Air Traffic Management System
PRISMA is an advanced and powerful solution for ATC automation. Composed of highly sophisticated modules with outstanding performance and functionality COMSOFT launches a modern ATC system for area control centres, approach units and tower control.

PRISMA’s open and modular architecture allows for individual and optimal site-specific tailoring and easy integration into all kinds of environments. PRISMA’s advanced components with standard interfaces ensure the smooth and swift integration at no risk.

The central parts of the PRISMA architecture are the advanced flight plan data processing system (FDPS) and sophisticated surveillance data processing system (SDPS). These can easily be supplemented by a multitude of highly developed components such as the PRISMA for safety net functions, traffic statistics and billing information, traffic forecast and advanced recording and replay.

PRISMA features a unique set of graphical user interfaces, each tailored to the specific needs of the individual user of the ATM system. The focal point for all operations is the ATCO’s controller working position. The CWP integrates a real time depiction of the air situation combined with the corresponding flight planning information. A large variety of intuitively accessible functions and clear representation support the ATCO’s work.

• Powerful ATC Automation System for En-Route, Approach and Tower Control
• Versatile system configuration allows for adaptation to any operational environment
• Sophisticated system modules forming a highly scalable ATC automation solution
• Flight plan data processing featuring dynamic flight profiles, inter-sector coordination, accurate estimations and revision management and traffic forecast
• State-of-the-art multi-sensor surveillance data processing, supporting heterogeneous sensor networks with PSR, SSR, Mode S, ADS-B, ADS-C and Wide Area Multilateration sources
  
• Full set of ground-based Safety Net functions
• Data, voice and screen content recording
• Support of stripless operation
• Advanced Holding Stack Management

PRISMA Building Blocks

PRISMA’s flight plan data processing system manages the operational status of all flights that are assigned seamlessly to the respective control. For this purpose PRISMA receives and automatically processes flight plan messages from AFTN/AMHS networks and adjacent ATS units. All incoming information is automatically assessed as to consistency and coherence. The PRISMA FDPS automatically extracts flight paths, calculates and updates flight profiles and sector sequences. Furthermore, PRISMA uses an incremental online processing mechanism that guarantees instant response to all human interactions, as well as quick adaptation to changes of the situation. By means of OLDI and AIDC interfaces, PRISMA FDPS improves coordination with adjacent ATS units, reducing controller’s workload.

In order to guarantee utmost data availability in case of catastrophic failure of a server element, PRISMA’s FDPS is hosted on fully redundant servers. This measure encompasses the consequent duplication of all major data sets including the active flight data base, traffic statistics and dynamic profiles as well as forecasts for sectors, waypoints and airports. As a result the system ensures seamless and transparent switchover in the case of single-server failure.

FDPS characteristics:

• Powerful redundant Flight Plan Data Processing for instant responses
• Comprehensive and detailed flight profile calculation
• Traffic forecast and statistics
• Billing data collection
• Internal and external coordination
• Interfaces for AFTN, AMHS, OLDI, AIDC
• Meteorological data processing
• Featuring RVSM and P-RNAV support
• Integrated performance monitor

The PRISMA multi-sensor surveillance data processing system handles data from all kinds of surveillance sources, such as conventional radar - including primary, secondary and Mode S radar – ADS-B, ADS-C and Multilateration.

All incoming data is processed by state-of-the-art interacting multiple model tracking algorithms, creating a consolidated, real-time air situation picture.

SDPS characteristics:

• Interacting multiple model tracking
• Support of:
  • Conventional PSR and (M)SSR
  • Mode S
  • ADS-B
  • ADS-C/CPDLC
  • Multilateration networks

PRISMA Environment

PRISMA
Controller Working Position

The PRISMA controller working positions feature a clearly structured and integrated presentation of the air situation, combining actual surveillance sensor data and planning information.

The display combines the static and dynamic data of each aircraft on one screen. It displays position, identification plus current course and heading on coloured maps of the airspace under control. The picture is enhanced by positional data, safety net alerts, holding stack information, exit coordinations and auxiliary details. Each CWP user can specify his individual preferences in a personal profile that can be retrieved from every working position. Moreover, as an option the system supports stripless or conventional operation for the processing of flight strips. The CWP can also record the screen content and saves the entire data presentation in video sequences for later investigation. An export option makes such recorded data available for incident analysis.

CWP characteristics:

• Powerful air situation display
• Fully graphical user interface
• Coloured maps
• Personal user profiles
• Integrated Holding Stack Management support
• Medium Term Separation Tool
• Exit Aid Coordination Tools
• Screen content recording (AVI, MPEG4)
• Integrated Bypass functions for contingency operation
  

The PRISMA assistant working position presents all flight plan information in a compact and well structured form. Data can be arranged and processed on a single screen, which accurately displays the status of flights. Thus the assistant can efficiently manage high traffic peaks.

AWP characteristics:

• Single screen data management
• Enables prior data input for improved FPL management during peak times
• Interactive flight plan data management
• Traffic Load Forecast
• Accurate Traffic Forecast

Generic Concept of
Saftey Nets

The PRISMA Safety Nets provide a crucial contribution to the safety of air traffic. Attracting the ATCO’s attention to safety critical situations, PRISMA Safety Nets substantially support air traffic services.

Powerful algorithms based on probabilistic methods, implemented by PRISMA Safety Nets, achieve best trade-offs between early safety alarms and the least possible number of nuisance alerts. In addition to predictive safety net functions, PRISMA includes situational safety nets that monitor aircraft movements and their adherence to given clearances.

Safety Nets characteristics:

• Short Term Conflict Alert (STCA), Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW) with integrated
• Aproach Path Monitoring (APM), Area Proximity Warning APW and Restricted Area Intrusion Alert (RAI)
• Advanced joint trajectory prediction model
• Probabilistic assessment of safety criticality
• Route Adherence Monotoring (RAM) and Cleared Level Adherence Monitor (CLAM)

The PRISMA recording and replay module supports the synchronous recording of surveillance and optionally audio data, enabling most accurate reconstruction and assessment of any kind of air situation. Furthermore, the screen content of each individual workstation is captured, showing the actual information for subsequent evaluation. Simple to use graphical user interfaces give access to recorded information thus permitting immediate investigations without the need of complex set-ups or media retrievals.

Recording & Replay characteristics:

• Synchronous recording of surveillance and audio data
• Accurate recording of screen contents
• Instant access to recorded information via Internet browsers

All PRISMA modules are available as stand-alone ATM solutions, which can be integrated into existing environments. Supporting open and configurable interfaces, PRISMA modules combine outstanding performance with a high degree of flexibility and scalability.
Stand-alone solutions are especially attractive for Air Traffic Service Providers who require gradual system upgrades and the modernization of an existing environment. PRISMA stand-alone solutions can be as compact as single workstations for radar display or may constitute the backbone for ACC/APP solutions.

Integration into existing environments

Apart from being a stand-alone ATM automation system, PRISMA can easily enhance existing CNS infrastructures. For example, PRISMA can effortlessly receive surveillance data from any tracking system and is perfectly suited to interact with ARTAS, the EUROCONTROL SDPS. The same applies to pre-processed flight plan information originating from external sources.

Safety compliance

PRISMA, from the start, has been designed and developed in accordance with the stringent needs of mission critical systems rendering ATC servicesw and thus substantially contributes to the safety of air traffic. As a safety critical system PRISMA complies with internationaly recognized standards that support ESARR conformant implementation.

PRISMA conforms to ESARR 4 on system level and ESARR 6 for the software development, and substantially supports an ESARR 3 compliant safety process.