Device for assisting ground navigation of an aircraft on an airport

• US 7,933,714 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Fetzmann, Fabien, Coldefy, Pierre, Malaval, Thierry, Collins, Stéphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US11/995,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/120, 701/122, 701/3, 701/10, 342/158, 340/521, 340/927, 340/506, 340/961
• US Class Current: 701/208
• 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

Abstract

A device includes a current position unit for determining a current position of a aircraft, a mapping database, a navigation system, a current heading unit for determining the current heading of the aircraft, and a display system for displaying on a viewing screen, at least a partial map of the airport and, thereon, an aircraft symbol which is positioned at the current position and which is oriented in accordance with the current heading.

Claims

1. A device for assisting ground navigation of an aircraft on an airport, said device comprising:

a current position unit for determining a current position of said aircraft located on ground, said current position unit comprising positioning equipment associated with a satellite positioning system;

a current heading unit for determining a current heading of the aircraft;

a database comprising cartographic data relating to the airport;

a navigation system which receives and brings together said current position, said heading and said cartographic data for simultaneous display; and

a display system which receives information from said navigation system and which presents on at least one display screen at least a partial map of the airport and an aircraft symbol which is positioned at said current position and oriented according to said current heading,

wherein said current position unit comprises;

said positioning equipment, which comprises at least one antenna which is mounted on the aircraft, and a first receiver for in-flight navigation which is linked with said antenna;

a second receiver for ground navigation and having greater performance than said first receiver, and which is linked with said at least one antenna and configured to determine the current position of the aircraft from signals received and by an antenna coupler of said antenna;

the antenna coupler;

which is provided with an input connected to said antenna and with two outputs connected to said first and second receivers respectively; and

which is configured to double the signal received from the antenna and to transmit one of the signals obtained by the doubling to said first receiver and the other signal to said second receiver.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second receiver is integrated in said navigation system.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second receiver has metric precision and a refresh rate which is greater than or equal to 20 Hz.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second receiver can be parameterized.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said current heading unit comprises an inertial system of the aircraft.

6. An aircraft, comprising a device as claimed in claim 1.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second receiver is a COTS GPS receiver.