Apparatus and method for backup control in a distributed flight control system

A backup control signal monitoring system for a flight control system, the flight control system comprising:

• a first controller configured to receive a first input and to output a primary control signal;
• a first transmission path coupled to the first controller and configured to relay the primary control signal;
• a second controller configured to receive a second input and to output a backup control signal, the second controller being separate and independent from the first controller;
• a second transmission path coupled to the second controller and configured to relay the backup control signal, the second transmission path being separate and independent from the first transmission path;
• an actuator having actuator electronics located remotely from the primary controller and adjacent to the actuator;
• and
• the actuator electronics being configured to receive the primary control signal along the first transmission path and the backup control signal along the second transmission path and configured to transmit backup validation data to the first controller via the first transmission path;
• wherein the first controller is further configured to generate a backup control system status signal based, at least in part, on the backup validation data.

A flight control system comprising:

• a first processor configured to receive a first input and to output a primary control signal;
• a first path coupled to the first processor and configured to relay the primary control signal;
• a second processor configured to receive a second input and to output a backup control signal, the second controller being separate and independent from the first controller;
• a second path coupled to the second processor and configured to relay the backup control signal, the second path being separate and independent from the first path;
• a first actuator coupled to an aircraft control surface, the first actuator having a first actuator electronics coupled to the first path, the first actuator electronics configured to receive the primary control signal and to determine if the primary control signal is valid;
• and
• a second actuator coupled to the aircraft control surface, the second actuator having a second actuator electronics coupled to the first path and the second path, the second actuator electronics configured to receive the primary control signal and the backup control signal and to determine if the primary control signal is valid;
• wherein the second actuator electronics is configured to use the backup control signal to control the aircraft control surface only if the first actuator electronics and the second actuator electronics determines that the primary control signal is not valid.

A method of controlling an aircraft control surface comprising:

• receiving a primary control signal in an actuator electronics from a first processor, the actuator electronics being separate and independent from the first processor;
• receiving a backup control signal in the actuator electronics from a second processor, the actuator electronics being separate and independent from the second processor;
• determining whether the primary control signal is valid;
• generating an actuator command signal by the actuator electronics based, at least in part, on the primary control signal if the primary control signal is valid;
• generating the actuator command signal by the actuator electronics based, at least in part, on the backup control signal if the primary control signal is not valid;
• actuating an actuator based on the actuator command signal to control an aircraft control surface.

A method of operating a flight control system comprising:

• receiving a primary control signal in an actuator electronics from a first processor, the actuator electronics being separate and independent from the first processor;
• receiving a backup control signal in the actuator electronics from a second processor, the actuator electronics being separate and independent from the second processor;
• transmitting backup validation data from the actuator electronics to the first processor;
• generating a backup control system status signal based, at least in part, on the backup validation data;
• generating an actuator command signal by the actuator electronics based, at least in part, on at least one of the primary control signal or the backup control signal;
• actuating an actuator based on the actuator command signal to control an aircraft control surface.

A method of controlling a aircraft control surface comprising:

• receiving a primary control signal in a first actuator electronics from a first processor, the actuator electronics being separate and independent from the first processor;
• receiving the primary control signal in a second actuator electronics from the first processor, the second actuator electronics being separate and independent from the first processor;
• receiving a backup control signal in the second actuator electronics from a second processor, the second actuator electronics being separate and independent from the second processor;
• determining whether the primary control signal is valid in the first actuator electronics;
• determining whether the primary control signal is valid in the second actuator electronics;
• generating a first actuator command signal in the first actuator electronics based, at least in part, on the primary control signal if the first actuator electronics determines the primary control signal is valid;
• generating a second actuator command signal in the second actuator electronics based, at least in part, on the primary control signal if the second actuator electronics determines the primary control signal is valid;
• generating the second actuator command signal in the second actuator electronics based, at least in part, on the backup control signal if the first actuator electronics and the second actuator electronics determine that the primary control signal is not valid;
• actuating a first actuator based on the first actuator command signal to control an aircraft control surface;
• and
• actuating a second actuator based on the second actuator command signal to control the aircraft control surface.