Aircraft flight envelope protection and recovery autopilot
First Claim
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1. An avionics system for an aircraft, the avionics system comprising:
- a trajectory selection module configured to select a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition;
a trajectory flight condition module configured to estimate a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path, wherein the trajectory flight condition module comprises;
a vertical velocity module configured to calculate a vertical velocity of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path;
an energy state module configured to calculate an energy state of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; and
an airspeed prediction module configured to estimate an airspeed of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path based on the vertical velocity and the energy state;
a limit comparison module configured to determine whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; and
a violation indicator module configured to generate an indication of impending violation.
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Abstract
Systems and aircraft are provided. An avionics system for an aircraft includes: a trajectory selection module configured to select a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; a trajectory flight condition module configured to estimate a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path; a limit comparison module configured to determine whether the modeled flight condition violates aircraft limits; and a violation indicator module configured to generate an indication of impending violation.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An avionics system for an aircraft, the avionics system comprising:
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a trajectory selection module configured to select a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; a trajectory flight condition module configured to estimate a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path, wherein the trajectory flight condition module comprises; a vertical velocity module configured to calculate a vertical velocity of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; an energy state module configured to calculate an energy state of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; and an airspeed prediction module configured to estimate an airspeed of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path based on the vertical velocity and the energy state; a limit comparison module configured to determine whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; and a violation indicator module configured to generate an indication of impending violation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 9, 10)
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4. An avionics system for an aircraft, the avionics system comprising:
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a trajectory selection module configured to select a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; a trajectory flight condition module configured to estimate a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path; a limit comparison module configured to determine whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; a violation indicator module configured to generate an indication of impending violation; and a potential path generation module configured to generate a plurality of trajectories from which the trajectory selection module selects the potential aircraft path, wherein the trajectory selection module is configured to select a next consecutive trajectory of the plurality of trajectories as the potential aircraft path upon a completed evaluation of a previous potential path. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 20, 21, 22)
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11. An aircraft comprising:
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a sensor system configured to provide aircraft flight condition data; an actuator system configured to manipulate control surfaces of the aircraft; and a control system comprising; a trajectory selection module configured to select a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; a trajectory flight condition module configured to estimate a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path, wherein the trajectory flight condition module comprises; a vertical velocity module configured to calculate a vertical velocity of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; an energy state module configured to calculate an energy state of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; and an airspeed prediction module configured to estimate an airspeed of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path based on the vertical velocity and the energy state; a limit comparison module configured to determine whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; and a violation indicator module configured to generate an indication of impending violation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 18)
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14. An aircraft comprising:
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a sensor system configured to provide aircraft flight condition data; an actuator system configured to manipulate control surfaces of the aircraft; and a control system comprising; a trajectory selection module configured to select a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; a trajectory flight condition module configured to estimate a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path; a limit comparison module configured to determine whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; a violation indicator module configured to generate an indication of impending violation; and a potential path generation module configured to generate a plurality of trajectories from which the trajectory selection module selects the potential aircraft path, wherein the trajectory selection module is configured to select a next consecutive trajectory of the plurality of trajectories as the potential aircraft path upon a completed evaluation of a previous potential path. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 19)
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23. An avionics system for an aircraft, the avionics system comprising:
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means for selecting a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; means for estimating a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path, wherein the means for estimating a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential path comprises; means for calculating a vertical velocity of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; means for calculating an energy state of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; and means for estimating an airspeed of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path based on the vertical velocity and the energy state; and means for determining whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; and means for generating an indication of impending violation.
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24. An avionics system for an aircraft, the avionics system comprising:
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means for selecting a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; means for estimating a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path; means for determining whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; means for generating an indication of impending violation; and means for generating a plurality of trajectories from which to select the potential aircraft path, wherein the means for generating a plurality of trajectories is configured to select a next consecutive trajectory of the plurality of trajectories as the potential aircraft path upon a completed evaluation of a previous potential path.
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25. An aircraft comprising:
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means for providing aircraft flight condition data; means for manipulating control surfaces of the aircraft; and means for; selecting a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; estimating a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path, comprising; calculating a vertical velocity of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; calculating an energy state of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path; and estimating an airspeed of the aircraft on the potential aircraft path based on the vertical velocity and the energy state; determining whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; and generating an indication of impending violation.
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26. An aircraft comprising:
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means for providing aircraft flight condition data; means for manipulating control surfaces of the aircraft; and means for; selecting a potential aircraft path relative to a current aircraft flight condition; estimating a modeled flight condition of the aircraft along the potential aircraft path; determining whether the modeled flight condition violates an aircraft limit; generating an indication of impending violation; and generating a plurality of trajectories from which to select the potential aircraft path, wherein generating a plurality of trajectories includes selecting a next consecutive trajectory of the plurality of trajectories as the potential aircraft path upon a completed evaluation of a previous potential path.
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Specification