Device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone

• US 8,046,165 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Coulmeau, François, Sacle, Jérôme
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/934,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,452 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/14, 701/16, 701/35, 701/120, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/213, 701/300, 701/301, 340/825.72, 340/990, 340/945, 340/961, 340/968, 340/971, 340/973, 340/988, 342/29, 342/33, 342/36, 342/357.31, 342/354, 342/456, 375/66.1, 375/67.11, 375/67.13, 375/67.16, 375/219, 375/431, 715/854
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone comprising a surface navigation system and means of acquiring in real time, while navigating on the ground or in flight, new information or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone. The surface navigation system uses information relating to the navigation in the airport zone. The information is previously stored in a database on board the aircraft. The device includes means for decoding and analysing the new or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone, means of filtering the information according to the airport concerned and the validity date of the information, means of correlating the information with the information previously stored, and means of displaying the information.

Claims

1. A device for assisting in navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone comprising a surface navigation system embedded in the aircraft and means of acquiring in real time, while navigating on the ground or in flight, new information or temporary information relating to the navigation in said airport zone, said surface navigation system adapted to use information relating to the navigation in said airport zone, said information previously stored in a database on board of said aircraft, said surface navigation system also comprising an obstacle database and a relief and obstacle detection system, comprising:

filtering means for selecting the new or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone concerning ground obstacles,

means for creating obstacles associated with said information, and for determining positions of said obstacles,

means for adding said obstacles to the obstacle database, in order to be taken into account by the relief and obstacle detection system,

means of displaying said obstacles, and

means for generating an alarm if the aircraft approaches too close to one of the obstacles defined in the obstacle database.

2. The device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the obstacles include an uncertainty as to the position of each corresponding obstacle, the relief and obstacle detection system also comprises means for generating a zone of uncertainty and for displaying said zone of uncertainty.

3. The device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the relief and obstacle detection system also comprises means for textual display of the new or temporary information relating to an airport zone concerning particular obstacles.

4. The device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the new or temporary information relating to an airport zone comprises NOTAMs.