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US 12,752,930 B2Granted
Flight control system digital surface position sensor with command-response monitor and mechanical disconnect monitor
AssigneeHoneywell Aerospace US LLC
InventorDarrell W. Horner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A digital surface position sensor includes a position sensor, an adaptable hardware input, and a processing circuit. The position sensor is adapted to be coupled to an aircraft flight control surface The adaptable hardware input provides an identification signal that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled. The processing circuit is configured to generate sensor actuator position data representative of flight control surface actuator position, determine flight control surface actuator position error, and generate a fault signal when the flight control surface actuator position error exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Claims20
A digital surface position sensor, the digital surface position sensor comprising:
- a position sensor adapted to be coupled to an aircraft flight control surface, the position sensor configured to sense a position of the aircraft flight control surface and supply a surface position signal representative thereof;
- an adaptable hardware input comprising a plurality of pins configured to provide an identification signal in the form of an open or ground pattern that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled;
- and
- a processing circuit coupled to receive the surface position signal and the identification signal, and adapted to receive flight control surface actuator position command data indicative of a commanded position of a flight control surface actuator, the processing circuit configured to:
- (i) process the surface position signal and the identification signal to generate sensor actuator position data representative of flight control surface actuator position,
- (ii) process the sensor actuator position data and the flight control surface actuator position command data to determine flight control surface actuator position error, and
- (iii) generate a fault signal when the flight control surface actuator position error exceeds a predetermined threshold.
4 more elements
An aircraft flight control surface position sensing system, comprising:
- a flight control computer configured to generate and supply flight control surface actuator position command data, the flight control surface actuator position command data indicative of a commanded position of a flight control surface actuator;
- and
- a digital surface position sensor in operable communication with the flight control computer, the digital surface position sensor comprising:
- a position sensor adapted to be coupled to an aircraft flight control surface, the position sensor configured to sense a position of the aircraft flight control surface and supply a surface position signal representative thereof;
- an adaptable hardware input comprising a plurality of pins configured to provide an identification signal in the form of an open or ground pattern that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled;
- and
- a processing circuit coupled to receive the surface position signal, the identification signal, and the flight control surface actuator position command data, the processing circuit configured to:
- (i) process the surface position signal and the identification signal to generate sensor actuator position data representative of flight control surface actuator position,
- (ii) process the sensor actuator position data and the flight control surface actuator position command data to determine flight control surface actuator position error, and
- (iii) generate a fault signal when the flight control surface actuator position error exceeds a predetermined threshold.
7 more elements
An aircraft fly-by-wire flight control system, comprising:
- a flight control surface actuator controller coupled to receive flight control surface actuator position command data that is indicative of a commanded position of a flight control surface actuator, the flight control surface actuator controller configured, upon receipt of the flight control surface actuator position command data, to generate and supply flight control surface actuator commands;
- a flight control surface actuator coupled to receive the flight control surface actuator commands from the flight control surface actuator controller and configured, upon receipt thereof, to move the flight control surface to the commanded position;
- a flight control inceptor configured to receive user input from a user and configured, in response to the user input, to supply inceptor command data;
- a flight control computer in operable communication with the flight control inceptor and the flight control surface actuator controller, the flight control computer coupled to receive the inceptor command data from the flight control inceptor and configured, upon receipt of the inceptor command data, to generate and supply the flight control surface actuator position command data to the flight control surface actuator controller;
- and
- a digital surface position sensor in operable communication with the flight control computer and the flight control surface actuator controller, the digital surface position sensor comprising:
- a position sensor adapted to be coupled to the aircraft flight control surface, the position sensor configured to sense a position of the aircraft flight control surface and supply a surface position signal representative thereof;
- an adaptable hardware input comprising a plurality of pins configured to provide an identification signal in the form of an open or ground pattern that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled;
- and
- a processing circuit coupled to receive the surface position signal, the identification signal, and the flight control surface actuator position command data, the processing circuit configured to:
- (i) process the surface position signal and the identification signal to generate sensor actuator position data representative of flight control surface actuator position,
- (ii) process the sensor actuator position data and the flight control surface actuator position command data to determine flight control surface actuator position error, and
- (iii) generate a fault signal when the flight control surface actuator position error exceeds a predetermined threshold.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.