Patents by Inventor Nicolas Caule

Nicolas Caule has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9406216
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reconfiguration process for an aircraft environment surveillance device including at least two redundant electronic systems (2, 2?), where each system includes at least two surveillance sets (4-10, 4?-10?) able to provide information about the aircraft's environment. The inventive method and apparatus includes the following steps and structures: detection of simultaneous unavailability (S1, S4) of at least one surveillance set of the first system (4-10) and of at least one surveillance set of a second system (4?-10?); and, in the case where at least two unavailable sets (4-10, 4?-10?) are not redundant sets, automatic selection (S3, S6) of the information obtained, on the one hand, from the available surveillance sets of the first system (4-10), and, on the other hand, from the redundant surveillance set or sets of the second system (4?-10?) that matches the unavailable surveillance set or sets of the first system (4-10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
    Inventors: Nicolas Caule, Andre Marques, Garance Raynaud
  • Patent number: 9092980
    Abstract: According to the invention, a terrain avoidance maneuver is engaged when the alerts of a given pair of alerts are emitted simultaneously, the triggering of one of the alerts depending on the information provided by a first measurement chain and the triggering of the other alert of the pair relying on information provided by a second measurement chain, distinct from and independent of the first chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Paule Botargues, Nicolas Caule, Christelle Ledauphin, Jérôme Bailly, Isabelle Lacaze, Sylvain Thezelais, Jérôme Goyet
  • Patent number: 9051058
    Abstract: An aircraft ground or sea approach anomaly detection method. The method includes the steps of characterizing a flight phase of the aircraft, determining a prohibited flight envelope, defining a set of prohibited vertical speeds of the aircraft for given altitudes in relation to the ground or the sea, as a function of the flight phase of the aircraft characterized, and detecting a ground approach anomaly of the aircraft as a function of a current vertical speed and altitude in relation to the ground or the sea of the aircraft, in relation to the prohibited flight envelope determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignees: Airbus Operations (SAS), Airbus SAS
    Inventors: Nicolas Caule, Jacques Rosay, Patrice Rouquette, Emmanuel Cortet, Francois Melin, Pascale Louise, Sylvain Devineau
  • Patent number: 8984346
    Abstract: Method for automatically reloading software characterized in that it comprises: a step of detecting corruption (E101) of at least one part of a software package of an on-board programmable device (10-1, 10-2, 10-n); and, in response to signaling, a step of reloading (E103) a non-corrupt version of the said at least one corrupt part of the software in order to replace the said at least one corrupt part of the software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Anne Frayssignes, Nicolas Caule
  • Patent number: 8638239
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (1) and an associated method for managing audio warning messages in an aircraft. The system (1) comprises a plurality of monitoring systems (10, 20) capable of detecting the establishment of at least one warning condition (CA), and comprises a central broadcasting module (40), to which each of the monitoring systems is connected and which is capable of broadcasting an audio message (SIG) corresponding to a detected warning condition. In particular, in this system (1), the said central broadcasting module (40) comprises means (402, 420) for determining at least one priority warning condition among the warning conditions detected by the monitoring systems, and means (410, 430) for generating at least one audio message (SIG) corresponding to the at least one determined priority warning condition, in order to broadcast it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: AIRBUS Operations S.A.S.
    Inventors: Fabien Cases, Michel Colin, Nicolas Caule, Alexandre Broquet, Fabien Pascal
  • Patent number: 8428795
    Abstract: Method and system for predicting the possibility of complete stoppage of an aircraft on a landing runway. According to the invention: a) the altitude (H) of the aircraft (2) is measured and the horizontal distance (D) separating said aircraft (2) from the proximal end threshold (4) of the landing runway (1) is calculated; b) an estimated finishing position (21) of said aircraft on said landing runway (1) is calculated on the basis of the altitude (H) and of the horizontal distance (D) determined in a), as well as on the basis of the angle of approach (?); and c) said estimated finishing position (21) calculated in b) is utilized to determine said possibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Nicolas Caule
  • Publication number: 20130024727
    Abstract: Method for automatically reloading software characterized in that it comprises: a step of detecting corruption (E101) of at least one part of a software package of an on-board programmable device (10-1, 10-2, 10-n); and, in response to signaling, a step of reloading (E103) a non-corrupt version of the said at least one corrupt part of the software in order to replace the said at least one corrupt part of the software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Anne Frayssignes, Nicolas Caule
  • Publication number: 20130024053
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reconfiguration process for an aircraft environment surveillance device including at least two redundant electronic systems (2, 2?), where each system includes at least two surveillance sets (4-10, 4?-10?) able to provide information about the aircraft's environment. The inventive method and apparatus includes the following steps and structures: detection of simultaneous unavailability (S1, S4) of at least one surveillance set of the first system (4-10) and of at least one surveillance set of a second system (4?-10?); and, in the case where at least two unavailable sets (4-10, 4?-10?) are not redundant sets, automatic selection (S3, S6) of the information obtained, on the one hand, from the available surveillance sets of the first system (4-10), and, on the other hand, from the redundant surveillance set or sets of the second system (4?-10?) that matches the unavailable surveillance set or sets of the first system (4-10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Nicolas CAULE, Andre Marques, Garance Raynaud
  • Patent number: 8248274
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the flight of an aircraft using two navigation screens respectively dedicated to a pilot and to a copilot of the aircraft is provided. The method includes displaying on the screens, depending on the choice of the pilot and the copilot, at least information relating to the following of terrain by the aircraft or information relating to meteorological conditions that the aircraft encounters during the flight, triggering at least one warning representative of hazardous meteorological conditions detected by the meteorological radar and liable to be encountered by the aircraft while the navigation screens of the pilot and copilot simultaneously are displaying the terrain-following information, wherein the at least one warning is triggered when the information relating to the hazardous meteorological conditions is located in a predetermined volume relative to the aircraft, and displaying the warning on at least one of the navigation screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Airbus Operations SAS, Airbus
    Inventors: Laure Christophe, Garance Raynaud, Nicolas Caule, Andre Marques, Jean-Michel Merle
  • Patent number: 8200421
    Abstract: An altitude profile representative of the terrain overflown by an aircraft is established. Thereafter, an altitude limit curve which comprises an intersection with the altitude profile upon the engagement of a terrain avoidance maneuver is determined. As soon as there is no longer any intersection of the limit curve with the altitude profile, the terrain avoidance maneuver is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Paule Botargues, Nicolas Caule, Christelle Ledauphin, Jerome Bailly, Isabelle Lacaze, Sylvain Thezelais, Jerome Goyet
  • Publication number: 20110193724
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system (1) and an associated method for managing audio warning messages in an aircraft. The system (1) comprises a plurality of monitoring systems (10, 20) capable of detecting the establishment of at least one warning condition (CA), and comprises a central broadcasting module (40), to which each of the monitoring systems is connected and which is capable of broadcasting an audio message (SIG) corresponding to a detected warning condition. In particular, in this system (1), the said central broadcasting module (40) comprises means (402, 420) for determining at least one priority warning condition among the warning conditions detected by the monitoring systems, and means (410, 430) for generating at least one audio message (SIG) corresponding to the at least one determined priority warning condition, in order to broadcast it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Fabien Cases, Michel Colin, Nicolas Caule, Alexandre Broquet, Fabien Pascal
  • Publication number: 20100125381
    Abstract: According to the invention, a terrain avoidance maneuver is engaged when the alerts of a given pair of alerts are emitted simultaneously, the triggering of one of the alerts depending on the information provided by a first measurement chain and the triggering of the other alert of the pair relying on information provided by a second measurement chain, distinct from and independent of the first chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
    Inventors: Paule Botargues, Nicolas Caule, Christelle Ledauphin, Jerome Bailly, Isabelle Lacaze, Sylvain Thezelais, Jerome Goyet
  • Publication number: 20100100261
    Abstract: According to the invention, an altitude profile (PA) representative of the terrain overflown by the aircraft (AC) is established, and then an altitude limit curve (C) which comprises an intersection with said profile (PA) upon the engagement of a terrain avoidance maneuver is determined. As soon as there is no longer any intersection of the limit curve (C) with the altitude profile (PA), said terrain avoidance maneuver is interrupted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: AIRBUS OPERATIONS
    Inventors: Paule Botargues, Nicolas Caule, Christelle Ledauphin, Jerome Bailly, Isabelle Lacaze, Sylvain Thezelais, Jerome Goyet
  • Publication number: 20100073199
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the flight of an aircraft consisting in triggering a warning representative of hazardous meteorological conditions liable to face the aircraft while the navigation screen is displaying the terrain-following information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicants: AIRBUS OPERATIONS, AIRBUS
    Inventors: Laure Christophe, Garance Raynaud, Nicolas Caule, Andre Marques, Jean-Michel Merle
  • Publication number: 20090048724
    Abstract: Method and system for predicting the possibility of complete stoppage of an aircraft on a landing runway. According to the invention: a) the altitude (H) of the aircraft (2) is measured and the horizontal distance (D) separating said aircraft (2) from the proximal end threshold (4) of the landing runway (1) is calculated; b) an estimated finishing position (21) of said aircraft on said landing runway (1) is calculated on the basis of the altitude (H) and of the horizontal distance (D) determined in a), as well as on the basis of the angle of approach (?); and c) said estimated finishing position (21) calculated in b) is utilized to determine said possibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: AIRBUS France
    Inventor: Nicolas Caule