PILOTING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM OF A PLATFORM, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20160086495A1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dassault Aviation (Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault)
• Original Assignee: Dassault Aviation (Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault)
• Inventors: BOULLE, Eric, BARRAL, Jrme, LAGARDE, Jrme, LAFOUCRIERE, Marie-Gabrielle
• Granted Patent: US 10,748,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0047 Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft details of equipment G08G5/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A piloting assistance system of a platform, and associated method are provided. The system includes a first detector for detecting a windshear able to generate a first alert that the platform is approaching a windshear zone; a second detector for detecting a windshear able to generate a second alert indicating the presence of the platform in the windshear zone; and a guider of the platform. The guider is able to automatically select a first guidance mode when a first alert is generated by the first detector, and to automatically select at least one second guidance mode different from the first guidance mode when a second alert is generated by the second detector. The system includes an information device able to display unified windshear alert information and/or unified information for implementation of a guidance mode, shared by the first alert and the second alert.

Claims

1. A piloting assistance system of a platform, including:

a first detector for detecting a windshear including at least one first sensor and one first computer configured to generate a first alert that the platform is approaching a windshear zone, based on data received from the first sensor;

a second detector for detecting a windshear including at least one second sensor, separate from the first sensor, and a second computer configured to generate a second alert indicating the presence of the platform in the windshear zone, based on data received from the second sensor;

a guider of the platform, the guider being configured to automatically select a first guidance mode when a first alert indicating the approach by the platform toward a windshear zone is generated by the first detector, and to automatically select at least one second guidance mode different from the first guidance mode when a second alert indicating the presence of the platform in the windshear zone is generated by the second detector; and

an information device configured to display unified windshear alert information and/or unified information for implementation of a guidance mode, shared by the first alert and the second alert, irrespective of the detector at the origin of said alert.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the guider is configured to switch automatically from the first guidance mode to the second guidance mode when the second detection assembly creates a second alert for the presence of the platform in a windshear zone.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first detection assembly and the second detection assembly are configured for being active at the same time.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the information device is configured for producing a voice signal.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the first detector includes at least one radar sensor and the second detector includes at least one anemometric and/or barometric sensor.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein the first detector is a meteorological radar system, the second detector being an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS).

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the second guidance mode, the guider is configured to ensure vertical guidance and thrust guidance of the platform at the same time.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the first guidance mode, the guider is configured to guide the speed of the platform.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the information device is configured to display an initial alert information in response to a first detection level of the first alert, then to display the unified windshear alert information in response to a second detection of the first alert, the information device being configured to retain the display of the unified windshear alert information in response to the detection of the second alert.

10. A piloting assistance method for a platform comprising:

providing the system as recited in claim 1;

monitoring by the first detector of the approach of the platform near a windshear zone as a function of the data received from the first sensor;

simultaneous monitoring by the second detector of the presence of the platform in a windshear zone as a function of the data received from the second sensor;

generating a first alert for the approach of the platform near a windshear zone by the first detector and/or a second alert for the presence of the platform in a windshear zone by the second detector;

selecting, by the guider, a first guidance mode when a first alert for an approach of the platform near a windshear zone is created by the first detector;

selecting, by the guider, at least one second guidance mode separate from the first guidance mode when a second alert indicating the presence of the platform in a windshear zone is created by the second detector; and

displaying unified windshear alert information and/or unified information for implementation of a guidance mode, shared by the first alert and the second alert irrespective of the detector at the source of said alert.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the method includes automatically switching the guider from the first guidance mode to the second guidance mode, upon receipt of a second alert indicating the presence of the platform in a windshear zone created by the second detector.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising emitting an alert signal shared by the first alert indicating that the platform is approaching a windshear zone and the second alert indicating the presence of the platform in a windshear zone by the information device.