Dynamic Detection of Landing Gear Deployment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166323-A1
Application number	US-201514969020-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The embodiments described herein relate to dynamically detecting landing gear deployment of an aerial vehicle. A set of flight measurements is dynamically generated and stored. The set of measurements may include altitude, distance to a destination, and airspeed. Each of these measurements is compared to a respective threshold value to produce a landing scenario indication. The comparison includes ascertaining that the vehicle is within a defined above ground level based on the altitude measurement, ascertaining that the vehicle is within a defined distance to a destination based on the distance to a destination measurement, and ascertaining that the airspeed measurement is below a maximum gear extension speed. The produced indication is converted into a landing gear protocol.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
dynamically generating a set of flight measurements of an aerial vehicle, including dynamically obtaining an altitude measurement, a distance to a destination measurement, and an airspeed measurement; storing the generated set of flight measurements; comparing each flight measurement to a respective threshold value to produce a landing scenario indication, wherein the comparison comprises:
ascertaining that the vehicle is within a defined above ground level based on the altitude measurement;
ascertaining that the vehicle is within a defined distance to a destination based on the distance to a destination measurement; and
ascertaining that the airspeed measurement is below a maximum gear extension speed; and
converting the produced indication into a landing gear protocol.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising implementing the landing gear protocol, including determining that landing gear of the vehicle is in an unsafe position.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising activating a warning signal.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising automatically deploying the landing gear.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising constructing an altitude pattern based on a plurality of generated altitude measurements.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the comparison further comprises ascertaining that the vehicle is descending from a cruising altitude based on the altitude pattern.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising constructing an airspeed pattern based on a plurality of generated airspeed measurements, and deriving a historical airspeed trend based on the airspeed pattern, wherein the comparison further comprises ascertaining that the derived trend is indicative of an approach to land.

8 . A system comprising:
a processing device in communication with memory; and one or more tools in communication with the processing device, the tools to:
dynamically generate a set of flight measurements, including the functional unit to dynamically obtain an altitude measurement, a distance to a destination measurement, and an airspeed measurement of an aerial vehicle;
store the generated flight measurements in memory;
compare each flight measurement to a respective threshold value to produce a landing scenario indication, wherein the comparison comprises the functional unit to:
ascertain that the vehicle is within a defined above ground level based on the altitude measurement;
ascertain that the vehicle is within a defined distance to a destination based on the distance to a destination measurement; and
ascertain that the airspeed measurement is below a maximum gear extension speed; and

convert the produced indicated into a landing gear protocol.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the tools comprise a microcontroller, the microcontroller to integrate the dynamically generated set, wherein the comparison is performed by the microcontroller.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the tools comprise a global positioning satellite (GPS) system, the GPS system to dynamically obtain the altitude measurement and the distance to destination measurement.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising the GPS system to integrate the dynamically generated set, wherein the comparison is performed by the GPS system.

12 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising the tools to implement the landing gear protocol, including the tools to determine that landing gear of the vehicle is in an unsafe position.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising the tools to activate a warning signal.

14 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising the tools to automatically deploy the landing gear.

15 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising the tools to construct an altitude pattern based on a plurality of generated altitude measurements, and ascertaining that the vehicle is descending from a cruising altitude based on the altitude pattern.

16 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising the tools to construct an airspeed pattern based on a plurality of generated airspeed measurements, and derive a historical airspeed trend based on the airspeed pattern, wherein the comparison further comprises the tools to ascertain that the derived trend is indicative of an approach to land.

17 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage device having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to:
dynamically generate a set of flight measurements, including the functional unit to dynamically obtain an altitude measurement, a distance to a destination measurement, and an airspeed measurement of an aerial vehicle; store the generated flight measurements in the memory; compare each flight measurement to a respective threshold value to produce a landing scenario indication, wherein the comparison comprises program code to:
ascertain that the vehicle is within a defined above ground level based on the altitude measurement;
ascertain that the vehicle is within a defined distance to a destination based on the distance to a destination measurement; and
ascertain that the airspeed measurement is below a maximum gear extension speed; and
convert the produced indicated into a landing gear protocol.

18 . The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising program code to implement the landing gear protocol, including program code to determine that landing gear of the vehicle is in an unsafe position.

19 . The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising program code to activate a warning signal.

20 . The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising program code to automatically deploy the landing gear.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Dangler John R
• Nelson David T

Classifications

• B64C25/28

  with indicating or warning devices · CPC title

• B64C25/30

  emergency actuated · CPC title

• B64D45/0005 Primary

  Devices specially adapted to indicate the position of a movable element of the aircraft, e.g. landing gear · CPC title

• B64D43/02

  for indicating aircraft speed or stalling conditions · CPC title