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EP-4481710-B1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMMUNICATING AN AIRCRAFT

EP4481710B1EP 4481710 B1EP4481710 B1EP 4481710B1EP-4481710-B1

Inventors

  • LANCELOT, François
  • MERMET, Anaïs
  • FERSING, Laura
  • Pastre, Thomas

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240527

Claims (10)

  1. Automatic communication method for an aircraft (1) with at least one air traffic control centre, characterized in that it comprises the following steps implemented automatically by electronic circuitry (14) on board the aircraft: - a first step (30) consisting of receiving information relating to the activation of automatic guidance of the aircraft along a contingency trajectory in a situation in which a pilot of the aircraft is incapacitated, the contingency trajectory corresponding to a trajectory determined automatically by an avionics system of the aircraft in response to detection of the situation in which the pilot is incapacitated; - a second step (32) consisting of preparing then sending at least a first message (M1a, M1b) on a first communication frequency (F1) selected before the activation of guidance of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory, this at least one first message being intended to inform air traffic control on one hand of the activation of automatic guidance of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory, and on the other hand of the sending of further messages on a second communication frequency (F2) used for emergency communications; - a third step (33) consisting of preparing then sending at least one second message (M2a, M2b) on the second communication frequency (F2), this second message being intended to inform air traffic control of the activation of automatic guidance of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory; - a fourth step (34), while the aircraft is flying along the contingency trajectory, consisting of receiving information relating to manoeuvres that the aircraft will implement to follow the contingency trajectory, and preparing then sending a set of messages (Mm1 ... Mm6) on the second communication frequency (F2), the messages of the set of messages being intended to inform air traffic control of manoeuvres that the aircraft will implement.
  2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the different messages sent to the air traffic control centre are audio messages produced by speech synthesis.
  3. Method according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it includes a step (31), before the second step, during which a transponder code of the aircraft used for communication with air traffic control is replaced by a transponder code specific to emergency situations.
  4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second step (32) comprises a first sub-step (32a) of preparing then sending a first initial message (M1a) that is intended to inform air traffic control of the activation of automatic guidance of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory, as well as a second sub-step (32b) implemented after a first predetermined time (T1) after the first sub-step, of sending a first subsequent message (M1b) that is intended on one hand to remind air traffic control of the activation of automatic guidance of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory, and on the other hand to inform air traffic control of the sending of further messages on the second communication frequency (F2) used for emergency communications.
  5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the third step (33) comprises a first sub-step (33a) of preparing then sending a second initial message (M2a) that is intended to inform air traffic control of the activation of automatic guidance of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory, as well as a second sub-step (33b) implemented after a second predetermined time (T2) after the first sub-step, of preparing then sending a second subsequent message (M2b) that is intended to give air traffic control information relating to the contingency trajectory.
  6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fourth step (34) further comprises sending additional messages (Mp) on the second frequency, these additional messages being sent at a predefined time period (Tp) if a time interval between two consecutive messages of the set of messages is greater than said period.
  7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fourth step (34) further comprises sending messages (Me1, Me2, Me3) relating to events occurring during the flight of the aircraft along the contingency trajectory.
  8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that , when the aircraft is flying along a part of the contingency trajectory corresponding to an airport runway approach, the fourth step (34) further comprises sending different messages on a frequency specific to this approach.
  9. Communication system (10) carried on board an aircraft (1), characterized in that it comprises electronic circuitry (14) provided to implement a communication method according to any one of the preceding claims.
  10. Aircraft (1), characterized in that it comprises a communication system (10) according to the preceding claim.

Description

The invention relates to the field of aircraft communications with air traffic control. It is known that, in a situation where a pilot is incapacitated, preventing said pilot from controlling the aircraft, particularly when the aircraft has a single pilot, it is possible to automatically determine (by an aircraft avionics system) a contingency trajectory to bring the aircraft to a diversion airport and to automatically guide the aircraft along this contingency trajectory. The document FR3121208A1 This document describes a method and system for generating such an emergency flight path to a runway at a diversion airport. When a pilot is in control of the aircraft, they communicate with air traffic control, specifically to communicate the aircraft's flight plan and any changes to it. When the pilot is incapacitated, they can no longer communicate with air traffic control, even though it is crucial to inform air traffic control of the aircraft's change of trajectory to ensure flight safety in relation to surrounding traffic. Therefore, there is a need for a solution to inform air traffic control of such a situation. The documents US 2008/039988 A1 And US 2020/258405 A1 are also relevant to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: The present invention aims, in particular, to provide a solution to this problem. It relates to a method for automatic communication from an aircraft to at least one air traffic control center. The method is remarkable in that it comprises the following steps, implemented automatically by electronic circuitry installed in the aircraft: The first step involves receiving information regarding the activation of automatic aircraft guidance along an emergency trajectory in the event of pilot incapacitation; the emergency trajectory being a trajectory determined automatically. by an aircraft avionics system in response to a detection of the pilot's incapacity situation; a second step consisting of preparing and then sending at least one first message on a first communication frequency selected before the activation of the guidance of the aircraft according to the emergency trajectory, this at least one first message having the purpose of informing air traffic control on the one hand of the activation of the automatic guidance of the aircraft according to the emergency trajectory and on the other hand of the continuation of sending messages on a second communication frequency dedicated to communications in emergency situations; a third step consisting of preparing and then sending at least a second message on the second communication frequency, this second message being intended to inform air traffic control of the activation of the automatic guidance of the aircraft according to the emergency trajectory; a fourth step, during the flight of the aircraft along the emergency trajectory, consisting of receiving information relating to maneuvers that the aircraft will implement to follow the emergency trajectory, and of preparing and then sending a set of messages on the second communication frequency, the messages in the message set being intended to inform air traffic control of maneuvers that the aircraft will implement. Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to inform air traffic control of the activation of the emergency trajectory and the various aircraft maneuvers that will be implemented. Sending at least one initial message on the first selected frequency before the pilot becomes incapacitated, followed by subsequent messages on the second frequency dedicated to emergency communications, first draws the attention of an air traffic controller to the aircraft's situation and the need to monitor communications on the second frequency, and then allows for more secure communication on the second frequency, which is less congested by communications from other aircraft since it is reserved for emergency situations. According to different embodiments that can be taken individually or in combination: the various messages sent to the air traffic control center are audio messages produced by speech synthesis; the process includes a step, prior to the second step, in which an aircraft transponder code used for communications to air traffic control is replaced by a transponder code specific to an emergency situation; the second step includes a first sub-step of preparing and then sending an initial message intended to inform air traffic control of the activation of the automatic guidance of the aircraft along the emergency trajectory, as well as a second sub-step implemented after a first predetermined period following the first sub-step, of sending a subsequent message intended on the one hand to remind air traffic control of the activation of the automatic guidance of the aircraft along the emergency trajectory and on the other hand to inform air traffic control of the continuation of sending messages on the second communication frequency dedicated to communicat