Patents by Inventor Jérôme Sacle

Jérôme Sacle 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: 11934205
    Abstract: Methods and devices for optimizing the climb of an aircraft or drone are provided. After an optimal continuous climb strategy has been determined, a lateral path is determined, in particular in terms of speeds and turn radii, based on vertical predictions computed in the previous step. Subsequently, computation results are displayed on one or more human-machine interfaces and the climb strategy is actually flown. Embodiments describe the use of altitude and speed constraints and/or settings in respect of speed and/or thrust and/or level-flight avoidance and/or gradient-variation minimization, and iteratively fitting parameters in order to make the profile of the current path coincide with the constrained profile in real time depending on the selected flight dynamics (e.g. energy sharing, constraint on climb gradient, constraint on the vertical climb rate). System (e.g. FMS) and software aspects are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Johan Boyer, Geoffrey Durand, Jérôme Sacle
  • Patent number: 10360802
    Abstract: An aid method for piloting an aircraft including acquiring an instruction intended to alter the flight plan, determining an applicability period of the instruction made up of a plurality of applicability moments of the instruction in which the application of the instruction is compatible with the operational capabilities of the aircraft and with the constraints of the flight plan, for each applicability moment of the instruction, determining an altered flight plan in case of application of the instruction at this applicability moment and calculating values of the operational parameters associated with this flight plan, and selecting an optimal applicability moment based on values of the operational parameters associated with the altered flight plan and operational parameters associated with the current flight plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Cédric D'Silva, Jérôme Sacle, Nicolas Rossi
  • Patent number: 10089893
    Abstract: A method for determining a minimum-thrust descent and rejoining profile in respect of a target point by an aircraft comprises a first step of computing an energy differential of the aircraft in the air ?Ea between a first initial state of the aircraft at an initial geodesic point Qi and a second final state of the aircraft at the final arrival target point Qf. The method comprises a second step of adjusting an adjustable modelled profile of altitude hm(t) and of air speed Vam(t) of the aircraft with the aid of parameters so the adjusted modelled profile of altitude h(t) and of air speed Va(t) of the aircraft ensures the consumption of the variation of energy of the aircraft in the air ?Ea in a fixed required timespan ?trequired and a fixed required altitude variation tf?ti in the required time timespan, the aircraft operating permanently in an engine regime with constant and minimum thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Benoît Dacre-Wright, Jérôme Sacle, Cédric D'Silva
  • Publication number: 20180061248
    Abstract: An aid method for piloting an aircraft including acquiring an instruction intended to alter the flight plan, determining an applicability period of the instruction made up of a plurality of applicability moments of the instruction in which the application of the instruction is compatible with the operational capabilities of the aircraft and with the constraints of the flight plan, for each applicability moment of the instruction, determining an altered flight plan in case of application of the instruction at this applicability moment and calculating values of the operational parameters associated with this flight plan, and selecting an optimal applicability moment based on values of the operational parameters associated with the altered flight plan and operational parameters associated with the current flight plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Cédric D'Silva, Jérôme Sacle, Nicolas Rossi
  • Patent number: 9766091
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for determining the compatibility of an approach, to a landing runway, with an angular guidance mode, the approach being compatible with a linear guidance mode, the angular guidance being characterized by a lateral angle of precision, the linear guidance being characterized by a lateral divergence of precision. The method is implemented on a flight management system deployed aboard an aircraft and comprising a first step of determining a first distance representative of a maximum distance of use of the angular guidance, on the basis of the lateral angle of precision and of the lateral divergence of precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Christophe Caillaud, Jérôme Sacle
  • Patent number: 9368036
    Abstract: A method for calculating a flight plan used by a flight management system of an aircraft in a runway approach phase comprises: loading an initial procedure ending at a first end point not corresponding to a threshold of the runway and a first associated missed approach procedure; determining an additional procedure and a second associated missed approach procedure; concatenating the initial procedure and the additional procedure in order to generate a continuous concatenated flight plan comprising the initial procedure, the first missed approach procedure, the additional procedure and the second missed approach procedure; loading the concatenated flight plan into an active flight plan; selecting a second procedure from a set comprising the first missed approach procedure and the additional procedure; activating the selected second procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: François Coulmeau, Jérôme Sacle, Emmanuel Dewas
  • Publication number: 20150302671
    Abstract: A method and device for determining a plurality of performance indicators relating to the flight of an aircraft and an associated computer program product are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes calculating a first performance indicator based on an estimated time of arrival of the aircraft at the arrival location, an estimated flight time of the aircraft from its take-off until its arrival at the arrival location, and an estimated amount of fuel consumed by the aircraft up to the arrival location. The method further includes calculating at least one other performance indicator among second and third performance indicators. The second performance indicator is calculated based on a time difference between the estimated arrival time and the intended arrival time. The third performance indicator is calculated based on a consumption difference between the estimated amount of consumed fuel and the intended amount of consumed fuel and an additional quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, Harvé Goutelard, Patrick Delpy
  • Patent number: 9114889
    Abstract: The method concerns monitoring the approach phase of an aircraft to a runway. This method includes determining successive gateways of the aircraft relative to at least one characteristic point of an approach flight plan of the aircraft or relative to the landing location, and measuring the aircraft speed upon crossing a given gateway. The method further comprises computing a minimum deceleration distance up to a predetermined target speed associated with the gateway following said given gateway, the minimum deceleration distance being an estimated flight distance corresponding to the speed reduction of the aircraft from the measured speed to said target speed; comparing the computed minimum deceleration distance with the distance remaining to be flow to the following gateway; and generating an alert, intended for the aircraft crew, when the distance remaining to be flown to the following gateway is smaller than the computed minimum deceleration distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: THALES
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, François Coulmeau, Loïc Charles
  • Patent number: 8676481
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for assisting in the choice of a diversion airport for an aircraft piloted by a crew (200), said aircraft comprising a flight management system including location means (207) calculating the position of the aircraft, said device comprising a navigation database (202) and a performance database (203) of the aircraft, said device being characterized in that it comprises a company database (201) comprising airports and characteristics of said airports, means (205) of calculating a list of airports, called candidate airports, from the airports in the company database, from the navigation database and from the selected characteristics by the crew, means (204) for calculating remaining flight time and fuel consumption predictions for each of the candidate airports from the position of the aircraft, from weather conditions and from the performance database, and an interface giving the favored airports for diversion according to pre-established criteria or determined in real time usi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: François Coulmeau, Christophe Caillaud, Jérôme Sacle
  • Patent number: 8498769
    Abstract: Method of formulating a lateral flight trajectory for the rejoining by an aircraft (200) of a trajectory of a flight plan (910) comprising a plurality of waypoints (911, 912, 913), the aircraft (200) flying outside of the flight plan (910) and according to a divergent track with respect to the trajectory of the flight plan (210), characterized in that the method: determines a waypoint (913) of the flight plan for the rejoining, defined as the first waypoint (913) of the flight plan included in a capture zone defined by the flight plan trajectory situated downstream of the point of intersection between the straight line defined by an angle (?) with the perpendicular to the track of the aircraft and the trajectory of the flight plan, formulates the optimal lateral flight trajectory for a rejoining by the aircraft (200) at the determined waypoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, Stéphanie Fortier, François Coulmeau
  • Patent number: 8467966
    Abstract: A device for aiding the flight management of an aircraft includes a navigation display, a personalized database capable of storing navigation-aid data, each datum comprising a classification type representative of a family or of one or more categories of navigation-aid data, one or more periods of validity of the said datum, information relating to at least one geographic zone of the said datum, one graphic and/or textual representation of the said datum, selection means allowing an operator to choose one (or more) type(s) of classification, called selected type(s), extraction means capable of extracting from the personalized database the navigation-aid datum or data called extracted data of which the type is equal to at least one selected type, of which at least one geographic zone is situated at a distance, from the flight plan or from the aircraft, that is less than a predetermined maximum distance and of which at least one period of validity verifies a predefined display time criterion, the said extractio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Bertrand Barnetche, François Coulmeau, Julien Klotz, Jérôme Sacle
  • Patent number: 8447442
    Abstract: A method is provided for assisting in rejoining a vertical descent trajectory that an aircraft is assumed to have to follow, using a flight management system FMS embedded onboard the aircraft, and includes the following steps: calculation of a vertical deviation VDEV, in the vertical plane, between the aircraft and the vertical descent trajectory, and comparison between the vertical deviation VDEV and a predetermined deviation threshold SVDEV; when the vertical deviation VDEV reaches the deviation threshold SVDEV, a step during which the activation of an optimized mode for catching up on the vertical descent trajectory is authorized; if the optimized mode for catching up on the vertical descent trajectory is activated, piloting of the aircraft by the flight management system FMS in optimized catch-up mode, that is to say at minimum thrust with a target rejoining speed in level VCRP and a target rejoining speed in downward trajectory, the target rejoining speed in level VCRP being equal to the maximum L/D rati
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, Christophe Caillaud, Lionel Verot
  • Patent number: 8392038
    Abstract: The method of generating a secure flight plan portion in the event of depressurization corresponding to a time-conditioned descent profile that may include a succession of levels, comprises: a step of defining a first point of the flight plan, called non-return point, denoted NRP, and a second point of the flight plan, called EOZ, the two points delimiting a portion of the flight plan plotted above an area identified as “with risks”; a step of defining two radials in the horizontal plane respectively passing through the first and the second points; a step of determining a first flight plan portion comprising the definition of a lateral offset angle from the original flight plan; a step of determining a vertical descent profile; a step of displaying time markers indicating the exhaustion of the oxygen reserve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Christophe Caillaud, Jérôme Sacle
  • Patent number: 8321068
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for plotting a trajectory portion (6, 6?), using flight management means of an aircraft, and linking a known position (7) of the aircraft to a point in space (4), denoted the “exit point”. A circular arc is defined, the coordinates of whose centre (1) are known, comprising two ends (3, 4) of known coordinates, one end of which is the exit point (4). The position of a transition point (5) is determined which is situated on the arc. The trajectory (6, 6?) by the flight management means of the aircraft is automatically plotted. The trajectory is successively linking the known position (7) of the aircraft, and the transition point (5) and the exit point (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, Manuel Gutierrez-Castaneda
  • Patent number: 8306677
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for automatic detection of turbulence by a second aircraft, by information exchange between the second aircraft and at least a first aircraft. The first aircraft has means for transmitting information and the second aircraft has means for receiving the information transmitted by the first aircraft. The method includes the identification of information about turbulence liable to be encountered by the second aircraft, by analyzing the information received from the first aircraft. An alarm is activated on the basis of the turbulence information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Inventors: Guy Deker, Jérôme Sacle, François Coulmeau
  • Patent number: 8280564
    Abstract: The method of optimizing the exit of an aircraft traversing for a known duration (D) a holding circuit forming a racecourse comprising two parallel branches of the same distance, the branches being traversed in a first time (t1), and two arcs of the same radius linking respectively the ends of each branch, the two arcs being traversed in a second time (t2), the holding circuit comprising an exit point situated at the end of one of the branches is characterized in that the distance of the branches of the holding circuit for the last two loops performed are adjusted so that the aircraft is substantially in proximity to the exit point when the duration (D) has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, Manuel Gutierrez-Castaneda
  • Patent number: 8255148
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for optimizing the flight of an aircraft comprising a flight management system, the said flight management system using a first cost index (CI1) and calculating a first speed setpoint (V1) on the basis of the first cost index (CI1), the said flight management system calculating (11), furthermore, a first prediction of remaining flight time (T1) and a first prediction of fuel consumption (EFOB1) on the basis of the first speed, the said method being characterized in that it comprises, furthermore, the following steps: the selection of a second cost index (CI2), the calculation (12) by the flight management system of a second speed setpoint (V2) on the basis of the second cost index (CI2), of a second prediction of remaining flight time (T2) and of a second prediction of consumption (EFOB2) on the basis of the second speed (V2), the calculation (13) of a discrepancy (?V) between the first and the second speed, of a discrepancy (?T) between the first prediction of remaining f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, Phillipe Cambon
  • Patent number: 8180506
    Abstract: The flight management computer discloses and carried onboard an aircraft can be programmed with a newly apparent speed constraint while it ensures the guidance of the aircraft in the course of a landing runway approach. It then takes account of the speed constraint by using it as target speed, when it is greater than an instruction speed which depends on the number of extended flap settings and which corresponds to the addition of a further flap setting. If appropriate, the speed constraint may be bounded below, thus making it possible to remain within the limits of the flight domain of the aircraft in its configuration at the time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, François Coulmeau
  • Patent number: 8046165
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for assisting in the navigation of an aircraft in an airport zone comprising a surface navigation system and means of acquiring in real time, while navigating on the ground or in flight, new information or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone. The surface navigation system uses information relating to the navigation in the airport zone. The information is previously stored in a database on board the aircraft. The device includes means for decoding and analysing the new or temporary information relating to the navigation in the airport zone, means of filtering the information according to the airport concerned and the validity date of the information, means of correlating the information with the information previously stored, and means of displaying the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Jérôme Sacle, François Coulmeau
  • Publication number: 20110082605
    Abstract: An aircraft piloting assistance method and system including determining at least one flyable slope with which the aircraft is assumed to be able to fly, based on a value of at least one flight parameter including the weight of the aircraft. The step for determining said slope or slopes with which the aircraft is able to fly, called flyable slopes is performed by a computer, and presenting the flyable slope to a decision-maker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: Thales
    Inventors: François Coulmeau, Jérôme Sacle, Lionel Verot