Aircraft Navigation Capture Zone Width Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerial navigation systems fail to adapt the capture zone for aircraft descent trajectories effectively, leading to discomfort for passengers due to inappropriate capture zone sizes based on altitude and speed, resulting in either too rapid or too lengthy captures, and do not ensure optimal fuel efficiency or vertical acceleration constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for determining the capture zone width as a function of the aircraft's height and speed, using the total mechanical energy equation to calculate the zone's boundaries, ensuring a wider zone at high altitude/high speed and a narrower zone at low altitude/low speed, implemented in an onboard navigation assistance system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed capture zone is used for all flight conditions, then the navigation system is simple to operate, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to inappropriate capture zone sizes at different altitudes and speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The capture zone width is made dynamic by automatically adjusting it according to the aircraft's current altitude and speed. The system calculates the appropriate capture zone size based on real-time flight parameters, allowing the navigation system to adapt to different flight conditions without requiring manual intervention from the pilot.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the capture zone parameter (width) based on variations in flight parameters (altitude and speed). By linking the capture zone size to these dynamic parameters, the system ensures appropriate capture zones are maintained across all flight conditions, improving passenger comfort while keeping the operation simple.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a wide capture zone is used at low altitude and low speed, then capture is more comfortable for passengers, but capture time increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The capture zone width is dynamically adjusted based on the aircraft's altitude and speed parameters. At low altitude and low speed, the system calculates a reduced capture zone width that is still sufficient for comfortable capture, thereby minimizing capture time and fuel consumption while maintaining passenger comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a uniformly wide capture zone that would ensure comfort but increase capture time, the system applies a partially optimized capture zone width that is sufficient for the specific flight conditions. This avoids excessive capture time and fuel consumption while maintaining adequate comfort levels.
3Productivity
If a narrow capture zone is used at high altitude and high speed, then capture is faster and more fuel-efficient, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to rapid capture
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the capture zone width based on flight parameters. At high altitude and high speed, the system calculates a wider capture zone that allows for faster capture while ensuring that the vertical acceleration remains within comfort limits, thus maintaining passenger comfort during rapid capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The capture zone width is made dynamic to respond to changes in flight conditions. At high altitude and speed, the system automatically increases the capture zone width to enable faster capture, while simultaneously monitoring and controlling vertical acceleration to ensure passenger comfort is not compromised.
4Device complexity
If the capture zone is not adapted to flight conditions, then the navigation system is simple, but fuel efficiency deteriorates due to inappropriate capture modes
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts the capture zone parameter based on flight conditions (altitude and speed), enabling the navigation system to optimize fuel efficiency without requiring complex manual configuration. The parameter adaptation is performed automatically by the flight management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system performs self-optimization by automatically adjusting the capture zone width based on real-time flight parameters. The system serves itself by calculating and applying the appropriate capture zone size without external intervention, thereby improving fuel efficiency while maintaining simple operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of automatic navigation assistance for an aircraft. A capture zone being a zone in which the aircraft can capture a predetermined vertical profile segment by applying a transition between the guidance submode which the aircraft is in and the guidance submode adapted to the following of the vertical profile segment to be captured, it comprises the step consisting in determining the width of the capture zone as a function of the height h of the vertical profile to be captured and of the speed v which the aircraft has when plumb with this height when the aircraft is not on the profile or at this height when the aircraft is on the profile.