Control interface, system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347442-A1
Application number	US-201615231650-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pilot control interface and method are described for selective control of an autopilot system by a pilot of an aircraft in which the autopilot system is installed. The pilot control interface includes a passive network that is selectively switchable between a plurality of states across an output interface that is made up of no more than two conductors that are in electrical communication with the autopilot system. Modification of a current autopilot flight mode can be performed incrementally or continuously based on respective momentary and continuous pilot input actuations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An autopilot system for controlling the flight of a helicopter having a control stick that is operable by the pilot to manually control the flight of the helicopter, said autopilot system comprising:
an input arrangement located on the control stick including a left switch, a right switch, a fore switch and an aft switch; an actuator arrangement for receiving a set of control signals to control the flight of the helicopter in a current flight mode of the autopilot; and a processing section for monitoring the flight of the helicopter to generate the set of control signals responsive to the monitoring and to respond to a pilot actuation of one of said switches by changing a flight parameter of the helicopter relating to the current flight mode.

2 . The autopilot system of claim 1 wherein the flight parameter is track angle and the processing section responds to the pilot actuation of either the left switch or the right switch by initiating a change in a track angle of the helicopter.

3 . The autopilot system of claim 2 wherein the processing section changes the track angle by a predetermined incremental amount responsive to a momentary actuation as the pilot actuation.

4 . The autopilot system of claim 1 wherein the pilot actuation is a continuous actuation of one of the left switch and the right switch having a time duration and the processing section initiates a continuous turn of the helicopter corresponding to said time duration.

5 . The autopilot system of claim 4 wherein the continuous turn is performed at a standard rate for a given helicopter in which the autopilot system is installed.

6 . The autopilot system of claim 1 wherein the flight parameter is airspeed and the processing section is configured to respond to the pilot actuation of either the fore switch or the aft switch by initiating a corresponding change in the airspeed of the helicopter such that the airspeed increases responsive to actuating the fore switch and the airspeed decreases responsive to actuating the aft switch.

7 . The autopilot system of claim 1 wherein the flight parameter is altitude and the processing section is configured to respond to the pilot actuation of either the fore switch or the aft switch by initiating a corresponding change in the altitude of the helicopter such that the altitude increases responsive to actuating the fore switch and the altitude decreases responsive to actuating the aft switch.

8 . A method for controlling the flight of a helicopter having a control stick that is operable by the pilot to manually control the flight of the helicopter, said method comprising:
locating an input arrangement located on the control stick including a left switch, a right switch, a fore switch and an aft switch; receiving a set of control signals to control the flight of the helicopter in a current flight mode of the autopilot; and monitoring the flight of the helicopter to generate the set of control signals responsive to the monitoring and to respond to a pilot actuation of one of said switches by changing a flight parameter of the helicopter relating to the current flight mode.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the pilot actuation is a continuous actuation of the left switch or the right switch having a time duration and said monitoring initiates a continuous turn of the helicopter responsive to the continuous actuation corresponding to said time duration.

10 . The method of claim 9 including performing the continuous turn at a standard rate for a given helicopter in which the autopilot system is installed.

Assignees

• Merlin Technology Inc

Inventors

• Golborne Carlos E
• Debs Ray E
• Marvin Mark
• Mercer John E

Classifications

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• G05G2009/04774

  with additional switches or sensors on the handle · CPC title

• G01C23/005

  Flight directors (indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32) · CPC title

• B64C13/18

  using automatic pilot · CPC title

• B64C13/0421

  control sticks for primary flight controls · CPC title