Unknown

• US 20140032107A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: COURTEVILLE, Romain, BARNETCHE, Bertrand
• Granted Patent: US 9,404,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/528
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan

Abstract

A method for processing a flight plan, implemented in a flight management system, consisting of at least one segment, comprises a step of determining the positions of the start point and of the end point of each of said segments constituting said flight plan by searching for at least two characteristic points of said segment, said characteristic points being explicit, fixed and non-floating, said positions being respectively characterized by a latitude, a longitude and an altitude.

Claims

1. A method for processing a flight plan, implemented in a flight management system, including of at least one segment, comprises:

a step of determining the positions of the start point and of the end point of each of said segments constituting said flight plan by searching for at least two characteristic points of said segment, said characteristic points being explicit, fixed and non-floating, said positions being respectively characterized by a latitude, a longitude and an altitude.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the start point of said segment as being the point of said segment situated at an altitude determined from an altitude value imposed at a point of said segment or of another segment of the flight plan, when said segment makes it possible to reach an altitude, makes it possible to follow a route, makes it possible to perform a race-track pattern, makes it possible to perform a circular arc between two points or makes it possible to perform a great circle route between two points.

3. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the start point of said segment from the position of the end point of the preceding segment, when said segment makes it possible to perform a circular arc between two points, makes it possible to follow a route, makes it possible to reach a point or makes it possible to follow a heading.

4. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the end point of said segment as being the point of said segment situated at an altitude determined from an altitude value imposed at a point of said segment or of another segment of the flight plan, when said segment makes it possible to perform a circular arc centred on a point and at a determined distance from said point, makes it possible to follow a route on the ground, makes it possible to reach a point, makes it possible to perform a race-track pattern, makes it possible to perform a circular arc between two points or makes it possible to perform a great circle route between two points.

5. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the end point of said segment as being the point of said segment situated at a determined distance from the start point of said segment, when said segment makes it possible to follow a route or makes it possible to follow a heading.

6. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the end point of said segment as being the point situated at the intersection between said segment and a circle of determined centre and of determined radius when said segment makes it possible to follow a route or makes it possible to follow a heading.

7. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the end point of said segment as being the point of said segment closest to a circle of determined centre and of determined radius when said segment makes it possible to follow a route or makes it possible to follow a heading.

8. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the end point of said segment from the position of the start point of the next segment, when said segment makes it possible to follow a route or makes it possible to follow a heading.

9. Method The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine the position of the end point of said segment from at least one chart giving the relationship between the altitude of the end point and the value of at least one of the performance parameters of the aircraft when said segment makes it possible to follow a route or makes it possible to follow a heading.

10. The method according to claim 1, in which said determination step is adapted to determine a second position of the end point of said segment, as being the point of said segment situated at a distance that is great relative to the size of the segments of said flight plan, when said segment is a segment in which a pilot determines the instant of the end of the following of said segment.