DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CHANGING THE ZONES PROHIBITED TO AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20090012661A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Louis, Xavier
• Application Number:
  US12/095,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012661A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and method for changing the zones prohibited to an aircraft. The method comprises a phase of defining the geometry of the restricted-access zones and their access conditions which depend on the aircraft, a phase of characterizing the aircraft with respect to the access conditions for the zones and a phase of determining the zones to which the aircraft has no access.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically updating zones prohibited to an aircraft, the method comprising:

a phase of recovering the geometry of the restricted-access zones and their access conditions which depend on the aircraft;

a phase of characterizing the status with respect to the access conditions for the zones;

a phase of determining the zones to which the aircraft has no access;

the phase of characterizing the status of the aircraft and the phase of determining the zones to which the aircraft has no access being triggered as soon as an event is likely to modify the status of the aircraft in relation to the access conditions for a zone.

2. The method for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the type of aircraft.

3. The method for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the performance or the maneuvrability of the aircraft.

4. The method for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the operational flight situation of the aircraft.

5. The method for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the sending with the transponder of the hijack code.

6. The method for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein obstacles on the ground are encompassed in a first zone accessible to no aircraft, the first zone itself being encompassed in a second zone accessible solely to helicopters, the second zone itself being encompassed in a third zone accessible solely to light aircraft, the third zone itself being encompassed in a fourth zone accessible solely to airplanes not exhibiting any fault or hijack symptom.

7. A system for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft, the system comprising:

a means for storing the restricted-access zones described by their geometry and their access conditions which depend on the aircraft;

a module for characterizing the status of the aircraft with respect to the access conditions for the zones;

a module for determining the zones to which the aircraft has no access;

the module for characterizing the status of the aircraft and the module for determining the zones to which the aircraft has no access being activated as soon as an event is likely to modify the status of the aircraft in relation to the access conditions for a zone.

8. The system for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the type of aircraft.

9. The system for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the performance or the maneuvrability of the aircraft.

10. The system for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein access to the zones is conditioned by the operational flight situation of the aircraft.

11. The system for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein a flight system raises an audible or visual alert when a prohibited zone is penetrated.

12. The system for dynamically updating the zones prohibited to an aircraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein a flight system prevents the penetration of a prohibited zone by taking control of the aircraft.