Station deselect and cueing system

• US 10,214,298 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Fell, William, White, Matthew A., Luszcz, Matthew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US15/401,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 340945, 340963, 340971
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/10 comprising warning devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0059 by communicating emergency situations to ground control or between crew members

Abstract

An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe defining a cockpit with first and second control stations configured for co-activation and complementary deactivation, flight control assemblies disposed at multiple locations of the airframe and a flight control computer (FCC). The FCC is configured to control operations of the flight control assemblies in accordance with current flight conditions and commands received at activated ones of the first and second control stations that are inputted by a flight crew. The FCC includes a secondary monitoring system to identify when commands are input at a deactivated one of the first and second control stations, to determine whether the commands are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs and to generate control station cues in an event the commands are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs to alert the flight crew of a hazardous condition or automatically turn the station back on.

Claims

1. A method of operating a station deselect safety and cueing system for a flight crew of an aircraft, the method comprising:

identifying when commands are input at a deactivated one of first and second control stations;

determining whether the commands input at the deactivated one of the first and second control stations are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs; and

generating control station cues for the flight crew in an event the commands are determined to be normal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the commands are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs based on characteristics of the commands.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating of the control station cues comprises generating audio switch cues to cue the flight crew that one of a pilot or a copilot is attempting to control the aircraft via a deactivated control station.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating of the control station cues comprises generating visual switch cues to cue the flight crew that one of a pilot or a copilot is attempting to control the aircraft via a deactivated control station.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating of the control station cues comprises generating tactile switch cues to cue the flight crew that one of a pilot or a copilot is attempting to control the aircraft via a deactivated control station.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically activating the deactivated one of the first and second control stations.

7. An aircraft, comprising:

an airframe defining a cockpit with first and second control stations that are configured for co-activation and complementary deactivation;

flight control assemblies operably disposed at multiple locations of the airframe;

a flight control computer (FCC) configured to control operations of the flight control assemblies in accordance with current flight conditions and commands received at activated ones of the first and second control stations that are inputted by a flight crew,

the FCC comprising a secondary monitoring system to identify when commands are input at a deactivated one of the first and second control stations, to determine whether the commands are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs and to generate control station cues in an event the commands are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the flight control assemblies comprise main rotor assemblies, propeller or auxiliary propulsion assemblies, and controllable surface assemblies.

9. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the FCC comprises an input blending algorithm configured to generate a pilot command input signal based on commands received at the activated ones of the first and second control stations.

10. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the secondary monitoring system comprises control input detection logic.

11. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the secondary monitoring system determines that the commands are indicative of normal and intentional piloting inputs based on characteristics of the commands.

12. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the first and second control stations each comprise headphones, a primary flight display (PFD) and inceptors.

13. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the control station cues comprise audio cues directed through the headphones, visual cues directed through the PFD and tactile cues directed through the inceptors to cue the flight crew that one of a pilot or a copilot is attempting to control the aircraft via a deactivated control station.

14. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the control station cues comprise switch cues to cue the flight crew to activate the deactivated one of the first and second control stations.

15. The aircraft according to claim 7, wherein the secondary monitoring system is further configured to automatically activate the deactivated one of the first and second control stations.