Rotorcraft system for command mode transitions
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorKenneth Stephen Wittmer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes determining an angular rate of a rotorcraft based on a pilot input of the rotorcraft; determining an attitude reference for the rotorcraft based on the angular rate, the determining including determining an attitude difference from a trim attitude of the rotorcraft; determining a linear acceleration error for the rotorcraft; determining a trim attitude of the rotorcraft, wherein the trim attitude is based on the linear acceleration error; and summing the attitude difference and the trim attitude to generate the attitude reference; determining a flight command for the rotorcraft based on the attitude reference; and controlling flight control elements of the rotorcraft based on the flight command.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- determining an angular rate of a rotorcraft based on a pilot input of the rotorcraft;
- determining an attitude reference for the rotorcraft based on the angular rate, the determining comprising:
- determining an attitude difference from a trim attitude of the rotorcraft;
- determining a linear acceleration error for the rotorcraft;
- determining a trim attitude of the rotorcraft, wherein the trim attitude is based on the linear acceleration error;
- and
- summing the attitude difference and the trim attitude to generate the attitude reference;
- determining a flight command for the rotorcraft based on the attitude reference;
- and
- controlling flight control elements of the rotorcraft based on the flight command.
A method of operating a rotorcraft, the method comprising:
- receiving a pilot input signal at a flight controller of the rotorcraft, wherein the pilot input signal represents a command to change an angular rate of the rotorcraft when the rotorcraft is in a first command mode, wherein the pilot input signal represents a command to change a linear rate of the rotorcraft when the rotorcraft is in a second command mode;
- generating, by the flight controller, an angular rate signal based on the pilot input signal;
- generating, by the flight controller, a linear acceleration feedback signal based on the angular rate signal, wherein the linear acceleration feedback signal is subtracted from the angular rate signal when the rotorcraft is in the first command mode;
- generating, by the flight controller, an attitude feedback signal based on the angular rate signal and the linear acceleration feedback signal;
- generating, by the flight controller, an actuator command signal based on the attitude feedback signal, wherein the actuator command signal corresponds to the pilot input signal;
- and
- transmitting the actuator command signal to an actuator of the rotorcraft to control the flight of the rotorcraft.
A flight control system for a rotorcraft comprising:
- a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions to:
- operate the rotorcraft in an angular-based command mode, comprising:
- receiving a first pilot control signal representing an angular rate command for the rotorcraft;
- generating a first linear acceleration feedback signal based on the first pilot control signal;
- generating a first trim attitude signal based on the first linear acceleration feedback signal;
- and
- generating a first flight command for the rotorcraft based on the first pilot control signal and the first trim attitude signal;
- operate the rotorcraft in a linear-based command mode, comprising:
- receiving a second pilot control signal representing a linear command for the rotorcraft;
- generating a second linear acceleration feedback signal based on the second pilot control signal;
- generating a second trim attitude signal based on the second linear acceleration feedback signal;
- and
- generating a second flight command for the rotorcraft based on the second pilot control signal and the second trim attitude signal;
- and
- transition the rotorcraft between the angular-based command mode and the linear-based command mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.