Aircraft Ground Guidance via Virtual Axis Computation

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is no device or infrastructure available to automatically guide an aircraft along a axis after landing or during taxiing, especially in the absence of ILS-type systems, which limits pilot latitude and increases piloting difficulty in conditions like strong winds or system failures.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that automatically compute and follow a virtual axis onboard the aircraft, using a monitoring unit to detect the neutral position of a control member and a computation unit to guide the aircraft along this axis, allowing for automatic guidance without external infrastructure, and enabling pilots to modify the axis through a display and modification system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If ILS-type infrastructure is used to guide the aircraft, then automatic guidance along the central axis is achieved, but the pilot loses latitude to shift onto parallel axes to avoid obstacles like lamps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic guidanceVSAvoidpilot latitude

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between manual and automatic control modes based on pilot input. When the control member is in neutral position, automatic guidance activates; when the pilot actuates the control member, manual control takes over. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to provide automated guidance when needed while preserving pilot latitude when required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the guidance parameter from a fixed central axis (ILS-type) to a flexible virtual axis that can be parallel to the central axis. This parameter change allows the virtual axis to be positioned optimally to avoid obstacles like lamps while maintaining automatic guidance functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual piloting is used to shift the aircraft to avoid lamps, then pilot latitude is maintained, but automatic guidance is lost and piloting difficulty increases in challenging conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepilot latitudeVSAvoidpiloting difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If no guidance system is used, then pilot latitude is fully maintained, but automatic guidance and assistance in challenging conditions are unavailable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepilot latitudeVSAvoidautomatic guidance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Extent of automation

If ILS-type infrastructure is deployed, then automatic guidance infrastructure is available, but the system requires external infrastructure and satellites

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic guidanceVSAvoidexternal infrastructure

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The aircraft serves itself by computing the virtual axis onboard using its own navigation systems (GPS, inertial sensors). No external ILS infrastructure or satellite landing systems are required. The aircraft uses its existing sensors and processors to generate the guidance axis and execute automatic guidance, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating dependency on external infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The guidance functionality is extracted from external infrastructure (ILS beams, satellite systems) and transferred to the aircraft itself. The virtual axis computation and guidance execution are performed onboard the aircraft using its own navigation equipment, removing the need for external guiding infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9429942B2Method and device for automatically guiding an aircraft taxiing on the ground

Publication Date: 2016.08.30 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

A device comprises a monitoring unit configured to automatically monitor the actuation of a manual control member suitable for controlling an aircraft on the ground, so as to be able to detect a releasing of the control member in a neutral position. A computation unit is configured to compute a virtual axis for guiding the aircraft on the ground, upon the detection of the releasing of the control member in the neutral position. A guiding unit is configured to automatically guide the aircraft along said virtual axis.