Description

The invention refers to an airliner and a method of controlling ground movement of the airliner.

Within the scope of the present application an airliner is in particular to be understood as civil aircraft, which is capable of transporting passengers between civil aviation airports. The airliner is in particular adapted to carry at least 50, in particular at least 100 passengers over a distance of at least 200km, in particular 1000km. In particular an airliner is not a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle), not a cargo aircraft, not any kind of military aircraft and of course no toy.

When parking the airliner at gate of an airport the airliner should be positioned accurately so that in particular the passenger boarding bridge can reliably and safely be docked to the airliner. Parking guidance Information for the pilots are usually provided by a VDGS, disclosed EP 2 660 152 A2.

It is the object of the invention to provide an alternative method of guiding an airliner to a stop position at an airport gate. This object is solved by an airliner and a method according to the independent claims; embodiments are subject of the subclaims and the description.

The main idea is to bring the guiding functionality from outside the airliner (commonly known as Visual Docking Guidance System (VDGS) into the airliner itself. The airliner itself provides the reguired guiding information for setting the pilots into a condition to control the movement of the airliner during parking. That solution makes the airliner independent from any devices installed in the airport.

An aspect is that even if the information is provided by automated systems is still possible that the pilot, in particular as a person, controls the ground movement of the airliner. For example also when using a Taxibot (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TaxiBot) the pilot itself keeps control of the movement. Here the Taxibot is controlled by the pilot from the cockpit using the regular pilot controls.

In particular the guiding device is adapted to provide the parking guiding information when the airliner is traveling within an airport stand, in particular after the airliner has left the taxi area, in particular when the airliner has entered the stand from the taxi area. Conseguently a stand is not part of the taxi area. In particular the stand can be occupied by an airliner, so that no other airliner is allowed to enter the stand. The taxi area is reserved for moving airliners passing from stand to the runway. The taxiway must always be kept free from any stationary objects.

The invention proposes possibilities of determining the intended stop position. In one aspect the intended stop position is detected. Here the guiding device is adapted to use sensors for acguiring non coded information from the environment of the aircraft. Based on the acguired information guiding device generates the positional data of the intended stop on its own. In another aspect the intended stop position is received. Here any kind of coded information is transmitted from outside the aircraft to the guiding device, including positional data of the intended stop position.

The benefit of the invention is in particular, that the airliner can provide docking guiding information like usual VDGS system are doing. Based on that the pilot is able to control the movement on the ground.

The pilot may be a person or an autopilot. In case the pilot is an autopilot the output portion merely needs to provide electronic data indicating the guiding information; no graphical or acoustic information is necessary.

The invention is explained in more detail by means of the figures, the figures show:

fig. 1 an airport having a plurality of stand each associated to a gate in top view;

fig. 2 a schematic illustration of an airliner according to the invention;

fig. 3 an airliner approaching a stand within the airport of figure 1 ;

fig. 4 a schematic illustration of the relation between the guiding device and a stationary sender.

Figure 1 shows an apron area of an airport. The airport has a plurality of gates 3 (individually numbered as e.g. A14, ... A20), each having a respective stand 2 on which an airliner 5 can be parked. Each gate 3 and/or stand 2 comprises at least one passenger boarding bridge (PBB) 77, through which passengers can enter or leave the airliner 5. Some or all gates /stands can be provided with more than one PBB 77.

On the ground there is painted a centerline 6, along which the nose wheels 56 of the airliner 5 is guided when approaching from a taxi area 4 with taxi line 4L. Line 8 indicate the border between the taxi area 4 and the stand 2. A stand 6 may comprise more than one centerlines 6. Here the stands 2 comprise a first centerline 6a and a second centerline 6b. The stands 2 of gate numbers A17 and A19 comprises a third centerline 6c.

The centerlines 6a, 6b, 6c of one stand may be arranged parallel and/or angled to each other. Here in stand of gate number A18 a wide body aircrafts as the Airbus A350 or Boeing B787 is parked on centerline 6b. The wings overlap into the neighboring stand area of gate number A19. A narrow body aircraft is conseguently parked on centerline 6c of gate number A19, which is more distant to the aircraft at gate number A18 than the remaining centerlines 6a in the stand of gate number A19. Stands 2 with multiple centerlines are called MARS stands which enabling airports to use the apron ground most efficiently.

Figure 2 shows an inventive airliner 5 schematically. The airliner has a main body 53, two wings 51 , at which engines 54 are attached. The foremost point of the airliner 5 is the nose 52. The airliner comprising a guiding device 30, which is additionally shown in more detail on the right side of figure 2.

The guiding device 30 provides guiding information 311 , 312 to the pilot via an output portion 31. The output portion 31 may comprise any human machine interface (HMI), which is adapted to provide information to the pilot. Here the output portion 31 is illustrated as a head-up-display. Alternatively or in combination the output portion may comprise any other kind of display and/or an audio output portion.

Detection of intended stop position by sensors

The guiding device 30 comprises a detection portion 33. The detection portion 33 comprises a 3D sensor 332 and a camera 331. The camera 331 may be a stereo camera.

The detection portion 33 is adapted to gather ambient information 333 of the environment of the airliner 5, which is not selectively provided by a sender.

Figure 3 shows partially the airliner 5 approaching the stand 2 in top view. The airliner 5 should be parked at an intended stop position 49 marked at the apron ground. The intended stop position 49 is selected out of a plurality of stop positions 9.

In an embodiment during parking the intended stop position 49 is to be detected by the guiding device 30 itself, mounted at the airliner 5. This embodiment makes the guiding device 30 independent from any electronic eguipment located stationary on airport site. In an embodiment the intended stop position 49 is detected using the camera 331 of the guiding device 30 attached to the airliner 5. The camera 331 is directed to the apron ground of the stand 2. During detection several phases are passed until the intended stop position 49 is detected.

In a first detection phase the guiding device 30 by means of the camera 331 searches for a centerline 6, which seems the airliner 5 is following. In figure 3 the airliner 5 is approaching a stand 2. The stand 2 comprises two centerlines 6a, 6b or more. Here two centerlines 6a, 6b are in an observation area of the camera 331 mounted at the airliner 5 and directing to the apron. The first centerline 6a is located more closely to the airliner 5 than the second centerline (lateral deviation dy referring to the centerline 6a is smaller than lateral deviation dy referring to the second centerline 6b). Additionally the front wheels 56 of the airliner 5 are oriented in a direction pointing to the first centerline 6a (see arrow A). So based on the lateral distance dy and the nose wheel orientation it is apparent that the pilot is following the first centerline 6a. Conseguently the guiding device 30 selects the first centerline 6a as the centerline, on which the intended stop position 49 is assumed.

From now on (in a first guiding phase) the guiding device 30 guides the pilot in the lateral direction dy. Thereby the output portion 31 may provide a graphical representation 311 of the lateral deviation dy between the selected centerline 6a and the front wheels 56; this graphical representation constitutes at least partially the parking guidance information. The graphical representation may be a number or a bar graph; size and/or appearance depends on the amount of deviation dy.

During a second detection phase the guiding device 30 is searching for stop positions 9 on the selected centerline 6, painted to the apron ground. As apparent from figure 4 several stop positions 9 are painted to the centerlines, each of which are accompanied by marking 48 which constitutes an aircraft type indication. By means of the camera 331 the guiding device 30 is capable of detecting the stop positions 9 and the accompanying marking 48. The guiding device 30 compares the accompanying marking 48 with the aircraft type of the airliner. Here the aircraft type of the airliner is painted to the fuselage of the airliner (“A320”); of course the aircraft type is also stored as a data set, on which the guiding device 30 has access to. It is apparent from the figure that the marking needs not to be identical to the aircraft type. E.g. the painted abbreviation B738 fits to the aircraft type Boeing 737-800. After comparing the aircraft type of the airliner 5 with the painted indications 48, the guiding device determines the specific stop position on the selected centerline 6a which fits to the aircraft type as the intended stop position 49.

From now on (in a second guiding phase) the guiding device 30 guides the pilot additionally in longitudinal direction. Thereby the output portion 31 may provide a graphical representation 312 of the longitudinal deviation dx between the current position nose wheel position and the intended stop position; this graphical representation constitutes at least partially the parking guiding information. The graphical representation may be a number or a bar graph; size and/or appearance depends on the amount of deviation dy.

In a similar embodiment instead of a camera any other suitable sensors may be used. For example attached to the nose or the nose wheels a near field communication (NFC) sensor may be attached. The marking on the ground may be provided with a respective NFC chip. When the NFC sensor detects the respective NFC chip, positional data of the intended stop position can be detected.

Receiving of intended stop position by sender/receiver

As apparent from figures 2 and 4, the guiding device 30 comprises a receiving portion 32. The receiving portion 32 comprises an antenna 321 and a communicator 322. Via the receiving portion 32 the guiding device can receive coded informations 323 sent by a sender 72, in particular an airport control center or a flight control center. The sender 72 can be located stationary at the airport facilities 7, in particular at a n airport building. In any case the sender 72 is distant from the airliner 5. The sender 72 itself may also comprise an antenna 721 and a communicator 722. The relevant encoded informations 323 for transmitting by the sender 72 are provided by a data source 723.

The coded informations 323 comprise a plurality of datasets, which are broadcasted to a plurality of airliner 5. Each dataset comprises the coordinates of one specific stop position 49cl, 49c2, ... accompanied by a flight identification flight#l , flight#l ..., to which that coordinates refer to. So one dataset comprises the information on which stop position the referring flight has to be parked. Instead of the coordinates the dataset may also comprise any other positional data providing a clear linkage to the intended stop position, so that the guiding device is capable of identifying the intended stop position. The receiving portion 32 comprises a filter 324, which has access to the identification of the flight identification of the airliner 5. In this example the airliner performs flight#2; conseguently the filter can filter out the coordinates of the respective dataset, here coordinates 49c2 belonging to flight#2.

The coordinates may comprise exact geographical coordinates of the intended stop position, which accuracy may be in the range of less than lm, in particular less than .05m. The guiding device 5 may compare the coordinated 49c of the intended stop position 49 with the actual position of the airliner. Based on the result of the comparison the output portion 41 may parking guidance information 311, 312 to the pilot as already described with reference to figure 3.

Detection of obstacles

In an embodiment the detection portion may comprise a 3D-sensor attached at the airliner 5.

The 3D sensor 332 is adapted to identify 3D objects (in the following obstacles) located on the apron ground in the stand 2. Such objects may cause damages at the approaching airliner 5. There may be several 3D- Sensors provided at the airliner 5; suitable locations are indicated in the airliner 5 of figure by an x. The 3D sensors 332 observe a clearance area 55, which is hurrying always some meters in advance to the airliner. If an obstacle, e.g. baggage card 10 is entering the clearance area, the warning or stop signal 313 (see figures 3 and 4) is provided to the pilot.

The 3D sensor 332 can be any kind of sensor which is adapted to detect 3D structure; in particular the 3D sensor can be a 3D scanner, in particular a LADAR (light detection and ranging sensor), or a stereo camera.

Of course the clearance area 55and the 3D sensors 332 are is provided on both sides of the airliner 5. Merely for illustration purposes the clearance area and the sensors are merely shown in figure 2 on the left side of the airliner. list of reference signs

1 airport

2 stand

3 gate

4 taxi area

4L taxi line

5 airliner

6 centerline

7 airport buildings

8 stand - taxi area - border

9 stop position

10 obstacle / baggage cart

30 guiding device

31 output portion

311 parking guiding information - representation of the lateral deviation dy

312 parking guiding information - representation of the longitudinal deviation dx

313 warning / stop signal

32 receiving portion

321 antenna

322 communicator

323 coded informations

324 filter

33 detection portion

331 camera

332 3D scanner

333 ambient information

48 marking on stand

49 intended stop position

49c coordinates of intended stop position 51 wing of airliner

52 nose of airliner

53 main body of airliner

54 engine of airliner

55 clearance area

56 nose wheel

72 sending portion

721 antenna

722 communicator

723 datasource

77 passenger boarding bridge

P pilot

dy lateral deviation

dx longitudinal deviation

x location of 3D-sensors for obstacle detection