Air active control aircraft using three dimensional true airspeed detection system

• US 5,797,105 A
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Aerospace Laboratory of Science and Technology Agency
• Original Assignee: National Aerospace Laboratory of Science and Technology Agency
• Inventors: Suzuki, Seizo, Okamoto, Osamu, Sasa, Shuichi, Nakaya, Teruomi, Kuwano, Naoaki, Nakayasu, Hidehiko, Sagisaka, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/975,110
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/4, 701/7, 701/10, 701/6, 701/121, 701/15, 701/16, 244/177, 244/180, 244/181, 244/182, 73/178 R, 73/178 T, 73/180, 73/182, 73/861.66
• US Class Current: 701/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/025 indicating air data, i.e. flight variables of an aircraft, e.g. angle of attack, side slip, shear, yaw
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/165 Arrangements or constructions of Pitot tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0638 by combined action on the pitch and on the motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0816 to ensure stability

Abstract

An air active control aircraft having an air three-dimensional true airspeed detection system composed of an air data sensor probe in the form of a truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe and an air flight velocity operation processor for calculating an air flight velocity vector from three-dimensional air pressure information detected by the air data sensor probe, airframe motion detection sensors for detecting an airframe motion, and an on-board control computer for generating a flight control law. The on-board control computer inputs an air flight velocity vector signal obtained from the air flight velocity vector device into a control-surface control system in parallel with airframe motion detection sensor signals, and presumes a flight motion induced by a change in air to generate the flight control law for quickly carrying out air flight stability control.

Claims

1. An air active control aircraft comprising:

a three-dimensional true airspeed detection system including an air data sensor probe consisting of a truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe and an air flight velocity operation processor for generating an air flight velocity vector signal from air pressure information detected in the three dimensions by said air data sensor probe;

airframe motion detection sensors for detecting motion of an airframe; and

an on-board control computer for generating a flight control logic,

wherein said on-board control computer inputs said air flight velocity vector signal generated from said air flight velocity operation processor into a control-surface control system along with parallel inputs of airframe motion detection sensor signals generated from said airframe motion detection sensors to generate said flight control logic for carrying out the three-dimensional air flight stability control,

wherein said on-board control computer stores airframe data obtained by a wind tunnel test, aerodynamic data and engine data to form a data base, selects data of said data base by inference, table look-up and interpolation for every flight configuration of takeoff, cruising and landing based on said air flight velocity vector signal and said airframe motion detection sensor signals, and generates said flight control logic.

2. The air active control aircraft according to claim 1, wherein said air active control aircraft is an active control aircraft with an engine, in which said air flight velocity vector signal is taken into an engine control system for making an engine thrust adjustment in parallel with said airframe motion detection sensor signals.

3. The air active control aircraft according to claim 1, wherein said air active control aircraft is an active control aircraft without an engine, in which the air flight stabilization control is carried out only by control-surface control.

4. The air active control aircraft according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe projects from the extreme end of the airframe.

5. The air active control aircraft according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe forms a nose portion of a supersonic airframe.

6. An air control aircraft comprising:

a three-dimensional true airspeed detection system including an air data sensor probe consisting of a truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe and an air flight velocity operation processor for generating an air flight velocity vector signal from air pressure information detected in the three dimensions by said air data sensor probe;

airframe motion detection sensors for detecting motion of an airframe; and

an on-board control computer for generating a flight control logic,

wherein said on-board control computer inputs said air flight velocity vector signal generated from said air flight velocity operation processor into a control-surface control system along with parallel inputs of airframe motion detection sensor signals generated from said airframe motion detection sensors to generate said flight control logic for carrying out the three-dimensional air flight stability control,

wherein said air flight velocity vector signal and said airframe motion detection sensor signals are input in parallel into a control surface control closed loop system and an engine control closed loop system, and wherein feedback control and feedforward control are used together in both said closed loop systems, and a ratio of utilization between said feedback control and said feed forward control is varied according to the circumstances of flight.

7. An air active control aircraft comprising,

a three-dimensional true airspeed detection system including an air data sensor probe consisting of a truncated pyramid-shape Pitot probe and an air flight velocity operation processor for generating an air flight velocity vector signal from air pressure information detected in the three dimensions by said air data sensor probe;

airframe motion detection sensors for detecting motion of an airframe; and

an on-hoard control computer for generating a flight control logic,

wherein said on-board control computer inputs said air flight velocity vector signal generated from said air flight velocity operation processor into a control-surface control system along with parallel inputs of airframe motion detection sensor signals generated from said airframe motion detection sensors to generate said flight control logic for carrying out the three-dimensional air flight stability control,

wherein said air flight velocity vector signal and said airframe motion detection sensor signals are input in parallel into a control surface control closed loop system and an engine control closed loop system, said air flight velocity vector signal and said airframe motion detection sensor signals are brought into engagement with each other, and an engaging ratio between said air flight velocity vector signal and said airframe motion detection sensor signals is varied to generate a control law.