Variable servo loop compensation in an active hand controller

• US 5,412,299 A
• Filed: 12/21/1993
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lance, Wayne E., Gregory, William W., Hegg, Jeffrey W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US08/171,549
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 318/560-648, 318/649, 74/471 XY, 74/89, 74/22, 338/128, 338/98, 244/234, 244/85, 244/236, 244/182, 244/237, 244/180, 244/194, 244/179, 901/9, 901/15, 901/8, 200/6 A, 364/167.01, 364/190
• US Class Current: 318/628
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0421 control sticks for primary flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

A state detector and loop compensation parameter controller for use with an active hand controller system having a single hand controller or having first and second hand controllers, processing and control means for the hand controllers and a flight control computer. The state detector and loop compensation parameter controller accepts a plurality of inputs and provides a plurality of adjustment signals to the processing and control means to improve the performance of the active hand controller system.

Claims

1. An active hand controller system for use with a flight control computer providing a force scaling command signal, said active hand controller system having a first hand controller means connected to a first actuator means, comprising:

rate detecting means for providing a rate signal from said first actuator means;

torque detecting means for providing a first torque signal from said first hand controller means;

position detecting means for providing a first position signal from said first actuator means; and

processing and control means for accepting said rate signal, said first torque signal said first position signal, and said force scaling command signal and providing a drive signal to said first actuator, said processing and control means including a plurality of parameters, each said parameter being adjustable to a value, said plurality of parameter values determining a relationship of said drive signal to said rate signal, said torque signal, said position signal and said force scaling command signal; and

state detecting and parameter controlling means for accepting and processing according to a first sequence, said first torque signal, said first position signal, and said force scaling command signal, and providing a plurality of control parameter adjustment signals to adjust said adjustable control parameters to a plurality of values, said plurality of values having a relationship to said torque signal, said position signal and said force scaling command signal.

2. Active hand controller system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of control parameters include rate gain and position gain and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a rate gain adjustment signal and a position gain adjustment signal.

3. Active hand controller system of claim 2 wherein said plurality of parameters further includes loop gain and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a loop gain adjustment signal.

4. Active hand controller system of claim 3 wherein said plurality of control parameters further comprise proportional gain and integration and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a proportional gain and integration adjustment signal.

5. Active hand controller system of claim 4 wherein said plurality of parameters further comprise motor controller gain and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a motor controller gain adjustment signal.

6. Active hand controller system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second hand controller means connected to a second actuator means;

torque detecting means for providing a second torque signal from said second hand controller means;

position detecting means for providing a second position signal from said second actuator means; and

wherein said state detecting and parameter controlling means includes means for accepting and processing according to a second predetermined sequence said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals, and said force scaling command signal, and providing a second plurality of control parameter adjustment signals to adjust said adjustable control parameters to a second plurality of values, said second plurality of values having a relationship to said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals and said force scaling command signal.

7. Active hand controller system of claim 1 wherein said state detecting and parameter controlling means accepts analog control signals for said first torque signal and said first position signal, and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a plurality of analog control parameter adjustment signals.

8. Active hand controller system of claim 6 wherein said state detecting and controlling means accepts analog control signals for said first torque signal, said second torque signal, said first position signal and said second position signal and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a second plurality of analog control parameter adjustment signals.

9. In an active hand controller system of the type for use with a flight control computer providing a force scaling command, said active hand controller system having a first hand controller means connected to a first actuator means, a second hand controller means connected to a second actuator means, first torque detecting means for detecting torque at said first hand controller and providing a first torque signal, second torque detecting means for detecting torque at said second hand controller and providing a second torque signal, first position detecting means for detecting position at said first actuator and providing a first position signal, rate detecting means for detecting rate at said first actuator and providing a rate signal, processing and control means for accepting said first and second torque signals, said first position signal, said rate signal and said flight command signal and providing a drive signal to said first actuator, said processing and control means having a plurality of control parameters, said plurality of control parameters determining a relationship of said drive signal to said torque signals, said position signals, said rate signal and said force scaling command signal, the improvement comprising:

second position detecting means for detecting position at said second actuator and providing a second position signal,

said plurality of control parameters being adjustable, and;

state detecting and parameter controlling means for accepting and processing according to a first sequence, said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals, and said force scaling command signal, and providing a plurality of control parameter adjustment signals to adjust said adjustable control parameters to a plurality of values, said plurality of values having a relationship to said torque signals, said position signals and said force scaling command signal.

10. Active hand controller system of claim 9 wherein said plurality of control parameters include rate gain and position gain and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a rate gain adjustment signal and a position gain adjustment signal.

11. Active hand controller system of claim 10 wherein said plurality of parameters further comprise loop gain and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a loop gain adjustment signal.

12. Active hand controller system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of control parameters further comprise proportional gain and integration and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a proportional gain and integration adjustment signal.

13. Active hand controller system of claim 12 wherein said plurality of parameters further comprise motor controller gain and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a motor controller gain adjustment signal.

14. Active hand controller system of claim 9 wherein said state detecting and controlling means accepts analog control signals for said first torque signal, said second torque signal, said first position signal and said second position signal and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a second plurality of analog control parameter adjustment signals.

15. Active hand controller system of claim 13 wherein said state detecting and controlling means accepts analog control signals for said first torque signal, said second torque signal, said first position signal and said second position signal and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a second plurality of analog control parameter adjustment signals.

16. Active hand controller system of claim 9 wherein said state detecting and parameter controlling means comprises:

multiplexing means for receiving said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals and said force scaling command signal and providing a first output signal;

first conversion means connected to said multiplexing means for converting said first output signals into a first digital signal;

processor means including lookup means connected to said first conversion means for receiving said first digital signal and processing said first digital signal according to a predetermined control sequence to arrive at a second output signal;

second conversion means connected to said processor means for receiving said second output signal and converting said second signal into said plurality of parameter adjustment signals.

17. Active hand controller system of claim 13 wherein said state detecting and parameter controlling means comprises:

multiplexing means for receiving said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals and said force scaling command signal and providing a first output signal;

first conversion means connected to said multiplexing means for converting said first output signals into a first digital signal;

processor means including lookup means connected to said first conversion means for receiving said first digital signal and processing said first digital signal according to a predetermined control sequence to arrive at a second output signal;

second conversion means connected to said processor means for receiving said second output signal and converting said second signal into said plurality of parameter adjustment signals.

18. An active hand controller system for use with a flight control computer providing a force scaling command signal, said active hand controller system having a first hand controller means connected to a first actuator means, a second hand controller means connected to a second actuator means, comprising:

rate detecting means for providing a rate signal from said first actuator means;

torque detecting means for providing a first torque signal from said first hand controller means;

torque detecting means for providing a second torque signal from said second hand controller means;

position detecting means for providing a first position signal from said first actuator means;

position detecting means for providing a second position signal from said second actuator means;

processing and control means for accepting said rate signal, said first and second torque signals, said first position signal, and said force scaling command signal and providing a drive signal to said first actuator, said processing and control means including a plurality of parameters, each said parameter being adjustable to a value, said plurality of parameter values determining a relationship of said drive signal to said rate signal, said torque signals said position signal and said force command signal; and

state detecting and parameter controlling means for accepting and processing according to a first sequence, said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals, and said force scaling command signal, and providing a plurality of control parameter adjustment signals to adjust said adjustable control parameters to a plurality of values, said plurality of values having a relationship to said torque signals, said position signals and said force scaling command signal.

19. Active hand controller system of claim 18 wherein said plurality of control parameters include rate gain and position gain and said condition detecting and parameter controlling means provides a rate gain adjustment signal and a position gain adjustment signal.

20. Active hand controller system of claim 19 wherein said plurality of parameters further comprise loop gain and said condition detecting and parameter controlling means provides a loop gain adjustment signal.

21. Active hand controller system of claim 20 wherein said plurality of control parameters further comprise proportional gain and integration and said condition detecting and parameter controlling means provides a proportional gain and integration adjustment signal.

22. Active hand controller system of claim 21 wherein said plurality of parameters further comprise motor controller gain and said condition detecting and parameter controlling means provides a motor controller gain adjustment signal.

23. Active hand controller system of claim 18 wherein said state detecting and controlling means accepts analog control signals for said first torque signal, said second torque signal, said first position signal and said second position signal and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a second plurality of analog control parameter adjustment signals.

24. Active hand controller system of claim 22 wherein said state detecting and controlling means accepts analog control signals for said first torque signal, said second torque signal, said first position signal and said second position signal and said state detecting and parameter controlling means provides a second plurality of analog control parameter adjustment signals.

25. Active hand controller system of claim 18 wherein said condition detecting and parameter controlling means comprises:

multiplexing means for receiving said first and second torque signals, said first and second position signals and said force scaling command signal and providing a first output signal;

first conversion means connected to said multiplexing means for converting said first output signals into a first digital signal;

processor means including lookup means connected to said first conversion means for receiving said first digital signal and processing said first digital signal according to a predetermined control sequence to arrive at a second output signal;

second conversion means connected to said processor means for receiving said second output signal and converting said second signal into said plurality of parameter adjustment signals.