The Boeing Company

Pieter G Einthoven

David George Miller

Channing S Morse

Joseph G Irwin

Mark S Spano

Patrick Smith

Benjamin Horn Oster

Joseph George Irwin, Iii

Methods and apparatus for allocating control effector commands to reduce vehicle deviations from a commanded trajectory. An example apparatus includes interface circuitry, machine readable instructions, and programmable circuitry to at least one of instantiate or execute the machine readable instructions to receive control force or moment command input associated with an over-actuated vehicle, the over-actuated vehicle including a first actuator and a second actuator, apply a rate or position limit based on actuator capability, and reassign control from the first actuator to the second actuator based on a lagged command position of the first actuator to preserve a control trajectory of the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for allocating control effector commands to reduce vehicle deviations from a commanded trajectory

The system contains the active inceptor having mobility in a first direction. A feedback mechanism is in communication with the active inceptor. The mechanism provides a variable level of force to the active inceptor in the first direction. A programmable device communicates with the feedback mechanism. The programmable device controls the level of force provided to the active inceptor from the feedback mechanism. The programmable device is capable of recognizing and distinguishing between regimes wherein the operator is physically engaging the inceptor ('hands-on' state) and when the operator is 'hands-off' the inceptor. The programmable device limits the maximum rate of displacement of an active inceptor to a specified safe and effective value regardless of changes in forces applied by the variable force feel feedback mechanism. The limit on rate of change of active inceptor position is varied based on the recognized &#x201c;hands-on&#x201d; or &#x201c;hands-off&#x201d; state and the type of tactile cue to satisfy otherwise conflicting requirements for failure robustness and effective tactile cueing during highly dynamic operations.

Active-inceptor tactile-cueing hands-off rate-limit

This invention relates to the concept of managing the rate of change of energy in a helicopter or other aeronautical vehicle. The invention uses energy management calculations to determine the maximum longitudinal and lateral inputs that can be made while still enabling the vehicle to maintain a desired vertical state. The results of the calculations can be cued to the pilot either tactilely, aurally, or visually, or used for internal software limiting.

Constant vertical state maintaining cueing system

A split detent tactile cueing vehicle control system ( ) for a vehicle ( ) is provided including an active control inceptor system ( ). The active system ( ) includes a control inceptor ( ) having a plurality of positions and a position sensor ( ) that generates a control inceptor position signal. The tactile cueing system ( ) also includes a plurality of vehicle performance sensors that generate a plurality of vehicle performance signals. A flight controller ( ) is electrically coupled to the position sensor ( ) and the plurality of vehicle performance sensors, and generates a control inceptor actuation signal by applying a tactile cueing model having a split detent and in response to the position signal and the plurality of vehicle performance signals. A method of performing the same is also provided.

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West Chester, PA, United States of America

Pieter G Einthoven