Method and apparatus for aircraft sensor and actuator failure protection using reconfigurable flight control laws
First Claim
1. A reconfigurable flight control system for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft during a failure, the aircraft having flight control actuators and sensors, the reconfigurable flight control system comprising:
- a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix;
a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator, the reconfiguration management tool comprising;
a risk factor tool for calculating a risk factor, the risk factor being used for determining whether reconfiguration is necessary;
wherein the risk factor is an empirical representation of a control authority of the aircraft, such that a degradation in the control authority effects the risk factor; and
a sensor management tool for providing input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during reconfiguration;
wherein the mixing/mapping matrix is configured to dictate the use of a differentiate collective power and a left and right aircraft flap differential, in order to achieve an aircraft yawing control of the aircraft.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft during a failure while the aircraft is flying. The method and apparatus provide a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix. The method and apparatus also provide a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator. The method and apparatus also provide a sensor management tool for providing input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during reconfiguration. The method and apparatus provide for a way of smoothing any possible transient situation that might otherwise occur by employment of a fader, the fader being used to gradually convert positioning of failed actuators and positioning of reconfigured actuators. An exemplary aircraft for using the method and apparatus of a reconfigurable flight control system is a quad tilt rotor. The quad tilt rotor provides a variety of redundant and back-actuators, as such, having a robust and highly qualified reconfigurable flight control system is very desirable.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A reconfigurable flight control system for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft during a failure, the aircraft having flight control actuators and sensors, the reconfigurable flight control system comprising:
-
a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix; a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator, the reconfiguration management tool comprising; a risk factor tool for calculating a risk factor, the risk factor being used for determining whether reconfiguration is necessary; wherein the risk factor is an empirical representation of a control authority of the aircraft, such that a degradation in the control authority effects the risk factor; and a sensor management tool for providing input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during reconfiguration; wherein the mixing/mapping matrix is configured to dictate the use of a differentiate collective power and a left and right aircraft flap differential, in order to achieve an aircraft yawing control of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A reconfigurable flight control system for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft in response to a failure, the aircraft having flight control actuators and sensors, the reconfigurable flight control system comprising:
-
a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix; a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator, the reconfiguration management tool comprising; a risk factor tool for calculating a risk factor, the risk factor being used for determining whether reconfiguration is necessary; wherein the risk factor is an empirical representation of a control authority of the aircraft, such that a degradation in the control authority effects the risk factor; and a sensor management tool for providing input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during the reconfiguring flight control of the aircraft in response to the failure; wherein the mixing/mapping matrix is configured to mix the usage of the flight control actuators in response to a failing of the failed actuator by employing a first independent actuator system at a first percentage and employing a second independent actuator system at a second percentage, such that the combination of the first independent actuator system and the second independent actuator system produces a differential thrust. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of automatically reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft, comprising:
-
detecting a failure of a yaw control actuator; determining whether reconfiguration is necessary based upon a risk factor; seamlessly transferring flight control authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator; configuring a back-up actuator to generate differential thrust for yaw control; and managing the transfer of flight control authority to a back-up actuator with a sensor management tool so as to smooth any transient conditions that may otherwise occur. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
Specification