Method and Device for Monitoring a Horizontal Position of an Aircraft Rolling on the Ground

• US 20100219986A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Azoulai, Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 8,416,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/005 altimeters for aircraft G01C5/02, G01C5/06 take precedence

Abstract

Method and device for monitoring a horizontal position of an aircraft rolling on the ground. The device (1) comprises an altimeter (3) and means (4, 6, 8, 10, 12) for detecting, with the aid of measurements carried out by the altimeter (3), an error of an indication of horizontal position emitted by a positioning device (2).

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method for monitoring an indication of horizontal position of an aircraft that is taxiing on the ground during an airport navigation, said indication of horizontal position being part, with a first indication of height, of an indication of position that corresponds to the current position of the aircraft, said indication of position being determined in a repetitive manner by an onboard positioning device (2) using information that is detected at repeated moments, separated by a first duration, by an associated receiver (15) that cooperates with a satellite positioning system, wherein the following sequence of operations is carried out automatically and repeatedly:

a) second indications of height are measured repeatedly using at least one onboard altimeter (3) for a second duration which is less than or equal to said first duration;

b) using these second indications of height measured in step a), a plurality of second height differences is calculated which correspond to the respective differences, each time, between two second height indications that have been measured successively;

c) each of the second height differences thus calculated is compared with a predetermined threshold value which depends at least on characteristics of said altimeter (3);

d) a first height difference is calculated which corresponds to the difference between said first height indication, which is associated with the indication of horizontal position monitored and a first height indication determined just previously by said positioning device (2);

e) this first difference is compared with said threshold value; and

f) if none of said second height differences is greater than said threshold value, but said first height difference is greater than said threshold value, a warning signal is emitted which signals a problem with the reliability of said indication of horizontal position.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said threshold value is greater than at least three times a measurement noise of said altimeter (3) and is less than a predetermined value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said altimeter (3) is a radio altimeter.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said altimeter (3) is a barometric altimeter.

15. A device for monitoring an indication of horizontal position of an aircraft that is taxiing on the ground during an airport navigation, said indication of horizontal position being part, with a first indication of height, of an indication of position that corresponds to the current position of the aircraft, said indication of position being deter mined in a repetitive manner by an onboard positioning device (2) using information that is detected at repeated moments, separated by a first duration, by an associated receiver (15) that cooperates with a satellite positioning system, wherein it is onboard and comprises:

at least one altimeter (3) for measuring, repeatedly, second indications of height for a second duration which is less than or equal to the first duration;

first means (4) for calculating, using these second height indications measured by said altimeter (3), a plurality of second height differences which correspond to the respective differences, each time, between two second height indications that have been measured successively;

second means (6) for comparing each of the second height differences calculated by said first means (4) with a predetermined threshold value which depends at least on characteristics of said altimeter (3);

third means (8) for calculating a first height difference which corresponds to the difference between said first height indication, which is associated with the indication of horizontal position monitored and a first height indication determined just previously by said positioning device (2);

fourth means (10) for comparing this first difference calculated by said third means (8) with said threshold value; and

fifth means (12) for emitting a warning signal which signals a problem with the reliability of said indication of horizontal position, if none of said second height differences is greater than said threshold value, but said first height difference is greater than said threshold value.

16. A system for locating an aircraft which is taxiing on the ground during an airport navigation, said system (16) being onboard and comprising:

a positioning device (2) that determines, repeatedly, an indication of position which comprises an indication of horizontal position and a height indication, using information detected at repeated moments by an associated receiver (15) which cooperates with a satellite positioning system;

an inertial system (17) that generates inertial data of the aircraft; and

a first element (18) that determines a current horizontal position of the aircraft using the indication of horizontal position determined by said positioning device (2) and using inertial data generated by said inertial system (17);

wherein it additionally comprises

a monitoring device (1) such as that specified under claim 15 which monitors the indication of horizontal position determined by said positioning device (2); and

a second element (22A, 22B) which prevents said first element (18) from using said indication of horizontal position in order to determine the current horizontal position of the aircraft in the case in which said monitoring device (1) has emitted a warning signal.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said second element (22A) is integrated in said first element (18) and is formed so as to reject an indication of horizontal position received from said positioning device (2) in the case in which said monitoring device (1) has emitted a warning signal.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said second element (22B) is integrated in said positioning device (2) and is formed so as to prevent the transmission of an indication of horizontal position to said first element (18) in the case in which said monitoring device (1) has emitted a warning signal.

19. An aircraft, wherein it comprises a monitoring device (1) such as specified under claim 15.

20. An aircraft, wherein it comprises a location system (16) such as that specified under claim 16.