Regulator or engine regulator, engine and a method for regulating an actuating or propulsion system and an engine

• US 6,480,780 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH (MTU)
• Original Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH (MTU)
• Inventors: Schwamm, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/720,847
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/48, 701/63, 701/84, 701/100, 701/102, 123/319, 123/352, 123/399, 123/478, 123/480
• US Class Current: 701/100
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/03 with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems

Abstract

A regulator or engine regulator having two regulator channels (20, 20′) which each have at least two processor units (22, 24 or 22′, 24′, respectively) is developed in that in each case one processor unit (for example 22, 22′) operates as a calculation unit for each safety-critical function in both regulator channels (20, 20′), in order to determine calculation results from at least some of the input data (E, E′), and in each case one other processor unit (for example 24, 24′) operates as a monitoring unit in order to compare the calculation results from the calculation unit firstly with its own estimate of the correct results and secondly with corresponding results from the respective other regulator channel (20′, 20). An engine and method for regulating an actuating or propulsion system, or an engine, have corresponding features. The invention improves the operational safety in particular of a two-channel regulator or an engine regulator with little complexity, and, in particular, allows reliable identification of malfunctions in one channel.

Claims

1. An engine regulator, comprising:

two regulator channels, each one of the two regulator channels including at least two processor units, wherein in each regulator channel;

one of the at least two processor units operates as a calculation unit for each safety-critical function in both of the two regulator channels in order to determine calculation results from at least some input data, and

another one of the at least two processor units operates as a monitoring unit in order to compare the calculation results from the calculation unit firstly with a channel-internal estimate of correct results and secondly with corresponding channel-external results from a respective other of the two regulator channels.

2. The engine regulator according to claim 1, wherein:

the engine regulator corresponds to an aeroengine.

3. The engine regulator according to claim 1, wherein:

each monitoring unit integrates errors determined in the comparisons and produces a fault signal if an integrated error value indicates a malfunction.

4. The engine regulator according to claim 3, wherein:

each monitoring unit allows the integrated error value to decay gradually if no further errors are determined in the comparisons.

5. The engine regulator according to claim 1, wherein:

each monitoring unit reacts to errors determined in the comparisons only if both the comparison with the estimate of the correct results and the comparison with the corresponding results from the respective other regulator channel indicate a malfunction.

6. The engine regulator according to claim 1, wherein:

the calculation results are checked and correspond to output data from each calculation unit.

7. The engine regulator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a nominal-value conditioning device for determining the input data from actual-value signals from sensors of an engine assembly to be regulated, and from nominal-value signals.

8. The engine regulator according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one channel selection unit for producing actuating signals for actuators for an engine assembly to be regulated, wherein;

the at least one channel selection unit excludes the calculation results identified as being faulty from influencing the actuating signals.

9. An engine, comprising:

an engine assembly; and

an engine regulator including;

two regulator channels, each one of the two regulator channels including at least two processor units, wherein in each regulator channel;

one of the at least two processor units operates as a calculation unit for each safety-critical function in both of the two regulator channels in order to determine calculation results from at least some input data, and

another one of the at least two processor units operates as a monitoring unit in order to compare the calculation results from the calculation unit firstly with a channel-internal estimate of correct results and secondly with corresponding channel-external results from a respective other of the two regulator channels.

10. The engine according to claim 9, wherein:

the engine corresponds to an aeroengine.

11. A method for regulating an engine that includes an engine regulator and two regulator channels, each regulator channel including at least two processor units, the method being performed for every safety-critical function in both regulator channels and comprising the steps of:

determining calculation results from at least some input data in accordance with in each case one of the at least two processor units operating as a calculation unit;

monitoring the calculation results of the calculation unit in accordance with in each case another one of the at least two processor units operating as a monitoring unit;

comparing the calculation results firstly with a channel-internal estimate of correct results and secondly with corresponding channel-external results from a respective other of the two regulator channels; and

evaluating errors determined in both comparisons in order to produce a fault signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein:

the engine corresponds to an aeroengine.

13. A regulator for safety-critical, very high reliability applications, comprising:

two regulator channels, each regulator channel including at least two processor units, wherein in each regulator channel;

one of the at least two processor units operates as a calculation unit for each safety-critical function in both regulator channels in order to determine calculation results from at least some input data, and

another one of the at least two processor units operates as a monitoring unit in order to compare the calculation results of the calculation unit firstly with a channel-internal estimate of correct results, and secondly with corresponding channel-external results from a respective other of the two regulator channels.

14. The regulator according to claim 13, wherein:

each monitoring unit integrates errors determined during the comparisons and produces a fault signal if an integrated error value indicates a malfunction.

15. The regulator according to claim 14, wherein:

each monitoring unit allows the integrated error value to decay gradually if no further errors are determined in the comparisons.

16. The regulator according to claim 13, wherein:

each monitoring unit reacts to errors determined in the comparisons only if both the comparison with the estimate of the correct results and the comparison with the corresponding results from the respective other regulator channel indicate a malfunction.

17. The regulator according to claim 13, wherein:

the calculation results are checked and correspond to output data from each calculation unit.

18. The regulator according to claim 13, further comprising:

a nominal-value conditioning device for determining the input data from actual-value signals from sensors of an engine assembly to be regulated, and from nominal-value signals.

19. The regulator according to claim 13, further comprising:

at least one channel selection unit for producing actuating signals for actuators for an engine assembly to be regulated, wherein;

the at least one channel selection unit excludes the calculation results identified as being faulty from influencing the actuating signals.

20. A method for regulating one of an actuating system and a propulsion system that includes an engine regulator and two regulator channels, each regulator channel including at least two processor units, the method being performed for every safety-critical function in both regulator channels and comprising the steps of:

determining calculation results from at least some input data in accordance with in each case one of the at least two processor units operating as a calculation unit;

monitoring the calculation results of the calculation unit in accordance with in each case another one of the at least two processor units operating as a monitoring unit;

comparing the calculation results firstly with a channel-internal estimate of correct results and secondly with corresponding channel-external results from a respective other of the two regulator channels; and

evaluating errors determined in both comparisons in order to produce a fault signal.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein:

the propulsion system corresponds to an aeroengine.