Laptop based rapid control laws development

• US 10,421,531 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Agnihotri, Ashok K., Brooks, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chace, Christian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Aaron C
• Application Number:
  US13/685,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,492 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3, 701 17
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0833 using limited authority control

Abstract

A system and method to modify a qualified actuator command with an unqualified actuator command modifier. The method includes creating a modified actuator command as the difference between the qualified actuator command and the unqualified actuator command and thereafter limiting the modified actuator command with an authority limiter. The system includes a qualified computer having an unqualified control law interfaced with an unqualified computer having a qualified control law.

Claims

1. A method to modify flight control laws associated with a flight control computer with a portable computer during flight, comprising:

certifying the flight control computer to be qualified;

receiving a range of control law limits in an authority limiter;

creating a qualified actuator command with a qualified control law with the flight control computer;

creating an unqualified actuator command with an unqualified control law with the portable computer;

creating a delta actuator command as the mathematical difference between the qualified actuator command and the unqualified actuator command;

limiting the delta actuator command with the authority limiter based upon the range of control law limits;

creating a final actuator command as the mathematical sum of the delta actuator command and the qualified actuator command;

commanding a commanded actuator with the final actuator command;

sensing movement of the commanded actuator with a first displacement sensor;

sensing movement of a pilot controlled actuator with a second displacement sensor; and

relaying the movement of the pilot controlled actuator to the portable computer.

3. The system of claim 1, the flight control computer further comprising:

a port for detachably interfacing with the portable computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is in data communication with the flight control computer and the portable computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computer is portable and detachably interfaced with the flight control computer.

2. A system, comprising:

a flight control computer having;

a qualified control law configured to create a qualified command to an actuator;

an authority limiter having a range of control law limits; and

a portable computer having;

an unqualified control law configured to create an unqualified command;

wherein the flight control computer is qualified;

wherein the portable computer is unqualified;

wherein the flight control computer generates a delta command as the mathematical difference between the qualified command and the unqualified command, the authority limiter limiting the delta command value to within the range of control law limits,

wherein the flight control computer communicates with the portable computer such that a final command is created with the qualified command mathematically added to the delta command; and

wherein the actuator is commanded by the final command; and

a sensor operably associated with the actuator;

wherein the sensor senses movement of the actuator.