ROLL ATTITUDE-DEPENDENT ROLL RATE LIMIT

• US 20170075350A1
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Grubb, David W., Morel, Mark R., Wilson, Douglas L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,651,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/16 actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2009/005 Ailerons
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/00 Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0083 to help an aircraft pilot in the rolling phase
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0816 to ensure stability
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0833 using limited authority control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a roll attitude dependent roll rate limit that may limit an aircraft to a lower roll rate limit under normal flight conditions. The systems and methods may detect situations where a higher roll rate limit may be desirable and allow the aircraft to exceed the lower roll rate limit, to either a higher roll rate limit or a roll rate between the lower and higher roll rate limit.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one bank angle sensor configured to output bank angle data;

at least one roll rate sensor configured to output roll rate data; and

a controller communicatively connected to the at least one bank angle sensor and the at least one roll rate sensor and configured to;

determine a vehicle dynamic characteristic with, at least, the bank angle data;

determine a current roll rate of the vehicle from, at least, the roll rate data;

determine if the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within a first dynamic range and then limit allowable roll rate to a first roll rate limit;

determine if the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within a second dynamic range and then limit allowable roll rate to a second roll rate limit; and

determine if the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within a transition dynamic range between the first dynamic range and the second dynamic range, determine a calculated roll rate limit, and then limit allowable roll rate to the calculated roll rate limit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculated roll rate limit has a value between the first roll rate limit and the second roll rate limit.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one speed sensor configured to output speed data, wherein the controller is communicatively connected to the at least one speed sensor and further configured to determine the vehicle dynamic characteristic with, at least, the speed data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within the second dynamic range when the speed sensor data indicates that a vehicle speed is below a vehicle speed threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one pitch attitude sensor configured to output pitch attitude data, wherein the controller is communicatively connected to the at least one pitch attitude sensor and further configured to determine the vehicle dynamic characteristic with, at least, the pitch attitude data.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one altitude sensor configured to output altitude data, wherein the controller is communicatively connected to the at least one altitude sensor and further configured to determine that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within the second dynamic range when the altitude data indicates that a vehicle altitude is below an altitude threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one wing with a moveable control surface, wherein the controller is further configured to detect a moveable control surface configuration and determine the vehicle dynamic characteristic with, at least, the moveable control surface configuration.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one wing with a moveable control surface, wherein the controller is configured to limit the allowable roll rate by limiting a degree of travel of the moveable control surface, wherein the moveable control surface is an aileron, flaperon, spoiler, flap, slat, elevator, or rudder.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to limit the degree of travel of the moveable control surface responsive to the current roll rate of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one speed sensor configured to output speed data, at least one altitude sensor configured to output altitude data, and at least one wing with a moveable control surface, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the vehicle dynamic characteristic with, at least, the speed data, the altitude data, and a detected moveable control surface configuration.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one speed sensor, pitch sensor, altitude sensor, and/or moveable control surface configuration sensor, wherein controller is further configured to determine if the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within the first dynamic range and/or the second dynamic range from data outputted by the at least one speed sensor, pitch sensor, altitude sensor, and/or moveable control surface configuration sensor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle dynamic characteristic is calculated from the bank angle data, the first dynamic range comprises a bank angle of 55 degrees or less, and the second dynamic range comprises a bank angle of 75 degrees or more.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first roll rate limit is a roll rate of 17 degrees per second and the second roll rate limit is a roll rate of 22 degrees per second.

14. An aircraft including the system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft comprises:

a fuselage; and

a wing with a moveable control surface and/or an engine.

15. A method comprising:

determining a vehicle dynamic characteristic;

determining that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is outside of a first dynamic range associated with a first roll rate limit; and

limiting allowable roll rate to a rate different from the first roll rate limit.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within a second dynamic range associated with a second roll rate limit different from the first roll rate limit; and

limiting allowable roll rate to the second roll rate limit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle dynamic characteristic is calculated from a bank angle of a vehicle and the method further comprises:

determining that the bank angle of the vehicle is above a bank angle threshold; and

determining, responsive to determining that the bank angle of the vehicle is above the bank angle threshold, that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within the second dynamic range.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the bank angle threshold is a bank angle of 75 degrees or more.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining that a speed of a vehicle is below a speed threshold; and

determining, responsive to determining that the speed of the vehicle is below the speed threshold, that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within the second dynamic range.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining that an altitude of a vehicle is below an altitude threshold; and

determining, responsive to determining that the altitude of the vehicle is below the altitude threshold, that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within the second dynamic range.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the vehicle dynamic characteristic is within a transition dynamic range between the first dynamic range and the second dynamic range;

calculating a calculated roll rate limit; and

limiting allowable roll rate to the calculated roll rate limit.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a roll rate of a vehicle greater than the first roll rate amount; and

inspecting, responsive to detecting the roll rate of the vehicle greater than the first roll rate amount, at least a portion of the vehicle.

23. An aircraft configured to perform the method of claim 15.

24. A computer readable medium with code configured to perform the method of claim 15.