SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING OPTIMIZED TAXIING PATH OPERATION FOR AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20160171899A1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Depare, Pierre, Bounaix, Francois, Stanislawiak, Thomas, Scacchi, Pierre, Louise, Pascale
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/002 Taxiing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A taxiing path optimization system is provided for computing a taxi path of an aircraft using available taxi routes of a corresponding airport. An interaction means management unit manages interactions between a user and the taxiing path optimization system using an interactive device for inputting a taxi clearance. An aircraft positioning management unit manages positional information of the corresponding airport and aircraft received from a plurality of sources for augmenting an aircraft position by consolidating the aircraft position with the positional information in a complementary fashion. A taxi path display unit displays the taxi path based on the inputted taxi clearance and the augmented aircraft position, wherein the taxi path is automatically computed based on aircraft characteristics or airport capabilities.

Claims

1. A taxiing path optimization system for computing a taxi path of an aircraft using available taxi routes of a corresponding airport, the taxiing path optimization system comprising:

an interaction means management unit configured for managing interactions between a user and the taxiing path optimization system using an interactive device configured for inputting a taxi clearance;

an aircraft positioning management unit configured for managing positional information of the corresponding airport and aircraft received from a plurality of sources for augmenting an aircraft position by consolidating the aircraft position with the positional information in a complementary fashion; and

a taxi path display unit configured for displaying the taxi path based on the inputted taxi clearance and the augmented aircraft position, wherein the taxi path is automatically computed based on aircraft characteristics or airport capabilities.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft positioning management unit interfaces with a wireless communication facility, and performs a geo-localization for determining the aircraft position.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the taxi path display unit provides different levels of display options for displaying the taxi path based on the aircraft position and the positional information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the taxiing path optimization system generates a warning signal or message for the user when at least one of the aircraft characteristics is incompatible with the taxi path.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database configured for describing a flow graph of the airport, and representing a description of all potential taxi ground trajectories or routes using a geo-referenced geometrical description and a logical flow graph description.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the flow graph includes nodes, links connecting the nodes, and airport elements for defining the taxi routes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the taxiing path optimization system is configured for automatically filling in a gap between unconnected elements in the taxi clearance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the taxiing path optimization system proposes possible taxi routes to the user when there is an ambiguity in the computed taxi path.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the taxiing path optimization system provides an option for the user to select one of the possible taxi routes to resolve the ambiguity.

10. A method of computing a taxi route for an aircraft, the taxi route representing an on-ground trajectory of an airport during taxiing operations utilizing a taxiing path optimization system, the method comprising:

building a display-independent and geometrically-based database for describing a flow graph of the airport, the database representing a description of all potential taxi ground trajectories for the aircraft;

receiving an initial taxi clearance having airport elements, the taxi clearance being inputted by a user or a related system based on information stored in the database;

modifying the initial taxi clearance by eliminating ambiguous taxi routes caused by the initial taxi clearance, and by resolving gaps between the airport elements in the initial taxi clearance; and

finalizing the taxi route based on the modified taxi clearance for on-ground navigation of the aircraft at the airport.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a warning signal or message when the inputted taxi clearance is unacceptable due to an error.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting a taxi route solution for the taxi clearance based on a set of predetermined criteria.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of predetermined criteria includes at least one of a shortest length, and a smallest number of airport elements.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying the finalized taxi route on a digital map, and providing an option to the user to accept, reject, or modify the airport elements in the finalized taxi route.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a warning signal or message when incompatibility is detected in the taxi route, and preventing the generation of a finalized taxi route that is incompatible with aircraft characteristics.

16. A method of computing a taxi route for an aircraft, the taxi route representing an on-ground trajectory of an airport during taxiing operations utilizing a taxiing path optimization system, the method comprising:

receiving an initial taxi clearance having a list of taxi clearance elements including at least two airport elements;

searching for links between successive pairs of nodes defined by the list of taxi clearance elements using a predetermined algorithm;

generating a set of links connecting the nodes based on the searched links;

automatically generating at least one airport element for filling in gaps between unconnected airport elements;

consolidating the initial taxi clearance with the generated airport elements; and

discretizing the set of links into X/Y points as a final taxi route representation for the aircraft.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the set of links is generated based on aircraft characteristics and airport capabilities.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the link between the successive pairs of nodes is searched based on at least one of a taxi route length, a travel time in the taxi route, and a number of airport elements in the taxi route.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising computing a list of successive elements associated with the single list of successive links based on the initial taxi clearance.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising computing a taxi path based on the set of links by concatenating continuous links into a single list of successive links, the taxi path having a departure point and a destination point through possible waypoints.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating a warning signal or message when incompatibility is detected in the taxi route, and preventing the generation of a finalized taxi route that is incompatible with airport elements based on at least one of:

an Aircraft Classification Number, a Pavement Classification Number, a turning radius and a maximum wingspan of the aircraft.