Method and device for switching between primary and backup actuators of a flight control system, and storage medium

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of flight controllers, and discloses a flight control system main / backup actuator switching method, device and storage medium, wherein the method comprises the following steps: acquiring the power-on number of a flight main controller; selecting an initial state actuator controller as a main state according to the power-on number, and setting other actuator controllers as backup states; detecting the working state of the actuator corresponding to the main state actuator controller in real time, and acquiring whether the actuator corresponding to each backup state actuator controller is normal; when the actuator corresponding to the main state actuator controller fails, sending a main / backup conversion instruction to the actuator controller currently in the main state and any backup state actuator controller corresponding to the normally working actuator, modifying the state of the actuator controller currently in the main state to the backup state, and modifying the backup state actuator controller corresponding to the normally working actuator to the main state. The method can improve the balance degree of the working time of each actuator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of flight control technology, and specifically to a method, device, and storage medium for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system. Background Technology

[0002] The flight control system of large transport aircraft generally employs redundant control for the main control surfaces. Each control surface is typically equipped with at least two actuators for control. When the power system or control equipment of one actuator fails, causing the actuator to lose control of the control surface, the other actuator can still ensure that the flight control system controls the aircraft control surfaces, ensuring normal flight and meeting the requirements of aircraft system safety.

[0003] In a flight control system operating in a primary-standby mode, one actuator is in active control mode, while the other is in damped servo mode. When the actuator in active control mode malfunctions, the flight control system needs to switch the states of the two actuators according to the switching logic to ensure effective control of the control surfaces. In existing flight control systems, one actuator is typically designated as primary and the other as standby. Upon power-up, the primary actuator is initially in active control mode, while the standby actuator is initially in damped servo mode. This configuration, after repeated use, results in a significant difference in the total operating time of the two actuators, leading to a noticeable increase in the aging rate of the primary actuator compared to the standby actuator, thus reducing the overall safety of the flight control system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system, which can make even use of multiple actuators in the flight control system and avoid reducing the safety of the entire flight control system by making the aging degree of one actuator significantly higher than that of other actuators.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Obtain the number of times the flight main controller has been powered on;

[0007] The actuator controller that is selected as the master actuator controller based on the number of power-on cycles is set to the standby state, and the other actuator controllers are set to the standby state, so that multiple actuator controllers take turns as the master actuator controller for the initial state as the master actuator controller.

[0008] Real-time detection of the working status of the actuators corresponding to the actuator controllers in the master state, and acquisition of whether the actuators corresponding to the actuator controllers in each backup state are functioning properly;

[0009] When the actuator corresponding to the master actuator controller fails, a master-slave switch command is sent to the current master actuator controller and any corresponding standby actuator controller with a normal actuator. The current master actuator controller is changed to standby mode, and the standby controller with a normal actuator is changed to master mode.

[0010] Compared to existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: It switches the initial primary / standby state of each actuator's actuator controller after each power-on based on the number of times the flight master controller is powered on, thus allowing each actuator to take turns acting as the primary actuator that prioritizes active control after power-on, balancing the total operating time of each actuator. This method of switching primary / standby actuators in the flight control system avoids the situation where the aging degree of one actuator is significantly higher than that of other actuators, thereby affecting the safety of the entire flight control system.

[0011] The aforementioned method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system includes two actuator controllers and two corresponding sets of actuators. In the step of selecting the actuator controller that is the primary actuator controller based on the number of power-on cycles and setting the other actuator controllers to backup states, so that multiple actuator controllers take turns serving as the primary actuator controller for the primary actuator controller in the initial state, when the number of power-on cycles of the flight primary actuator controller is odd, the first actuator controller is set to the primary state and the second actuator controller is set to the backup state; when the number of power-on cycles of the flight primary actuator controller is even, the first actuator controller is set to the backup state and the second actuator controller is set to the primary state.

[0012] The aforementioned method for switching between primary and backup actuators in the flight control system also includes:

[0013] Obtain the aircraft's air and ground status;

[0014] When the fault of the actuator corresponding to the actuator controller in the initial state is recovered, if the aircraft is on the ground, the state of each controller will be restored to the initial state; if the aircraft is in the air, the state of each controller will be maintained.

[0015] The above-mentioned method for switching between primary and backup actuators in the flight control system is as follows: when the actuator controller is in the primary state, the actuator controller supplies power to the solenoid valve of the corresponding actuator, allowing high-pressure oil to enter the modal valve and switching the modal valve to the active position; when the actuator controller is in the backup state, the actuator controller cuts off the power supply to the solenoid valve of the corresponding actuator, blocking high-pressure oil from entering the modal valve and switching the modal valve to the damped position.

[0016] In the above-mentioned method for switching between primary and backup actuators in the flight control system, in the step of real-time detection of the working status of the actuator corresponding to the primary actuator controller and obtaining whether the actuator corresponding to each backup actuator controller is normal, if the pressure of the actuator's hydraulic system is lower than the pressure threshold for a period of time greater than or equal to a first time threshold, or if the status signal of the mechanical pump of the actuator's hydraulic system is a low-pressure signal for a period of time greater than or equal to a second time threshold, then the actuator is determined to have malfunctioned.

[0017] A flight master controller includes: a power-on count unit for recording the number of times the flight master controller is powered on; an initial state determination unit for selecting an actuator controller as the master actuator controller based on the number of power-on counts, such that multiple actuator controllers take turns acting as the master actuator controller in the initial state; an actuator state acquisition unit for acquiring the states of multiple actuators and determining whether an actuator has malfunctioned; and a state switching unit for controlling the switching between the master state and standby state of each actuator controller based on the states of each actuator acquired by the actuator state acquisition unit. When an actuator corresponding to the current master actuator controller malfunctions, the state of the current master actuator controller is changed to the standby state, and the state of any corresponding standby actuator controller in which the actuator can work normally is changed to the master state.

[0018] The aforementioned flight master controller further includes: an aircraft status acquisition unit for acquiring the ground and air status of the aircraft; the status switching unit is also used to, when the fault of the actuator corresponding to the actuator whose initial state is the master state is recovered, if the aircraft is on the ground, restore the state of each actuator to the initial state after power-on; if the aircraft is in the air, maintain the current state of each actuator.

[0019] A flight control system includes: the aforementioned flight master controller; a plurality of actuation controllers, communicatively connected to the flight master controller, switching between a master state and a standby state under the control of the flight master controller; and a plurality of actuators, electrically connected to the plurality of actuation controllers one-to-one, for controlling various servos of the aircraft.

[0020] In the aforementioned flight control system, the multiple actuation controllers are interconnected and communicate with each other.

[0021] A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed and invoked by a processor, implements the above-described method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system.

[0022] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the switching method between the primary and backup actuators of the flight control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the switching method between the primary and backup actuators of the flight control system according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the flight control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, with reference to... Figure 1 The present invention provides a method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system, specifically including the following steps:

[0027] Obtain the number of times the flight main controller has been powered on;

[0028] The actuator controller that is selected as the master actuator controller based on the number of power-on cycles is set to the standby state, and the other actuator controllers are set to the standby state, so that multiple actuator controllers take turns as the master actuator controller for the initial state as the master actuator controller.

[0029] Real-time detection of the working status of the actuators corresponding to the actuator controllers in the master state, and acquisition of whether the actuators corresponding to the actuator controllers in each backup state are functioning properly;

[0030] When the actuator corresponding to the master actuator controller fails, a master-slave switch command is sent to the current master actuator controller and any corresponding standby actuator controller with a normal actuator. The current master actuator controller is changed to standby mode, and the standby controller with a normal actuator is changed to master mode.

[0031] The method for switching between primary and backup actuators in the flight control system of this invention selects an actuator controller as the primary actuator controller in the initial state and primary state according to the number of times the flight main controller is powered on. This allows the actuators corresponding to each actuator controller to work in the active control state in turn, thereby balancing the total working time of each actuator after multiple flights and balancing the aging degree of each actuator. This avoids the situation where the aging degree of one actuator is significantly higher than that of other actuators, resulting in lower safety and reliability of that actuator and thus reducing the safety and reliability of the entire flight control system.

[0032] In practical applications, actuators generally include several solenoid valves, servo valves, and mode switching valves. When the actuator's corresponding actuator controller is in the active state, the actuator controller controls the avionics system to supply power to each valve in the corresponding actuator, allowing high-pressure oil to enter the mode valve and switching the mode valve to the active position. When the actuator's corresponding actuator controller is in the standby state, the actuator controller controls the avionics system to cut off the power supply to each valve in the corresponding actuator, blocking high-pressure oil from entering the mode valve and switching the mode valve to the damped position.

[0033] Understandably, the controller for the initial state as the master state can be selected based on the number of power-ups of each actuator individually, or it can be selected based on the total number of power-ups of all actuators. In a normal single flight mission, actuator switching generally does not occur, so the number of power-ups of the flight master controller is basically the same as the total number of power-ups of the actuators. The total number of power-ups of the flight master controller can be considered as the total number of power-ups of each actuator. Taking a flight control system with two sets of actuators as an example, when the number of power-ups of the flight master controller is odd, the first actuator controller corresponding to the first actuator is in the master state, and the second actuator controller corresponding to the second actuator is in the standby state; when the number of power-ups of the flight master controller is even, the second actuator controller corresponding to the second actuator is in the master state, and the first actuator controller corresponding to the first actuator is in the standby state. If the flight control system has more than two sets of actuators, the actuators and their corresponding actuator controllers can be numbered. The controller with the corresponding number can be selected as the main controller for the initial state and the main state based on the remainder after dividing the number of times the flight main controller is powered on by the total number of actuators.

[0034] In some embodiments, if the main controller is determined based on the number of power-ups of each actuator, the number of power-ups for each actuator needs to be counted separately, and the controller corresponding to the actuator with the fewest power-ups is selected as the main controller for the initial state as the main state. In some embodiments, multiple actuators may have the same number of power-ups. In this case, the power-up time of each actuator can also be timed, that is, the time that the corresponding controller is in the main state can be timed. When multiple actuators have the fewest power-ups, the controller with the shortest total time in the main state is selected as the main controller for the initial state as the main state.

[0035] In some embodiments, the flight master controller determines whether an actuator has malfunctioned based on the pressure of its hydraulic system or the status signal of its mechanical pump. If the hydraulic system pressure of an actuator remains below a pressure threshold for a period greater than or equal to a first time threshold, or if the mechanical pump's status signal remains low for a period greater than or equal to a second time threshold, the actuator is deemed to have malfunctioned. The specific pressure threshold, first time threshold, and second time threshold should be set according to the parameters of the actual aircraft's hydraulic system and mechanical pump. In this embodiment, the pressure threshold is set to 10.3 MPa, and both the first and second time thresholds are set to 1 second. By setting pressure thresholds to provide early warning of potential hydraulic system pressure source malfunctions, the master-slave switch for actuators can be initiated in advance, ensuring the normal operation of the flight control system.

[0036] In some embodiments, to ensure the proper functioning of the actuator controller after switching, multiple actuator controllers in the flight control system communicate with each other. Each actuator controller transmits status information to the flight master controller and also to the actuator controllers of other interconnected actuators. When the actuator controller currently in the master state receives a master-slave switch command, it communicates with the actuator controller to be switched to confirm whether that actuator controller can function normally. After confirming that the actuator controller can function normally, the state switch is performed. Simultaneously, after the switch is complete, the actuator controllers communicate with each other to confirm their respective operating states, ensuring the correct operating state after the switch and ensuring that only one actuator controller is operating in the master state, thus preventing the loss of control surface control due to no actuator controller operating in the master state after the switch.

[0037] Reference Figure 2 Because the actuator switching process carries certain risks, if, after the switch, the actuator corresponding to the actuator controller in the initial main state recovers from a fault, and if the aircraft is in the air, the state of each actuator controller is maintained after the switch, and the state of each actuator controller is not reset; if the aircraft is on the ground, the state of each actuator controller is reset to the initial state determined when the entire flight control system was powered on. In practice, the flight master controller can determine whether the aircraft is on the ground or in the air by receiving atmospheric or wheel-borne signals from the avionics system.

[0038] When all actuators in the flight control system fail, or when all actuator controllers are in standby mode and cannot switch to master mode, each actuator controller sends an alarm message to the flight master controller, alerting the flight master controller that the operating surface has failed.

[0039] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also propose a flight master controller, including a power-on count unit, an initial state judgment unit, an actuator state acquisition unit, and a state switching unit. The power-on count unit records the number of times the flight master controller is powered on. The initial state judgment unit selects the actuator controller whose initial state is the master state based on the number of power-on counts, allowing multiple actuator controllers to take turns acting as the master actuator controller in the initial state. The actuator state acquisition unit acquires the states of multiple actuators and determines whether an actuator has malfunctioned. The state switching unit controls the switching between the master state and standby state of each actuator controller based on the states of each actuator acquired by the actuator state acquisition unit. When the actuator corresponding to the current master actuator controller malfunctions, the state of the current master actuator controller is changed to the standby state, and any corresponding actuator in the standby state that is functioning normally is changed to the master state.

[0040] In some embodiments, the power-on count unit may include multiple sub-counting units, each recording the power-on count of its corresponding actuator. This allows the initial state determination unit to select the actuator controller as the primary actuator based on the total number of power-on counts for all actuators or the power-on count for each actuator, thereby maximizing the balanced operation of each actuator. In some embodiments, the flight master controller may further include multiple timing units, each recording the total time of the primary actuator in its primary state to obtain the total operating time of each actuator. This allows the actuator with the lowest total operating time to be selected as the primary actuator initially operating in the active control state when multiple actuators simultaneously have the lowest power-on count, further improving the balance of operating time across actuators.

[0041] In some embodiments, the flight master controller may further include an aircraft state acquisition unit, used to acquire the aircraft's ground and air state, and receive atmospheric or wheel-borne signals from the avionics system to determine whether the aircraft is in a ground state or an air state. The state switching unit is also used to determine whether to reset the state of each actuation controller based on the aircraft's ground and air state when a fault recovery occurs in the brake corresponding to the actuation controller whose initial state is the main state. When the aircraft is in a ground state, the state of each actuation controller is restored to the initial state when the entire flight control system is powered on; when the aircraft is in an air state, the state of each actuation controller is maintained in its current state.

[0042] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a flight control system, including the aforementioned flight master controller, multiple actuation controllers, and multiple actuators. The multiple actuation controllers are all communicatively connected to the flight master controller, and switch between primary and standby states under the control of the flight master controller. The multiple actuators are electrically connected to the multiple actuation controllers in a one-to-one correspondence, and the actuators control the various servos of the aircraft under the control of their respective actuation controllers. (Refer to...) Figure 3 In this embodiment, the flight master controller is electrically connected to the actuator controller and avionics system via actuator control electronics. The actuator control electronics directly issue control commands to the actuator controller and receive status signals from the actuator controller, as well as aircraft status signals, airspeed, attitude, and hydraulic system status. The actuator control electronics can be a communication circuit or a level conversion circuit. An actuator generally includes a hydraulic system and solenoid valves, servo valves, mode conversion valves, and sensors installed within the hydraulic system, such as hydraulic sensors and displacement sensors mounted on the valve core of the mode conversion valve. The actuator controller drives the various valves and sensors in the actuator through the avionics system and acquires the status of each device in the actuator. The specific structures of the actuator, avionics system, and actuator control electronics are common knowledge in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0043] Reference Figure 3 In some embodiments, the various actuation controllers communicate with each other, synchronizing the states of each actuator and the actuation controller with other actuation controllers. This allows the actuation controller to confirm the state of the other actuation controller being switched after receiving the master / standby switch command from the flight master controller, ensuring the correctness of the switchover logic, thereby improving the accuracy of the switchover process, ensuring the normal operation of the control surfaces, and ultimately enhancing the safety of the aircraft during flight. The actuation controller includes a cross-communication unit for acquiring the states of other connected actuation controllers and their corresponding actuators, and synchronizing its own state and the state of its corresponding actuator to the connected actuation controllers.

[0044] In this embodiment, in order to further ensure the reliability of the flight control system, the hydraulic system of each actuator needs to include at least three independent hydraulic sources, which provide pressure to avoid the failure of the main-backup actuator switching due to the failure of a single hydraulic source, resulting in the loss of control of the control surfaces.

[0045] Based on the same inventive concept, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed and called by a processor, can implement the method for switching between primary and backup actuators in the flight control system provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0046] Memory, as a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-volatile software programs, non-volatile computer-executable programs, and modules. Memory can include at least one type of storage medium, such as flash memory, hard disk, multimedia card, card-type memory, random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic memory, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc. Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures that can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in the embodiments of this application can also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions for storing program instructions and / or data.

[0047] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0048] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart... Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0049] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0050] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0051] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0052] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any non-substantial changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Obtain the number of power-on cycles of the flight main controller; The actuator controller that is selected as the master actuator controller based on the number of power-on cycles is set to the standby state, and the other actuator controllers are set to the standby state, so that multiple actuator controllers take turns as the master actuator controller for the initial state as the master actuator controller. Real-time detection of the working status of the actuators corresponding to the actuator controllers in the master state, and acquisition of whether the actuators corresponding to the actuator controllers in each backup state are functioning properly; When the actuator corresponding to the master actuator controller fails, a master-slave switch command is sent to the current master actuator controller and any corresponding standby actuator controller with a normal actuator, changing the state of the current master actuator controller to standby state, and changing the state of any corresponding standby actuator controller with a normal actuator to master state; When the actuator controller is in the active state, it supplies power to the solenoid valve of the corresponding actuator, allowing high-pressure oil to enter the modal valve and switching the modal valve to the active position. When the actuator controller is in the standby state, it cuts off the power supply to the solenoid valve of the corresponding actuator, blocking high-pressure oil from entering the modal valve and switching the modal valve to the damped position.

2. The method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes two actuation controllers and two corresponding sets of actuators. In the step of selecting the actuation controller with the initial state as the master state based on the number of power-on cycles and setting the other actuation controllers as the standby state, so that multiple actuation controllers take turns as the master actuation controller with the initial state as the master state, when the number of power-on cycles of the flight master controller is odd, the first actuation controller is set as the master state and the second actuation controller is set as the standby state; when the number of power-on cycles of the flight master controller is even, the first actuation controller is set as the standby state and the second actuation controller is set as the master state.

3. The method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Obtain the aircraft's air and ground status; When the fault of the actuator corresponding to the actuator controller in the initial state is recovered, if the aircraft is on the ground, the state of each controller will be restored to the initial state. If the aircraft is in the air, the controllers are kept in their current state.

4. The method for switching between primary and backup actuators in a flight control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the step of real-time detection of the working status of the actuator corresponding to the actuator of the main state actuator controller and obtaining whether the actuator corresponding to each standby state actuator controller is normal, if the pressure of the actuator's hydraulic system is lower than the pressure threshold for a time greater than or equal to the first time threshold, or the status signal of the mechanical pump of the actuator's hydraulic system is a low pressure signal for a time greater than or equal to the second time threshold, then the actuator is judged to have malfunctioned.

5. A flight master controller for implementing a method for switching between master and backup actuators in a flight control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, include: Power-on count unit, used to record the number of times the flight main controller is powered on; The initial state determination unit is used to select the actuation controller with the initial state as the master state based on the number of power-on times, so that multiple actuation controllers take turns as the master actuation controller with the initial state as the master state. The actuation status acquisition unit is used to acquire the status of multiple actuators and determine whether the actuators have malfunctioned. The state switching unit is used to control the switching between the main state and the standby state of each actuator controller according to the state of each actuator obtained by the actuation state acquisition unit. When the actuator corresponding to the actuator currently in the main state fails, the state of the actuator currently in the main state is changed to the standby state, and the state of any corresponding actuator in the standby state that can work normally is changed to the main state.

6. The flight master controller according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: Aircraft status acquisition unit, used to acquire the ground and air status of the aircraft; The state switching unit is also used to restore the state of each actuation controller to the initial state when the fault of the actuator corresponding to the actuation controller whose initial state is the main state is recovered, if the aircraft is in the ground state. If the aircraft is in the air, the various actuation controllers are kept in their current state.

7. A flight control system, characterized in that, include: The flight master controller according to claim 5 or 6; Multiple actuation controllers are communicatively connected to the flight master controller and switch between primary and backup states under the control of the flight master controller. Multiple actuators are electrically connected to multiple actuator controllers in a one-to-one correspondence, and are used to control the various servo motors of the aircraft.

8. The flight control system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The multiple actuators are interconnected and communicate with each other.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed and called by the processor, it implements the method for switching between the primary and backup actuators of the flight control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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