Method for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area and associated device

• US 8,635,009 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Michel, Franois, LaFon, Stphanie
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US13/492,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/16, 701/120, 701/409, 701/454, 701/532, 701/533, 701/538
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

Systems and of the methods for allowing a taxiing route to be established over an airport area are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises input of an instruction representative of a succession of names of passing points representing the taxiing route to be created, each passing point name being composed of alphanumeric characters, the succession of the names of passing points not comprising separators allowing them to be identified one by one. The method also comprises decomposition of the instruction by a lexical analysis device into at least one succession of credible names of passing points. The method further comprises verification for each succession that the corresponding route is compatible with the connectivities existing between the various airport elements of the taxiing clearance corresponding to the succession, in the case where there exists one and only one credible route, display of the said route on a display device.

Claims

1. Method for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area described in a database comprising a network of various airport elements and their interconnections, the method comprising at least the following operations:

Operation 1;

Input by a user by means of an alphanumeric input device of an instruction representative of a succession of airport elements called passing points, representing the taxiing route to be created, each passing point name being composed of alphanumeric characters, the succession of these names not comprising separators allowing the succession of these names to be identified one by one;

Operation 2;

Decomposition of the instruction by a lexical analysis device into at least one succession of credible names of passing points, a credible name effectively corresponding to a name of an element of the airport area;

Operation 3;

In the case where there exist at least two successions of credible names of passing points, verification for each succession that a corresponding route is compatible with one or more connectivities existing between the various airport elements of the succession;

Operation 4;

In the case where, following Operations 2 or 3, there exists one and only one credible route, in other words a route both corresponding to the credible names of passing points and compatible with the connectivities existing between the various airport elements, display of said route on a display device.

2. Method for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 1, wherein one or more corresponding routes in the operation 3 are generated by means of a connection graph for the elements of the airport area, each corresponding route being associated with a succession of airport elements, each corresponding airport element being described by a polygon, each polygon being defined in an airport database by a name, a type, a set of segments and a set of connection points, each connection point corresponding to a common border with another polygon, all of the segments connecting the connection points of each polygon forming the connection graph.

3. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area allowing implementation of a method for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area described in a database comprising a network of various airport elements and their interconnections, said method comprising at least the following operations:

Operation 1;

Input by a user by means of an alphanumeric input device of an instruction representative of a succession of airport elements called passing points, representing the taxiing route to be created, each passing point name being composed of alphanumeric characters, the succession of these names not comprising separators allowing the succession of these names to be identified one by one;

Operation 2;

Decomposition of the instruction by a lexical analysis device into at least one succession of credible names of passing points, a credible name effectively corresponding to a name of an element of the airport area;

Operation 3;

In the case where there exist at least two successions of credible names of passing points, verification for each succession that a corresponding route is compatible with one or more connectivities existing between the various airport elements of the succession;

Operation 4;

In the case where, following operations 2 or 3, there exists one and only one credible route, in other words a route both corresponding to credible names of passing points and compatible with the connectivities existing between the various airport elements, display of the said route on a display device, wherein said system comprises;

An alphanumeric input device;

A lexical analysis device connected to a lexicon of the airport elements of said airport area;

A route calculation device connected to a database comprising a connection graph for the elements of the airport area;

A device for displaying the taxiing route and the airport area.

4. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 3, wherein the alphanumeric input device is an electronic unit “

MCDU”

.

5. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 3, wherein the alphanumeric input device uses writing recognition.

6. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 3, wherein the alphanumeric input device uses voice recognition.

7. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area allowing implementation of a method for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area described in a database comprising a network of various airport elements and their interconnections, said method comprising at least the following operations:

Operation 1;

Input by a user by means of an alphanumeric input device of an instruction representative of a succession of airport elements called passing points, representing the taxiing route to be created, each passing point name being composed of alphanumeric characters, the succession of these names not comprising separators allowing the succession of these names to be identified one by one;

Operation 2;

Decomposition of the instruction by a lexical analysis device into at least one succession of credible names of passing points, a credible name effectively corresponding to a name of an element of the airport area;

Operation 3;

In the case where there exist at least two successions of credible names of passing points, verification for each succession that a corresponding route is compatible with one or more connectivities existing between the various airport elements of the succession;

Operation 4;

In the case where, following operations 2 or 3, there exists one and only one credible route, in other words a route both corresponding to credible names of passing points and compatible with the connectivities existing between the various airport elements, display of the said route on a display device, wherein one or more corresponding routes in the operation 3 are generated by means of a connection graph for the elements of the airport area, each corresponding route being associated with a succession of airport elements, each corresponding airport element being described by a polygon, each polygon being defined in an airport database by a name, a type, a set of segments and a set of connection points, each connection point corresponding to a common border with another polygon, all of the segments connecting the connection points of each polygon forming the connection graph, wherein said system comprises;

An alphanumeric input device;

A lexical analysis device connected to a lexicon of the airport elements of the said airport area;

A route calculation device connected to a database comprising a connection graph for the elements of the airport area;

A device for displaying the taxiing route and the airport area.

8. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 7, wherein the alphanumeric input device is an electronic unit “

MCDU”

.

9. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 7, wherein the alphanumeric input device uses writing recognition.

10. System for creation of a taxiing route over an airport area according to claim 7, wherein the alphanumeric input device uses voice recognition.