Takeoff/landing touchdown protection management system

• US 9,575,493 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Shue, Shyhpyng Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US15/168,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/16 actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2025/325 specially adapted for helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/001 Devices not provided for in the groups B64C25/02 - B64C25/68
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/34 wheeled type, e.g. multi-wheeled bogies
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/57 automatic or condition responsive, e.g. responsive to rotor speed, torque or thrust
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0669 specially adapted for vertical take-off
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

An air/ground contact logic management system for use with fly-by-wire control systems in an aircraft. The system includes a first sensor configured to provide an output signal to determine when the aircraft is in a transition region. A logic management system is in communication with the first sensor and is configured to receive and process the output signal and classify a mode of the aircraft. A controller receives signal data from the logic management system and communicates with a control axis actuator to regulate a level of control authority provided to a pilot. The control authority is individually regulated within each integrator as a result of the individual landing gear states.

Claims

1. A logic management system for determination of air/ground status of an aircraft, comprising:

a landing gear system, having;

a first landing gear, having at least a first sensor configured to provide an output signal of a condition of the first landing gear;

a second landing gear, having at least a first sensor configured to provide an output signal of a condition of the second landing gear; and

a third landing gear, having at least a first sensor configured to provide an output signal of a condition of the third landing gear;

a logic management system in communication with all of the first sensors, the logic management system being configured to receive and process the output signals and automatically classify a mode of the aircraft as being within a transition region wherein a portion of the aircraft contacts the ground; and

a controller in communication with the logic management system to receive signal data from the logic management system, the controller being in communication with a control axis actuator to regulate a level of control authority provided to a pilot based upon the mode of the aircraft in the transition region.

2. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 1, wherein the control authority is selectively adjusted by the controller as the aircraft proceeds through the transition region.

3. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor of the first landing gear is in communication with the first landing gear of the aircraft, the first landing gear having at least one state determined by an engagement force acting upon the first landing gear.

4. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 3, wherein the first sensor of the first landing gear is a weight-on-gear sensor.

5. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 3, wherein the first sensor of the first landing gear is a tire pressure monitor.

6. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 3, wherein the mode of the aircraft changes as a state of the landing gear system changes.

7. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 1, wherein the logic management system comprises:

a sensor logic configured to receive and process the output signal from the first sensor of the first landing gear and use a mathematical process to assign an integer value to the output signal; and

a score management logic in communication with the sensor logic to receive and process the integer value, the score management logic being configured to classify the mode of the aircraft.

8. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 7, wherein the mathematical process used by the sensor logic selectively assigns the integer value based upon the state of the first landing gear.

9. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a delay while the aircraft performs a landing maneuver, the delay being a time limit in which the controller retains selected integrators in a grounded mode.

10. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor.

11. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 10, wherein the second sensor is configured to operate as a secondary backup system in case of failure of the first sensor.

12. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 10, wherein the second sensor is a radar altimeter.

13. The air/ground contact logic management system of claim 1, wherein the controller and logic management system are configured to be incorporated into existing aircraft fly-by-wire control systems as a retrofit.

14. An aircraft comprising:

a landing gear coupled to the aircraft;

a fly-by-wire control system used to control the aircraft; and

an air/ground contact logic management system configured to communicate with the fly-by-wire control system to regulate control authority during selected maneuvers, the air/ground contact logic management system including;

a first sensor coupled to the landing gear and configured to transmit an output signal pertaining to a discrete landing gear state condition;

a second sensor configured to transmit an output signal pertaining to a landing gear engagement force condition;

a logic management system in communication with the first sensor and with the second sensor, being configured to receive and process the output signal of the first sensor and the output signal of the second sensor, and automatically classify a mode of the aircraft based upon the discrete landing gear state condition and the landing gear engagement force condition; and

a controller in communication with the logic management system to receive signal data from the logic management system, the controller being in communication with a control axis actuator to selectively regulate the level of control authority provided to a pilot based upon the mode of the aircraft in the transition region.

15. The aircraft of claim 14, wherein the logic management system is configured to classify the mode of the aircraft into at least one of an in flight mode, an air/ground transit mode, and an on ground mode.

16. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein the control authority is individually regulated with respect to the control axis actuator as a result of the individual landing gear states.

17. A computer-implemented method for regulating the control authority of an aircraft, the method being performed using one or more processing units, the method comprising:

receiving an output signal from at least one sensor, the sensor configured to detect contact between the aircraft and ground;

assigning an integer value to the output signal, the integer value being predetermined by a mathematical method programmed into a logic management system;

compiling the integer values from the at least one sensor into a total score;

transmitting the integer values and the total score to a score management logic;

determining a mode of the aircraft through the score management logic, the mode of the aircraft being based upon the total score;

classifying the mode of the aircraft automatically into at least one of an in flight mode, an air/ground transit mode, and an on ground mode; and

regulating an axial control actuator to adjust the control authority of a pilot, the axial control actuator being controlled through a controller in communication with the score management logic and existing fly-by-wire control laws in the aircraft;

wherein a range of the integer value is based upon the at least one sensor being in an in flight mode, an air/ground mode, or an on ground mode.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the output signal represents a state of a landing gear.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

calculating an engagement force acting upon the landing gear.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

applying a delay to the controller to retain control of selected axial control actuators when the aircraft is in a grounded mode.