Method for automatically rejoining a reference vertical profile of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10380901-B2
Application number	US-201715492693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	May 4, 2016
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A method, computer program and system are provided for calculating in an automatic manner a trajectory for rejoining a reference vertical profile of an aircraft. A reference vertical profile comprises a set of vertical constraints, and a method comprises a step of selecting an altitude constraint to be complied with, a step of calculating a vertical-profile prediction making it possible to comply with the constraint, a step of validating the vertical-profile prediction, if the vertical-profile prediction is validated, a step of applying the vertical-profile prediction, otherwise a step of determining the existence of a following altitude constraint to be complied with; if a following altitude constraint exists: a step of selecting a following altitude constraint to be complied with; a return to the step of detecting non-compliance with an altitude constraint; otherwise, a step of applying an exit procedure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for automatically adapting a vertical profile of an aircraft comprising:
a step of selecting an altitude constraint to be complied with;
a step of calculating a vertical-profile prediction allowing the vertical profile of the aircraft to have an altitude within a permissible range of an altitude defined by the altitude constraint at an altitude constraint position;
a step of validating the vertical-profile prediction;
if the vertical-profile prediction is validated, a step of assigning the vertical-profile prediction, said step of assigning the vertical-profile prediction comprising:
sending an aircraft descent segment to an automatic pilot configured to send commands to actuators of the aircraft according to the aircraft descent segment, so that the aircraft follows the vertical-profile prediction,
or displaying said aircraft descent segment to a pilot, receiving a subsequent flight command by the pilot and sending said flight command to the actuators of the aircraft so that the aircraft follows the vertical-profile prediction;
otherwise:
a step of determining an existence of a subsequent altitude constraint to be complied with;

if the subsequent altitude constraint exists:
a step of selecting the subsequent altitude constraint to be complied with;
a return to step of calculating the vertical-profile prediction allowing the vertical profile of the aircraft to comply with said altitude constraint;
otherwise, a step of applying an exit procedure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising, prior to step of selecting an altitude constraint to be complied with, a step of selecting a horizontal trajectory.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the step of selecting the horizontal trajectory comprises selecting an active lateral trajectory if managed lateral guidance is engaged, or selecting a rejoining trajectory if managed lateral guidance is not engaged.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of validating the vertical-profile prediction comprises a sub-step of validating compliance with the altitude constraint according to said vertical-profile prediction.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the altitude constraint is a pointlike constraint marking an end of a vertical climb segment, and step of calculating a vertical-profile prediction allowing the vertical profile of the aircraft to comply with said altitude constraint is performed according to a flight preset prediction comprising:
if a predicted altitude of the aircraft is greater than said altitude constraint, a continuation of the climb up to an altitude of the constraint followed by a level-off of the aircraft as long as the altitude constraint is ahead of the aircraft;
if a predicted altitude of the aircraft is less than said altitude constraint:
an increase of an engine thrust up to a value allowing the vertical profile of the aircraft to comply with said altitude constraint or a maximum permissible value of a continuous engine thrust;
if the increase of the engine thrust does not make it possible to comply with said altitude constraint, and if a speed-wise guidance mode is a managed mode, a reducing of the speed of the aircraft until obtaining a value of slope which makes it possible to obtain a smallest possible altitude difference between an aircraft altitude at the constraint and said altitude constraint, or a minimum permissible value of the speed of the aircraft.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said altitude constraint is a pointlike constraint marking an end of a vertical cruise segment, and the step of calculating a vertical-profile prediction allowing the vertical profile of the aircraft to comply with said constraint is performed according to a flight preset prediction comprising:
if the altitude of the aircraft is situated above said altitude constraint, the calculation of a flight preset comprising maintaining of a current horizontal speed, and a predefined negative vertical speed;
if the altitude of the aircraft is situated below said altitude constraint:
a prediction of engine thrust at a maximum permissible value of a continuous thrust;
a preset for maintaining a current horizontal speed.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of validating the vertical-profile prediction comprises a sub-step of validating a rejoining of a reference vertical profile, at the latest at the altitude constraint.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vertical-profile prediction is a rejoining vertical profile for rejoining a reference vertical profile,
and wherein said method comprises, prior to the step of assigning the vertical-profile prediction, a step of concatenating the vertical-profile prediction until a point for rejoining the reference vertical profile, and then of the reference vertical profile.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the exit procedure comprises a calculation of a last vertical-profile prediction, said last vertical-profile prediction consisting in:
if the aircraft is in a climb phase, a prediction in respect of rejoining a cruise altitude;
if the aircraft is in a descent or approach phase, a prediction in respect of rejoining a final approach point.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said altitude constraint to be complied with is a pointlike constraint.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said altitude constraint to be complied with is a distributed constraint spread over at least one sub-part of a vertical segment.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said altitude constraint is a safety margin with respect to a reference vertical profile in descent.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said altitude constraint is a pointlike constraint or a distributed constraint spread over a vertical descent segment, and the step of calculating a vertical-profile prediction allowing the vertical profile of the aircraft to comply with said altitude constraint is performed according to a flight preset prediction comprising:
if a current or predicted position of the aircraft is situated above said altitude constraint, transition from a current configuration to a configuration for rejoining, said transition being performed at constant load factor and the configuration for rejoining being characterized by:
a minimum thrust preset;
a preset of semi-extension of airbrakes;
if the current or predicted position of the aircraft is situated below said altitude constraint:
a preset of transition at constant vertical speed;
a preset from among a preset of smooth aerodynamic configuration and of aerodynamic configuration used to calculate a reference vertical profile in descent.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of validating compliance with the altitude constraint by the vertical-profile prediction comprises the calculation of a deviation between an altitude predicted on the vertical-profile prediction and an altitude predicted on the reference vertical profile in descent.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein compliance with said altitude constraint is not validated if the deviation between the altitude predicted on the vertical-profile prediction and the altitude predicted on the reference vertical profile in descent is greater than a predefined threshold.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein compliance with said altitude constraint is not validated if the altitude of the aircraft is situated outside of a safety margin with respect to the reference vertical profile in descent.

17. The

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Deker Guy
• Roger Michel

Classifications

• G01C21/20

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05D1/0607 Primary

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• G01C21/00

  Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00 (measuring distance traversed on the ground by a vehicle G01C22/00; control of position, course, altitude or attitude of vehicles G05D1/00; traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title

• G08G5/0039

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/0047 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic