Universal multi-role aircraft protocol

• US 9,126,677 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sydney Robert Curtis
• Original Assignee: Sydney Robert Curtis
• Inventors: Curtis, Sydney Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US14/516,464
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 244/234, 244/220, 244/221, 244/224, 244/236, 244/225, 244/229, 701/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 13/04 for elevated railways with rigid rails B61C13/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/042 operated by hand
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/56 characterised by the control initiating means, e.g. manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/00 Aircraft capable of landing or taking-off vertically, e.g. vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] aircraft rotorcraft B64C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/0091 Accessories not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C

Abstract

The Curtis Protocol, an aircraft control interface, is provided. The Curtis Protocol standardizes the division and selection of aircraft flight regimes and flight modes within the selected flight regime.

Claims

1. An aircraft control system comprising:

an interface to provide an input representative of a first flight regime, the interface including a control mode selector having a rotary switch and a slide switch; and

a flight management system configured to receive the input and configure the aircraft for the first flight regime by modifying an exterior control surface of the aircraft; and

wherein the interface includes a lock that selectively permits the interface to provide a second input to the flight management system representative of a second flight regime.

2. The aircraft control system of claim 1, wherein the first flight regime is a forward flight regime and the second flight regime is a vertical flight regime.

3. The aircraft control system of claim 2, wherein the forward flight regime includes a forward takeoff mode, a forward climb transition mode, a forward cruise mode, a forward descent transition mode, and a forward landing mode.

4. The aircraft control system of claim 1, wherein the vertical flight regime includes a vertical takeoff mode, a vertical climb transition mode, a vertical descent transition mode, and a vertical landing mode.

5. The aircraft control system of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to provide nine inflight inputs to the flight management system, each of the inflight inputs being representative of a distinct flight mode.

6. The aircraft control system of claim 1, wherein the slide switch is positioned within a dial of the rotary switch.

7. The aircraft control system of claim 6, wherein the slide switch is a three position slide switch having a first position representative of the first flight regime, a second position representative of the second flight regime, and an intermediate position.

8. The aircraft control system of claim 2, further comprising a vertical velocity control, the vertical velocity control being accessible in the vertical flight regime and inaccessible in the forward flight regime.

9. The aircraft control system of claim 8, wherein the vertical velocity control includes a lever, such that a first directional movement of the lever increases vertical speed and a second directional movement of the lever decreases vertical airspeed.

10. The aircraft control system of claim 9, wherein the vertical velocity control lever includes a first lock position that relates to a first vertical speed.

11. A method for controlling a flight regime of a multirole aircraft in flight, comprising:

operating the aircraft in a first flight regime and first flight mode, the aircraft being configured by a flight management system that modifies an exterior control surface of the aircraft for the first flight mode in response to a first input from an interface including a control mode selector, the control mode selector having a rotary switch and a slide switch;

determining a first flight characteristic of the aircraft in the first flight mode;

permitting a second input from the interface representative of a second flight mode to configure the aircraft for the second flight mode in response to the second input if the first flight characteristic satisfies a condition such that the aircraft can safely transition from the first flight mode to the second flight mode; and

if the second input is permitted, operating the aircraft in the second flight mode, the aircraft being configured for the second flight mode in response to the second input.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first flight characteristic includes one of airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, engine thrust, load, and ambient temperature.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first flight regime is a forward flight regime.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first flight regime is a vertical flight regime and the flight management system receives a vertical speed input from a vertical velocity control lever to control a vertical speed of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising operating the aircraft in a second flight regime, the aircraft being configured for the second flight regime in response to transition input from the slide switch such that providing the transition input includes moving the slide switch from a first position representative of the first flight regime to a second position representative of the second flight regime.

16. An aircraft control system comprising:

an interface including a control mode selector to provide an input to configure the aircraft for a selected flight regime, the control mode selector including a rotary switch and a three position slide switch;

a flight management system to receive the input and configure the aircraft for the selected flight regime by modifying an exterior control surface of the aircraft; and

a vertical velocity control lever to provide a vertical speed input to the flight management system to control a vertical speed of the aircraft.

17. The aircraft interface of claim 16, further comprising a rotary switch lock configured to receive a lock input from the flight management system to engage or disengage the lock, such that the lock is engaged to prevent a change in the control mode selector input, the control mode selector being configured to provide a vertical takeoff input, a vertical climb transition input, a cruise input, a vertical transition descent input, a forward take off input, a forward climb transition input, a forward cruise input, and a forward descent transition input.

18. The aircraft interface of claim 16, wherein the vertical velocity control lever is accessible in a vertical flight regime and inaccessible in a forward flight regime.

19. The aircraft interface of claim 18, wherein the lock input corresponds to a flight characteristic of the aircraft, such that the lock is disengaged if the flight characteristic satisfies a condition that the aircraft can safely transition from the selected flight mode to a second flight mode.