveillance system that fuels the runway occupancy time measurements and DDTC applications.

Sensis is installing multilateration and a Multi-Sensor Data Processor (MSDP) under the FAA Safe Flight 21 Program at MEM. The MSDP is an advanced software system hosted on a commercial workstation platform that fuses data from one or more ASDE radars, multilateration systems, ADS-B sensors, flight plan data and air surveillance radars offering a best all source terminal and surface traffic picture for arriving and departing traffic. The multilateration and MSDP provide the foundation for an integrated airport management system that offers controllers, airlines, cargo carriers and airport authorities real-time surveillance with applications to improve the safety, capacity and efficiency of daily operations.