System and method for monitoring a satellite data receiver and guiding an aircraft.
The system monitors satellite data receivers using an independent aircraft position source to ensure safe guidance by alerting or blocking inaccurate data, addressing accuracy issues in satellite-based aircraft navigation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023011000
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-10-13
AI Technical Summary
Disturbances in radio frequency signals, such as interference or jamming, can reduce the accuracy of aircraft position information provided by satellite data receivers, posing a risk to safe aircraft guidance, particularly during critical approaches like GLS or SLS.
A system and method for monitoring satellite data receivers using an independent second source of aircraft position information, such as an inertial unit, to determine the quality level of the satellite data and issue alerts or block the use of inaccurate position information, ensuring safe aircraft guidance by preventing critical approaches when accuracy falls below a threshold.
Ensures safe aircraft guidance by preventing critical approaches when satellite data accuracy deteriorates, thereby maintaining flight safety by avoiding inaccurate guidance based on satellite data alone.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: System and method for monitoring a satellite data receiver and guiding an aircraft.
[0001] The invention relates to the field of aircraft guidance by means of a satellite navigation system. A satellite navigation system, also called GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) comprises a constellation of satellites. This system corresponds for example to one of the systems GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, Baidou, etc. An aircraft generally comprises at least one satellite data receiver designed to receive information from a satellite navigation system. This satellite data receiver is for example of the MMR (Multi Mode Receiver) type. It is designed to determine position information of the aircraft based on information from the satellite navigation system. This position information of the aircraft can be used by a guidance computer of the aircraft to guide the aircraft along a flight path.To enable the aircraft to be guided along the flight path with the required accuracy, it is necessary that the aircraft position information be provided by the satellite data receiver with sufficient accuracy. Disturbances of radio frequency signals, in particular interference or jamming, may cause a reduction in the accuracy of the aircraft position information provided by the satellite data receiver. In some applications, the aircraft position information provided by the satellite data receiver is hybridized with information from an inertial unit of the aircraft and the hybridized information is used for aircraft guidance. Hybridization is for example achieved by a system called GPIRS (Global Positioning / Inertial Reference System).Due to the hybridization with the information from the inertial unit, the hybridized information is less sensitive to a decrease in the accuracy of the aircraft position information provided by the satellite data receiver. In addition, by comparing the information from the satellite data receiver and the information from the inertial unit, the system performing the hybridization can detect a decrease in the accuracy of the aircraft position information provided by the satellite data receiver. In other cases, the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver is used for aircraft guidance without being hybridized with other information. This is for example the case when the aircraft flies according to GLS type approaches (“GBAS . Landing System" in English) or SLS ("Satellite Landing System" in English). It is then necessary not to engage or continue guidance of the aircraft according to such approaches when the accuracy of the aircraft position information provided by the satellite data receiver decreases and is no longer compatible with the guidance accuracy required for these types of approaches. Statement of the invention
[0002] The present invention aims in particular to provide a solution to this problem. According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a system for monitoring a satellite data receiver of an aircraft. This system comprises:
[0003] - said receiver of satellite data from a navigation system by satellite; and
[0004] - a second source of aircraft position information independent of the data from the satellite navigation system.
[0005] The surveillance system is remarkable in that it comprises at least one avionics system independent of the satellite data receiver and configured to:
[0006] - determine a quality level of the aircraft position information from from the satellite data receiver based on information from the satellite data receiver and on the other hand on information from the second source of aircraft position information; and
[0007] - command the display of an alert message in a cockpit of the aircraft when the determined quality level is below a predetermined threshold.
[0008] Thus, a pilot of the aircraft is informed of a decrease in the quality level of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver when the determined quality level is lower than the predetermined threshold. This allows the pilot to take the necessary measures to prevent guidance of the aircraft on the basis of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver, so as to guarantee the safety of the flight of the aircraft. For example, in such a situation, the pilot will not initiate a GLS or SLS type approach, or he will stop such an approach already in progress.
[0009] According to different embodiments which can be taken in isolation or in combination:
[0010] - the quality level determined by the at least one avionics system corresponds to a number of satellites of the satellite navigation system from which the satellite data receiver receives signals of sufficient integrity to allow the use of said signals for the determination, by the satellite data receiver, of said aircraft position information;
[0011] - the second source of aircraft position information comprises a central unit inertial of the aircraft.
[0012] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a system for guiding an aircraft comprising an aircraft guidance computer configured to receive position information from the aircraft and to control the guidance of the aircraft as a function of said position information from the aircraft, characterized in that it further comprises a system for monitoring a satellite data receiver as mentioned above, and in that:
[0013] - the aircraft guidance computer is configured to receive the information aircraft position from satellite data receiver;
[0014] - the at least one avionics system is configured to send a blocking command the use, by the guidance computer, of aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver when the determined quality level is below the predetermined threshold; and
[0015] - the guidance system is configured to prohibit a guidance command of the aircraft by the guidance computer based on aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver, following the sending of a blocking order by at least one avionics system.
[0016] Thus, when there is a decrease in the quality level of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver such that the determined quality level is lower than the predetermined threshold, this position information is not used by the guidance system to guide the aircraft. For example, from the occurrence of the decrease in the quality level of the aircraft position information, the guidance system will not initiate a GLS or SLS type approach, or it will stop such an approach already in progress. This makes it possible to guarantee the safety of the aircraft flight.
[0017] According to embodiments:
[0018] - the at least one avionics system is connected to the guidance computer in such a way that when the at least one avionics system sends a blocking order, this blocking order is received by the guidance computer, and the guidance computer is configured to prohibit a guidance command of the aircraft based on the position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver, following receipt of a blocking order;
[0019] - the at least one avionics system is connected to the satellite data receiver of such that when the at least one avionics system sends a blocking order, this blocking order is received by the satellite data receiver, and the satellite data receiver is configured to stop sending position information of the aircraft to the guidance computer following receipt of a blocking order, so as to prohibit a guidance command of the aircraft by the guidance computer based on aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver.
[0020] According to the first aspect, the invention also relates to a method for monitoring a satellite data receiver of an aircraft. The method is implemented by a system for monitoring the satellite data receiver comprising:
[0021] - said receiver of satellite data from a navigation system by satellite; and
[0022] - a second source of aircraft position information independent of the data from the satellite navigation system.
[0023] The method is remarkable in that it comprises the following steps implemented by at least one avionics system independent of the satellite data receiver:
[0024] - determine a quality level of the aircraft position information from from the satellite data receiver based on information from the satellite data receiver and on the other hand on information from the second source of aircraft position information; and
[0025] - command the display of an alert message in a cockpit of the aircraft when the determined quality level is below a predetermined threshold.
[0026] According to the other aspect, the invention also relates to a method for guiding an aircraft. The method is implemented by an aircraft guidance system comprising an aircraft guidance computer configured to receive aircraft position information and to control the guidance of the aircraft as a function of said aircraft position information.
[0027] The method is remarkable in that, the guidance system further comprising a system for monitoring a satellite data receiver, the system for monitoring the satellite data receiver is configured to implement the aforementioned method for monitoring the satellite data receiver of the aircraft,
[0028] and in that, the aircraft guidance computer being configured to receive the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver, the method further comprises the following steps:
[0029] - send, by at least one avionics system, an order to block use, by the guidance computer, aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver when the determined quality level is lower than the predetermined threshold; and
[0030] - following the sending of a blocking order by at least one avionics system, prohibit an aircraft guidance command by the guidance computer based on aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver.
[0031] The invention also relates to an aircraft comprising a system for monitoring a satellite data receiver as mentioned above, as well as to an aircraft comprising a guidance system as mentioned above. Description of the embodiments
[0032] The invention will be better understood by reading the following description and examining the attached figures.
[0033] [Fig.l] illustrates an aircraft equipped with a guidance system according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0034] [Fig. 2] is a schematic view of an aircraft guidance system, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0035] [Fig. 3] illustrates a method of monitoring a satellite data receiver of an aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0036] [Fig.4] illustrates a method of guiding an aircraft according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0037] The aircraft 1 shown in [Fig. 1] comprises a guidance system 10 as shown in [Fig. 2]. The guidance system 10 comprises a computer 20 for guiding the aircraft, as well as a monitoring system 11 of a receiver 12 of satellite data from a GNSS satellite navigation system. The satellite data receiver 12 is connected at the output to the aircraft guidance computer 20. In a non-limiting manner, the satellite navigation system corresponds for example to one of the following systems: GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, Beidou, Glonass, etc. The monitoring system 11 comprises said satellite data receiver 12, a second source 16 of aircraft position information independent of the data from the satellite navigation system, as well as at least one avionics system 14 independent of the satellite data receiver.The at least one avionics system 14 is connected at the input to the satellite data receiver 12, as well as to the second source 16 of position information of the aircraft. In one embodiment, the satellite data receiver 12 corresponds to a multimode receiver also called MMR (“Multi Mode Receiver” in English). In one embodiment, the second source 16 of position information comprises at least one inertial unit of the aircraft. In another embodiment, the at least one avionics system 14 is part of an ADIRS system (“Air Data Inertial Reference System” in English) of the aircraft. In particular, the guidance system 10 is located in an avionics bay 2 of the aircraft.
[0038] In operation, the at least one avionics system 14 receives on the one hand information from the satellite data receiver and on the other hand information from the second source of position information of the aircraft.one embodiment, the information from the satellite data receiver 12 comprises on the one hand first information that the receiver 12 has received from different satellites from which it can receive signals at a current time and on the other hand aircraft position information determined by the receiver 12 on the basis of the first information. In a first step 31 (labeled E1 in [Fig. 3]) of a method for monitoring the satellite data receiver 12, the at least one avionics system 14 determines a quality level of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver as a function of on the one hand the information from the satellite data receiver and on the other hand the information from the second source of aircraft position information.In one embodiment, the quality level corresponds to a number of satellites of the satellite navigation system from which the satellite data receiver 12 receives signals of sufficient integrity to allow the use of said signals for the determination, by the satellite data receiver 12, of said position information of the aircraft. The manner of determining the quality level will not be described further since it is already known to determine such a quality level by a prior art ADIRS system.
[0039] The monitoring system 11, more particularly the at least one avionics system 14, is connected at output to a display screen 18 located in a cockpit 3 of the aircraft. In a second step 32 (labeled E2 in [Fig. 3]) of the method, the at least one avionics system 14 controls the display of an alert message in the cockpit of the aircraft, on the display screen 18, when the determined quality level is lower than a predetermined threshold. In the embodiment in which the quality level corresponds to the number of satellites from which the satellite data receiver 12 receives sufficiently intact signals, the predetermined threshold is for example chosen to be equal to 4.Thus, a pilot of the aircraft is informed of a reduction in the quality level which could lead to a reduction in the precision of the aircraft position information from the receiver 12 such that this position information would no longer allow sufficiently precise guidance of the aircraft during an approach procedure, for example of the GLS or SLS type. This allows the pilot thus warned not to initiate such an approach procedure or to interrupt it if it was already initiated.
[0040] Advantageously, the at least one avionics system 14 is further configured to send an order to block the use, by the guidance computer 20, of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver 12 when the determined quality level is lower than the predetermined threshold. The avionics system 14 sends the blocking order in a first step 33 (labeled E3 in [Fig. 4]) of a method for guiding the aircraft.
[0041] In a first embodiment, the at least one avionics system 14 is connected at the output to the guidance computer 20 by a link 21b. When the at least one avionics system 14 sends a blocking order on the link 21b, this blocking order is received by the guidance computer 20.The guidance computer 20 is configured in such a way that the reception of the blocking order has the effect of prohibiting a command to guide the aircraft by the guidance computer 20 according to the position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver 12: after reception of the blocking order, on the one hand the guidance computer 20 does not engage a mode of guidance of the aircraft according to an approach requiring guidance of the aircraft on the basis of the position information of the aircraft only from the receiver 12 (for example a GLS or SLS type approach) when it receives a request to engage such a guidance mode, and on the other hand the computer interrupts a mode of guidance of the aircraft according to such an approach if such a guidance mode was already engaged.
[0042] In a second embodiment, the at least one avionics system 14 is connected at the output to the satellite data receiver 12 by a link 21a. When the at least one avionics system 14 sends a blocking order on the link 21a, this blocking order is received by the satellite data receiver 12. The latter is configured to no longer send aircraft position data to the guidance computer 20 when it receives such a blocking order. Thus, the reception of the blocking order by the receiver 12 has the effect of prohibiting the sending of aircraft position information by the satellite data receiver 12 to the guidance computer 20. The guidance computer 20 which no longer receives aircraft position information from the receiver 12 cannot guide the aircraft according to such position information.Consequently, after receiving the blocking order by the satellite data receiver 12, on the one hand the guidance computer 20 cannot initiate guidance of the aircraft according to an approach requiring guidance of the aircraft on the basis of only the aircraft position information from the receiver 12 (for example a GLS or SLS type approach) when it receives a request to initiate such guidance, and on the other hand the guidance computer 20 interrupts guidance of the aircraft according to such an approach if such guidance was already initiated.
[0043] Thus, both in the first embodiment and in the second embodiment, sending the blocking order in step 33 has the effect, in a step 34 (labeled E4 in the figure) of the guidance method, of prohibiting a guidance command of the aircraft by the guidance computer 20 as a function of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver 12.
Claims
Claims
1. 1) System (11) for monitoring a receiver (12) of satellite data of an aircraft (1), the system comprising: - said receiver (12) of satellite data from a satellite navigation system; and - a second source (16) of aircraft position information independent of the data from the satellite navigation system, the monitoring system comprising at least one avionics system (14) independent of the satellite data receiver (12) and configured to: - determine a quality level of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver as a function of, on the one hand, information from the satellite data receiver (12) and, on the other hand, information from the second source (16) of aircraft position information;and - controlling the display of an alert message in a cockpit (3) of the aircraft when the determined quality level is lower than a predetermined threshold, characterized in that the quality level determined by the at least one avionics system (14) corresponds to a number of satellites of the satellite navigation system from which the satellite data receiver (12) receives signals of sufficient integrity to allow the use of said signals for the determination, by the satellite data receiver, of said position information of the aircraft.;
2. 2) Surveillance system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second source (16) of position information of the aircraft comprises an inertial unit of the aircraft.
3. 3) Guidance system (10) for an aircraft (1) comprising an aircraft guidance computer (20) configured to receive position information from the aircraft and to control the guidance of the aircraft as a function of said position information from the aircraft, characterized in that it further comprises a system (11) for monitoring a satellite data receiver (12) according to any one of the preceding claims, and in that: - the guidance computer (20) of the aircraft is configured to receive the position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver (12); - the at least one avionics system (14) is configured to send an order to block the use, by the guidance computer (20), of the position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver (12) when the determined quality level is lower than the predetermined threshold; and - the guidance system (10) is configured to prohibit a command to guide the aircraft by the guidance computer (20) based on position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver (12), following the sending of a blocking order by the at least one avionics system (14).
4. 4) Guidance system according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one avionics system (14) is connected to the guidance computer (20) in such a way that when the at least one avionics system sends a blocking order, this blocking order is received by the guidance computer, and the guidance computer is configured so as to prohibit a guidance command of the aircraft as a function of the position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver (12), following the reception of a blocking order.
5. 5) Guidance system according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one avionics system (14) is connected to the satellite data receiver (12) in such a way that when the at least one avionics system sends a blocking order, this blocking order is received by the satellite data receiver, and the satellite data receiver is configured to stop sending position information of the aircraft to the guidance computer (20) following the reception of a blocking order, so as to prohibit a guidance command of the aircraft by the guidance computer based on position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver (12).
6. 6) Method for monitoring a satellite data receiver (12) of an aircraft (1), the method being implemented by a system (11) for monitoring the satellite data receiver comprising: - said receiver (12) of satellite data from a satellite navigation system; and - a second source (16) of aircraft position information independent of the data from the satellite navigation system, the method comprising the following steps implemented by at least one avionics system (14) independent of the satellite data receiver: - determining (31) a quality level of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver (12) as a function of, on the one hand, information from the satellite data receiver and, on the other hand, information from the second source of aircraft position information;and - controlling (32) the display of an alert message in a cockpit (3) of the aircraft when the determined quality level is lower than a predetermined threshold, characterized in that the quality level determined by the at least one avionics system (14) corresponds to a number of satellites of the satellite navigation system from which the satellite data receiver (12) receives signals of sufficient integrity to allow the use of said signals for the determination, by the satellite data receiver, of said aircraft position information.;
7. 7) Method for guiding an aircraft (1), the method being implemented by a guidance system (10) of the aircraft comprising a guidance computer (20) of the aircraft configured to receive position information of the aircraft and to control the guidance of the aircraft as a function of said position information of the aircraft, the guidance system (10) further comprising a monitoring system (11) of the satellite data receiver (12), the monitoring system of the satellite data receiver is configured to implement the method according to the preceding claim, and the guidance computer (20) of the aircraft being configured to receive the position information of the aircraft from the satellite data receiver (12), the method further comprises the following steps: - sending (33), by the at least one avionics system (14), an order to block the use, by the guidance computer (20), of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver (12) when the determined quality level is lower than the predetermined threshold; and - following the sending of a blocking order by the at least one avionics system (14), prohibiting (34) a command to guide the aircraft by the guidance computer (20) as a function of the aircraft position information from the satellite data receiver (12), characterized in that the quality level determined by the at least one avionics system (14) corresponds to a number of satellites of the satellite navigation system from which the satellite data receiver (12) receives signals of sufficient integrity to allow the use of said signals for the determination, by the satellite data receiver, of said aircraft position information.
8. 8) Aircraft (1), characterized in that it comprises a system of monitoring (11) of a satellite data receiver according to any one of claims 1 or 2.
9. 9) Aircraft (1), characterized in that it comprises a system of guide (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 5.