METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A SIMPLIFIED REPRESENTATION OF OBSTACLES NEAR AN AIRPORT
A cone-shaped filtering method reduces terrain elevation data near airports to essential obstacle information, addressing the challenge of managing large data volumes and improving flight operation efficiency by retaining relevant data for aircraft trajectory calculation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023010790
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-09
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-10-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing aeronautical systems face challenges in managing large volumes of terrain elevation data near airports, which are necessary for calculating flyable aircraft trajectories, due to the complexity and volume of obstacle data that must be stored and processed during flight operations.
A method using a cone-shaped filtering profile is applied to terrain elevation data near airport runways to eliminate data below a certain altitude threshold, reducing the volume of data to be stored and processed, while retaining relevant obstacle information for determining flyable trajectories.
This approach reduces the data volume required for flight operations, enabling efficient storage and processing of essential obstacle information for aircraft trajectory calculation, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and reducing computational load.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A SIMPLIFIED REPRESENTATION OF OBSTACLES NEAR AN AIRPORT technical field
[0001] At least one embodiment disclosed here relates to a method of constructing a simplified representation of obstacles around an airport runway, retaining only terrain elevation information relevant to a takeoff, landing or go-around of an aircraft.
[0002] At least one embodiment disclosed herein relates to a method of using the simplified representation of obstacles near an airport runway thus obtained. PRIOR TECHNOLOGY
[0003] For various aeronautical applications, particularly for calculating or tracking a flyable trajectory, terrain information is used. This terrain information provides, in particular, elevation data and, more generally, the locations and heights of buildings, trees, mountainous areas, and, more generally, obstacles that aircraft in flight may encounter. This elevation data is stored in databases onboard aircraft to allow pilots or the aircraft's avionics to calculate or track a flyable trajectory. A flyable trajectory is a trajectory that, at every point, has a minimum (or predetermined) distance margin from any identified obstacle (terrain, etc.).) and what the aircraft can follow given its operational status (possible depressurization, loss of an engine, etc.).
[0004] In the vicinity of airports and runways, a precise representation of the surrounding terrain is used due to the complexity of the environment in terms of potential obstacles. One problem is that this represents a significant volume of data, which must be stored in a database and processed at the time of flight departure and / or arrival. It is therefore desirable to overcome this drawback of the prior art. Description of the invention
[0005] A method for constructing a simplified representation of obstacles near an airport runway is proposed herein. The method is implemented by a system in the form of electronic circuitry. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining terrain elevation information near the airport runway; applying filtering according to a filtering profile having a shape of A cone whose apex is located at one end of the airport runway, the cone's axis of revolution being perpendicular to the runway, the cone having an outer surface forming a predetermined angle α with the runway, the filtering eliminating terrain elevation information with an altitude lower than said filtering profile; and storing, as relevant obstacle information, the terrain elevation information remaining after filtering. Thus, the volume of terrain elevation data to be stored and processed during takeoff or landing is reduced.
[0006] According to a particular embodiment, at a distance d, the cone shape reaches a predetermined height h corresponding to a saturation threshold, and beyond the distance d from the end of the airport runway, the filtering profile is flat.
[0007] According to a particular embodiment, the system applies said filtering profile to each end of the airport runway.
[0008] According to a particular embodiment, the system obtains a filtering profile to be applied to the whole of the airport runway, called an individual filtering profile, by combining a first filtering sub-profile defined for one end of the airport runway and a second filtering sub-profile defined for the other end of the airport runway, so that terrain elevation information whose altitude is lower than the lower altitude filtering sub-profile is eliminated.
[0009] According to a particular embodiment, when at least one other airport runway is nearby, the system defines said individual filtering profile for each airport runway, and the system obtains an overall filtering profile to be applied to all airport runways, by combining said individual filtering profiles, so that terrain elevation information whose altitude is lower than the lowest altitude individual filtering profile is eliminated.
[0010] Also proposed here is a method for determining or tracking an aircraft trajectory in the vicinity of an airport, in which a system in the form of electronic circuitry determines or tracks an aircraft trajectory using a simplified representation of obstacles in the vicinity of the airport runway which is obtained by the method presented above, in any of its embodiments.
[0011] Also proposed herein is a computer program product comprising program code instructions causing an implementation of one or the other of the above processes, in any of their embodiments, when said instructions are executed by a processor. Also proposed herein is an information storage medium storing such program code instructions.
[0012] Also proposed here is a system in the form of electronic circuitry configured to construct a simplified representation of obstacles near an airport runway, by implementing the following steps: obtaining elevation information terrain around the airport runway; apply filtering by following a filtering profile having a cone shape whose apex is placed at one end of the airport runway, the axis of revolution of the cone being perpendicular to the airport runway, the cone having an outer surface forming a predetermined angle α with the airport runway, the filtering eliminating terrain elevation information having an altitude lower than said filtering profile; and store, as relevant obstacle information, the terrain elevation information remaining after filtering. Brief description of the drawings
[0013] The features of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will become clearer upon reading the following description of at least one exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:
[0014] [Fig.1] schematically illustrates an algorithm for selecting relevant terrain elevation information to store;
[0015] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a conical shape of filter applicable for se select relevant ground elevation information to store, in an embodiment;
[0016] [Fig.3A] schematically illustrates a first example of a filtering profile applied to the vicinity of an airport runway;
[0017] [Fig.3B] schematically illustrates a second example of a filtering profile applied to the vicinity of an airport runway;
[0018] [Fig.3C] schematically illustrates a third example of a filtering profile applied to the vicinity of an airport runway;
[0019] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates, in side view, an aircraft equipped with a avionics configured to use relevant stored terrain elevation information; and
[0020] [Fig. 5] schematically illustrates an example of a hardware platform that can be used for select relevant terrain elevation information to store and / or use relevant stored terrain elevation information.
[0021] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTATION METHODS
[0022] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an algorithm for selecting relevant terrain elevation information to be stored. The algorithm in Figure 1 is implemented by a system in the form of electronic circuitry, such as a computer system. The algorithm in Figure 1 thus makes it possible to construct a simplified representation of obstacles near an airport runway. In a particular embodiment, the algorithm in Figure 1 is repeated for several airport runways in order to build a database of representations. simplified obstacles in the vicinity of said airport runways.
[0023] In step 101, the system obtains terrain elevation information in the vicinity of the airport runway. The terrain elevation information is obtained, for example, from a database referencing the topology of the airport environment, obtained through satellite imagery and / or field surveys.
[0024] In step 102, the system applies a filtering profile to the terrain elevation information. The filtering profile is cone-shaped, with its apex located at one end of the airport runway and its axis of revolution perpendicular to the airport runway. The outer surface of the cone defines a slope that forms an angle α with the airport runway. The angle α is predetermined. For example, the angle α complies with minimum regulatory takeoff and / or approach slopes.
[0025] Preferably, the angle 'a' complies with a minimum regulatory approach (landing) slope. Indeed, the slope during takeoff is typically steeper than during landing. Moreover, aircraft taking off typically do not go as far as the opposite threshold of the airport runway, whereas aircraft are more likely to land from this airport runway threshold in the opposite direction.
[0026] Knowing that this minimum regulatory approach slope is very usually 3 degrees, a conservative value of the angle a is for example 2 degrees.
[0027] In a particular embodiment, the angle value used is specific to each airport runway, in relation to approach (landing) constraints associated with that airport runway, instead of using a single angle value for the construction of the entire database.
[0028] By way of illustration, a filter profile 202 is schematically shown in [Fig.2]. The filter profile 202 has a cone shape (having an axis of revolution 203) whose outer surface forms an angle α with an airport runway 201. The filter profile 202 is shown over a distance d (radius of the base of the cone).
[0029] By applying the filtering profile, the system eliminates, in a step 103, terrain elevation information having an altitude lower than said filtering profile. Thus, in a step 104, the system retains (e.g., stores) as relevant obstacle information the remaining terrain elevation information, that is to say, information with an altitude greater than or equal to the filtering profile.
[0030] The relevant obstacle information thus stored can be used to determine or follow a flyable trajectory in the vicinity of an airport, whether during a takeoff phase, an approach phase, or a go-around procedure.
[0031] In a particular embodiment, the relevant obstacle information obtained through the detailed filtering profile described herein is stored in a database of an avionics 401 of an aircraft 400, as schematically illustrated in [Fig.4]. Thus, the 401 avionics can determine a flyable trajectory in real time with a reduced amount of relevant obstacle information to handle.
[0032] Figure 3A schematically illustrates a first example of a filtering profile 303a applied to the vicinity of a runway 301. By applying a cone-shaped filtering profile, terrain elevation information 302 in the vicinity of the airport runway 301 is filtered, so that only terrain elevation information with an altitude greater than or equal to the cone is retained. Thus, terrain elevation information 303a and 303b is retained (altitude greater than or equal to the cone), while terrain elevation information 304 (altitude lower than the cone) is eliminated.
[0033] Figure 3B schematically illustrates a second example of a filtering profile 303b applied to the vicinity of the airport runway 301. In this second example, at a distance d, the cone reaches a predetermined height h corresponding to a saturation threshold. Then, beyond the distance d from the end of the airport runway 301, the filtering profile 303b is flat (fixed altitude). Thus, terrain elevation information 305a, 305b, 305c is retained (altitude greater than or equal to the filtering profile), while terrain elevation information 306 (altitude less than the filtering profile) is eliminated.
[0034] Fig. 3C schematically illustrates a third example of a 303c filtering profile applied to the vicinity of airport runway 301. In this third example, a cone-shaped filter, possibly with a saturation threshold, is applied to each end of airport runway 301.
[0035] In a particular embodiment, the filtering profile to be applied is obtained by combining a first filtering sub-profile 303d defined for one end of the airport runway 301 and a second filtering sub-profile 303e defined for the other end of the airport runway 301, so that terrain elevation information whose altitude is lower than the lowest altitude filtering sub-profile (among the first filtering sub-profile 303d and the second filtering sub-profile 303e) is eliminated. The system thus obtains an individual filtering profile to be applied to the entire airport runway. Therefore, terrain elevation information 305a, 305b, 305c, 305d, and 305e is retained (altitude greater than or equal to the filtering profile), while terrain elevation information 307 (altitude lower than the filtering profile) is eliminated.
[0036] Alternatively, filtering according to the first filtering sub-profile 303d is carried out for one end of the airport runway 301 and, independently, filtering according to the second filtering sub-profile 303e is carried out for the other end of the airport runway 301, and the terrain elevation information remaining after each of these filterings is grouped together as relevant obstacle information.
[0037] In a particular embodiment, when at least one other airport runway is nearby, an individual filtering profile is defined for each airport runway (as explained above), and an overall filtering profile is obtained by combining the individual filtering profiles, such that terrain elevation information with an altitude lower than the lowest altitude of the individual filtering profile is eliminated. The overall filtering profile is thus applicable to all the airport runways in question.
[0038] Figure 5 schematically illustrates an example of a hardware platform 500 that can be used to select relevant terrain elevation information for storage, by applying the detailed filtering profile described above, in any of its embodiments. The hardware platform 500 can also be used to access this relevant terrain elevation information once it has been stored.
[0039] The hardware platform example 500 is notably usable as a component of a ground-based computerized system.
[0040] The hardware platform example 500 is notably usable as a component of avionics 401.
[0041] In [Fig.5], the hardware platform 500 comprises, connected by a communication bus 510: a processor or CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501; a RAM (Random Access Memory) 502; a ROM (Read Only Memory) 503, for example a Flash memory; a data storage device, such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or a storage media reader, such as an SD (Secure Digital) card reader 504; at least one COM communication interface 505 and / or a set of I / O (Inputs / Outputs).
[0042] The COM 505 communication interface and / or a set of LO input / outputs allow the 500 hardware platform to interact with third-party equipment, for example via ground-to-air communications.
[0043] The processor 501 is capable of executing instructions loaded into RAM 502 from ROM 503, external memory, a storage medium such as an SD card, or a communication network. When the hardware platform 500 is powered on, the processor 501 is capable of reading instructions from RAM 502 and executing them. These instructions form a computer program causing the processor 501 to implement the behaviors, steps, and algorithms described herein.
[0044] All or part of the behaviors, steps, and algorithms described herein can thus be implemented in software form by executing a set of instructions by a programmable machine, such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or a microcontroller, or be implemented in hardware form by a machine or a A dedicated component (or "chip") or a dedicated set of components (or "chipset"), such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). Generally speaking, the 500 hardware platform is a system in the form of electronic circuitry arranged and configured to implement the behaviors, steps, and algorithms described herein.
Claims
Demands
1. Method of constructing a simplified representation of obstacles in the vicinity of an airport runway (201, 301), the method being implemented by a system (500) in the form of electronic circuitry, the method comprising the following steps: - obtaining (101) terrain elevation information in the vicinity of the airport runway (201, 301); - apply (102) a filtering by following a filtering profile (303a, 303b, 303c) having a cone shape whose apex is placed at one end of the airport runway (301), the axis of revolution (203) of the cone being perpendicular to the airport runway (201, 301), the cone having an outer surface forming a predetermined angle α with the airport runway (201, 301), the filtering eliminating terrain elevation information having an altitude lower than said filtering profile (303a, 303b, 303c);and - store, as relevant obstacle information, the remaining terrain elevation information after filtering.;
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, at a distance d, the cone shape reaches a predetermined height h corresponding to a saturation threshold, and beyond the distance d from the end of the airport runway (201, 301), the filtering profile (303b) is flat.
3. A method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the system (500) applies said filtering profile (303a, 303b) to each end of the airport runway (201, 301).
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the system (500) obtains a filtering profile to be applied to the whole of the airport runway (201, 301), called an individual filtering profile (303c), by combining a first sub-filtering profile (303d) defined for one end of the airport runway (301, 301) and a second sub-filtering profile (303e) defined for the other end of the airport runway (201, 301), so that terrain elevation information whose altitude is lower than the lowest altitude sub-filtering profile (303d, 303e) is eliminated.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein, when at least one other airport runway is nearby, the system (500) defines said individual filtering profile for each airport runway, and the system (500) obtains an overall filtering profile to be applied to all the airport runways, by combining said individual filter profiles (303c), so that terrain elevation information whose altitude is lower than the lowest altitude individual filter profile (303c) is eliminated.
6. A method for determining or tracking an aircraft trajectory (400) in the vicinity of an airport, wherein a system (500) in the form of electronic circuitry determines or tracks an aircraft trajectory using a simplified representation of obstacles in the vicinity of the airport runway which is obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
7. Product computer program comprising program code instructions causing an implementation of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or according to claim 6, when said instructions are executed by a processor.
8. Information storage medium storing program code instructions causing an implementation of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or according to claim 6, when said instructions are read and executed by a processor.
9. System (500) in the form of electronic circuitry configured to construct a simplified representation of obstacles around an airport runway (201, 301), by implementing the following steps: - obtain (101) terrain elevation information around the airport runway (201, 301); - apply (102) a filtering by following a filtering profile (303a, 303b, 303c) having a cone shape whose apex is placed at one end of the airport runway (201, 301), the axis of revolution (203) of the cone being perpendicular to the airport runway (201, 301), the cone having an outer surface forming a predetermined angle α with the airport runway (201, 301), the filtering eliminating terrain elevation information having an altitude lower than said filtering profile (303a, 303b, 303c); and - store, as relevant obstacle information, the terrain elevation information remaining after filtering.