Onboard Runway Incursion Alert Method and Device for Aircraft

• US 20080195301A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Marty, Nicolas, Fabre, Bernard, Salmon, Philippe, Fontaine, Sylvain
• Application Number:
  US11/912,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195301A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• 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

The device attracts the attention of an aircraft crew on approach or normal (alert) or abnormal (alarm) crossing, of a traffic zone of an airport infrastructure presenting risks of collision. Accordingly, it selects on the basis of the information provided by the flight instruments, a type of flight phase from among a limited and pre-established choice of predefined types of flight phase. Then considers one or more runway incursion scenarios that are predefined as a function of the selected type of flight phase whose likelihood it analyzes by comparing the position of the aircraft provided by an onboard locating device with a plan of the airport infrastructure derived from an airport database and determines, on the basis of the analyzed scenarios that appear to be likely, alerts and alarms to be emitted in the cockpit.

Claims

1. A method of alerts and alarms for signaling the risk traffic zones in an airport infrastructure, to the crew of an aircraft provided with flight instruments advising on the flight phase which the aircraft is in, with a geographical locating device and with one or more emitters of audible or visual alerts or alarms, comprising the following successive steps:

selecting, on the basis of the information provided by the flight instruments and/or, by ground collision monitoring equipment GCAM, a type of flight phase from among a limited and pre-established choice of predefined types of flight phase,

selecting, on the basis of the flight phase type adopted, one or more runway incursion scenarios from among a predefined set of types of runway incursion scenarios,

analyzing the likelihood of the runway incursion scenario or scenarios adopted on the basis of the location of the aircraft provided by the locating device, with respect to the airport structures listed in an airport database, and

determining, on the basis of the runway incursion scenarios considered to be likely, the alerts and alarms to be emitted by the alerts and alarms emitters.

2. A device for implementing the method as claimed in claim 1, carried aboard an aircraft provided with flight instruments providing flight information and with a geographical locating device, generating alerts and alarms signaling risk traffic zones in an airport infrastructure, said device comprising:

an airports cartographic databank, holding a plan of the airport infrastructure and the associated traffic restrictions,

an emitter of audible or visual alerts or alarms, and

a computer locating the aircraft in the airport infrastructure stored in the airport databank on the basis of position information delivered by the locating device, analyzing the risks of runway incursion by searching for whether the current position of the aircraft and possibly its motion meets a limited number of specific and predefined situations of runway incursion or risk of runway incursion within the broad sense, termed scenarios, chosen as a function of a flight phase type selected from among a limited and pre-established choice of predefined types of flight phase, on the basis of flight information provided by the flight instruments of the aircraft, and, in the event of detecting a risk or a runway intrusion, determining the appropriate alert or alarm and triggering its emission by the alerts and alarms emitter.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined types of flight phase taken into account are:

landing,

movement on the ground, while rolling, between a parking area and a takeoff or landing runway,

the part of the takeoff where the aircraft rolls on the runway while accelerating until it reaches the liftoff speed.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the runway incursion or risk of runway incursion scenarios taken into account are:

rolling entry to a start of a runway,

rolling entry to the end of a runway with a view to a takeoff against the runway,

rolling entry to a runway, at an intermediate level,

rolling approach to a start of a runway,

rolling approach to the intermediate part of a runway,

rolling approach to a runway intersection,

rolling approach to an end of a runway,

rolling approach to a boarding gate,

too high a rolling speed (attempted takeoff outside of a runway).

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the scenarios taken into account for the predefined type of flight phase corresponding to landing are the rolling approach to a runway intersection and the rolling approach to an end of a runway.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the scenarios taken into account for the predefined type of flight phase corresponding to the part of the takeoff where the aircraft rolls on the runway while accelerating until it reaches the liftoff speed are the rolling approach to a runway intersection and the rolling approach to an end of a runway.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the scenarios taken into account for the predefined type of flight phase corresponding to a rolling movement, between a parking area and a takeoff or landing runway are:

rolling entry to the start of a runway,

rolling entry to the end of a runway with a view to a takeoff against the runway,

rolling entry, to a runway, at an intermediate level,

rolling approach to a start of a runway,

rolling approach to an intermediate runway part,

rolling approach to a runway intersection,

rolling approach to a boarding gate, and

too high a rolling speed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when no predefined type of flight phase is recognized, no runway incursion scenario is taken into account and no alert or alarm is emitted.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the aircraft is considered to be present on a runway (ON RWY=1) of an airport infrastructure when the component D_RWY normal to the axis of the runway considered, of a vector joining the aircraft to the start of one of the runways of the airport infrastructure considered, component termed axial distance of the aircraft with respect to the runway considered, is lower, in modulus, than the sum of a position error margin EPE allowed for the locating device, of the longitudinal distance ALR separating the front end of the aircraft from the airplane reference point used for its measurements, by the locating device, and of half the width of the runway RW_RWY considered, and when the component L_RWY parallel to the axis of the runway considered of the same vector, component termed longitudinal distance of the aircraft with respect to the runway considered, lies between the opposite of the error margin −

EPE and the sum of the position error margin EPE and of the runway length RL_RWY.

|D_RWY|<

EPE+ALR+0.5RW_RWY

and

−

EPE<

L_RWY<

EPE+RL_RWY

10. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predefined type of flight phase corresponding to the part of the takeoff where the aircraft rolls on the runway while accelerating until it reaches the liftoff speed is selected when the information originating from the flight instruments of the aircraft indicates:

that the aircraft is on the ground,

that its ground speed is greater than a speed maximum TSL permitted for a rolling path between a parking area and a landing or takeoff runway,

that it is accelerating,

that its flaps are extended, and

when a first analysis of the location and heading of the aircraft with respect to the airport infrastructure shows;

that the aircraft is on a runway (ON RWY=1), and

that its heading corresponds to that of the runway where it is situated.

11. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predefined type of flight phase corresponding to a landing is selected when the information originating from the flight instruments of the aircraft indicates:

that it is on the ground,

that its speed is greater than a speed maximum TSL permitted for a path between a parking area and a landing or takeoff runway,

that it is decelerating, and

when a first analysis of the location and heading of the aircraft with respect to the airport infrastructure shows that;

that the aircraft is on a runway (On RWY=1), and

that its heading corresponds to that of the runway where it is situated.

12. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predefined type of flight phase corresponding to a movement on the ground, while rolling, between a parking area and a takeoff or landing runway is selected when the information originating from the flight instruments of the aircraft indicates:

that it is on the ground, and

that its speed is less than a speed maximum TSL permitted for a path between a parking area and a landing or takeoff runway.

13. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of rolling incursion onto a start of a runway, is considered to be likely when the axial distance, taken as absolute value, |D_RWY| of the aircraft with respect to one of the runways of the airport infrastructure is less than the sum of:

the position error margin EPE of the locating device,

of the maximum of the distance ALR longitudinally separating the front end of the aircraft from the airplane reference point used for its measurements by the locating device and of the wingspan AWS of the aircraft, and

of half the width RW of the runway considered, and

when the longitudinal distance, in absolute value, |L_RWY| of the aircraft with respect to this same runway, is less than the sum of the error margin EPE and of the distance ALR longitudinally separating the front end of the aircraft from the airplane reference point used for its measurements by the locating device;

|D_RWY|<

EPE+Max(ALR,AWS)+0.5RW

and

|L_RWY|<

EPE+ARL

16. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of rolling incursion onto an end of a runway with a bad takeoff orientation is considered to be likely when the conditions of the rolling scenario on a start of a runway are complied with, the modulus |D_RWY| of the axial distance of the aircraft with respect to one of the runways of the airport infrastructure being less than the sum of:

the position error margin EPE of the locating device,

of the maximum of the distance ALR separating the front end of the aircraft from the airplane reference point used for its measurements by the locating device and of the wingspan AWS of the aircraft, and

of half the width RW of the runway considered

and the modulus |L_RWY| of the longitudinal distance of the aircraft with respect to this same runway, being less than the sum of the position error margin EPE of the locating device and of the distance ALR longitudinally separating the front end of the aircraft from the airplane reference point used for its measurements by the locating device;

|D_RWY|<

EPE+ALR+0.5RW

and

|L_RWY|<

EPE+ARL

and

when that the heading delivered by the flight instruments of the aircraft differs by more than 120 degrees from that of the runway considered.

19. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of rolling incursion onto the intermediate part of a runway is considered to be likely when the axial distance, taken as absolute value, |D_RWY| of the aircraft with respect to a runway of the airport infrastructure is less than the sum of:

the position error margin EPE of the locating device,

of the distance ALR separating the front end of the aircraft from the airplane reference point used for its measurements by the locating device, and

of half the width of the runway RW_RWY considered and

when the longitudinal distance L_RWY of the aircraft with respect to the runway considered lies between the opposite −

EPE of the error margin of the locating device and the sum of the position error margin EPE and of the runway length RL_RWY.

|D_RWY|<

EPE+ALR+0.5RW_RWY

and

−

EPE<

L_RWY<

EPE+RL_RWY

22. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of risk of runway incursion by rolling approach to a runway entry is considered to be likely when the axial distance D_RWY and the longitudinal distance L_RWY of the aircraft with respect to a runway satisfy the inequalities:

|D_RWY|<

EPE+Max(RTD/2;

ARD×

GS_XE)+ALR+0.5RW

and

|L_RWY|<

EPE+Max(RPL/2;

ARD×

GS_XR)

in which;

RDT is a default value of a spacing distance between the runway and an access linkway running alongside it,

ADT is a lag defined by the relation;

ARD=Max(RTD;

RPL)/TSL+ARM

RPL being an exterior protection distance for the runway,

TSL being an upper limit of permitted rolling speed, and ARM a reaction lag allowed to the crew of the aircraft,

GS_XE is the aircraft'"'"'s rolling speed component perpendicular to the axis of the runway, and

GS_XR is the aircraft'"'"'s rolling speed component parallel to the axis of the runway.

25. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of risk of runway incursion by rolling approach to an intermediate part of a runway is considered to be likely when the axial distance D_RWY and the axial distance L_RWY of the aircraft with respect to a runway satisfy the inequalities:

|D_RWY|<

EPE+Max(RTD/2;

AID×

GS_XE)+ALR+0.5RW

and

−

EPE<

L_RWY<

RL

in which;

AID is a lag defined by the relation;

AID=RTD/TSL+AIM

AIM being a reaction lag allowed to the crew of the aircraft.

28. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of risk of runway incursion by rolling approach to a runway intersection is considered to be likely when the distance D_IN of the aircraft with respect to a runway intersection satisfies the inequalities:

|D_RWY|<

EPE+ALR+0.5RW

and

−

EPE<

L_RWY<

EPE+RL

and

D_IN<

GS×

RID

GS being the rolling speed of the aircraft, and

RID a reaction lag allowed to the crew of the aircraft.

31. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of risk of runway incursion by rolling approach to an end of a runway is considered to be likely when the following criteria are satisfied:

a first criterion of runway presence signifying that the aircraft is on the runway, consisting of the following conditions;

|D_RWY|<

EPE+0.5RW

and

EPE<

L_RWY<

EPE+RL

a second criterion of runway travel consisting in adopting from among the runways satisfying the runway presence criterion only that whose orientation is the nearest to the true heading of the aircraft, the true heading and the orientation of the selected runway having not to differ by more than ±

60 degrees, and

an alternation of two criteria;

either an insufficient deceleration criterion consisting in the satisfaction of the set of conditions;

GS>

133% TSL

μ

<

0

d_B>

|L_RWY−

EPE|

μ

being the ground rolling acceleration of the aircraft, and

d_B a braking distance obeying the defining relation;

$d_B=\frac{1}{2<br><br>\mathrm{\mu <br><br>}}<br><br>\left[{\mathrm{TSL}}^2-{\mathrm{GS}}^2\right]+M_B$

the senses of the speeds being counted negatively due to the fact that the runway vector is oriented in reverse to what is customary with the runway end as origin,

M_B being a braking distance margin corresponding to the distance which is estimated necessary for the aircraft to stop when it rolls at the maximum permitted rolling speed TSL.

or a runway rolling criterion consisting of two sets of conditions at least one of which must be satisfied,

a first set of conditions signifying that the aircraft is at a distance from the end of a runway that is less than the braking margin M_B;

GS<

133% TSL

|L_RWY|<

EPE+M_B

or

a second set of conditions signifying that the aircraft is rolling while accelerating although close to the end of a runway;

GS<

133% TSL

|L_RWY|<

EPE+2M_B

34. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of risk of runway incursion by rolling approach to a boarding gate is considered to be likely when the following criteria are satisfied:

a first criterion signifying that the aircraft is not on a runway area of the airport infrastructure, consisting of the set of conditions one of which must not be complied with;

L_RWY<

RL+RPL

or

L_RWY<

−

RPL

or

|D_RWY|<

RTD

RPL being a length protection margin for the runway considered, and

a second criterion signifying that the aircraft is within range of the boarding gates without having drawn alongside them, consisting of the condition;

DG_ARP<

500 m

DG_ARP being the distance from the aircraft to any one of the boarding gates.

38. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a scenario of risk of runway incursion by attempted takeoff outside of a runway is considered to be likely when the following criteria are satisfied:

a criterion signifying that the aircraft is preparing for takeoff;

takeoff engine speed information given by the flight instruments, and

flaps extended information given by the flight instruments, and

a criterion signifying that the aircraft is not on a runway, consisting of the set of conditions one of which must not be complied with;

L_RWY<

RL+RPL

or

L_RWY<

−

RPL

or

|D_RWY|<

RTD

RPL being a length protection margin for the runway considered.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the likelihood of a scenario of runway incursion by attempted takeoff outside of a runway, established over a minimum confirmation lag, leads to the emission of an excessive speed alarm, which is maintained for a minimum acknowledgment lag in the course of which the likelihood criteria must no longer be satisfied.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the minimum confirmation lag and the minimum acknowledgment lag are 3 seconds.

41. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the various alerts and alarms suited to the various runway incursion scenarios are associated with priority levels making it possible, upon the simultaneous detection of several incursion or risk of incursion scenarios meriting several alarms, to have the alerts or alarms emitter emit only the alert or alarm considered to be the most significant.

42. The device as claimed in claim 2, carried aboard an aircraft equipped with a GCAM ground collision prevention equipment monitoring the in-flight trajectory of the aircraft to signal to the crew of the aircraft any deviation with respect to the trajectories permitted for accessing the runways of an airport infrastructure in a multiple tunnel operating mode or with respect to the trajectories permitted for accessing a determined runway of an airport infrastructure in a single tunnel operating mode, wherein the computer triggers the emission, by the alerts and alarms emitter, of an airport proximity alert when the ground collision prevention equipment is in the multiple tunnel operating mode and of a runway proximity alert when the ground collision prevention equipment is in the single tunnel operating mode.

14-15. -15. (canceled)

17-18. -18. (canceled)

20-21. -21. (canceled)

23-24. -24. (canceled)

26-27. -27. (canceled)

29-30. -30. (canceled)

32-33. -33. (canceled)

35-37. -37. (canceled)