Method of computing aircraft trajectory subject to lateral and vertical constraints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016163201-A1
Application number	US-201514958068-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for computing a setpoint trajectory of an aircraft comprising at least two subsets. It is characterized in that it comprises the formulation and the solving of an optimization problem for the trajectory, and that the formulation of the said problem comprises at least the formulation of a constraint related to a transition of legs on at least one first subset of the trajectory, and the formulation of a constraint related to a transition of vertical flight phases on at least one second subset of the trajectory. The invention also relates to a system and a computer program for the computation of a trajectory.

First claim

1 . A method for computing a setpoint trajectory of an aircraft, the trajectory defining at least successive values of lateral position, altitude, and speed of the aircraft, the trajectory comprising at least two subsets, the method comprising at least:
a step of formulating at least one optimization problem for the trajectory for at least one optimization criterion, the formulating step comprising at least:
a sub-step of formulating at least one constraint related to a transition of legs on at least one first subset of the trajectory;
a sub-step of formulating at least one constraint related to a transition of vertical flight phases on at least one second subset of the trajectory;
a step of solving the optimization problem for the trajectory.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of formulating at least one optimization problem for the trajectory further comprises a sub-step of creating at least one first subset of the trajectory for at least one transition of legs, and a sub-step of creating at least one second subset of the trajectory for at least one transition of vertical phases.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of formulating an optimization problem for the trajectory further comprises a sub-step of formulating at least one constraint related to a performance criterion of the aircraft on at least one subset of the trajectory.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising a prior step of initializing the trajectory.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the trajectory optimization problem minimizes a cost criterion.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the cost criterion is a function of at least two properties of the trajectory.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the properties of the trajectory comprise at least two properties chosen among a group comprising fuel consumption, time spent in flight, carbon dioxide emissions, nitrogen dioxide emissions and noise generated.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of formulating the optimization problem for the trajectory comprises a formulation of an optimal control problem on each of the subsets of the trajectory.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the optimal control problem is a Bolza problem.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising on completion of the solving of the trajectory optimization problem a step of analyzing the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker multipliers for at least one constraint.

11 . The method according to claim 10 comprising, when at least one Karush-Kuhn-Tucker multiplier related to a constraint on a transition of legs or a vertical phase transition is non-zero, the modification of at least one flight phase.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the modification of at least one flight phase comprises the inversion of a transition of legs and of a transition of phases of a vertical trajectory.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , comprising, when the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker multiplier of at least two constraints is non-zero, a step of selecting a constraint to be relaxed.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the constraints are relaxed in a predefined order.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , comprising a step of displaying to the pilot the constraints whose Karush-Kuhn-Tucker multiplier is non-zero.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising a step of displaying at least two constraints so as to allow an operator to modify them.

17 . A trajectory computation system, comprising at least one processor configured to compute a setpoint trajectory of an aircraft, the trajectory defining at least successive values of lateral position, altitude, and speed of the aircraft, the trajectory comprising at least two subsets, the device comprising at least:
a module configured to formulate at least one optimization problem for the trajectory for at least one optimization criterion, the module comprising at least:
a sub-module for formulating at least one constraint related to a transition of legs on at least one flight phase;
a sub-module for formulating at least one constraint related to a transition of vertical flight phases on at least one flight phase;
a module configured to solve the optimization problem for the trajectory for the at least one optimization criterion.

18 . The system according to claim 17 , comprising at least one man machine interface configured to display on at least one screen at least one constraint for a parameter of the trajectory, the computed value of the parameter of the trajectory and the tolerance margin on the constraint.

19 . The system according to claim 18 , in which wherein the man machine interface is configured to allow an operator to modify the value of the tolerance for the at least one constraint.

20 . A computer program configured, when it is executed on a processor, to compute a setpoint trajectory of an aircraft, the trajectory defining at least successive values of lateral position, altitude, and speed of the aircraft, the trajectory comprising at least two flight phases, the computer program comprising at least:
elements of computer code for executing a formulation of at least one optimal control problem for at least one optimization criterion, the formulation comprising at least:
a formulation of at least one constraint related to a transition of legs on at least one flight phase;
a formulation of at least one constraint related to a transition of vertical flight phases on at least one flight phase;
elements of computer code for solving the optimization problem for the trajectory for the at least one optimization criterion.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Le Merrer Mathieu
• Dacre-Wright Benoit
• Coulmeau François

Classifications

• G06Q10/047

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title

• G08G5/32

  for flight plan preparation · CPC title

• G05D1/0005 Primary

  with arrangements to save energy · CPC title

• G08G5/30 Primary

  Flight plan management · CPC title

• G08G5/003 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic