INCEPTOR SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A VIRTUAL REAL-TIME MODEL

• US 20120053762A1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH (Liebherr-International AG)
• Original Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH (Liebherr-International AG)
• Inventors: Ludwig, Matthias, Stiefenhofer, Matthias, Rottach, Michael, Neumann, Ralph, Schlosser, Manfred
• Application Number:
  US13/218,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20120053762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0425 for actuating trailing or leading edge flaps, air brakes or spoilers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/341 having duplication or stand-by provisions
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/345 with artificial feel
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/505 having duplication or stand-by provisions
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/507 with artificial feel

Abstract

The present invention relates to an active inceptor system for controlling an aircraft with at least one mechanically movable inceptor, at least one controller for actuating the inceptor, and at least one state variable detection means for detecting one or more state variables of the one or more inceptors, wherein the active inceptor system comprises at least one means for generating a virtual real-time model for modelling the real flight component, in particular the one or more inceptors.

Claims

1. An active inceptor system for controlling an aircraft with at least one mechanically movable inceptor, at least one controller for actuating the inceptor and at least one state variable detection means for detecting one or more state variables of the one or more inceptors, wherein the active inceptor system comprises at least one means for generating a virtual real-time model for modelling the real flight component, in particular the one or more inceptors.

2. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein one or more state variables can be supplied to the virtual real-time model by the state variable detection means.

3. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual real-time model comprises means for calculating one or more state variables from one or more initially present state variables.

4. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein at least one feel generating means is provided for generating or influencing at least one setpoint variable for at least one controller.

5. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual real-time model determines or calculates one or more virtual auxiliary variables, in particular virtual setpoint variables, from one or more incoming state variables, and the virtual auxiliary variables can be transmitted to at least one controller and/or to the feel generating means.

6. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual real-time model is based on the Luenberger model and/or on a Kalman filter and/or a neural network.

7. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein means for matching the virtual real-time model with the state of the real flight component, in particular the movable inceptor, are provided.

8. The active inceptor system according to claim 7, wherein the matching is effected in real time with variable scanning.

9. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual real-time model is designed for monitoring the real flight component and/or as redundancy to the real flight component.

10. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein at least one controller is a position controller.

11. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein one or more movement axes of the mechanically movable inceptor can be simulated by the virtual real-time model and be controlled by at least one controller, and wherein the control possibly can be influenced by the feel generating means.

12. The active inceptor system according to claim 1, wherein inner and/or outer state variables can be supplied to the virtual real-time model and possibly to the feel generating means.

13. An apparatus for generating a virtual real-time model of a real flight component for an active inceptor system according to claim 1.

14. An aircraft with an active inceptor system according to claim 1.

15. The active inceptor system according to claim 2, wherein the virtual real-time model comprises means for calculating one or more state variables from one or more initially present state variables.

16. The active inceptor system according to claim 15, wherein at least one feel generating means is provided for generating or influencing at least one setpoint variable for at least one controller.

17. The active inceptor system according to claim 3, wherein at least one feel generating means is provided for generating or influencing at least one setpoint variable for at least one controller.

18. The active inceptor system according to claim 2, wherein at least one feel generating means is provided for generating or influencing at least one setpoint variable for at least one controller.

19. The active inceptor system according to claim 16, wherein the virtual real-time model determines or calculates one or more virtual auxiliary variables, in particular virtual setpoint variables, from one or more incoming state variables, and the virtual auxiliary variables can be transmitted to at least one controller and/or to the feel generating means.

20. The active inceptor system according to claim 17, wherein the virtual real-time model determines or calculates one or more virtual auxiliary variables, in particular virtual setpoint variables, from one or more incoming state variables, and the virtual auxiliary variables can be transmitted to at least one controller and/or to the feel generating means.