Control means and method for controlling an object

A method for controlling an object, comprising:

• generating an idealized model of the object;
• connecting a commanding control means for instituting control commands both to the object being controlled and to the idealized model of the object;
• providing a display for displaying a result of a control command;
• connecting said display to said idealized model so that the display shows the effect of the control command on the idealized model, the effect so displayed at least initially being independent of the effect of the control command on the object so that said display presents the reaction of said idealized model to the control command;
• and
• correlating the state of the idealized model with the state of the object under control so that the real time steady state condition of the idealized model concurs with the real time steady state condition of the object under control.

A method for controlling an aircraft system, said aircraft system having control means, comprising:

• generating an idealized model of the aircraft;
• providing data from the idealized model aircraft to the pilot of the actual aircraft;
• connecting a means for generating the idealized model to the aircraft control means so that commands of the pilot are reflected in the model and in the data provided to the pilot before they are reflected in the actual aircraft, the data provided to the pilot at least initially being independent of the effect of the commands of the pilot on the actual aircraft so that the pilot can observe the reaction of the commands on idealized model prior to the reaction of the commands on the actual aircraft;
• and
• correlating the position of the idealized aircraft with the actual aircraft, said correlating means acting to reduce real time steady state errors between said idealized model and the position of said aircraft.

A control device for an aircraft, comprising:

• operator input means for initiating commands to control said aircraft, said operator input means including a flight control system of said aircraft;
• means responsive to said operator input means for operating on said aircraft in accordance with commands imposed by said operator input means;
• means for displaying a result of command imposed by said operator input means;
• means for providing an idealized time response model of said aircraft, said idealized time-response model providing means being operatively connected to said operator input means and to said display means, said idealized time-response model means positioning said display means according to the effect of said operator commands on said idealized time-response model means, said idealized time-response model means comprising roll model means, pitch model means, and yaw model means;
• display processor means operatively connected between said roll, pitch and yaw model means and said display means;
• lead angle computer means operatively connected to said display processor means for introducing lead angle computation directly into said display processor means;
• means for introducing a traverse component of lead angle to the yaw model means of said idealized time-response model means;
• and
• means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said aircraft, said correlating means including means for gradually bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized model means, including feedback means for reducing the effect of said idealized timeresponse model means.

A control device, comprising:

• operator input means for initiating commands to control an object;
• means responsive to said operator input means for operating on said object in accordance with commands imposed by said operator input means;
• means for displaying a result of a command imposed by said operator input means;
• means for providing an idealized time-response model of said object, said idealized time-response model providing means being operatively connected to said operator input means and to said display means, said idealized time-response model means positioning said display means according to the effect of said operator commands on said idealized time-response model means, said idealized time-response model means including roll model means, pitch model means and yaw model means;
• means for introducing a traverse correction lead angle component to the yaw model means of said idealized time-response model means;
• and
• means for correlating the positions of said idealized time-response model means and said object, said correlating means comprising flight control coupler means for bringing the position of said aircraft into coincidence with the position of said idealized time-response model means.