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Method and device for preventing collisions with the ground for an aircraft

DC
  • US 5,488,563 A
  • Filed: 04/02/1993
  • Issued: 01/30/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an aerial navigation aid device, the improvement comprising:

  • (a) mass memory means for storing a data base representing at least a substantial part of the terrestrial globe, in a cut out form comprising a grid configuration having at least one level of resolution, said grid configuration including first grids, each first grid being associated with at least one data item representing the maximum altitude inside the first grid, and at least one index permitting rapid access to sets of contiguous first grids contained in said data base in accordance with a system of addressing two horizontal coordinates;

    (b) input means for receiving status indications representing the position of the aircraft with two horizontal components and the altitude, and the velocity and acceleration vectors of the aircraft, as well as control indications coming from the flight deck;

    (c) a fast access working memory;

    (d) management means for managing the data base, for extracting from and transferring into said fast access working memory a temporary local map in accordance with said horizontal components of the position of the aircraft, on the basis of which map there is defined an altitude envelope of the terrain in the zone wherein the aircraft is travelling; and

    (e) anticollision processing means;

    for processing said status indications so as to establish a plurality of predicted points of the flight path of the aircraft;

    for comparing, at each said predicted point, the contour of a protection field round the aircraft with an altitude envelope in the corresponding part of said local map; and

    for establishing an alarm if the relation between the protection field and the altitude envelope meets a first condition which is defined at least partly by said control indications.

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