Method and system for controlling extension and retraction of landing gear

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for controlling extension and retraction of an undercarriage, which comprises the following steps: detecting whether the undercarriage of an aircraft is in an unsafe state or not, the unsafe state comprising at least one of wheel tire explosion or front wheel abnormal deflection; when it is detected that the undercarriage is in the unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air state, the undercarriage is locked in the put-down state; determining whether the aircraft needs to surmount obstacles based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; if it is determined that the aircraft needs to surmount the obstacle, the undercarriage is unlocked, and the undercarriage is folded to surmount the obstacle; and after obstacle crossing is completed, the undercarriage is kept in a folded state and returns. The invention also discloses a system and a computer readable medium for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aircraft landing gear control, and more particularly to a method and system for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gear in an unsafe state. Background Art

[0002] The aircraft landing gear is a key component for supporting the fuselage during takeoff and landing of an aircraft, and is an important and indispensable part to ensure flight safety. However, during the use of the landing gear, once damage or abnormal retraction and extension occur, it may cause extremely serious catastrophic consequences to the aircraft.

[0003] During the retraction process of the landing gear, there are two dangerous faults that may pose a major threat to aircraft safety. The first fault is the bursting of the landing gear tire. During the takeoff of the aircraft, if the tire bursts after the taxiing speed exceeds the V1 speed and the pilot fails to detect it in time and continues to retract the landing gear, the damaged tire may cause serious damage to the equipment, pipelines and wires in the landing gear compartment. Currently, for this scenario, most of the existing technologies adopt physical protection measures to protect the equipment in the compartment. For example, a certain type of aircraft installs a frangible joint in the wheel well. However, this device needs to be regularly inspected for leakage problems. Once leakage occurs, it will directly affect the normal retraction and extension of the landing gear. Moreover, the replacement procedure of this device is relatively complex, and after replacement, a retraction and extension test needs to be carried out again, which undoubtedly increases the maintenance cost of airline operations. Therefore, it is particularly important to solve the problem of preventing the landing gear from being retracted into the wheel well when the tire bursts from the source.

[0004] The second fault is the abnormal large-angle deflection of the nose wheel. When the aircraft takes off, if the nose wheel fails to align properly and the deflection angle is too large, if the pilot retracts the landing gear at this time, it may cause damage to the structure of the nose landing gear. In addition, after the landing gear is retracted into the compartment, the deflection of the nose wheel may also interfere with the cabin wall or the cabin door, making it impossible for the nose landing gear to be lowered again, thus triggering catastrophic consequences. In the existing technology, most aircraft install a centering mechanism (for example, a cam mechanism) to center the nose wheel after takeoff. Whether the centering mechanism is successfully centered is usually judged by the nose wheel deflection angle signal (the nose wheel deflection angle of 0 indicates successful centering). However, this signal is often not displayed on the main crew warning page used by the pilot, so the pilot is easily unaware of the centering fault problem, thus triggering a flight accident.

[0005] In summary, the existing landing gear retraction and extension control technology at present cannot achieve automatic control of landing gear retraction and extension in the event of landing gear failure or unsafe state, and still requires human intervention. This undoubtedly increases the possibility of disaster events caused by human factors.

[0006] In view of this, it is desirable to provide an improved method and system for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gear. Summary of the Invention

[0007] A brief overview of one or more aspects is given below to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This overview is not an exhaustive survey of all contemplated aspects and is neither intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

[0008] The present invention provides a method for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gear, including: detecting whether the landing gear of the aircraft is in an unsafe state, where the unsafe state includes at least one of wheel tire burst or abnormal front wheel deflection; when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, locking the landing gear in the lowered state; determining whether the aircraft needs to overcome an obstacle based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; if it is determined that the aircraft needs to overcome an obstacle, unlocking the landing gear, retracting the landing gear and then overcoming the obstacle; and after overcoming the obstacle, keeping the landing gear retracted and returning.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method further includes: if it is determined that the aircraft does not need to overcome an obstacle, keeping the landing gear in the lowered state and returning.

[0010] In some embodiments, each wheel tire of the aircraft is equipped with an aircraft tire pressure sensor, and when the pressure value detected by any one of the tire pressure sensors is less than the pressure threshold value, it is determined that a wheel tire burst has occurred.

[0011] In some embodiments, each front wheel of the aircraft is equipped with a turning feedback sensor, and when the angle value detected by any one of the turning feedback sensors is greater than the angle threshold value, it is determined that an abnormal front wheel deflection has occurred.

[0012] In some embodiments, when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is on the ground, the pressure value of each tire pressure sensor and the angle value of each turning feedback sensor are normally output, and corresponding ground warning information is provided.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, displaying landing gear unsafe warning information on the main crew warning page.

[0014] In some embodiments, the flight state of the aircraft includes the speed, altitude, and position of the aircraft, and the surrounding terrain information is obtained from the aircraft's navigation equipment.

[0015] In some embodiments, unlocking the landing gear is achieved through an override switch on the landing gear control handle.

[0016] The present invention also provides a system for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gears, comprising: a status detection unit configured to detect whether the landing gears of an aircraft are in an unsafe state, where the unsafe state includes at least one of wheel tire burst or abnormal front wheel deflection; a landing gear retraction and extension control unit configured to, when it is detected that the landing gears are in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, lock the landing gears in the lowered state; determine whether the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; if it is determined that the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle, unlock the landing gears, retract the landing gears and then clear the obstacle; and keep the landing gears in the retracted state and return after the obstacle clearance is completed.

[0017] In some embodiments, the landing gear retraction and extension control unit is further configured to, if it is determined that the aircraft does not need to clear an obstacle, keep the landing gears in the lowered state and return.

[0018] In some embodiments, the status detection unit further includes: a wheel tire burst detection subunit configured to detect whether a wheel tire burst occurs; and an abnormal front wheel deflection detection subunit configured to detect whether an abnormal front wheel deflection occurs.

[0019] In some embodiments, the system further includes a landing gear status indication unit configured to, when it is detected that the landing gears are in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, display a landing gear unsafe warning message on the main crew warning page.

[0020] In some embodiments, the flight state of the aircraft includes the speed, altitude, and position of the aircraft, and the system further includes a terrain information acquisition unit configured to acquire the surrounding terrain information from the navigation equipment of the aircraft.

[0021] The present invention also provides a computer-readable medium storing a computer program for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gears, and these computer programs can be executed by a processor to execute the foregoing method for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gears.

[0022] The technical solution of the present invention determines whether the landing gears are in an unsafe state by detecting wheel tire burst and abnormal front wheel deflection, and automatically controls the retraction and extension of the landing gears when an unsafe state is detected, reducing the adverse effects caused by manual misoperation. In addition, the technical solution of the present invention introduces multiple sensor signals and bus signals, makes a retraction and extension control judgment through comprehensive logical judgment, reduces system false alarms, improves system control robustness, and at the same time retains the pilot's control authority over the landing gears in special situations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The features, nature, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals always denote corresponding parts. Note that the described drawings are merely illustrative and non-limiting. In the drawings, the dimensions of some components may be enlarged and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0024] Figure 1 Illustrates the system architecture of the present invention for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear.

[0025] Figure 2 Illustrates the method of the present invention for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear.

[0026] Figure 3 Illustrates an exemplary process of the present invention for determining whether the landing gear is in an unsafe state.

[0027] Figure 4 Illustrates an exemplary process of the present invention for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear.

[0028] Figure 5 Illustrates the system block diagram of the present invention for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear.

[0029] Figure 6 Illustrates the device block diagram of an apparatus including the system of the present invention for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear and understandable, the following further details the present invention in conjunction with specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some or all of these specific details may not be necessary to practice the described embodiments. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining the present invention and not for limiting the present invention. At the same time, the various aspects described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0031] Figure 1 Illustrates the system architecture 100 of the present invention for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear.

[0032] As Figure 1 shown, the system architecture 100 mainly includes a wheel tire burst detection module, a front wheel abnormal deflection detection module, an air / ground state detection module, a landing gear control handle module, a terrain information module, a landing gear retraction / extension control module, and a landing gear status indication module.

[0033] The wheel tire burst detection module mainly includes wheel tire pressure sensors. The wheel tire pressure sensors are installed in each tire to sense the tire pressure of each wheel in real time and output the corresponding pressure value. Under normal circumstances, the tire pressure of the wheel should be greater than or equal to the pressure threshold value. If the pressure value detected by the wheel tire pressure sensor is less than the pressure threshold value, it indicates that a wheel tire burst has occurred. In addition, when it is detected that all the wheel tire pressure sensors have failed, it can also be regarded as a wheel tire burst having occurred.

[0034] The front wheel abnormal deflection detection module mainly includes turning feedback sensors. The turning feedback sensors are installed in each front wheel of the aircraft to sense the front wheel deflection angle in real time and output the corresponding angle value. Under normal circumstances, the front wheel deflection angle should be within a certain range (for example, less than or equal to the angle threshold value). If the angle value of the turning feedback sensor is greater than the angle threshold value, it indicates that a front wheel abnormal deflection has occurred. In addition, when it is detected that all the turning feedback sensors have failed, it can also be regarded as a front wheel abnormal deflection having occurred.

[0035] The air-ground state detection module mainly includes wheel load sensors. The wheel load sensors are used to sense the wheel load of the aircraft to detect the air-ground state of the aircraft. If the wheel load sensed by the wheel load sensor is zero, it indicates that the aircraft is in the air state, while if the wheel load sensed by the wheel load sensor is greater than zero, it indicates that the aircraft is in the on-ground state.

[0036] The landing gear control handle module is used to control the retraction and extension of the landing gear by operating the landing gear handle. The landing gear control handle module can provide a landing gear control handle signal and an override signal. Specifically, the pilot provides the landing gear control handle signal by operating the landing gear control handle (retracting or extending). In addition, the pilot can also provide an override signal by pressing the override switch. By pressing the override switch, the landing gear can be unlocked. The unlocking of the landing gear will be further described below.

[0037] The terrain information module is used to obtain the surrounding terrain information from the aircraft's navigation equipment. After obtaining the surrounding terrain information from the terrain information module, the landing gear control handle module can determine whether the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle in combination with the flight state of the aircraft (such as the current speed, altitude, and position).

[0038] As Figure 1As shown, the signals output by the wheel tire burst detection module, the front wheel abnormal deflection detection module, the ground / air state detection module, the landing gear control handle module, and the terrain information module are all provided to the landing gear retraction and extension control module. Specifically, the signal of the wheel tire pressure sensor and the terrain information of the terrain information module are provided to the landing gear retraction and extension control module through the bus. The signal of the ground / air state detection module is provided to the landing gear retraction and extension control module in the form of discrete signals. The analog signal output by the front wheel abnormal deflection detection module is provided to the landing gear retraction and extension control module after analog-to-digital conversion. The signal of the landing gear control handle module is provided to the landing gear retraction and extension control module in the form of discrete signals.

[0039] After receiving the signals provided by each module, the landing gear retraction and extension control module outputs the final landing gear retraction and extension command after logical judgment and the judgment result of the unsafe state warning through internal logical operations.

[0040] Specifically, if no wheel tire burst or front wheel abnormal deflection is detected, or if a wheel tire burst and / or front wheel abnormal deflection is detected but the aircraft is in the on-ground state, the landing gear retraction and extension command output by the landing gear retraction and extension control module is equivalent to the command given by the pilot through the landing gear control handle.

[0041] If it is detected that the aircraft has a wheel tire burst and / or front wheel abnormal deflection, the aircraft is in the in-air state, and it is judged that the aircraft does not need to overstep an obstacle, the landing gear will be locked in the down state regardless of the landing gear control handle signal at this time. In other words, the landing gear retraction and extension command output by the landing gear retraction and extension control module at this time is equivalent to the landing gear down command.

[0042] If it is detected that the aircraft has a wheel tire burst and / or front wheel abnormal deflection, the aircraft is in the in-air state, and it is judged that the aircraft needs to overstep an obstacle, an override signal needs to be sent through the override switch to unlock the landing gear, and then the landing gear is retracted by the pilot operating the landing gear control handle to achieve overstepping the obstacle. In other words, the landing gear retraction and extension command output by the landing gear retraction and extension control module at this time is equivalent to the command given by the pilot through the landing gear control handle (i.e., the retraction command).

[0043] The landing gear status indication module is used to receive the judgment result of the unsafe state warning output by the landing gear retraction and extension control module, and display the corresponding landing gear unsafe state warning information and the landing gear retraction and extension status through the display system. For example, the landing gear unsafe state warning information and the landing gear retraction and extension status can be displayed on the main crew warning page to enhance the attention of the crew.

[0044] The main modules of the system architecture 100 for controlling the landing gear retraction and extension are shown above, but it should be noted that Figure 1The system architecture 100 shown is merely exemplary and not restrictive. In actual implementation, those skilled in the art can adopt different ways from those Figure 1 shown to implement the system architecture for controlling the landing gear retraction and extension. In specific implementation, one or more of these modules can be combined, split, modified, removed according to the actual situation, or additional modules can be added.

[0045] Figure 2 The method 200 for controlling the landing gear retraction and extension of the present invention is shown.

[0046] As Figure 2 shown, the method 200 starts at step 205. At step 205, it is detected whether the landing gear of the aircraft is in an unsafe state, and the unsafe state includes at least one of the bursting of the wheel tire or the abnormal deflection of the front wheel.

[0047] As mentioned above, if the landing gear tire bursts or the front wheel deflects abnormally, it will pose a significant threat to the safety of the aircraft. Thus, in the context of the present invention, if the landing gear tire bursts and / or the front wheel deflects abnormally, the landing gear is considered to be in an unsafe state.

[0048] For the detection of the bursting of the landing gear tire, a tire pressure sensor can be installed in each tire. Through the signals of each tire pressure sensor (for example, these signals indicate the pressure value), it can be known whether the tire bursts.

[0049] For the detection of the abnormal deflection of the front wheel, a turning feedback sensor can be installed on each front wheel. Through the signals of each turning feedback sensor (for example, these signals indicate the deflection angle of the front wheel), it can be known whether the front wheel deflects abnormally.

[0050] To better understand how to determine whether the landing gear is in an unsafe state, the following is combined with Figure 3 An exemplary process 300 for determining whether the landing gear is in an unsafe state is shown.

[0051] As Figure 3 shown, during the operation of the aircraft, the signals of each tire pressure sensor (305) and the signals of each turning feedback sensor (325) can be detected in real time to detect whether the landing gear tire bursts and / or the front wheel deflects abnormally.

[0052] In some embodiments, the operating states of the respective sensors can be judged first. For example, the operating state of the aircraft tire pressure sensor can be judged. If it is detected that all the aircraft tire pressure sensors are faulty (the output of 310 is "yes"), then it can be regarded that a tire burst of the aircraft wheel has occurred (320). Although the situation where all aircraft tire pressure sensors are faulty is relatively rare, it still needs to be considered during actual flight. When all aircraft tire pressure sensors are faulty, the detection system cannot obtain accurate tire pressure data, so it can only be assumed that the tire of the aircraft wheel has burst. In this case, the pilot needs to take corresponding measures immediately to avoid the risks caused by the tire burst of the aircraft wheel.

[0053] Similar to the aircraft tire pressure sensor, the operating state of the turning feedback sensor can also be judged. If it is detected that all the turning feedback sensors are faulty (the output of 330 is "yes"), then it can be regarded that an abnormal deflection of the front wheel has occurred (340). When all turning feedback sensors are faulty, the detection system cannot obtain accurate data on the deflection angle of the front wheel, so it can only be assumed that an abnormal deflection of the front wheel has occurred. In this case, the pilot can take corresponding measures to avoid the risk of out-of-control caused by abnormal deflection of the front wheel.

[0054] In the case where not all the aircraft tire pressure sensors are faulty (the output of 310 is "no"), it can be further judged whether the pressure value of any one of the aircraft tire pressure sensors is less than the pressure threshold value (315). The pressure threshold value is used to judge whether the tire pressure of the aircraft wheel is within the normal range. If the pressure value of any one of the aircraft tire pressure sensors is less than the pressure threshold value (the output of 315 is "yes"), it means that a tire burst of the aircraft wheel has occurred (320). It should be noted that the pressure threshold value can be preset by those skilled in the art according to the specific situation of the aircraft.

[0055] If the pressure values of all the normally operating aircraft tire pressure sensors are greater than or equal to the pressure threshold value, it means that no tire burst of the aircraft wheel has occurred. In this case, the detection of the aircraft tire pressure sensor can be continued.

[0056] In the case where not all the turning feedback sensors are faulty (the output of 330 is "no"), it can be further judged whether the angle value of any one of the turning feedback sensors is greater than the preset angle threshold value (335). The angle threshold value is used to judge whether the deflection angle of the front wheel is within the normal range. If the angle value of any one of the turning feedback sensors is greater than the preset angle threshold value, it means that an abnormal deflection of the front wheel has occurred (340). The angle threshold value can also be preset by those skilled in the art according to the specific situation of the aircraft.

[0057] If the angular values of all normally operating turning feedback sensors are less than or equal to a preset angular threshold value, it indicates that no abnormal front wheel deflection has occurred. In this case, the detection of the turning feedback sensors can continue.

[0058] After comprehensively analyzing the signals of the aircraft wheel pressure sensors and the turning feedback sensors, a final judgment can be made on the safety status of the landing gear. If either a wheel tire burst (320) or an abnormal front wheel deflection (340) occurs, it can be determined that the landing gear is in an unsafe state (345). Conversely, if neither a wheel tire burst nor an abnormal front wheel deflection occurs, it can be determined that the landing gear is in a safe state ( Figure 3 not shown in the figure). In this case, the real-time detection of the signals of the aircraft wheel pressure sensors and the turning feedback sensors can continue.

[0059] Return Figure 2 , in step 210, when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the airborne state, the landing gear is locked in the down position.

[0060] To determine whether the aircraft is in the air (in the airborne state) or on the ground (in the on-ground state), wheel load sensors can be installed on the tires of the aircraft. If the wheel load sensed by the wheel load sensors is zero, it can be determined that the aircraft is in the airborne state, and if the wheel load sensed by the wheel load sensors is greater than zero, it can be determined that the aircraft is in the on-ground state.

[0061] In the case of locking the landing gear in the down position in step 210, regardless of whether the landing gear handle issues a retraction command signal (for example, the pilot issues a corresponding signal by operating the landing gear handle), the landing gear remains locked in the down position. In this way, the landing gear can be automatically locked when it is in an unsafe state, preventing the flight crew from retracting a faulty landing gear, thus causing adverse effects.

[0062] In some embodiments, when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the airborne state, in addition to locking the landing gear in the down position, a landing gear unsafe warning message can also be displayed on the main flight crew warning page ( Figure 2 not shown in the figure). For example, a landing gear unsafe warning message can be displayed on the warning page directly in front of the pilot. In some embodiments, there can also be a corresponding audible warning. This warning method can promptly remind the flight crew of the abnormal state of the landing gear, enabling the flight crew to quickly take corresponding measures to ensure flight safety.

[0063] In some embodiments, when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is on the ground, the pressure value of the tire pressure sensor and the angle value of the turning feedback sensor can be output normally, and corresponding ground warning information can be provided ( Figure 2 (not shown). For example, ground warning information can be given by sound or text. At the same time, the pressure value of the tire pressure sensor and / or the angle value of the turning feedback sensor can also be displayed on the warning page. These warning information can provide important references for ground staff, thereby helping ground staff to inspect and repair the landing gear and eliminate faults in a timely manner.

[0064] After locking the landing gear in the down state, the method 200 proceeds to step 215. At step 215, it is determined whether the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle.

[0065] In some embodiments, the navigation device of the aircraft may provide terrain information around the aircraft. Based on the terrain information and the flight status of the aircraft (e.g., speed, altitude, position), it can be determined whether the aircraft needs to cross obstacles. Specifically, if the terrain information indicates that there are obstacles near the aircraft (e.g., in an area at a preset distance from the current position of the aircraft) and the difference between the height of the obstacle and the current height of the aircraft is less than a preset threshold, it can be considered that the surrounding terrain may have an adverse effect on the aircraft, thereby determining that the aircraft needs to cross obstacles. Conversely, if the terrain information indicates that there are no obstacles near the aircraft or there are obstacles but the height difference with the current height of the aircraft is greater than a preset threshold, it can be considered that the surrounding terrain will not have an adverse effect on the aircraft, thereby determining that the aircraft does not need to cross obstacles. In a specific implementation, those skilled in the art can set a preset distance and a preset threshold according to actual conditions to ensure judgment accuracy and adaptability.

[0066] In step 220, if it is determined that the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle, the landing gear is unlocked and retracted to clear the obstacle.

[0067] In the aforementioned step 210, when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in an empty state, the landing gear is locked in the lowered state regardless of whether the landing gear handle sends a retraction command signal. After it is determined that the aircraft needs to overcome an obstacle, in order to retract the landing gear, the landing gear needs to be unlocked first. Specifically, after it is determined that the aircraft needs to overcome an obstacle, an override signal can be sent by pressing the override switch on the landing gear handle, thereby releasing the lock on the landing gear. Subsequently, the landing gear can be retracted by operating the landing gear handle. After the landing gear is retracted, the aircraft can overcome the obstacle.

[0068] In step 225, after the obstacle is cleared, the landing gear is kept in the retracted state and the aircraft returns.

[0069] After the aircraft has cleared an obstacle, the landing gear can be kept retracted and the aircraft can return to base in this state. When the aircraft arrives at its destination and lands, the landing gear is then lowered to enable the aircraft to land. This strategy not only ensures flight safety during the return journey but also reduces the number of times the landing gear is retracted and extended during the flight, thereby reducing damage to the landing gear. In this way, while ensuring flight safety, the service life of the landing gear is extended and maintenance costs are reduced.

[0070] In step 230, if it is determined that the aircraft does not need to clear an obstacle, the landing gear is kept lowered and the aircraft returns to base.

[0071] In the case where it is determined that the aircraft does not need to clear an obstacle, the landing gear can be kept lowered and the aircraft can return to base in this state. Similarly, this strategy can reduce the number of times the landing gear is retracted and extended during the flight, thereby reducing damage to the landing gear. In this case, the landing gear remains lowered until the aircraft arrives at its destination and lands. This strategy not only simplifies the pilot's operation process but also improves safety during the flight.

[0072] As can be seen from method 200, the technical solution of the present invention can control the landing gear through an automatic control logic when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, so as to solve the problems of lag and inaccuracy caused by manual operation. By monitoring and judging the unsafe state of the landing gear, automatic control of the retraction and extension of the landing gear can be achieved, reducing the adverse effects caused by manual misoperation. By introducing multiple signals for comprehensive judgment, the technical solution of the present invention can reduce system false alarms, improve system control robustness, and at the same time retain the pilot's control authority over the landing gear in special situations, improving flight safety.

[0073] Figure 4 An exemplary process 400 for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear according to the present invention is shown.

[0074] As Figure 4 shown, after the aircraft is powered on, the process 400 for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear starts (405).

[0075] After the process 400 starts, by detecting the signals of each turning feedback sensor (410), it can be determined whether abnormal deflection of the front wheels occurs (420). At the same time, by detecting the signals of each main landing gear tire pressure sensor (415), it can be determined whether a main landing gear tire burst occurs (425).

[0076] If no abnormal front-wheel deflection occurs (the output of 420 is "No"), continue to detect the signals of each turning feedback sensor (410). Similarly, if no wheel tire burst occurs (the output of 425 is "No"), continue to detect the signals of each wheel tire pressure sensor (415). By continuously detecting the signals of these sensors, it is possible to ensure that unsafe states of the landing gear are detected in a timely manner, providing guarantee for flight safety.

[0077] If it is determined that an abnormal front-wheel deflection has occurred (the output of 420 is "Yes"), it indicates that the landing gear is in an unsafe state. At this time, the air-ground state of the aircraft can be further judged (430). When the aircraft is in the on-ground state, the angle value of the turning feedback sensor can be normally output (440). In addition, corresponding ground warning information ( Figure 4 not shown in the figure) can be provided. In this way, ground staff can be informed of the front-wheel fault in a timely manner and carry out maintenance.

[0078] Similarly, if it is determined that a wheel tire burst has occurred (the output of 425 is "Yes"), it indicates that the landing gear is in an unsafe state. At this time, the air-ground state of the aircraft can be further judged (435). When the aircraft is in the on-ground state, the pressure value of the wheel tire pressure sensor is normally output (445). In addition, corresponding ground warning information ( Figure 4 not shown in the figure) can be provided. In this way, ground staff can be informed of the wheel tire burst in a timely manner and carry out maintenance. The above measures can detect and eliminate potential dangers caused by landing gear failures before takeoff in a timely manner, greatly improving the safety of the aircraft.

[0079] If it is determined that an abnormal front-wheel deflection has occurred (the output of 420 is "Yes") and the aircraft is in the in-air state, or it is determined that a wheel tire burst has occurred (the output of 425 is "Yes") and the aircraft is in the in-air state, an unsafe state warning of the landing gear is issued (450). For example, the unsafe state warning information of the landing gear can be displayed on the main crew warning page so that the crew can be informed of the landing gear failure in a timely manner and the crew is prompted not to retract the landing gear.

[0080] After the unsafe state warning of the landing gear is issued, regardless of whether the landing gear handle issues a retraction command signal (that is, regardless of the output of 455 being "Yes" or "No"), the landing gear remains locked in the down state (460). In other words, the operation of the landing gear handle by the crew will be ineffective at this time. For example, even if the crew issues a command to retract the landing gear by operating the landing gear handle due to not seeing or ignoring the unsafe state warning information of the landing gear displayed on the crew warning page at this time, the landing gear still remains in the down state. In this way, the adverse effects caused by human misoperation can be effectively avoided, reducing the risk of flight accidents caused by landing gear failures.

[0081] After maintaining the landing gear locked in the down position, it is further determined whether the aircraft needs to overstep an obstacle (465). Specifically, the surrounding terrain information can be obtained from the aircraft's navigation equipment, and based on the surrounding terrain information and the flight state of the aircraft, it is determined whether an overstep of the obstacle is needed.

[0082] If it is determined that no overstep of the obstacle is required (the output of 465 is "no"), the landing gear remains in the down position (470). Subsequently, the aircraft returns to base in this landing gear state (485).

[0083] If it is determined that an overstep of the obstacle is required (the output of 465 is "yes"), the override switch on the landing gear handle is pressed (475). By pressing the override switch, an override signal can be sent to unlock the landing gear. Subsequently, the landing gear can be retracted by operating the landing gear handle (480) to achieve overstepping of the obstacle. This overstep decision-making and override operation mechanism fully considers the complex situations during the flight, ensuring both the safety of the landing gear in case of a failure and providing the necessary operation flexibility for the flight crew to meet sudden flight requirements.

[0084] After overstepping the obstacle, the aircraft returns to base with the landing gear retracted (485). After returning to base, the entire process 400 ends (490).

[0085] As can be seen from process 400, the technical solution of the present invention can quickly and accurately detect potential failures of the landing gear by real-time monitoring of the signals of the turning feedback sensor and the tire pressure sensor of the aircraft. This highly automated monitoring mechanism greatly improves the efficiency and accuracy of fault detection, reducing the errors and delays of manual detection. At the same time, the technical solution of the present invention can quickly respond after detecting a landing gear failure and lock the landing gear in the down position. This measure effectively avoids potential risks caused by misoperations of the flight crew, greatly improving flight safety. In addition, the technical solution of the present invention can also provide corresponding warning information according to the air-ground state of the aircraft to ensure that maintenance personnel can handle the failure in time. Through the overstep decision-making mechanism and the override operation function, the technical solution of the present invention provides the necessary operation flexibility for the flight crew to meet sudden flight requirements. This flexibility is particularly important in complex flight environments and can effectively improve the flight safety and reliability of the aircraft.

[0086] Figure 5 A block diagram of a system 500 for controlling the retraction and extension of the landing gear according to the present invention is shown.

[0087] See Figure 5, the system 500 may include a status detection unit 502, a landing gear retraction control unit 504, a landing gear status indication unit 506, and a terrain information acquisition unit 508. Each of these units may be directly or indirectly connected or communicate with each other on one or more buses 510.

[0088] In various embodiments of the present invention, the status detection unit 502 is configured to: detect whether the landing gear of the aircraft is in an unsafe state, and the unsafe state includes at least one of a wheel tire burst or an abnormal front wheel deflection.

[0089] In some embodiments, the status detection unit 502 further includes: a wheel tire burst detection subunit configured to detect whether a wheel tire burst occurs; and an abnormal front wheel deflection detection subunit configured to detect whether an abnormal front wheel deflection occurs. For simplicity, Figure 5 the above-mentioned subunits are not shown.

[0090] In various embodiments of the present invention, the landing gear retraction control unit 504 is configured to: lock the landing gear in the lowered state when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air; determine whether the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; if it is determined that the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle, unlock the landing gear, retract the landing gear and then clear the obstacle; and keep the landing gear retracted and return after the obstacle is cleared.

[0091] In some embodiments, the landing gear retraction control unit 504 is further configured to: keep the landing gear in the lowered state and return if it is determined that the aircraft does not need to clear an obstacle.

[0092] In various embodiments of the present invention, the landing gear status indication unit 506 is configured to: display a landing gear unsafe warning message on the main crew warning page when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air.

[0093] In various embodiments of the present invention, the terrain information acquisition unit 508 is configured to: acquire the surrounding terrain information from the navigation equipment of the aircraft.

[0094] Although Figure 5 specific units of the system 500 are shown, it should be understood that these units are merely exemplary and not restrictive. In different implementations, one or more of these units may be combined, split, removed, or additional units may be added. For example, in some implementations, the status detection unit 502 may be split into a wheel tire burst detection subunit and an abnormal front wheel deflection detection subunit. In some implementations, the system 500 may further include additional units.

[0095] Figure 6A block diagram of an apparatus 600 including the system for controlling landing gear retraction and extension according to the present invention is shown.

[0096] The apparatus shows a general hardware environment in which the present invention can be applied according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0097] Reference will now be made to Figure 6 Apparatus 600 will be described, which is an exemplary embodiment of a hardware device to which aspects of the present invention can be applied. Apparatus 600 can be any machine configured to perform processing and / or computing, and can be, but is not limited to, a workstation, a server, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any combination thereof. The above system can be implemented in whole or at least in part by apparatus 600 or a similar device or system.

[0098] Apparatus 600 may include components that can be connected to or communicate with bus 612 via one or more interfaces. For example, apparatus 600 may include bus 612, processor 602, memory 604, input device 608, output device 610, and so on.

[0099] Processor 602 can be any type of processor, and can include, but is not limited to, a general-purpose processor and / or a special-purpose processor (such as a special processing chip), a smart hardware device (such as a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, a microcontroller, an ASIC, an FPGA, a programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, processor 602 can be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In other cases, a memory controller (not shown) can be integrated into processor 602. Processor 602 is responsible for managing the bus and general processing, including executing software stored in the memory. Processor 602 can also be configured to perform various functions related to controlling landing gear retraction and extension described herein. For example, processor 602 can be configured to: detect whether the landing gear of an aircraft is in an unsafe state, where the unsafe state includes at least one of a wheel tire burst or an abnormal deflection of the nose wheel; lock the landing gear in the down state when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air; determine whether the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; if it is determined that the aircraft needs to clear an obstacle, unlock the landing gear, retract the landing gear and then clear the obstacle; and keep the landing gear in the retracted state and return after the obstacle has been cleared.

[0100] The memory 604 can be any storage device capable of implementing data storage. The memory 604 can include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state memories, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, or any other magnetic medium, optical discs, or any other optical medium, ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), cache memory, and / or any other memory chip or cartridge, and / or any other medium from which a computer can read data, instructions, and / or code. The memory 604 can store computer-executable software 606 including computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the various functions described herein related to controlling landing gear retraction and extension.

[0101] The input device 608 can be any type of device that can be used to input information.

[0102] The output device 610 can be any type of device for outputting information. In one scenario, the output device 610 can be any type of output device that can display information.

[0103] The detailed description set forth above in connection with the accompanying drawings describes examples and does not represent all examples that may be implemented or fall within the scope of the claims. The terms "example" and "exemplary" as used in this specification mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and do not mean "superior to or better than other examples".

[0104] The recitation of "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" throughout this specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the use of these phrases may refer to more than just one embodiment. Additionally, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0105] The foregoing description has been provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, where the recitation of a singular element is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically stated otherwise, but rather "one or more". Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term "some" refers to one or more. Elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are presently known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art as structural and functional equivalents are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims.

[0106] Note also that the embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, structural diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of these operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of these operations may be re-arranged.

[0107] Although various embodiments have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the precise configurations and components described above. Various modifications, substitutions, and improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the devices disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gear, comprising: Detecting whether the landing gear of the aircraft is in an unsafe state, where the unsafe state includes at least one of a burst of the wheel tire or abnormal deflection of the front wheel; When it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, locking the landing gear in the lowered state; Determining whether the aircraft needs to overstep an obstacle based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; If it is determined that the aircraft needs to overstep an obstacle, unlocking the landing gear, retracting the landing gear and then overstepping the obstacle; And After overstepping the obstacle, keeping the landing gear in the retracted state and returning.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein Further comprising: If it is determined that the aircraft does not need to overstep an obstacle, keeping the landing gear in the lowered state and returning.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein Each wheel tire of the aircraft is equipped with an aircraft tire pressure sensor, and wherein, when the pressure value detected by any one of the tire pressure sensors is less than the pressure threshold value, it is determined that a burst of the wheel tire has occurred.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein Each front wheel of the aircraft is equipped with a turning feedback sensor, and wherein, when the angle value detected by any one of the turning feedback sensors is greater than the angle threshold value, it is determined that an abnormal deflection of the front wheel has occurred.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that When it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is on the ground, normally outputting the pressure value of each tire pressure sensor and the angle value of each turning feedback sensor, and providing corresponding ground warning information.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Further comprising: When it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, displaying landing gear unsafe warning information on the main crew warning page.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein The flight state of the aircraft includes the speed, altitude and position of the aircraft, and wherein, the surrounding terrain information is obtained from the navigation equipment of the aircraft.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Unlocking the landing gear is achieved through an override switch on the landing gear control handle.

9. A system for controlling the retraction and extension of landing gear, comprising: A state detection unit configured to: detect whether the landing gear of the aircraft is in an unsafe state, where the unsafe state includes at least one of a burst of the wheel tire or abnormal deflection of the front wheel; A landing gear retraction and extension control unit configured to: When it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the air, locking the landing gear in the lowered state; Determining whether the aircraft needs to overstep an obstacle based on the flight state of the aircraft and the surrounding terrain information; If it is determined that the aircraft needs to overstep an obstacle, unlocking the landing gear, retracting the landing gear and then overstepping the obstacle; And After overstepping the obstacle, keeping the landing gear in the retracted state and returning.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein The landing gear retraction and extension control unit is further configured to: if it is determined that the aircraft does not need to overstep an obstacle, keep the landing gear in the lowered state and return.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein, The state detection unit further includes: A wheel tire burst detection sub-unit configured to detect whether a burst of the wheel tire has occurred; and A front wheel abnormal deflection detection sub-unit configured to detect whether an abnormal deflection of the front wheel has occurred.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein Further comprising a landing gear status indication unit configured to display landing gear unsafe warning information on a main crew warning page when it is detected that the landing gear is in an unsafe state and the aircraft is in the in-air state.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein The flight state of the aircraft includes the speed, altitude, and position of the aircraft, and the system further includes a terrain information acquisition unit configured to acquire the surrounding terrain information from the navigation equipment of the aircraft.

14. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for controlling the retraction and extension of a landing gear, the computer program being executable by a processor to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-8.

Images