Parachute control system and method for an aircraft

• US 9,145,212 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2015
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Hubsan Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Hubsan Intelligent Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhou, Qiangwu, Wei, Jiajia
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Badawi, Medhat
• Application Number:
  US14/606,285
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/00 Parachutes non canopied parachutes B64D19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/343 by reefing means
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 17/80 in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a parachute control system for an aircraft which comprises a sensor device, a first control device, a second control device and a drive device. The sensor device is configured for sensing flight states of the aircraft, for converting the flight states to a sensor signal, and for transmitting the sensor signal to the first control device. The first control device is electrically connected to the sensor device for receiving the sensor signal, and is configured for judging whether the aircraft is in a normal flight state based on the sensor signal. If the aircraft is in an abnormal flight state, the first control device is configured to control the parachute to open and to terminate the operation of the aircraft. The present disclosure also provides a parachute control method for an aircraft. The disclosed parachute control system and method automatically control the parachute to open and terminate the operation of the aircraft when the aircraft is in an abnormal flight state, ensuring that the aircraft may descend at a slow pace when the aircraft encounters any operation issues and preventing any damage or loss of the aircraft.

Claims

1. A parachute control system for an aircraft to control opening of a parachute of the aircraft, wherein the aircraft comprises an aircraft body and the parachute mounted on the aircraft body;

wherein the parachute control system for an aircraft comprises a sensor device, a first control device, a second control device and a drive device;

wherein the sensor device is provided within the parachute, and is configured for sensing flight states of the aircraft, for converting the flight states to a sensor signal, and for transmitting the sensor signal to the first control device;

wherein the first control device is provided within the parachute, and the first control device is electrically connected to the sensor device for receiving the sensor signal, and is configured for judging whether the aircraft is in a normal flight state based on the sensor signal;

when the aircraft is in an abnormal flight state, the first control device is configured to convert the sensor signal into a first control signal and a second control signal, to transmit the first control signal to the drive device, and to transmit the second control signal to the second control device;

wherein the drive device is provided within the parachute, and is electrically connected to the first control device and the parachute, and is configured for receiving the first control signal and for driving the parachute to open in accordance with the first control signal; and

wherein the second control device is provided within the aircraft body, is electrically connected to the first control device, and is configured for receiving the second control signal, and for controlling the termination of operation of the aircraft body in accordance with the second control signal.

2. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a gyroscope, which is electrically connected to the first control device and is configured for sensing a flight inclination angle of the aircraft.

3. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 2, wherein the first control device is configured for confirming that the aircraft is in the abnormal flight state when the flight inclination angle is greater than a predetermined angle.

4. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device further comprises a GPS signal detector;

wherein the GPS signal detector is electrically connected to the first control device, and is configured for detecting a time interval of the aircraft to receive GPS signals.

5. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 4, wherein the first control device is further configured for confirming that the aircraft is in the abnormal flight state when the time interval is greater than a predetermined value of time interval.

6. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device further comprises a detector for remaining battery power;

wherein the detector for remaining battery power is electrically connected to the first control device, and is configured for detecting the remaining battery power of the aircraft.

7. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 6, wherein the first control device is further configured for confirming that the aircraft is in the abnormal flight state when the remaining battery power is less than a predetermined value of battery power.

8. The parachute control system for the aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the parachute control system for the aircraft further comprises a remote controller;

wherein the remote controller is configured for receiving a control command triggered by a user, and is configured for transmitting a remote control signal to the second control device in accordance with the control command;

wherein the remote control signal is configured for terminating operation of the aircraft through the second control device in accordance with the remote control signal;

wherein the remote control signal is configured to be converted into a third control signal and the third control signal is configured to be transmitted to the first control device;

wherein the first control device is configured to convert the third control signal into a fourth control signal, and to transmit the fourth control signal to the drive device; and

the drive device is configured to drive the parachute to open in accordance with the fourth control signal.

9. A parachute control method for an aircraft for controlling opening of a parachute;

wherein the aircraft comprises an aircraft body and the parachute mounted on the aircraft body;

wherein the parachute control method comprises;

sensing a flight state of the aircraft through a sensor device in a parachute control system for the aircraft, wherein the sensor device is provided within the parachute;

converting the flight state of the aircraft to a sensor signal and transmitting the sensor signal to a first control device of the parachute control system, wherein the first control device is provided within the parachute;

judging whether the aircraft is in a normal flight state through the first control device based on the sensor signal;

when the aircraft is in an abnormal flight state, converting the sensor signal into a first control signal and a second control signal through the first control device, transmitting the first control signal to a drive device in the parachute control system, and transmitting the second control signal to a second control device in the parachute control system;

controlling the parachute to open through the drive device in accordance with the first control signal, and controlling the termination of operation of the aircraft through the second control device in accordance with the second control signal.

10. The parachute control method for the aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the flight state comprises a flight inclination angle;

wherein sensing flight state of the aircraft by the sensor device comprises;

sensing the flight inclination angle of the aircraft by a gyroscope.

11. The parachute control method for the aircraft according to claim 10, wherein judging whether the aircraft is in the normal flight state comprises:

when the flight inclination angle is greater than a predetermined angle, confirming that the aircraft is in the abnormal flight state through the first control device.

12. The parachute control method for the aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the flight state comprises a time interval of the aircraft to receive GPS signals;

wherein sensing the flight state of the aircraft by the sensor device comprises;

sensing the time interval of the aircraft to receive GPS signals through a GPS signal detector.

13. The parachute control method for the aircraft according to claim 12, wherein judging whether the aircraft is in the normal flight state comprises:

when the time interval is greater than a predetermined value of the time interval, confirming that the aircraft is in the abnormal flight state through the first control device.

14. The parachute control method the aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the aircraft flight state comprises a remaining battery power of the aircraft;

wherein sensing the flight state of the aircraft by the sensor device comprises;

detecting the remaining battery power of the aircraft by a detector for remaining battery power.

15. The parachute control method for the aircraft according to claim 14, wherein judging whether the aircraft is in the normal flight state comprises:

when the remaining battery power of the aircraft is less than a predetermined value of battery power, confirming that the aircraft is in the abnormal flight state through the first control device.

16. The parachute control method for the aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the parachute control method further comprises:

receiving a control command from a remote controller triggered by a user, and transmitting a remote control signal to the second control device in accordance with the control command;

terminating operation of the aircraft through the second control device in accordance with the remote control signal, converting the remote control signal into a third control signal and transmitting the third control signal to the first control device;

converting the third control signal into a fourth control signal through the first control device, and transmitting the fourth control signal to the drive device; and

driving the parachute to open through the drive device.