Vector limiting of a rotor control volume

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10353402-B2
Application number	US-201515501130-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2015
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A method and system for vector limiting of a rotor control volume for a helicopter with one or more controllers configured to issue a displacement command during a flight maneuver and a computer operably connected to the one or more controllers and configured to receive signals with a processor indicative of a displacement command for a rotor during a flight maneuver; determine with the processor an origination point for a command vector in a reference frame; determine with the processor the command vector in the reference frame; determine with the processor a command radius for the command vector; compare with the processor the command radius with values of estimated command radii in a look-up table; and determine with the processor a control volume limited command in response to the comparing of the command radius with the estimated command radius.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for vector limiting of a rotor control volume for a helicopter, comprising:
receiving signals with a processor indicative of a displacement command for a rotor during a flight maneuver;
determining with the processor an origination point for a command vector in a reference frame;
determining with the processor the command vector in the reference frame;
determining with the processor a command radius for the command vector;
comparing with the processor the command radius with values of estimated command radii in a look-up table; and
determining with the processor a control volume limited command in response to the comparing of the command radius with the estimated command radius.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the origination point in one of a spherical coordinate frame or a cylindrical coordinate frame.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the command radius with an estimated command radius as a function of command heading.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the command radius with a maximum estimated command radius.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining the control volume limiting command from an interpolated value of the estimated command radius while the command radius is less than the maximum estimated command radius.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining the control volume limited command from a scaled estimated command radius the maximum estimated command radius while the command radius is greater than the maximum estimated command radius.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the control volume limited command for a control volume of the rotor.

8. A control system for vector limiting of a rotor control volume for a helicopter, comprising:
one or more controllers configured to issue a displacement command during a flight maneuver;
a computer operably connected to the one or more controllers and configured to:
receive signals with a processor indicative of a displacement command for a rotor during a flight maneuver;
determine with the processor an origination point for a command vector in a reference frame;
determine with the processor the command vector in the reference frame;
determine with the processor a command radius for the command vector;
compare with the processor the command radius with values of estimated command radii in a look-up table; and
determine with the processor a control volume limited command in response to the comparing of the command radius with the estimated command radius.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the computer is configured to determine the origination point in one of a spherical coordinate frame or a cylindrical coordinate frame.

10. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the computer is configured to compare the command radius with an estimated command radius as a function of command heading.

11. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the computer is configured to compare the command radius with a maximum estimated command radius.

12. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the computer is configured to determine the control volume limiting command from an interpolated value of the estimated command radius while the command radius is less than the maximum estimated command radius.

13. The control system of claim 11 , wherein the computer is configured to determine the control volume limited command from a scaled estimated command radius the maximum estimated command radius while the command radius is greater than the maximum estimated command radius.

14. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the computer is configured to determine the control volume limited command for a control volume of the rotor.

Assignees

• Sikorsky Aircraft Corp

Inventors

• Spoldi Steven E

Classifications

• G05D1/0858

  specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft · CPC title

• G05D1/0833 Primary

  using limited authority control · CPC title

• B64C27/008

  Rotors tracking or balancing devices · CPC title

• B64C27/54

  Mechanisms for controlling blade adjustment or movement relative to rotor head, e.g. lag-lead movement · CPC title

• B64C27/06

  with single rotor · CPC title