Method for positioning orders with delayed execution in an aircraft flight path

• US 7,711,457 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Caillaud, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US11/577,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3- 5, 701/9, 701/11, 701/16, 701/23, 701/24, 701120-122, 701/300, 701/301, 701/200, 701/207, 340/943, 340/945, 340/961, 340/963, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 701/5
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

The invention relates to a navigation aid method of an aircraft comprising a step for positioning an execution order in a flight plan then in a flight path. When the order is for deferred execution, that is, comprises a condition, estimating the position of the aircraft when the condition associated with the order is satisfied, modifying the flight plan based on the estimated position according to the order, computing a new flight path based on the flight plan.

Claims

1. A navigation aid method for an aircraft comprising the steps of:

positioning an execution order in a flight plan then in a flight path, wherein the order is for deferred execution, a condition comprising the steps of;

estimating the position of the aircraft when the condition associated with the order is satisfied, this position being designated anchor position,

modifying the flight plan based on the anchor position according to the order,

calculating a new flight path based on the modified flight plan.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the order is originated from an air traffic control authority, said method further comprising the following step:

anticipatively communicating the new flight path to the air traffic control authority.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position estimation, flight plan modification and new path computation steps are repeated periodically and/or on an event.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the order condition relates to parameters such as the position of the airplane, the altitude of the airplane, the time, or a position relative to one or more points belonging or not belonging to the flight path, or the heading of the aircraft, or the speed of the aircraft, or the remaining fuel, or the wind, or the engine intake temperature, or the atmospheric pressure, or the relative distance to another moving craft.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the position estimation, flight plan modification and new path computation steps are repeated periodically and/or on an event.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the order condition relates to parameters such as the position of the airplane, the altitude of the airplane, the time, or a position relative to one or more points belonging or not belonging to the flight path, or the heading of the aircraft, or the speed of the aircraft, or the remaining fuel, or the wind, or the engine intake temperature, or the atmospheric pressure, or the relative distance to another moving craft.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the order condition relates to parameters such as the position of the airplane, the altitude of the airplane, the time, or a position relative to one or more points belonging or not belonging to the flight path, or the heading of the aircraft, or the speed of the aircraft, or the remaining fuel, or the wind, or the engine intake temperature, or the atmospheric pressure, or the relative distance to another moving craft.

8. A navigation aid system for an aircraft linked to a communication interface and equipped with a condition monitor, an order positioner and a path computation device,

wherein the positioner is for anticipatively estimating a modified flight plan based on a deferred execution order sent by the condition monitor and for transmitting to the path computation device the modified flight plan in order to compute a modified path.

9. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the path computation device is for transmitting the modified path to the communication interface.

10. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the condition monitor is for asking the positioner to update the modified flight plan, and the positioner is for asking the path computation device to update the modified path.

11. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 8, wherein it is linked to a guidance device, and the path computation device is for activating the modified path as reference path and transmitting it to the guidance device.

12. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the navigation aid system communicates with the aircrew by means of a man-machine interface, and in that the path computation device is controlled by the crew to activate the modified path as reference path and transmit it to the guidance device.

13. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the condition monitor is for asking the positioner to update the modified flight plan, and the positioner is for asking the path computation device to update the modified path.

14. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 9, wherein it is linked to a guidance device, and the path computation device is for activating the modified path as reference path and transmitting it to the guidance device.

15. The navigation aid system as claimed in claim 10, where it is linked to a guidance device, and the path computation device is for activating the modified path as reference path and transmitting it to the guidance device.