Method of managing a turning movement of an aircraft taxiing on the ground

• US 9,134,730 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Landing Systems
• Original Assignee: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty
• Inventors: Lemay, David, Frank, David, Basset, Michel, Chamaillard, Yann
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torchinsky, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/099,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/91, 244/50, 244/100.R, 244/103.R, 180/55, 180/168, 180/301, 180/307, 180/342, 318/587
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/405 Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0083 to help an aircraft pilot in the rolling phase
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

The invention relates to a management method for managing a turning movement of an aircraft taxiing on the ground, the aircraft having wheels each fitted with an independent drive device, in which method commands are generated for the independent drive devices so that at least some of those devices contribute to the turning movement. According to the invention, the method comprises the steps of:

• • estimating at each instant during the turning movement:
    • an instantaneous total power developed by all of the independent drive devices in response to the commands; and
    • an instantaneous mean angular acceleration for all of the wheels; and
  • adapting the commands to the independent drive devices such that the total instantaneous power developed by all of the independent drive devices is minimized, while conserving the mean angular acceleration.

Claims

1. A management method for managing a turning movement of an aircraft taxiing on the ground, the aircraft having wheels each fitted with an independent drive device, in which method commands are generated for the independent drive devices by a management member so that at least some of those devices contribute to the turning movement, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

estimating at each instant during the turning movement;

by a calculation member, an instantaneous total power developed by all of the independent drive devices in response to the method commands; and

by a calculation member, an instantaneous mean angular acceleration for all of the wheels; and

adapting the commands to the independent drive devices by the management member such that the total instantaneous power developed by all of the independent drive devices is minimized, while conserving the mean angular acceleration.

2. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the instantaneous total power is estimated from a mechanical power delivered by each of the independent drive device to the wheel with which it is associated.

3. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the instantaneous total power is estimated from a mechanical torque delivered by each of the independent drive device to the wheel with which it is associated.

4. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the instantaneous total power is estimated from a power consumed by each of the independent drive device.

5. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the instantaneous total power is estimated from an electric current consumed by each of the independent drive device.