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Procedure and automatic control device for an airborne vehicle in low altitude overflight

  • US 5,526,000 A
  • Filed: 03/10/1988
  • Issued: 06/11/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for the generation of command signals for an aircraft, said aircraft overflying a region at a low-altitude, said method comprising the steps of:

  • a) storing in a first memory a set of terrain-data representing topography of said region;

    b) storing in a second memory an ordered plurality of sets of at least three digital values, two of said digital values defining the coordinates in an horizontal plane of a target point, and at least another one of said digital values defining a target area surrounding said target point, whereby at least one possible flight path is defined by a sequence of target points,c) acquiring data representing a current position and a current speed vector of the aircraft;

    d) selecting a current target point;

    e) determining at least one aiming domain, said aiming domain comprising an angular sector substantially inscribing said target area associated with said current target point, and a bisector of said angular sector passing substantially through said current target point and an adjacent target point in said sequence of target points, with said angular sector expanding towards said aircraft;

    f) scanning a plurality of bearing corridors that the aircraft can presently enter, and for each such bearing corridor;

    f1) determining, from said set of terrain-data, a corresponding digital performance value, as a function of a predetermined set of criterium including desired aircraft flight altitude, said digital performance value comprising an evaluation of an optimum path amongst possible paths starting along each such bearing corridor;

    f2) determining a digital degradation value responsive to the bearing corridor being considered and the said aiming domain, by utilizing a digital degradation function, such degradation function correcting said aircraft toward said aiming domain, correction magnitude being in proportion to any deviation from said aiming domain;

    g) determining route components in said horizontal plane of a current commanded route vector, based on the performance and degradation values associated with said scanned bearing corridors and generating therefrom corresponding command signals to the aircraft; and

    h) selectively repeating steps c) through g) until said aircraft position satisfies predetermined conditions with respect to said aiming domain.

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