Distributed flight control system
First Claim
1. A flight control system for an aircraft for controlling a plurality of actuators configured to actuate corresponding control surfaces of the aircraft, the system comprising:
- at least one communications bus;
at least one computer situated in an avionics bay of the aircraft, and configured to calculate flight commands and to transmit the calculated flight commands over said bus in the form of command messages;
at least a first remote terminal connected to said bus, configured to control a control surface actuator, to acquire a state of said control surface actuator from information provided by at least a first sensor coupled to the control surface actuator, to receive the command messages from the computer, to transmit electrical orders to said control surface actuator as a function of the received command messages, and to transmit messages to the computer, responsive to a first request of the computer, relating to the state of said control surface actuator as a function of the information provided by said first sensor; and
at least one second remote terminal connected to said bus, configured to acquire a state of a control surface from information provided by a second sensor coupled to the control surface, and to transmit messages to the computer, responsive to a second request of the computer, relating to the state of said control surface as a function of information provided by said second sensor,wherein each said at least one computer includes a first channel and a second channel, said second channel being configured to monitor operation of said first channel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flight control system for an aircraft, controlling a plurality of actuators adapted to actuate control surfaces of the aircraft, including: at least one communications bus; at least one computer situated in the avionics bay of the aircraft, and adapted to calculate flight commands and to transmit them over the bus in the form of command messages; and at least a first remote terminal connected to the bus, adapted to control a control surface actuator, and to acquire the state of the actuator from information provided by at least a first sensor, the first terminal receiving command messages from the computer and transmitting electrical orders to the actuator as a function of the command messages received in this way, and also transmitting messages to the computer, at its request, relating to the state of the actuator as a function of the information provided by the first sensor.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A flight control system for an aircraft for controlling a plurality of actuators configured to actuate corresponding control surfaces of the aircraft, the system comprising:
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at least one communications bus; at least one computer situated in an avionics bay of the aircraft, and configured to calculate flight commands and to transmit the calculated flight commands over said bus in the form of command messages; at least a first remote terminal connected to said bus, configured to control a control surface actuator, to acquire a state of said control surface actuator from information provided by at least a first sensor coupled to the control surface actuator, to receive the command messages from the computer, to transmit electrical orders to said control surface actuator as a function of the received command messages, and to transmit messages to the computer, responsive to a first request of the computer, relating to the state of said control surface actuator as a function of the information provided by said first sensor; and at least one second remote terminal connected to said bus, configured to acquire a state of a control surface from information provided by a second sensor coupled to the control surface, and to transmit messages to the computer, responsive to a second request of the computer, relating to the state of said control surface as a function of information provided by said second sensor, wherein each said at least one computer includes a first channel and a second channel, said second channel being configured to monitor operation of said first channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A flight control system for an aircraft for controlling a plurality of actuators configured to actuate corresponding control surfaces of the aircraft, the system comprising:
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at least one communications bus; at least one computer situated in an avionics bay of the aircraft, and configured to calculate flight commands and to transmit the calculated flight commands over said bus in the form of command messages; and at least a first remote terminal connected to said bus, configured to control a control surface actuator, to acquire a state of said control surface actuator from information provided by at least a first sensor coupled to the control surface actuator, to transmit electrical orders to said control surface actuator as a function of the received command messages, to transmit messages to the computer, responsive to a first request of the computer, relating to the state of the control surface actuator as a function of the information provided by said first sensor, wherein the first remote terminal is also configured to acquire a state of a control surface moved by said actuator from information provided by at least one second sensor coupled to the control surface, and to transmit messages to the computer, responsive to a second request of the computer, relating to the state of said control surface as a function of information provided by said second sensor, and each said at least one computer includes a first channel and a second channel, said second channel being configured to monitor operation of said first channel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification