METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING A REQUEST MESSAGE RECEIVED IN AN AIRCRAFT, FROM GROUND CONTROL, VIA A DATA TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

• US 20110166772A1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: FERRO, Daniel, CHAPTAL, Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

A method for processing a request message received (E11) in an aircraft, from air control, via a data transmission system, comprises the identification (E13) of a type of request contained in the received message and the extraction (E15) of parameters associated with the type of request identified. The method further comprises steps of:

• • determining (E17) flight characteristics to be calculated, according to the type of request identified and the said associated parameters;
  • selecting (E19) at least one calculation module, from among a predetermined set of calculation modules, according to the determined flight characteristics to be calculated;
  • calculating (E21) flight characteristics with at least one selected calculation module, and obtaining calculation results;
  • creating (E23, E25) a draft for response to the said request from the calculation results obtained.

Claims

1. Method for processing a request message received (E11) in an aircraft from air control via a data transmission system, the said method comprising the identification (E13) of a type of request contained in the received message and the extraction (E15) of parameters associated with the type of request identified;

the said method being characterized in that it further comprises steps of;

determining (E17) flight characteristics to be calculated, according to the type of request identified and the said associated parameters;

selecting (E19) at least one calculation module, from among a predetermined set of calculation modules, according to the determined flight characteristics to be calculated;

calculating (E21) the said flight characteristics with the said at least one selected calculation module, and obtaining calculation results;

creating (E23, E25) a draft response to the said request from the calculation results obtained.

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of submission of the said draft response to the crew of the aircraft, via an appropriate man-machine interface.

3. Method according to claim 2, in which the crew validates, immediately or after modification, via the said man-machine interface, the said draft response to the request, the validation of the draft response activating the sending of a response message to ground control.

4. Method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of creating and sending a message for response to the said request, the said response message being based on the said draft response.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the step of identifying a type of request is preceded by the steps of:

communicating the request message received to the crew, via an appropriate man-machine interface;

validating the implementation of the said identification step, according to a predetermined action taken by the crew by means of the man-machine interface.

6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the received request message is communicated to the crew, via a man-machine interface, concurrently with the step of identifying a type of request.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the said predetermined set of calculation modules comprises at least modules intended respectively for performing one of the following calculation categories:

basic calculations of performances of the aircraft;

calculations involving the use of an electronic version of a draft flight plan;

calculations implementing “

reverse”

-type simulations;

calculations involving predominantly manual operations;

calculations involving the direct use of the electronic version of the active flight plan.

10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, comprising means adapted for implementing a method for processing a request message, according to any one of claims 3 to 7.

11. Aircraft characterized in that it comprises a device for processing of a request message, according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. Computer program on an information medium, characterized in that it contains program instructions adapted for implementing a method for processing a request message, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, when this program is loaded and run through a computer system.

8. Device for processing a request message received in an aircraft, from ground control, via a data transmission system, the said device comprising:

a module (31) for analysis of messages intended for identifying a type of request contained in the received message, extracting the parameters associated with the type of request identified, and determining the flight characteristics to be calculated, according to the type of request identified and the said associated parameters;

a set of modules (35₁-35_n) for calculation of flight characteristics of different categories;

a module (33) for selection of calculation resources, intended for selecting at least one calculation module, from among the predetermined set of calculation modules, according to the determined flight characteristics to be calculated, the said at least one selected calculation module being in charge of calculating the said determined flight characteristics;

a module (37) for creation of a draft response, intended for creating a draft response to the said request from the calculation results obtained with the said at least one selected calculation module.

9. Device according to claim 8, further comprising a module for submission of the said draft response to the crew of the aircraft, via an appropriate man-machine interface.