# US 11,299,285 B2 · Systems and methods for providing throttle guidance as a function of flight path acceleration > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,285 B2 - Document ID: US11299285B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/672,105 - Filed: 2019-11-01 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-20 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Luis Melendez; Philip Sin; John Koenig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299285B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/0607: {specially adapted for aircraft} - B64D 31/06: actuated automatically - B64F 5/60: Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Technologically improved vehicle control systems and methods are described. The provided vehicle control systems and methods embody an inner loop auto-throttle control for causing delta-throttle changes, i.e., servo changes, to achieve desired acceleration targets. The system generates an error on a potential flight path angle using a received thrust acceleration command. The error on the potential flight path angle is converted into an equivalent acceleration. A throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd is generated by converting the equivalent acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A processor-implemented method for providing throttle rate control, comprising: receiving aircraft constraints; receiving a potential flight path angle command, PFPAcmd, which is a function of a flight path acceleration; receiving a throttle level angle (TLA), which is a real time (RT) throttle setting; receiving a RT thrust (T) setting; using the potential flight path angle command, PFPAcmd to generate an error on a potential flight path angle; converting the error on the potential flight path angle into an equivalent flight path acceleration; generating a throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by converting the equivalent flight path acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd; detecting a change in real time settings for one or more of flaps, gear handles, bank angle, and flight director commands; estimating a delta drag as a function of the change; determining a first adjustment to acceleration required to compensate for the delta drag, responsive to estimating the delta drag; and generating the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by further adding the first adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The processor-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring a difference between RT thrust (Tactual) and a target thrust (Ttarget); determining a second adjustment to acceleration that is a function of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget; and generating the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by further adding the second adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The processor-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: employing a spool function that modifies a magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget,; and wherein the second adjustment is a function of the magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget, modified by the spool function. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The processor-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: employing a spool threshold; and wherein, when a magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget exceeds the spool threshold, the second adjustment is a threshold compensation term. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The processor-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising: generating the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by referencing engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The processor-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising: generating the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by referencing engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command. ### Claim 7 A system for providing throttle rate control, comprising: a source of aircraft state data; a source of aircraft constraints; a source of a potential flight path angle command, PFPAcmd, which is a function of a flight path acceleration; a source of a real time (RT) throttle level angle (TLA) that is a throttle setting; a source of a RT thrust (T) setting; a processor operationally coupled to the source of aircraft constraints, the source of a thrust acceleration command, the source of a RT TLA, and the source of a RT T, the processor programmed to: use the potential flight path angle command, PFPAcmd to generate an error on a potential flight path angle; convert the error on the potential flight path angle into an equivalent flight path acceleration; generate a throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by converting the equivalent flight path acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd; detect a change in real time settings for one or more of flaps, gear handles, and flight director commands estimate a delta drag as a function of the detected change; determine a first adjustment to acceleration required to compensate for the delta drag, responsive to estimating the delta drag; and generate the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by further adding the first adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further programmed to: monitor a difference between RT thrust (Tactual) and target thrust (Ttarget); determine a second adjustment to acceleration that is a function of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget; and generate the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by further adding the second adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further programmed to: employ a spool function that modifies a magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget,; and wherein the second adjustment is a function of the magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget, modified by the spool function. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further programmed to: employ a spool threshold; and wherein, when a magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget exceeds the spool threshold, the second adjustment is a threshold compensation term. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to: reference engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to: referencing engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command. ### Claim 13 An aircraft, comprising: a source of aircraft state data; a source of aircraft constraints; a source of a potential flight path angle command, PFPAcmd, which is a function of a flight path acceleration; a source of a real time (RT) throttle level angle (TLA); a source of a RT thrust (T) setting; a processor operationally coupled to the source of aircraft constraints, the source of a thrust acceleration command, the source of a RT TLA, and the source of a RT T, the processor programmed to: use the potential flight path angle command, PFPAcmd to generate an error on a potential flight path angle; convert the error on the potential flight path angle into an equivalent flight path acceleration; generate a throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by converting the equivalent flight path acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd; detect a change in real time settings for one or more of flaps, gear handles, and flight director commands; estimate a delta drag as a function of the detected change; determine a first adjustment to acceleration required to compensate for the delta drag, responsive to estimating the delta drag; and generate the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by further adding the first adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The aircraft of claim 13, wherein the processor is further programmed to: monitor a difference between RT thrust (Tactual) and target thrust (Ttarget); determine a second adjustment to acceleration that is a function of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget; and generate the throttle rate command TLA_ratecmd by further adding the second adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The aircraft of claim 14, wherein the processor is further programmed to: employ a spool function that modifies a magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget,; and wherein the second adjustment is a function compensation term. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The aircraft of claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed to: employ a spool threshold; and wherein, when a magnitude of the difference between Tactual and Ttarget exceeds the spool threshold, the second adjustment is a threshold compensation term. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the processor is further programmed to: reference engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command.