Method and device for assisting in the diagnostic and in the dispatch decision of an aircraft

1. A method for aiding in a diagnosis and in a decision on operation of an aircraft, said aircraft including failure detection circuitry associated with corresponding pieces of equipment of said aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving, using communication circuitry, during a flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one alert linked to detection of at least one failure relating to at least one piece of equipment of said aircraft, said at least one alert including at least one indication relating to said at least one failure;

receiving, using the communication circuitry, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one information item relating to a next mission of said aircraft;

accessing, using processing circuitry, a database including a minimum equipment list and operating conditions and limitations associated with the operation of said aircraft;

correlating, using the processing circuitry, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list;

determining, using the processing circuitry, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list, an operating state of said aircraft and an operational capability of said aircraft in said determined operating state;

correlating, using the processing circuitry, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft;

determining, using the processing circuitry, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft, at least one operation limitation or restriction associated with the determined operating state and operational capability of said aircraft; and

displaying, using display circuitry, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, a notification of the at least one alert to a pilot operating said aircraft upon determination that the next mission is scheduled to occur and that the determined operation limitation or restriction indicates that the next mission cannot be performed without the pilot performing a procedure related to said at least one detected failure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

establishing, using the processing circuitry, a list of additional tasks and verifications to be performed in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

associating, using the processing circuitry, a time indication with at least one component of said minimum equipment list in order to allow the automatic presentation of the said component to the pilot of the said aircraft at the time defined by the said time indication.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list includes determining a functional state of said aircraft.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

identifying, using the processing circuitry, said at least one failure, said identifying including receiving at least one additional indication relating to said at least one failure.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having executable instructions which when executed by a processor in an aircraft diagnostic device causes the processor to execute a method comprising:

receiving, during a flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one alert linked to detection of at least one failure relating to at least one piece of equipment of said aircraft, said at least one alert including at least one indication relating to said at least one failure;

receiving, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one information item relating to a next mission of said aircraft;

accessing a database including a minimum equipment list and operating conditions and limitations associated with the operation of said aircraft;

correlating, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list;

determining, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list, an operating state of said aircraft and an operational capability of said aircraft in said determined operating state;

correlating, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft;

determining, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft, at least one operation limitation or restriction associated with the determined operating state and operational capability of said aircraft; and

displaying, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, a notification of the at least one alert to a pilot operating said aircraft upon determination that the next mission is scheduled to occur and that the determined operation limitation or restriction indicates that the next mission cannot be performed without the pilot performing a procedure related to said at least one detected failure.

7. An aircraft diagnostic device comprising a hardware processor configured to:

receive, during a flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one alert linked to detection of at least one failure relating to at least one piece of equipment of said aircraft, said at least one alert including at least one indication relating to said at least one failure;

receive, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one information item relating to a next mission of said aircraft;

access a database including a minimum equipment list and operating conditions and limitations associated with the operation of said aircraft;

correlate, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list;

determine, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list, an operating state of said aircraft and an operational capability of said aircraft in said determined operating state;

correlate, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft;

determine, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft, at least one operation limitation or restriction associated with the determined operating state and operational capability of said aircraft; and

display, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, a notification of the at least one alert to a pilot operating said aircraft upon determination that the next mission is scheduled to occur and that the determined operation limitation or restriction indicates that the next mission cannot be performed without the pilot performing a procedure related to said at least one detected failure.

8. An aircraft comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive, during a flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one alert linked to detection of at least one failure relating to at least one piece of equipment of said aircraft, said at least one alert including at least one indication relating to said at least one failure,

receive, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, at least one information item relating to a next mission of said aircraft,

access a database including a minimum equipment list and operating conditions and limitations associated with the operation of said aircraft,

correlate, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list,

determine, in response to said correlation of said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list, an operating state of said aircraft and an operational capability of said aircraft in said determined operating state,

correlate, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft, and

determine, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, in response to said correlation of said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft, at least one operation limitation or restriction associated with the determined operating state and operational capability of said aircraft; and

a display device configured to display, during the flight of said aircraft currently in progress, a notification of the at least one alert to a pilot operating said aircraft upon determination that the next mission is scheduled to occur and that the determined operation limitation or restriction indicates that the next mission cannot be performed without the pilot performing a procedure related to said at least one detected failure.

9. A method for aiding in a diagnosis and in a decision on operation of an aircraft, said aircraft including failure detection circuitry associated with corresponding pieces of equipment of said aircraft, the method comprising:

after detecting at least one failure and during a flight of said aircraft currently in progress:

receiving, using a processor, at least one alert linked to detection of the at least one failure relating to at least one piece of equipment of said aircraft, said at least one alert including at least one indication relating to said at least one failure;

receiving, using the processor, at least one information item relating to a next mission of said aircraft;

accessing, using the processor, a database including a minimum equipment list and operating conditions and limitations associated with the operation of said aircraft;

correlating, using the processor, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list;

determining, using the processor, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said minimum equipment list, an operating state of said aircraft and an operational capability of said aircraft in said determined operating state;

correlating, using the processor, said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft; and

determining, using the processor, in response to said correlating said at least one indication relating to said at least one failure with said at least one information item relating to the next mission of said aircraft, at least one operation limitation or restriction associated with the determined operating state and operational capability of said aircraft.