Brake system power arbitration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131329-B1
Application number	US-201715631537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A brake system of an aircraft may include a first brake control assembly, a second brake control assembly, a first brake control unit electrically coupled to the first brake control assembly, a second brake control unit electrically coupled to the second brake control assembly, and an arbitration control module. The arbitration control module may be configured to determine an operational integrity of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit. In response to determining that one of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit does not have sufficient operational integrity, the arbitration control module may enable the other of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit to control both the first brake control assembly and the second brake control assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brake system of an aircraft, the brake system comprising:
a first brake control assembly comprising a first primary power receiving element and a first secondary power receiving element;
a second brake control assembly comprising a second primary power receiving element and a second secondary power receiving element;
a first brake control unit electrically coupled in power providing communication to the first brake control assembly via either the first primary power receiving element or the first secondary power receiving element;
a second brake control unit electrically coupled in power providing communication to the second brake control assembly via either the second primary power receiving element or the second secondary power receiving element; and
an arbitration control module configured to determine an operational integrity of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit;
wherein:
in response to the arbitration control module determining that both the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit have sufficient operational integrity:
the first brake control unit is electrically coupled in power providing communication to the first brake control assembly via the first primary power receiving element; and
the second brake control unit is electrically coupled in power providing communication to the second brake control assembly via the second primary power receiving element;

in response to the arbitration control module determining that the first brake control unit does not have sufficient operational integrity:
the arbitration control module sets electrical power transfer from the first brake control unit to the first primary power receiving element of the first brake control assembly to zero; and
the arbitration control module activates electrical power transfer from the second brake control unit to the first secondary power receiving element of the first brake control assembly;

in response to the arbitration control module determining that the second brake control unit does not have sufficient operational integrity:
the arbitration control module sets electrical power transfer from the second brake control unit to the second primary power receiving element of the second brake control assembly to zero; and
the arbitration control module activates electrical power transfer from the first brake control unit to the second secondary power receiving element of the second brake control assembly.

2. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the arbitration control module consists of hardware.

3. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first brake control assembly comprises a first servo valve;
the first primary power receiving element is a first primary servo coil;
the first secondary power receiving element is a first secondary servo coil;
the second brake control assembly comprises a second servo valve;
the second primary power receiving element is a second primary servo coil; and
the second secondary power receiving element is a second secondary servo coil.

4. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first brake control unit is an inboard brake control unit;
the first brake control assembly is an inboard brake control assembly;
the second brake control unit is an outboard brake control unit; and
the second brake control assembly is an outboard brake control assembly.

5. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first brake control unit is a primary brake control unit; and
the second brake control unit is a secondary brake control unit.

6. A brake system of an aircraft, the brake system comprising:
a first servo valve comprising a first primary servo coil and a first secondary servo coil;
a second servo valve comprising a second primary servo coil and a second secondary servo coil;
a first brake control unit electrically coupled to the first servo valve via the first primary servo coil, wherein the first brake control unit is also electrically coupled to the second servo valve via the second secondary servo coil;
a second brake control unit electrically coupled to the second servo valve via the second primary servo coil, wherein the second brake control unit is also electrically coupled to the first servo valve via the first secondary servo coil; and
an arbitration control module configured to determine an operational integrity of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit, wherein, in response to determining that one of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit does not have sufficient operational integrity, the arbitration control module enables the other of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit to control both the first servo valve and the second servo valve by setting electrical power transfer from the one of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit to zero and by activating electrical power transfer from the other of the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit to both the first servo valve and the second servo valve.

7. The brake system of claim 6 , wherein the arbitration control module consists of hardware.

8. The brake system of claim 6 , wherein:
in response to the arbitration control module determining that both the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit have sufficient operational integrity:
the first brake control unit is electrically coupled in power providing communication to the first servo valve via the first primary servo coil; and
the second brake control unit is electrically coupled in power providing communication to the second servo valve via the second primary servo coil;

in response to the arbitration control module determining that the first brake control unit does not have sufficient operational integrity:
the arbitration control module sets electrical power transfer from the first brake control unit to the first primary servo coil of the first servo valve to zero; and
the arbitration control module activates electrical power transfer from the second brake control unit to the first secondary servo coil of the first servo valve;

in response to the arbitration control module determining that the second brake control unit does not have sufficient operational integrity:
the arbitration control module sets electrical power transfer from the second brake control unit to the second primary servo coil of the second servo valve to zero; and
the arbitration control module activates electrical power transfer from the first brake control unit to the second secondary servo coil of the second servo valve.

9. A method of controlling a brake system of an aircraft, the method comprising:
determining, by an arbitration control module, whether each of a first brake control unit and a second brake control unit has sufficient operational integrity, wherein in response to determining that both the first brake control unit and the second brake control unit have sufficient operational integrity, the first brake control unit powers a first brake control assembly via a first primary power receiving element of the first brake control assembly, and the second brake control unit powers a second brake control assembly via a second primary power receiving element of the second brake control assembly;
in response to determining that the first brake control unit has insufficient operational integrity, switching, by the arbitration control module, power supplied to the first brake control assembly from the first brake control unit to the second brake control unit, wherein the second brake control unit powers the first brake control assembly via a first secondary power receiving element of the first brak

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp
• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Georgin Marc
• Cahill Eric Daniel

Classifications

• B60T2270/40

  Failsafe aspects of brake control systems · CPC title

• B60T8/174

  characterised by using special control logic, e.g. fuzzy logic {, neural computing} · CPC title

• B60T8/172

  Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters {(B60T8/17551 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60T8/325

  Systems specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• B60T17/221

  Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems (hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M) · CPC title