End-to-End ATC Visual System

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As part of the ‘Europe for Aviation’ team, we are delighted to be joining the wider aviation community at the first edition of Airspace World in Geneva. Over the three days, we will be showcasing with our partners how we are working together to drive forward the modernisation, safety and sustainability of European aviation.

ATC systems are comprised of various hardware, software, and systems components designed to support the management of controlled airspace. The complexity of modern airspace management and the ATC systems with which the ATCO must interact influences workload and task performance, increasing the need for streamlined operation. Furthermore, as these systems become increasingly complex, interoperability becomes a significant concern, impacting performance when interaction is not seamless. EIZO’s ATC Visual System encompasses monitors, video encoders, graphics boards, and an upgradeable data capture & content management solution. They are completely interoperable with one another from the outset, ensuring streamlined installation and operations.

Make the Switch to a Smarter Monitor

A typical ATC configuration consists of multiple workstations, monitors, and applications. Streamlining visual information displayed across multiple monitors with the ability to manage, distribute, and interact with each system in accordance with requirements of the ANSP and the needs of the ATCO is a crucial component in facilitating a smarter viewing environment.  

EIZO has redefined the role of ATC monitors using integrated smart technologies in its Raptor products. Monitors with EIZO’s Intelligent Display Platform (IDP) equipped enable simultaneous display of video signals from up to four independent sources and complete freedom for users to place each window anywhere on the screen with pixel precision, as well as scale, and layer order priority as required for the task at hand. This provides advanced control beyond what traditional Picture-in-Picture (PinP) and Picture-by-Picture (PbyP) functions are capable. This flexibility is important to creating an optimized visual experience, as the technical requirements of every ANSP varies.

In traditional configurations, a KVM switch has been an essential component to addressing the distribution and management of video signals and control across multiple workstations and monitors. The KVM switch is often separated from the hardware to which it is connected. The signal transmission may travel a significant distance depending on the length of the cables needed to connect all devices. The longer the transmission path, the higher risk for signal degradation, which may cause latency or in some cases, complete signal loss. 

EIZO developed the answer with SwitchLink integrated switching management. SwitchLink is built directly into Raptor smart monitors to enable seamless switching of keyboard, mouse, and dynamic touch input (a world first achievement) between up to 6 video input sources without the need for an external KVM switch. This not only saves the space that would otherwise be needed for the KVM switch hardware and cables, but also reduces the number of devices that need powering, simplifies signal and cable management, and reduces points of failure across the greater system.

In addition to these smart functions, the new Raptor SQ2826 – EIZO’s 6^th generation 2K x 2K monitor – is the first primary control monitor to feature truly built-in image capture at-the-glass. Using the monitor’s video output connection, all displayed image content including the monitor’s OSD menu operations can be accurately streamed to a second monitor. It can also output the signal through EIZO’s Re/Vue encoding & streaming device and SafeGuard data capture & content management solution to enable remote live viewing or record to the server for a fully integrated ATC Visual System.

End-to-End Integrated Solution

A typical ATM video-based recording system comprises of a local video encoder, a connected network, and centralized servers running dedicated software to capture the video data from the network. EIZO is the only manufacture that provides a fully integrated ATC Visual System with “turnkey” encoding & streaming solutions, recording software and servers, in addition to its line of smart monitors. 

The Re/Vue line of encoding & streaming solutions offer a true lossless compression ratio of 10,000:1 to 40,000:1 for typical ATC data – unrivalled in the industry. They use EIZO’s unique compression algorithm, capable of providing lossless encoding of video data at full frame rate up to and including 4K monitors, with reduced bandwidth and storage requirements. They are also designed to be interoperable with EIZO’s Raptor smart monitors, so they can take full advantage of functions such as the Raptor SQ2826’s at-the-glass image capture function, as well as fully integrated with EIZO’s SafeGuard data capture & content management solution.

SafeGuard is an end-to-end system comprising of software, servers, and all other necessary hardware components, and associated services provided entirely by EIZO. It receives multiple feeds from communication interfaces and provides a highly secure archive supporting the management, analysis, and distribution of data for mission-critical ATC. SafeGuard achieves synchronous data playback of multiple channels from a user-specified time frame via browser-based client. Data is streamed from a secure server during playback, so files do not need to be maintained on a local workstation. This alleviates storage issues and streamlines data access between operating workstations. 

In conclusion, it is not uncommon for an ANSP to receive a solution made up of multiple vendors’ products because of various motivating factors, one of which is related to initial cost of installation which may not take into consideration the long-term investment and costs of future upgrades or maintenance. ANSPs can mitigate issues related to interoperability, increasingly complex hardware infrastructure, and system complexity affecting operator efficiency by engaging with expert manufacturers who ensure streamlined installation and operation with integrated solutions.

In-house design, engineering, and manufacturing positions EIZO to advise on creating an effective architecture for an end-to-end ATC Visual System, assist in future upgrade planning, and provide solutions that are designed and tested for interoperability from the outset. Furthermore, EIZO’s engineers can test hardware platforms and equipment ahead of deployment to mitigate potential risk and limit costly program delays. Choosing a proven, smart, and interoperable solution is key to ensuring the visual component of the ATC system remains adaptable to technological advancements while ensuring reliability for long-term operation.

EIZO’s ATC Visual System will be fully demonstrated in booth G14 at Airspace World 2023. 

The “Europe for Aviation” stand & theatre (#H22) will host an impressive agenda featuring demos & exhibits on the latest ATM developments, as well as briefings & panel discussions with top playersand experts from across the industry. We will be talking about the hottest topics affecting aviation, including decarbonisation, artificial intelligence, air-ground connectivity, drones, innovation, ATM network operations, civil-military cooperation, space and ATM, and many more.

On 8 March, make sure to take a seat in our theatre for the session on decarbonising aviation, starting at 11:30 with a keynote speech by ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano, followed by a one-to-one interview with Henrik Hololei, Director General DG MOVE at the European Commission. His intervention will be followed by a panel introduced by EUROCONTROL Director General Raúl Medina and focused on concrete contributions to sustainability with the perspective of research-deployment-operations.

At 12.30 join the official stand opening ceremony, which will be followed by a reception.Don’t miss the opportunity to catch up with EUROCONTROL experts and learn more about the latest developments including:how the EUROCONTROL Network Manager is preparing to deal with increasing traffic in the European network over the summer, which is expected to be up to 15% above the already saturated traffic levels of 2022. Briefing in our theatre on 9 March, at 10:15-10:45the range of innovative projects driven by our Innovation Hub – on the exhibit part of the stand, and a panel discussion in our theatre on how to drive innovation forward on 9 March, at 13:00-13:45the latest technological developments at our Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre, including a presentation on ADS-C at our pod over the three days, and a briefing in our theatre on the ATC automation project ARGOS, on 8 March, 10:45-11:15briefings on trajectory-based operations, surveillance monitoring and air traffic flow management in the exhibit part of the stand civil-military airspace user performance tools (LARA, PRISMIL), which will be showcased on the exhibit part over the three days, and a panel debate on civil-military collaboration in our theatre on 9 March, 11:00-12:00and a lot more!

Airport Simulation platform

If you have an ATC operational background, sign up for our airport simulation platform to test first-hand the runway solutions we have developed to optimise aircraft spacing buffers and separation minima on final approaches.

Reserve your seat now