METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SIMULATING RADIO NAVIGATION INSTRUMENTS

• US 20090066560A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: RAMBACH, Diane, Durel, Pierre, Tatham, Gilles
• Granted Patent: US 7,898,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/169
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/047 Displays or indicators G01S1/06 takes precedence

Abstract

The device (405) for behavior simulation of a radio navigation system, without the latter being installed on an aircraft, comprising a means (410) for determining a position of the aircraft, characterized in that it further comprises:

• • a means (415) for automatically determining at least one radio navigation beacon of a station on the ground depending on said position of the aircraft, and for selecting a radio navigation beacon of an automatically determined station on the ground,
  • a means (420) for calculating at least one physical quantity value linked to the relative position of the aircraft relative to the selected beacon and
  • a means (425) for presenting, on a display means of the aircraft cockpit, each calculated physical quantity value and the identifier of the selected beacon.

Claims

1. - A device for behavior simulation of a radio navigation system, without the radio navigation system being installed on an aircraft, comprising a means for determining a position of the aircraft, characterized in that it further comprises:

a means for automatically determining at least one radio navigation beacon of a station on the ground depending on said position of the aircraft, and for selecting a radio navigation beacon of an automatically determined station on the ground,

a means for calculating at least one physical quantity value linked to the relative position of the aircraft relative to the selected beacon and

a means for presenting, on a display means of the aircraft cockpit, each calculated physical quantity value and the identifier of the selected beacon.

2. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to determine at least one beacon depending on the type of aircraft in which the device is present.

3. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to determine at least one beacon depending on the phase of flight in which the aircraft in which the device is present is in.

4. - A device according to claim 3, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to determine said phase of flight depending on the position of the aircraft in which the device is present.

5. - A device according to claim 4, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to determine said phase of flight depending on the type of aircraft in which the device is present.

6. - A device according to claim 3, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to determine said phase of flight depending on the type of aircraft in which the device is present.

7. - A device according to claim 3, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted, during the flight between two beacons, to select the beacon which is closest to the axis of flight of the aircraft.

8. - A device according to claim 3, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted, during an approach phase, to select the closest beacon to an airdrome of sufficient category to receive the aircraft in which the device is present.

9. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to supply, to a crew member, a limited list of the ground stations of which the signals could have been captured by a radio navigation receiver, if the aircraft had been equipped therewith.

10. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for automatically determining and for selecting is adapted to supply, to a crew member, a limited list of the stations on the ground and to enable the crew member to select a station in said list.

11. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for determining the position of the aircraft uses at least one signal from a satellite.

12. - A device according to claim 1, in which the calculating means retrieves, from a database, position information of the selected beacon.

13. - A device according to claim 1, in which the presenting means is adapted to provide the physical quantity value to a display device of a DME (DME being an acronym for “

Distance Measuring Equipment”

), ADF (acronym for “

Automatic Direction Finder”

) or MKR (abbreviation for “

marker”

) system.

14. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for calculating radio navigation information is adapted to calculate the direct distance between the selected beacon and the aircraft.

15. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for calculating radio navigation information is adapted to calculate the angle between the heading of the aircraft and the radial formed by the aircraft relative to the selected beacon.

16. - A device according to claim 1, in which the means for calculating radio navigation information is adapted to determine whether the aircraft is flying over the selected beacon.

17. - A device according to claim 1, in which the calculating means is adapted use Sodano equations.

18. - A method of behavior simulation of a radio navigation system, without the radio navigation system being installed on an aircraft, comprising a step of determining a position of the aircraft, characterized in that it further comprises:

a step of automatically determining at least one radio navigation beacon of a station on the ground depending on said position of the aircraft, and of selecting a radio navigation beacon of an automatically determined station on the ground,

a step of calculating at least one physical quantity value linked to the relative position of the aircraft relative to said beacon and

a step of presenting, on a display means of the aircraft cockpit, each calculated physical quantity value and the identifier of the selected beacon.