Fly-by-wire control system for aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873505-B2
Application number	US-201414898052-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2014
Priority date	Jun 12, 2013
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a fly-by-wire system which comprises: three-stage piloting control, each stage including a control computer suitable for determining the positions of the stick, and a monitoring computer capable of verifying all the pre-determined positions of the stick; three-stage control-surface position calculation, each stage including a control computer suitable for calculating the control-surface positions from encoded positions of the stick, and a monitoring computer capable of verifying all the calculated control-surface positions; a single unidirectional communication link connecting the control computer of the first piloting control stage to the control computer of the first control-surface position calculation stage; a single unidirectional communication link connecting the control computer of the second piloting control stage to the control computer of the second control-surface position calculation stage; and a single unidirectional communication link connecting the control computer of the third piloting control stage to the control computer of the third control-surface position calculation stage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Fly-by-wire control system for aircraft, the control system comprising:
aerodynamic flight-control surfaces,
a stick for piloting said aerodynamic flight-control surfaces,
a piloting control comprising a first stage and a second stage each comprising:
a control computer configured to determine positions of the stick, where the control computer comprises an encoder configured to generate encoded stick positions; and
a monitoring computer configured to verify an integrity of the stick positions determined by the control computer;

a position calculator for the flight-control surfaces comprising a first stage and a second stage, each comprising:
a control computer configured to calculate positions of the flight-control surfaces using encoded stick positions; and
a monitoring computer configured to verify an integrity of the positions of the flight-control surfaces calculated by the control computer;

a first unidirectional link for piloting controls connecting the control computer for the first stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the first stage of the calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
a second unidirectional link for piloting controls connecting the control computer for the second stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the second stage of the calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
wherein the piloting control comprises a third stage comprising:
a control computer configured to determine the positions of the stick, where the control computer comprises an encoder configured to generate encoded stick positions; and
a monitoring computer configured to verify the integrity of the stick positions determined by the control computer;

wherein the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces comprises a third stage comprising:
a control computer configured to calculate positions of the flight-control surfaces using encoded stick positions; and
a monitoring computer configured to verify the integrity of the positions of the flight-control surfaces calculated by the control computer;

and wherein the control system comprises a third unidirectional link for piloting controls connecting the control computer for the third stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the third stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
and wherein the first unidirectional link is the only control link configured to send encoded stick positions from the control computer for the first stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the first stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
where the second unidirectional link is the only control link configured to send encoded stick positions from the control computer for the second stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the second stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
where the third unidirectional link is the only control link appropriate for sending encoded stick positions from the control computer for the third stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the third stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
where the monitoring computer for the first stage, the monitoring computer for the second stage and the monitoring computer for the third stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces are connected respectively to the first, second and third unidirectional links, via control links;
and in which the monitoring computers for the piloting control each comprise one encoder configured to decode the encoded stick positions; where the monitoring computers for the first stage, second stage and third stage of the piloting control are connected respectively to the first, second and third unidirectional links via control links; where the monitoring computers for the piloting control are configured to verify the integrity of the stick positions decoded by the encoders.

2. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein the encoders of the control computers for the piloting control and the encoders of the monitoring computers for the piloting control are configured to implement a first cyclic redundancy check on a first data packet representative of the stick positions and a second cyclic redundancy check on a second data packet representative of the stick positions, where the second data packet comprises several first data packets.

3. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein it comprises:
a single unidirectional control link for piloting, referred to as first auxiliary link for piloting, configured to send the encoded stick positions from the control computer for the first stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the second stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
a single unidirectional control link for piloting, referred to as first backup link for piloting, configured to send the encoded stick positions from the control computer for the first stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the third stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces.

4. Control system according to claim 3 , wherein the monitoring computer for the second stage and the monitoring computer for the third stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces are connected respectively to the first auxiliary link for piloting and to the first backup link for piloting by control links.

5. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein it comprises:
a single unidirectional control link for piloting, referred to as second auxiliary link for piloting, appropriate for sending the encoded stick positions from the control computer for the second stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the third stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
a single unidirectional control link for piloting, referred to as second backup link for piloting, configured to send the encoded stick positions from the control computer for the second stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the first stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces.

6. Control system according to claim 5 , wherein the monitoring computer for the third stage and the monitoring computer for the first stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces are connected respectively to the second auxiliary link for piloting and to the second backup link for piloting by control links.

7. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein it comprises:
a single unidirectional control link for piloting, referred to as third auxiliary link for piloting, configured to send the encoded stick positions from the control computer for the third stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the first stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces;
a single unidirectional control link for piloting, referred to as third backup link for piloting, configured to send the encoded stick positions from the control computer for the third stage of the piloting control to the control computer for the second stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces.

8. Control system according to claim 7 , wherein the monitoring computer for the first stage and the monitoring computer for the second stage of the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces are connected respectively to the third auxiliary link for piloting and to the third backup link for piloting by control links.

9. Control system according to claim 1 , wherein the position calculator for the flight-control surfaces is configured to receive actual positions for the flight-control su

Assignees

• Sagem Defense Securite
• Airbus Helicopters
• Sagem Defense Securite

Inventors

• Bara Cédric
• Tuzi Christophe
• Bourgogne Eric
• Coppee Pascal
• Vandenbaviere Yann

Classifications

• G05D1/0077

  using redundant signals or controls · CPC title

• B64C13/503 Primary

  Fly-by-Wire · CPC title

• B64C13/505 Primary

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title