Methods and apparatus of notification of a flight asymmetry influencing an aircraft

• US 9,789,952 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fong, Dickson, Ludtke, II, Frederick Emil
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): JHA, ABDHESH K
• Application Number:
  US13/922,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20150197329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/18 using automatic pilot
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0816 to ensure stability
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0833 using limited authority control

Abstract

Methods and apparatus of notification of a flight asymmetry influencing an aircraft are disclosed herein. An example method includes monitoring a roll characteristic of an aircraft and determining an output of an autopilot system of the aircraft to control the roll characteristic. The example method further includes generating an alert based on the output and an authority of the autopilot system to control the roll characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a pilot of an aircraft of a flight asymmetry influencing the aircraft, the method comprising:

monitoring a roll characteristic of the aircraft;

determining an output of an autopilot system of the aircraft to control the roll characteristic;

determining an amount of authority utilized by the autopilot system to control the roll characteristic;

determining whether the aircraft is influenced by a first condition based on the output and the amount of authority, the first condition indicative of the flight asymmetry;

detecting a second condition of at least one of the autopilot system or the aircraft, the second condition different from the first condition;

determining whether the second condition indicates a presence or an absence of a predetermined condition for the at least one of the autopilot system or the aircraft;

when the second condition indicates the presence or the absence of the predetermined condition, enabling communication of an instruction to generate an alert;

communicating the instruction to generate the alert when (1) the aircraft is influenced by the first condition and (2) communication of the instruction to generate the alert is enabled based on the second condition; and

generating the alert based on the instruction, the alert including a graphic to be displayed via a cockpit display, the graphic indicating one or more of a correction the pilot of the aircraft is to take or a direction in which the pilot is to rotate a yoke of the aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the roll characteristic of the aircraft is selected from the group consisting of roll attitude, roll rate, direction of roll, and change of heading.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the roll characteristic is roll attitude and generating the alert comprises generating the alert while the authority of the autopilot system is unsaturated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the roll characteristic comprises determining a roll rate of the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the roll characteristic comprises determining a direction of roll of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the output comprises determining a position of a yoke of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the alert comprises generating a first alert if the autopilot system utilizes at least a predetermined amount of the authority for a predetermined amount of time to provide the output.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the alert comprises generating a first alert if the aircraft rolls a predetermined amount.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition includes an operational mode of the autopilot system, a heading of the aircraft, a thrust output of an engine of the aircraft, an altitude of the aircraft, or a deployment of landing gear of the aircraft within a predetermined amount of time.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is an operational mode of the autopilot system and further comprising:

detecting the condition of the autopilot system as being in a landing mode; and

refraining from enabling communication of the instruction to generate the alert based on the detection of the autopilot system as being in the landing mode.

9. A method for alerting a pilot of an aircraft of a flight asymmetry influencing the aircraft, the method comprising:

determining a flight characteristic of the aircraft;

determining output of an autopilot system of the aircraft to control the flight characteristic;

determining an amount of roll authority utilized by the autopilot system of the aircraft;

determining whether the aircraft is influenced by a first condition based on the output and the amount of authority, the first condition indicative of the flight asymmetry;

detecting a second condition of at least one of the autopilot system or the aircraft, the second condition different from the first condition;

determining whether the second condition indicates a presence or an absence of a predetermined condition for the at least one of the autopilot system or the aircraft;

when the second condition indicates the presence or the absence of the predetermined condition, enabling communication of an instruction to generate an alert;

communicating the instruction to generate the alert when (1) the aircraft is influenced by the first condition and (2) communication of the instruction to generate the alert is enabled based on the second condition; and

generating the alert based on the instruction, the alert including a graphic to be displayed via a cockpit display, the graphic indicating one or more of a correction the pilot of the aircraft is to take or a direction in which the pilot is to rotate a yoke of the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the flight characteristic comprises determining a roll rate of the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the flight characteristic comprises determining a roll attitude of the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the amount of roll authority comprises determining a yoke position commanded via the autopilot system.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the flight characteristic comprises determining if the aircraft is flying substantially straight.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the alert comprises communicating an instruction to output an audible alert.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined condition includes an operational mode of the autopilot system, a heading of the aircraft, a thrust output of an engine of the aircraft, an altitude of the aircraft, or a deployment of landing gear of the aircraft within a predetermined amount of time.

15. A method for alerting a pilot of an aircraft of a flight asymmetry influencing the aircraft, the method comprising:

determining an amount of roll authority utilized by an autopilot system of the aircraft to provide an output;

monitoring a flight characteristic of the aircraft;

monitoring the output to control the flight characteristic;

determining whether the aircraft is influenced by a first condition based on the output and the amount of roll authority, the first condition indicative of the flight asymmetry;

detecting a second condition of at least one of the autopilot system or the aircraft, the second condition different from the first condition;

determining whether the second condition indicates a presence or an absence of a predetermined condition for the at least one of the autopilot system or the aircraft;

when the second condition indicates the presence or the absence of the predetermined condition, enabling communication of an instruction to generate an alert;

communicating the instruction to generate the alert when (1) the aircraft is influenced by the first condition and (2) communication of the instruction to generate the alert is enabled based on the second condition; and

generating the alert based on the instruction, the alert including a graphic to be displayed via a cockpit display, the graphic indicating one or more of a correction the pilot of the aircraft is to take or a direction in which the pilot is to rotate a yoke of the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the amount of roll authority utilized by the autopilot system to provide the output comprises determining a degree of rotation of a yoke of the aircraft relative to a pilot commanded position of the yoke.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the aircraft is influenced by the first condition comprises determining if the aircraft is rolling in an uncommanded direction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein generating the alert comprises generating a first alert and a second alert, the first alert and the second alert to cooperate to indicate a pilot action.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein generating the alert comprises generating the alert after a roll authority of the autopilot system is saturated.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined condition includes an operational mode of the autopilot system, a heading of the aircraft, a thrust output of an engine of the aircraft, an altitude of the aircraft, or a deployment of landing gear of the aircraft within a predetermined amount of time.