EMERGENCY DESCENT INTERVENTION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An emergency descent intervention system for a piston powered aircraft,said aircraft having an engine with an exhaust gas driven turbocharger with a turbocharger inlet, the engine having an exhaust gas manifold, said exhaust gas manifold (a) fluidly connected to said turbocharger inlet and to an exhaust gas bypass outlet, and (b) having an exhaust gas bypass valve, said exhaust bypass valve configured to regulate the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas bypass outlet and to said turbocharger inlet, said aircraft having a flight management system, said flight management system having a visual display and providing aircraft directional control signals in accordance with programmed directional instructions, and altitude control signals in accordance with programmed altitude instructions, said emergency descent intervention system comprising:
- a pilot challenge system and an alarm system, said pilot challenge system and said alarm system both integrated with said flight management system, said emergency descent intervention system configured to determine (1) a first latency period for pilot interrogation, and (2) a second latency period for alarm activation;
a reset system to reset the pilot challenge system when a response is received during the first latency period or during the second latency period;
a descent activation system that determines a target altitude and overrides said flight management system programmed altitude, controls descent to said target altitude, and when said aircraft reaches said target altitude, maintains said target altitude;
an actuator for said exhaust gas bypass valve, said actuator controllable via said flight management system to regulate inlet air to, and power output from said engine, to enable said aircraft to descent to, and maintain, said target altitude.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An emergency descent system for turbocharged piston engine powered aircraft. The flight management system is configured to challenge the pilot after a period of inactivity. Acknowledgment from the pilot resets the timer for subsequent challenge. Lack of timely pilot response sets off an alarm sequence. Lack of response to the alarm sequence sets off emergency descent by way of control by the flight management system of rate of descent, heading, ground track, and engine power by adjustment to the wastegate to the turbocharger. The control by the flight management system may incorporate direct control of the aircraft airspeed in the descent, and that may be enhanced by engine power adjustments. Upon reaching a selected target altitude, the aircraft engine power may be restored via the adjustment of the wastegate controller. At any time, when the pilot regains useful consciousness, the entire emergency descent sequence may be interrupted and normal control restored by the pilot. Additionally, the system may be configured to reset the aircraft transponder to an alarm code, in the event that the emergency descent sequence is initiated.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An emergency descent intervention system for a piston powered aircraft,
said aircraft having an engine with an exhaust gas driven turbocharger with a turbocharger inlet, the engine having an exhaust gas manifold, said exhaust gas manifold (a) fluidly connected to said turbocharger inlet and to an exhaust gas bypass outlet, and (b) having an exhaust gas bypass valve, said exhaust bypass valve configured to regulate the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas bypass outlet and to said turbocharger inlet, said aircraft having a flight management system, said flight management system having a visual display and providing aircraft directional control signals in accordance with programmed directional instructions, and altitude control signals in accordance with programmed altitude instructions, said emergency descent intervention system comprising: -
a pilot challenge system and an alarm system, said pilot challenge system and said alarm system both integrated with said flight management system, said emergency descent intervention system configured to determine (1) a first latency period for pilot interrogation, and (2) a second latency period for alarm activation; a reset system to reset the pilot challenge system when a response is received during the first latency period or during the second latency period; a descent activation system that determines a target altitude and overrides said flight management system programmed altitude, controls descent to said target altitude, and when said aircraft reaches said target altitude, maintains said target altitude; an actuator for said exhaust gas bypass valve, said actuator controllable via said flight management system to regulate inlet air to, and power output from said engine, to enable said aircraft to descent to, and maintain, said target altitude. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An emergency descent intervention system for a piston powered aircraft,
said aircraft having an engine with an exhaust gas driven turbocharger with a turbocharger inlet, the engine having an exhaust gas manifold, said exhaust gas manifold fluidly connected to said turbo charger inlet and to an exhaust gas bypass outlet, and having an exhaust gas bypass valve, the exhaust bypass valve configured to regulate the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas bypass and to said turbocharger inlet, said aircraft having flight management system, said flight management system having a visual display and providing aircraft directional control signals in accordance with programmed directional instructions, and altitude control signals in accordance with programmed altitude instructions, said aircraft comprising an emergency parachute system, said emergency parachute system having a maximum deployment airspeed, said emergency descent intervention system comprising: -
a pilot challenge and an alarm system, said pilot challenge and said master alarm system both integrated with said flight management system, said pilot challenge system configured to determine a first latency period for pilot interrogation, and configured to determine a second latency period for pilot response to activation of said alarm system, said emergency descent intervention system configured to activate said alarm system when a response is not received by expiry of said first latency period, and configured to initiate a descent sequence when a response is not received by the expiry of said second latency period, said emergency descent intervention system configured, upon expiry of said second latency period, to (1) determine, or complete determination of, or accept prior calculation of a target altitude, and override the then current flight management system programmed altitude instructions, (2) start descent of said aircraft to said target altitude, and when said target altitude is reached, maintain said target altitude; (3) control said exhaust gas bypass valve using an actuator, said actuator controllable via said flight management system to regulate inlet air to, and power output from said engine, to enable said flight management system to direct the aircraft to descent to, and maintain, said target altitude; (4) calculate a selected descent rate and selected descent airspeed for said aircraft, selected descent airspeed at or below said maximum deployment airspeed of said emergency parachute system, said emergency descent intervention system reprogramming said flight management system, and thereby controlling said aircraft with respect to said selected descent rate and said selected descent airspeed. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A turbocharged piston engine aircraft, comprising:
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an engine with an exhaust gas driven turbocharger having a turbocharger inlet, the engine having an exhaust gas manifold, said exhaust gas manifold (a) fluidly connected to said turbocharger inlet and to an exhaust gas bypass outlet, and (b) having an exhaust gas bypass valve, said exhaust bypass valve configured to regulate the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas bypass outlet and to said turbocharger inlet, a flight management system, said flight management system having a visual display and providing aircraft directional control signals in accordance with programmed directional instructions, and altitude control signals in accordance with programmed altitude instructions, an emergency descent intervention system, said emergency descent intervention system comprising; (a) a pilot challenge system and an alarm system, said pilot challenge system and said alarm system both integrated with said flight management system, said emergency descent intervention system configured to determine (1) a first latency period for pilot interrogation, and (2) a second latency period for alarm activation; (b) a reset system to reset the pilot challenge system when a response is received during the first latency period or during the second latency period; (c) a descent activation system that determines a target altitude and overrides said flight management system programmed altitude, controls descent to said target altitude, and when said aircraft reaches said target altitude, maintains said target altitude; (d) an actuator for said exhaust gas bypass valve, said actuator controllable via said flight management system to regulate inlet air to, and power output from said engine, to enable said aircraft to descent to, and maintain, said target altitude. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification