Assessing runway surface conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10147331-B1
Application number	US-201715595534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 15, 2017
Priority date	May 15, 2017
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

Systems and methods for assessing runway conditions are disclosed. The system may comprise a brake control unit having an internal inertial sensor. The brake control unit may be configured to calculate a runway coefficient of friction to assess surface conditions of the runway. The brake control unit may monitor braking in an aircraft to detect a skid condition. In response to detecting the skid condition, the brake control unit may calculate an aircraft deceleration of the aircraft with the inertial sensor. The brake control unit may estimate the runway coefficient of friction based on the aircraft deceleration, an aerodynamic drag force of the aircraft, and a thrust reverse force of the aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for assessing a runway condition comprising:
detecting, by a brake control unit (BCU), an aircraft braking event in an aircraft;
monitoring, by the BCU, the aircraft braking event to detect a skid condition;
calculating, by the BCU, an aircraft deceleration of the aircraft; and
estimating, by the BCU, a runway coefficient of friction in response to detecting the skid condition, wherein the runway coefficient of friction is based on the aircraft deceleration, an aerodynamic drag force of the aircraft, and a thrust reverse force of the aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the BCU, a global positioning system (GPS) location coordinates, and generating, by the BCU, a runway coefficient of friction map based on the runway coefficient of friction and the GPS location coordinates.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein in response to estimating a low runway coefficient of friction, the BCU is configured to decrease braking force applied to wheels of the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the BCU, the aerodynamic drag force, wherein the aerodynamic drag force is based on at least one of an aircraft speed data or an aircraft aerodynamic characteristics data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the aircraft speed data is determined by calculating an aircraft speed through wheel speed sensors on a wheel of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the thrust reverse force, wherein the thrust reverse force is based on an engine throttle angle position of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft deceleration is calculated by an inertial sensor in the brake control unit (BCU).

8. A system for assessing a runway condition, comprising:
a wheel speed sensor coupled to a landing gear of an aircraft;
a brake control unit (BCU), wherein the brake control unit performs operations comprising:
detecting, by the BCU, an aircraft braking event in the aircraft;
monitoring, by the BCU, the aircraft braking event to detect a skid condition;
calculating, by the BCU, an aircraft deceleration of the aircraft; and
estimating, by the BCU, a runway coefficient of friction in response to detecting the skid condition, wherein the runway coefficient of friction is based on the aircraft deceleration, an aerodynamic drag force of the aircraft, and a thrust reverse force of the aircraft.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) in electronic communication with the BCU, wherein the GPS is configured to transmit GPS location coordinates of the aircraft to the BCU.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the BCU, a runway coefficient of friction map based on the runway coefficient of friction and the GPS coordinates.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the BCU, the aerodynamic drag force, wherein the aerodynamic drag force is based on at least one of an aircraft speed data or an aircraft aerodynamic characteristics data.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the aircraft speed data is determined by calculating an aircraft speed through the wheel speed sensor.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the BCU, the thrust reverse force, wherein the thrust reverse force is based on an engine throttle angle position of the aircraft.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the aircraft deceleration is calculated by an inertial sensor located within the BCU.

15. A brake control unit (BCU), comprising:
a processor;
an inertial sensor in electronic communication with the processor;
a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium in electronic communication with the processor, the non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
detecting, by the processor, an aircraft braking event in an aircraft;
monitoring, by the processor, the aircraft braking event to detect a skid condition;
calculating, by the processor in electronic communication with the inertial sensor, an aircraft deceleration of the aircraft; and
estimating, by the processor, a runway coefficient of friction in response to detecting the skid condition, wherein the runway coefficient of friction is based on the aircraft deceleration, an aerodynamic drag force of the aircraft, and a thrust reverse force of the aircraft.

16. The BCU of claim 15 , further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the GPS is configured to transmit GPS location coordinates to the processor.

17. The BCU of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a runway coefficient of friction map based on the runway coefficient of friction and the GPS coordinates.

18. The BCU of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the processor, the aerodynamic drag force, wherein the aerodynamic drag force is based on at least one of an aircraft speed data or an aircraft aerodynamic characteristics data.

19. The BCU of claim 18 , wherein the aircraft speed data is determined by calculating an aircraft speed through a wheel speed sensor on a wheel of the aircraft.

20. The BCU of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining, by the processor, the thrust reverse force, wherein the thrust reverse force is based on an engine throttle angle position of the aircraft.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Georgin Marc

Classifications

• B60W2510/081

  Speed · 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

• B60T13/662

  characterised by specified functions of the control system components · CPC title

• B60W2510/069

  Engine braking signal · CPC title

• B64C25/46

  Brake regulators for preventing skidding or aircraft somersaulting · CPC title