Patent ID: 8280562

Claim:
An automatic device that controls the driving of an aircraft along a ground path of an airport domain, the device comprising: an information entering unit in which information relating to the ground path is entered; a current value measuring unit that automatically measures current values of parameters of the aircraft; a constraint entering unit in which constraints relating to the aircraft ground path are entered; a navigation system which comprises: a ground rolling trajectory determining unit that automatically determines, with the aid of said entered information from said information entering unit, a ground rolling trajectory, and a speed profile determining unit that automatically determines, with the aid of said entered constraints, a speed profile of said ground rolling trajectory, which provides a variation of longitudinal speed of the aircraft along said ground rolling trajectory; a guidance system which comprises: a yaw rate setpoint determining unit that automatically determines, with the aid of current values measured by said current value measuring unit and of said ground rolling trajectory received from said navigation system, a yaw rate setpoint enabling the aircraft to follow said ground rolling trajectory by application of a yaw rate command, and a longitudinal speed setpoint determining unit that automatically determines, with the aid of the measured current values of the aircraft, of said ground rolling trajectory and of said speed profile, a longitudinal speed setpoint which represents a longitudinal speed command to drive the aircraft along said ground rolling trajectory while complying with said speed profile; and a piloting aid system comprising a piloting aid unit, wherein said piloting unit comprises: a first set, wherein the first set is comprised of: a first control unit which controls aircraft components that act on yaw motion of the aircraft rolling on the ground; a first calculation unit which automatically calculates setpoints to be applied to said first control unit, said setpoints being applied to said first control unit to enable said first control unit to pilot the aircraft laterally according to said yaw rate command received from said guidance system, and a first applying unit which automatically applies the commands calculated by the first calculation unit to said first control unit, and a second set, wherein the second set is comprised of: a second control unit which controls aircraft components that act on longitudinal speed of the aircraft, a second calculation unit which automatically calculates setpoints to apply to the second control unit according to said longitudinal speed setpoint determined by said longitudinal speed setpoint determination unit, and a second applying unit which automatically applies the setpoints calculated by the second calculation unit to said second control unit.