Brake control initiation using tire runway friction map data

• US 9,428,161 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Metzger, Richard Paul Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US14/084,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20150142217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/12 Friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1703 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1763 responsive to the coefficient of friction between the wheels and the ground surface B60T8/1764 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17636 Microprocessor-based systems
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/42 Arrangement or adaptation of brakes

Abstract

In various embodiments, a method for utilizing a determined coefficient of friction along a portion of a runway is disclosed. The method may include receiving, by a brake control unit, friction estimation map data for a specific runway. The method may include setting, by the brake control unit, a condition of the braking control algorithm based on the received friction estimation map data. The method may include initiating, by the brake control unit, a brake control system to slow a wheel of an aircraft based on the braking control algorithm.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with a processor configured to utilize coefficient of friction data along a portion of a runway, the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

transmitting, by the processor, friction estimation map data for the runway to a receiver coupled to a brake control unit of an aircraft by wireless communication,

wherein the friction estimation map data comprises a measured coefficient of friction mapped to different locations on the runway,

wherein the brake control unit of the aircraft sets a condition of the brake control unit based on the received friction estimation map data, and

wherein the brake control unit initiates a brake control system to slow a wheel of the aircraft based partially on the calculations of the brake control unit,

wherein the condition of the brake control unit updates the brake control system based on the friction estimation map data associated with a position of the aircraft in substantially real time.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising determining the position of the aircraft along the runway.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising determining a position of the wheel of the aircraft on the runway.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising updating the brake control unit based on a substantially real-time position of the wheel along the runway.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising receiving coefficient of friction data along the portion of the runway data to update the friction estimation map data based on a braking associated with the initiation of the brake control system to slow the wheel of the aircraft.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the method is utilized during at least one of a rejected take off and a landing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

runway average friction estimation map data is used to calculate initial conditions for the brake control unit, and

aircraft wheel position with specific position friction estimation map data is used to calculate initial conditions for the brake control unit.

8. A method of utilizing coefficient of friction data along a portion of a runway comprising:

receiving, by a brake control unit, friction estimation map data for the runway from a central friction map processor by wireless communication;

measuring, by the brake control unit, a position of an aircraft on the runway;

setting, by the brake control unit, a condition of the brake control unit based on the friction estimation map data received from the central friction map processor and the position of the aircraft on the runway, wherein the friction estimation map data comprises a measured coefficient of friction mapped to different locations on the runway;

initiating, by the brake control unit, a brake control system to slow a wheel of the aircraft based on a calculation of the brake control unit; and

updating, by the brake control unit, the condition of the brake control unit based on the friction estimation map data associated with a position of the aircraft in substantially real time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a position of the wheel of the aircraft on the runway.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that an active link to a determined friction estimation map data source exists.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the brake control unit based on a substantially real-time position of the wheel along the runway.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is utilized during at least one of a rejected take off and during a landing.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is utilized on at least one of a taxiway and on the runway.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, by the brake control unit, a coefficient of friction along the portion of the runway;

transmitting, by the brake control unit, the coefficient of friction to the central friction map processor to update the friction estimation map data based on a braking associated with the initiation of the brake control system to slow the wheel of the aircraft.