Navigation aid system for a drone

• US 8,751,061 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Coulmeau, Franois, Marty, Nicolas, Gomez, Stphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/018,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20110257813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

A system for aiding the navigation of an aircraft able to be piloted remotely by an operator includes means for transmitting data allowing the operator to dialogue with an air traffic controller according to at least one mode of dialogue and means for monitoring the flight parameters, notably aircraft state parameters and navigation parameters. The system also includes a means for detecting flight events, a means for formulating a message corresponding to a flight event, a means for scheduling the message in a list of messages, and a means for synthesizing the message in a mode of dialogue.

Claims

1. A system for aiding the navigation of an aircraft able to be piloted remotely by an operator comprising means for transmitting data allowing the operator to dialogue with an air traffic controller according to at least one mode of dialogue and, the system monitoring flight parameters including aircraft state parameters and navigation parameters, comprising:

means for detecting flight events,

means for formulating a message corresponding to a flight event,

means for scheduling the message in a list of messages,

means for synthesizing the message in a mode of dialogue, the transmitting means being able to send the message in the mode of dialogue to the operator and/or the controller, wherein a first mode of dialogue is a voice type and the means for synthesizing the message generates voice phraseology corresponding to the message, and wherein a second mode of dialogue is a textual type and the means for synthesizing the message generates the message according to a textual communication standard comprising a Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) message, and

a means for scheduling the CPDLC message in a list of CPDLC messages by monitoring a triggering condition of the CPDLC message and executing an action of the CPDLC message when the triggering condition is detected by the means for detecting flight events.

2. The system according to claim 1, the means for transmitting data comprising a first communication means able to transmit voice messages and a second communication means able to transmit messages according to a textual communication standard notably of CPDLC type, and further comprising a means for converting voice messages into text data and a means for synthesizing the text data as a message according to the textual communication standard.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a means for identifying the voice messages originating from the first communication means so as to select solely the voice messages intended for the operator.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the function for detecting a flight event is able to detect a flight event on the basis of data arising from a geo-location means, a trajectory management means, and an information database for navigation in a flight space.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a means of flight command activation in response to a text message.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a means of flight command activation in response to a detected flight event.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a flight event is related to the state of the aircraft.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein a flight event is related to the navigation of the aircraft.

9. A system for aiding the navigation of an aircraft able to be piloted remotely by an operator configured to allow an operator to dialogue with an air traffic controller according to at least one mode of dialogue and monitor flight parameters including aircraft state parameters and navigation parameters, comprising:

a functional assembly configured to detect flight events,

a message functional assembly configured to formulate a message corresponding to a flight event,

the message functional assembly further configured to schedule the message in a list of messages,

the message functional assembly further configured to synthesize the message in a mode of dialogue, a communications transmission assembly being configured to send the message in the mode of dialogue to the operator and/or the controller, wherein a first mode of dialogue is a voice type and the message functional assembly configured to generate voice phraseology corresponding to the message, and wherein a second mode of dialogue is a textual type and the message functional assembly further configured to generate the message according to a textual communication standard comprising a Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) message, and

the message functional assembly further configured to schedule the CPDLC message in a list of CPDLC messages by monitoring a triggering condition of the CPDLC message and executing an action of the CPDLC message when the triggering condition is detected by the message functional assembly.