Control system and method with multiple linked inputs
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for linking input control signals, comprising:
- receiving a first force signal corresponding directly to a first force applied to a first controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding directly to a second force applied to the second controller;
linking the first force signal and the second force signal;
after linking the first and second force signals, directing a first position demand signal to a first servo motor to move the first controller to a first controller position, and directing a second position demand signal to a second controller to move the second controller to a second servo motor position, the first controller having a first neutral position, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller having a second neutral position, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance; and
directing a control signal to a controlled device based on at least one of the first and second force signals.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for linking input control signals, such as control signals used to control aspects of aircraft operation. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving first and second force signals corresponding to first and second forces applied to first and second controllers. The method can further include directing first and second position signals to the first and second controllers to move the first and second controllers to approximately the same positions. Each force signal is transmitted along a signal path, and the signal paths can be linked at a point where the signals on each path correspond to a quantity other that a position of a controller. The signal paths can be linked such that only one of the forces must exceed a threshold value for both controllers to be moved, and if one of the forces is outside a selected limit range, that force can be at least partially discounted.
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Citations
96 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for linking input control signals, comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding directly to a first force applied to a first controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding directly to a second force applied to the second controller;
linking the first force signal and the second force signal;
after linking the first and second force signals, directing a first position demand signal to a first servo motor to move the first controller to a first controller position, and directing a second position demand signal to a second controller to move the second controller to a second servo motor position, the first controller having a first neutral position, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller having a second neutral position, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance; and
directing a control signal to a controlled device based on at least one of the first and second force signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-implemented method for linking input control signals, comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to a first controller, receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to a second controller;
directing a first position demand signal to the first controller to move the first controller to a first controller position, the first controller having a first neutral position, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the first force signal and the first position demand signal being transmitted along a first signal path;
directing a second position signal to the second controller to move the second controller to a second controller position, the second controller having a second neutral position, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance, the second force signal and the second position demand signal being transmitted along a second signal path;
directing a control signal to a controlled device based on at least one of the first and second force signals; and
linking the first and second signal paths at a point where signals on the first and second signal paths correspond to a quantity other than a position of a controller. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer-implemented method for linking input control signals, comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to a first controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to a second controller;
if the first force signal meets or exceeds a threshold value, directing a first position demand signal to the first controller to move the first controller to a first controller position, and directing a second position demand signal to the second controller to move the second controller to a second controller position independent of whether or not the second force signal meets or exceeds the threshold value, the first controller having a first neutral position, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller having a second neutral position, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance; and
directing a control signal based on at least one of the first and second force signals. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A computer-implemented method for linking signals from a first aircraft controller having a first neutral position and a second aircraft controller having a second neutral position, the method comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to a second aircraft controller;
if the first force signal meets or exceeds a threshold value, directing a first position demand signal to the first aircraft controller to move the first aircraft controller to a first controller position and directing a second position demand signal to the second aircraft controller to move the second aircraft controller to a second controller position independent of whether or not the second force signal exceeds the threshold value, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance; and
directing a control signal operatively coupled to a flight control surface based on at least one of the first and second force signals. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A computer-implemented method for linking input control signals, comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to a first controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to a second controller, if the first force signal is within a selected limit range, directing a first control signal corresponding to a combination of the first and second force signals; and
if the first force signal is outside the selected limit range, directing a second control signal that at least partially discounts the first force signal. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A computer-implemented method for linking signals from a first aircraft controller having a first neutral position and a second aircraft controller having a second neutral position, the method comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to the second aircraft controller, if the first force signal is within a selected limit range, directing a first control signal to control a state of a flight control surface, the first control signal corresponding to a combination of the first and second force signals; and
if the first force signal is outside the selected limit range, directing a second control signal to control a state of a flight control surface, the second control signal at least partially discounting the first force signal. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A computer-implemented method for linking signals from a first aircraft controller having a first neutral position and a second aircraft controller having a second neutral position, the method comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
if the first force signal exceeds a threshold value, directing a first position demand signal to the first aircraft controller to move the first aircraft controller to a first controller position and directing a second position demand signal to a second controller to move the second aircraft controller to a second controller position, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to the second aircraft controller;
if the first force signal is within a selected limit rage, directing a first control signal to control a state of a flight control surface, the first control signal corresponding to a combination of the first and second force signals and being independent of whether or not the second force signal exceeds the threshold value; and
if the first force signal is outside the selected limit range, directing a second control signal to control the state of the flight control surface, the second control signal at least partially discounting the first force signal. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A computer-readable medium the contents of which cause a computer to perform a method for linking signals from a first aircraft controller having a first neutral position and a second aircraft controller having a second neutral position, the method comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
if the first force signal exceeds a threshold value, directing a first position demand signal to the first aircraft controller to move the first aircraft controller to a first controller position and directing a second position demand signal to a second aircraft controller to move the second aircraft controller to a second controller position independent of whether or not the second force signal exceeds the threshold value, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to the second aircraft controller; and
directing a control signal operatively coupled to a flight control surface based on at least one of the first and second force signals. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A computer-readable medium the contents of which cause a computer to perform a method for linking signals from a first aircraft controller having a first neutral position and a second aircraft controller having a second neutral position, the method comprising:
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receiving a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
receiving a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to the second aircraft controller;
if the first force signal exceeds a threshold value, directing a first position demand signal to the first aircraft controller to move the first aircraft controller to a first controller position and directing a second position demand signal to a second controller to move the second aircraft controller to a second controller position, the first controller position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second controller position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance;
if the first force signal is within a selected limit range, directing a control signal to control a state of a flight control surface, the first control signal corresponding to a combination of the first and second force signals and being independent of whether or not the second force signal exceeds the threshold value; and
if the first force signal is outside the selected limit range, directing a second control signal to control the state of the flight control surface, the second control signal at least partially discounting the first force signal. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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88. A system for controlling an aircraft flight control surface, comprising:
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a first aircraft controller having a first input device configured to receive a first operator'"'"'s input command, the first input device being coupled to a first sensor to sense a force applied to the first input device, the first input device being coupled to a first motor to move the first input device from a first neutral position;
a second aircraft controller having a second input device configured to receive a second operator'"'"'s input command, the second input device being coupled to a second sensor to sense a force applied to the second input device, the second input device being coupled to a second motor to move the second input device from a second neutral position; and
a computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the first and second aircraft controllers, the computer-readable medium being configured to;
receive a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
if the first force signal exceeds a threshold value, direct a first position signal to the first motor to move the first input device to a first input device position and direct a second signal to a second motor to move the second input device to a second input device position, the first input device position being displaced from the first neutral position by a first distance, the second input device position being displaced from the second neutral position by a second distance at least approximately equal to the first distance;
receive a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to the second aircraft controller; and
direct a control signal operatively coupled to a flight control surface, the control signal being based on at least one of the first and second force signals and being independent of whether or not the second force signal exceeds the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A system for controlling an aircraft flight control surface, comprising:
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a first aircraft controller having a first input device configured to receive a first operator'"'"'s input command, the first input device being coupled to a first sensor to sense a force applied to the first input device, the first input device being coupled to a first motor to move the first input device from a first neutral position;
a second aircraft controller having a second input device configured to receive a second operator'"'"'s input command, the second input device being coupled to a second sensor to sense a force applied to the second input device, the second input device being coupled to a second motor to move the second input device from a second neutral position; and
a computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the first and second aircraft controllers, the computer-readable medium being configured to;
receive a first force signal corresponding to a first force applied to the first aircraft controller;
receive a second force signal corresponding to a second force applied to the second aircraft controller;
if the first force signal is within a selected limit range, direct a first control signal to control a state of the aircraft flight control surface, the first control signal corresponding to a combination of the first and second force signals; and
if the first force signal is outside the selected limit range, direct a second control signal to control a state of the aircraft flight control surface, the second control signal at least partially discounting the first force signal. - View Dependent Claims (96)
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Specification