Systems and methods for providing optimized taxiing path operation for an aircraft

• US 10,074,285 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Depape, Pierre, Scacchi, Pierre, Louise, Pascale, Bounaix, Francois, Stanislawiak, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US15/269,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20170004715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 701120
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/002 Taxiing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A taxiing path optimization system is provided for computing a taxi path of an aircraft using available taxi routes of a corresponding airport. An interaction means management unit manages interactions between a user and the taxiing path optimization system using an interactive device for inputting a taxi clearance. An aircraft positioning management unit manages positional information of the corresponding airport and aircraft received from a plurality of sources for augmenting an aircraft position by consolidating the aircraft position with the positional information in a complementary fashion. A taxi path display unit displays the taxi path based on the inputted taxi clearance and the augmented aircraft position, wherein the taxi path is automatically computed based on aircraft characteristics or airport capabilities.

Claims

1. A method of computing a taxi route for an aircraft, the taxi route representing an on-ground trajectory of an airport during taxiing operations utilizing a taxiing path optimization system, the method comprising:

receiving an initial taxi clearance having a list of taxi clearance elements including at least two airport elements;

searching, using a computer processor, for links between successive pairs of nodes defined by the list of taxi clearance elements using a predetermined algorithm;

generating, using the computer processor, a set of links connecting the nodes based on the searched links;

automatically generating, using the computer processor, at least one airport element for filling in gaps between unconnected airport elements;

consolidating, using the computer processor, the initial taxi clearance with the generated airport elements; and

discretizing, using the computer processor, the set of links into X/Y points as a final taxi route representation for the aircraft;

further comprising generating, using the computer processor, a warning signal or message when incompatibility is detected in the computed taxi route, and preventing the generation of a finalized taxi route that is incompatible with airport elements based on at least one of;

an Aircraft Classification Number, a Pavement Classification Number, a turning radius and a maximum wingspan of the aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of links is generated based on aircraft characteristics and airport capabilities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the link between the successive pairs of nodes is searched based on at least one of a taxi route length, a travel time in the taxi route, and a number of airport elements in the taxi route.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing a list of successive elements associated with the single list of successive links based on the initial taxi clearance.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing a taxi path based on the set of links by concatenating continuous links into a single list of successive links, the taxi path having a departure point and a destination point through possible waypoints.