Method and device for assisting in the navigation of an airplane on the ground at an airport

• US 8,296,060 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Fetzmann, Fabien, Coldefy, Pierre, La Vielle, Isabelle, Gros, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/758,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701/1, 701/117, 701/16, 701/207, 701/208, 701/3, 701/301, 701/533, 701/121, 701/122, 701/400, 701/408, 701/410, 701/411, 701/413, 701/416, 701/418, 701/425, 340/945, 340/958, 340/961, 340/971, 340/972, 345/619, 345/660
• US Class Current: 701/416
• 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

A method and device for assisting in the navigation of an airplane on the ground at an airport employs a display unit for automatically presenting data relating to the path to be followed by the airplane at the airport in textual form on a display screen, and a display unit for automatically presenting this data in graphic form on a display screen, using a plot illustrating said path on an airport map.

Claims

1. A method for assisting in navigation of an airplane on the ground at an airport, comprising:

displaying a set of indications on a first display screen in the airplane, said set of indications comprising;

an airport map which at least partially represents the airport; and

an airplane symbol which illustrates a current position of the airplane at the airport and which is displayed on said airport map;

receiving data, by a data reception unit in the airplane via a data transmission line, said data being generated by a control station of the airport and relating to a first path to be followed by the airplane at said airport;

automatically presenting the received data, in graphic form, on said first display screen, wherein the received data is presented as a first plot on said airport map of said first path to be followed by the airplane;

additionally automatically presenting said received data, in textual form, on a second display screen in the airplane, wherein said received data is presented as a textual form of said first path to be followed by the airplane on the second display screen; and

rendering null and void the first path upon the following operations being carried out;

a) a pilot of the airplane indicating, by a transmit unit, that necessary has not been received, or

b) the pilot of the airplane transmitting, by the transmit unit, information to said control station acknowledging receipt of data representing a new path generated by the control station, wherein the new path is represented as a second plot on the first display screen.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a width of said first and second plot is proportional to an actual width of a taxiing route along which said path passes, taking into account the current scale of said first display screen.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second plots have ends that are graphically reinforced, and symbols illustrating stop points are presented on the airport map.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the first and second plot which is located behind said airplane symbol is deleted automatically, when the airplane moves along the path illustrated by the first and second plot.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein displayed on said first display screen, are labels of taxiing routes via which a the first and second plot passes, each label comprising information concerning a respective taxiing route.

6. A device for assisting in navigation of an airplane on the ground at an airport, comprising:

a first display unit that displays on at least one first display screen a set of indications, said set of indications comprising;

an airport map which at least partially represents the airport; and

an airplane symbol which illustrates a current position of the airplane at the airport and which is displayed on said airport map;

a data reception unit that receives data via a data transmission line, said data being generated by a control station of the airport and relating to a first path to be followed by the airplane at said airport; and

a second display unit comprising at least one second display screen, wherein;

said first display unit presents said received data, in graphic form, on the at least one first display screen, wherein the received data is presented as a first plot on said airport map of said first path to be followed by the airplane, and

said second display unit presents said data, in textual form, on the at least one second display screen, wherein said received data is presented as a textual form of said first path to be followed by the airplane on the at least one second display screen; and

a transmit unit that renders null and void the first path upon;

a) a pilot of the airplane indicating, by the transmit unit, that necessary data has not been received, or

b) the pilot of the airplane transmitting information, by the transmit unit, to said control station acknowledging receipt of data representing a new path generated by the control station, wherein the new path is represented as a second plot on the first display screen.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a transmission device enabling the pilot of the airplane to make a request for information to said control to communicate directly with a controller located in said control station of the airport using said data transmission link.

8. A system for assisting in navigation of an airplane on the ground at an airport, comprising a navigation aid device according to claim 6;

and a data transmission device arranged on the control station of the airport and which cooperates with the reception unit of said navigation aid device so as to generate said data transmission link.

9. An airplane, which comprises a device according to claim 6.