METHOD OF ASSISTING IN THE NAVIGATION OF AN AIRCRAFT WITH AN UPDATING OF THE FLIGHT PLAN

• US 20070219679A1
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: COULMEAU, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,014,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of assisting in the navigation of an aircraft comprising a step for updating a flight plan according to a new clearance originating from an air traffic control authority and received on board by a ground/onboard communication system. The clearance comprises an action conditional on the flight plan linked to a floating point of the path defined by a time constraint of the aircraft; on receipt of the new clearance, the update is performed directly by means of the FMS linked to the communication system. This is a predictive method.

Claims

1. A method of assisting in the navigation of an aircraft, comprising the following steps

updating a flight plan which includes a lateral path and a vertical profile associated with clearances, the flight plan being updated according to a new clearance originating from an air traffic control authority and received on board by a ground/onboard communication system, wherein the clearance comprises an action conditional on the flight plan linked to a floating point of the lateral path and/or of the vertical profile, defined by a time constraint of the aircraft, and, on receipt of the new clearance, the update is performed directly by means of a flight management system, linked to the communication system.

2. The method according to claim 1, the clearance takes the form of “

climb or descend to a determined level Nd from a determined time Hd”

.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the clearance takes the form of “

reach a determined level Nd at a determined time Hd”

.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the clearance takes the form of “

climb or descend to a determined level Nd from a determined time Hd and hold that level”

.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the clearance takes the form of “

reach a determined level Nd at a determined time Hd and hold that level”

.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the clearance takes the form of “

offset the lateral path by a determined distance Dd from a first determined time Hd1 to a second determined time Hd2”

.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the clearance takes the form of “

at a determined time Hd, go directly to a determined position Pd”

.