Patents by Inventor Nicolas CANALE

Nicolas CANALE 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: 10997867
    Abstract: A method and a system for establishing an approach to hover path for a rotorcraft enabling it to approach a mobile target and to hover relative to the target. An initial approach to hover path is firstly defined from measurements of the characteristics of the respective routes of the target and of the rotorcraft and also of the wind conditions to which the rotorcraft is subjected. During the flight of the rotorcraft, a required approach to hover path is determined in real time as a function of potential variations in the characteristics of the target, of the rotorcraft, and of the wind. Thereafter, the initial path is updated by the required path where necessary in order to guarantee safety of the approach to hover path for the rotorcraft relative to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Nicolas Canale
  • Publication number: 20180218621
    Abstract: A method and a system for establishing an approach to hover path for a rotorcraft enabling it to approach a mobile target and to hover relative to the target. An initial approach to hover path is firstly defined from measurements of the characteristics of the respective routes of the target and of the rotorcraft and also of the wind conditions to which the rotorcraft is subjected. During the flight of the rotorcraft, a required approach to hover path is determined in real time as a function of potential variations in the characteristics of the target, of the rotorcraft, and of the wind. Thereafter, the initial path is updated by the required path where necessary in order to guarantee safety of the approach to hover path for the rotorcraft relative to the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Nicolas CANALE
  • Patent number: 10024686
    Abstract: A method having a preparation stage for preparing an approach path (25) to a theoretical position (20?) of a platform (20). During a consolidation stage, a current position (20?) of said platform (20) is determined and an alert is triggered when the distance (D1) between said theoretical position (20?) and said current position (20?) is greater than a first threshold. During a security stage, entities provided with respective automatic identification systems and present in a predetermined monitoring zone (OCZ) are monitored, and a horizontal representation of said approach path (25) is displayed on a display screen (8) together with the following for each entity: a plot (41) representing its current position; an indication (42) of the travel direction of the entity; and a representation (43) relating to the danger level of the entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Nicolas Canale, Lionel Iraudo
  • Patent number: 9611053
    Abstract: A method of facilitating the approach to a platform by an aircraft. The value of the required position integrity performance (RNP) is determined for a localization system. During an approach stage, this position integrity performance (RNP) is compared with a position integrity radius (HPL) resulting from the use of a GNSS localization system, and an alert is generated if the position integrity radius (HPL) is greater than the position integrity performance (RNP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Nicolas Canale, Lionel Iraudo
  • Patent number: 9446855
    Abstract: A method of facilitating the approach to a platform by an aircraft, the method comprising a step of constructing a database, including for each stored platform at least one identifier of the platform, coordinates of a geometrical center of the platform, a height of the geometrical center, and the radius (OR) of a circle in which the platform lies. During a parameter-setting step, the target platform to be reached, a course to be followed, and a height parameter relative to a minimum decision altitude are determined. During a path construction step, the positions of an initial approach fix (IAF), of a final approach fix (FAF), and of a decision point (MAP) are determined by placing them in a plane that is offset relative to the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Nicolas Canale, Lionel Iraudo
  • Publication number: 20150375872
    Abstract: A method of facilitating the approach to a platform by an aircraft. The value of the required position integrity performance (RNP) is determined for a localization system. During an approach stage, this position integrity performance (RNP) is compared with a position integrity radius (HPL) resulting from the use of a GNSS localization system, and an alert is generated if the position integrity radius (HPL) is greater than the position integrity performance (RNP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Nicolas CANALE, Lionel IRAUDO
  • Publication number: 20150375871
    Abstract: A method of facilitating the approach to a platform by an aircraft, the method comprising a step of constructing a database, including for each stored platform at least one identifier of the platform, coordinates of a geometrical center of the platform, a height of the geometrical center, and the radius (OR) of a circle in which the platform lies. During a parameter-setting step, the target platform to be reached, a course to be followed, and a height parameter relative to a minimum decision altitude are determined. During a path construction step, the positions of an initial approach fix (IAF), of a final approach fix (FAF), and of a decision point (MAP) are determined by placing them in a plane that is offset relative to the platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Nicolas CANALE, Lionel IRAUDO
  • Patent number: 9189963
    Abstract: A procedure for facilitating the approach to a platform [PF] with an aircraft [1] including a construction stage [STP1] for a database [5] that includes, for each stored platform [PF], attributes that include at least one platform identifier, the coordinates of the platform, a landing height [HDECK] of a landing zone of the platform, and the radius (OR) of a circle within which the platform is inscribed. During a parameterization stage [STP2], the target platform to be reached is determined, along with a course (CRS) to be followed and a height parameter relative to a minimum decision altitude (MDA). During a construction stage [STP3], the position of an initial approach fix (IAF) is determined, along with the position of a final approach fix (FAF), an offset point (OIP), and a decision point (MAP), in response to the information and in response to the attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Lionel Iraudo, Nicolas Canale
  • Patent number: 9151637
    Abstract: A method having a preparation stage for preparing an approach path (25) to a theoretical position (20?) of a platform (20). During a consolidation stage, a current position (20?) of said platform (20) is determined and an alert is triggered when the distance (D1) between said theoretical position (20?) and said current position (20?) is greater than a first threshold. During a security stage, entities provided with respective automatic identification systems and present in a predetermined monitoring zone (OCZ) are monitored, and a horizontal representation of said approach path (25) is displayed on a display screen (8) together with the following for each entity: a plot (41) representing its current position; an indication (42) of the travel direction of the entity; and a representation (43) relating to the danger level of the entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Nicolas Canale, Lionel Iraudo
  • Publication number: 20140365045
    Abstract: A method having a preparation stage for preparing an approach path (25) to a theoretical position (20?) of a platform (20). During a consolidation stage, a current position (20?) of said platform (20) is determined and an alert is triggered when the distance (D1) between said theoretical position (20?) and said current position (20?) is greater than a first threshold. During a security stage, entities provided with respective automatic identification systems and present in a predetermined monitoring zone (OCZ) are monitored, and a horizontal representation of said approach path (25) is displayed on a display screen (8) together with the following for each entity: a plot (41) representing its current position; an indication (42) of the travel direction of the entity; and a representation (43) relating to the danger level of the entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Nicolas CANALE, Lionel IRAUDO
  • Publication number: 20140365044
    Abstract: A method having a preparation stage for preparing an approach path (25) to a theoretical position (20?) of a platform (20). During a consolidation stage, a current position (20?) of said platform (20) is determined and an alert is triggered when the distance (D1) between said theoretical position (20?) and said current position (20?) is greater than a first threshold. During a security stage, entities provided with respective automatic identification systems and present in a predetermined monitoring zone (OCZ) are monitored, and a horizontal representation of said approach path (25) is displayed on a display screen (8) together with the following for each entity: a plot (41) representing its current position; an indication (42) of the travel direction of the entity; and a representation (43) relating to the danger level of the entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Nicolas CANALE, Lionel IRAUDO
  • Publication number: 20140244079
    Abstract: A procedure for facilitating the approach to a platform [PF] with an aircraft [1] including a construction stage [STP1] for a database [5] that includes, for each stored platform [PF], attributes that include at least one platform identifier, the coordinates of the platform, a landing height [HDECK] of a landing zone of the platform, and the radius (OR) of a circle within which the platform is inscribed. During a parameterization stage [STP2], the target platform to be reached is determined, along with a course (CRS) to be followed and a height parameter relative to a minimum decision altitude (MDA). During a construction stage [STP3], the position of an initial approach fix (IAF) is determined, along with the position of a final approach fix (FAF), an offset point (OIP), and a decision point (MAP), in response to the information and in response to the attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Lionel IRAUDO, Nicolas CANALE