Flight Plan Segment Insertion via Equivalent Point Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems face challenges in efficiently inserting a segment of flight plan into an initial flight plan, leading to unnecessary duplications and fuel consumption, particularly in tactical operations and runway changes, due to exact comparison requirements and lack of precise matching points.
Innovation Solution
A method for inserting a segment of flight plan into an initial flight plan using a flight management system, which identifies equivalent or pseudo equivalent points based on geographical coordinates and attributes, allowing for precise insertion without duplications, by iteratively matching fixed legs and considering proximity when exact matches are not found.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If exact comparison of leg attributes is used to identify matching points for segment insertion, then precision of matching is improved, but ability to handle tactical operations and runway changes is worsened due to lack of flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the matching parameters from requiring exact equality of all leg attributes to allowing approximate matching based on geographical coordinates with a threshold distance. This enables the system to adapt to tactical operations and runway changes where exact matches may not exist, while still maintaining sufficient precision for safe flight plan modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the segment to match the initial flight plan exactly, the patent inverts the approach by finding the closest matching point in the initial flight plan that accommodates the segment insertion. This inversion allows greater adaptability for dynamic operational changes while maintaining adequate matching precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If segment insertion is performed without precise matching, then operational flexibility is improved, but unnecessary duplications and fuel consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a distance threshold parameter that balances operational flexibility with fuel efficiency. By allowing matches within this threshold, the system achieves adaptability for tactical operations while avoiding unnecessary duplications that would increase fuel consumption. The threshold acts as a control parameter to optimize the trade-off between flexibility and energy loss.
3Measurement precision
If iterative matching of fixed legs is performed, then accuracy of insertion point identification is improved, but calculation time is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flight plan into fixed legs with geographical coordinates, allowing iterative matching to focus only on these discrete segments rather than the entire continuous flight path. This segmentation enables accurate identification of insertion points while reducing overall calculation time by limiting the search space to specific leg boundaries.
4Measurement precision
If manual intervention by pilots is required for flight plan modifications, then control precision is improved, but operational efficiency is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the FMS to automatically perform flight plan modifications through iterative matching and segment insertion. The system independently identifies matching points, calculates insertion points, and executes modifications without requiring pilot intervention, thereby maintaining control precision while significantly improving operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for inserting a segment (Tins) of flight plan into an initial flight plan (Pini) of an aircraft, performed by a flight management system (FMS) of the said aircraft,the initial flight plan (Pini) comprising an ordered series of initial legs (Sini), the said fixed initial legs being indexed with an index i that varies from 1 to n, the method comprising the steps involving:identifying (110), using a first iterative calculation on the index i, in the segment to be inserted (Tins), the fixed legs to be inserted that have a position identical to the position of the leg of index i Sini(i)),the said legs thus determined being referred to as occurrences of the leg of index i, the said occurrences (O1, O2) being ordered by rank k varying from 1 to m, as a function of their position in the segment that is to be inserted (Tins), and searching, among the identified occurrences, for the occurrence of lowest index i and lowest rank k (Oi0(k0)) that has a type and attribute values identical to the segment of index i, referred to as equivalent point,when the said equivalent point exists, inserting the segment that is to be inserted (Tins) from the said equivalent point,otherwise, inserting the segment that is to be inserted (Tins) from the identified occurrence of lowest index i and lowest rank k (Oi1(k1)) referred to as a pseudo equivalent point, when the said pseudo equivalent point exists.