System and method for controlling auxiliary power plant of aircraft to perform automatic start

Abstract

The application discloses a system for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air, characterized by comprising: an auxiliary power unit (APU) for providing an air source and a power source for the aircraft; an integrated modular avionic system (IMA) for receiving an emergency state signal and an operating state signal associated with the aircraft, and generating an APU auto-start signal according to a preset decision logic based at least in part on the emergency state signal and the operating state signal; and the APU controller is in communication connection with the IMA and is used for controlling the APU to execute an automatic starting operation after receiving the APU automatic starting signal. A method for controlling an auxiliary power plant (APU) of an aircraft to perform an autostart operation in the air, as well as numerous other aspects, is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) system of an aircraft, and more particularly to a system and method for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start-up operation in the air. Background Art

[0002] In modern civil aviation, the APU is an important auxiliary power source for an aircraft, providing electrical power and air source for the aircraft on the ground and in the air. However, most of the existing APU starting methods rely on manual operation by the pilot, which may increase the pilot's operation burden and delay the APU starting time in case of emergency, thus posing a potential threat to flight safety. Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a system and method for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start-up operation in the air. Summary of the Invention

[0003] 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 a more detailed description given later.

[0004] To solve the above problems, this aspect proposes a system and method for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start-up operation in the air.

[0005] In one aspect, a system for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start-up operation in the air is disclosed, characterized by comprising: an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) for providing an air source and a power source for the aircraft; an Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) system for receiving an emergency status signal and an operating status signal associated with the aircraft, and at least partially based on the emergency status signal and the operating status signal, generating an APU automatic start-up signal according to a preset judgment logic; and an APU controller communicatively connected to the IMA and configured to control the APU to perform the automatic start-up operation after receiving the APU automatic start-up signal.

[0006] Preferably, the emergency status signal and the operating status signal are transmitted to the IMA through an emergency channel bus; and wherein the emergency status signal includes a dual engine failure signal or an aircraft electrical / air load below threshold signal, and the operating status signal includes one or more of the following: a wheel load signal, an airspeed signal, a fuel supply signal, or an APU automatic start-up inhibition signal.

[0007] Preferably, the judgment logic includes: a first logic for judging that the aircraft is in the air and the airspeed is greater than a preset threshold; a second logic for judging that the fuel supply state of the APU is normal; a third logic for judging that the APU automatic start inhibition signal is not activated; a fourth logic for judging that the APU is not currently in an operating state; wherein when the first logic, the second logic, the third logic, and the fourth logic are simultaneously satisfied, the IMA generates the APU automatic start signal.

[0008] Preferably, the judgment logic further includes: a fifth logic for further judging whether the current airspeed and altitude are within the allowable range of the APU start envelope if the APU has a start envelope limit; and the APU automatic start signal is generated only when the fifth logic is satisfied.

[0009] Preferably, the system further includes: an APU control board communicatively connected to the IMA and provided with a manual operation interface and a suppression switch, wherein: the manual operation interface is used to manually control the start and stop of the APU in a non-emergency state; and the suppression switch is default in a non-suppressed state and generates an APU automatic start inhibition signal only by manual triggering in case of an APU automatic start failure.

[0010] Preferably, the suppression switch is a physical button and is configured with a status indicator for real-time display of the suppression state of the automatic start operation of the APU.

[0011] Preferably, the APU automatic start signal includes: an APU main switch signal for triggering the power-on of the APU controller; and an APU start switch signal for triggering the APU controller to perform the automatic start operation of the APU; wherein the timing control of the APU main switch signal and the APU start switch signal is consistent with the two-step timing control of the pilot controlling the manual operation interface.

[0012] In another aspect, a method for controlling an auxiliary power unit (APU) of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air is disclosed, characterized by including: receiving an emergency state signal and an operating state signal associated with the aircraft; and at least partially based on the emergency state signal and the operating state signal, generating an APU automatic start signal according to a preset judgment logic; and controlling the APU to perform the automatic start operation based on the APU automatic start signal.

[0013] Preferably, the emergency state signal includes a dual engine failure signal or an aircraft electrical / air load lower than a threshold signal, and the operating state signal includes one or more of the following: a wheel load signal, an airspeed signal, a fuel supply signal, or an APU automatic start inhibition signal.

[0014] Preferably, the determination logic includes: a first logic for determining that the aircraft is in the air and the airspeed is greater than a preset threshold; a second logic for determining that the fuel supply state of the APU is normal; a third logic for determining that the APU automatic start inhibition signal is not activated; a fourth logic for determining that the APU is not currently in an operating state; wherein when the first logic, the second logic, the third logic, and the fourth logic are simultaneously satisfied, the IMA generates the APU automatic start signal.

[0015] Preferably, the determination logic further includes: a fifth logic for further determining whether the current airspeed and altitude are within the allowable range of the APU start envelope if the APU has a start envelope limit; and the APU automatic start signal is generated only when the fifth logic is satisfied.

[0016] Preferably, the APU automatic start signal includes: an APU main switch signal for triggering the power-on of the APU controller; and an APU start switch signal for triggering the automatic start operation of the APU; wherein the timing control of the APU main switch signal and the APU start switch signal is consistent with the two-step timing control of the pilot control manual operation interface.

[0017] Preferably, the APU automatic start inhibition signal is generated by manually triggering a suppression switch only when an APU automatic start failure occurs.

[0018] The present invention content is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form, and these concepts will be further described in the following detailed implementation. The present invention content is not intended to identify the key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects, features, and / or advantages of the various embodiments will be partially described below, and will be partially obvious from the description, or can be learned through the practice of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to understand in detail the manner in which the above-described features of the present invention are used, reference may be made to the various embodiments to describe more specifically the content briefly outlined above, some aspects of which are shown in the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings only show some typical aspects of the present invention and should not be considered to limit its scope, because the description may allow other equally effective aspects. In the drawings, like reference numerals are always used to denote like elements. Note that the described drawings are schematic and non-limiting. In the drawings, the dimensions of some components may be enlarged and are not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0020] Figure 1AAn example of a system architecture for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained.

[0021] Figure 1B An example of an automatic start inhibition switch for an auxiliary power unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained.

[0022] Figure 2 An example of a process flow for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained.

[0023] Figure 3 A block diagram of a device supporting the control of an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained.

[0024] Figure 4 A block diagram of a method supporting the control of an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below 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 be practiced without these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures or processing steps are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0026] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the term "A or B" used in this specification refers to "A and B" and "A or B", rather than meaning that A and B are exclusive.

[0027] Figure 1A An example of a system architecture 100 for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is explained.

[0028] In an embodiment of the present application, an integrated simplified auxiliary power unit control architecture 100 after an automatic start of the auxiliary power unit in the air is as Figure 1AAs shown in the figure, the auxiliary power unit (APU) air automatic start system may include an auxiliary power unit (APU), an integrated modular avionics system (IMA), an auxiliary power unit (APU) electronic control unit (ECU), and a start / generation system (SGS). Additionally, the APU air automatic start system may further include an engine controller, a fuel system controller, a landing gear system controller, a navigation system, a power supply system, an APU control panel, etc., as Figure 1A shown in the figure, the above devices or systems are communicatively connected together. Among them, the auxiliary power unit (APU) can provide air source and power supply for the aircraft.

[0029] In the embodiments of the present application, when an emergency occurs during flight, such as dual engine failure in flight and / or the aircraft's electrical / air load is below a threshold, the IMA receives an emergency status signal associated with the aircraft and, based on this emergency status signal and relevant operating status signals required for the APU to automatically start in flight (such as: normal fuel supply signal, wheel load signal, airspeed signal, APU automatic start function not inhibited signal, signal indicating that the APU is in an unstarted state, etc.), conducts a judgment on the APU air automatic start, and the judgment logic is as detailed in the subsequent Figure 2 description. Preferably, based on the emergency status signal of dual engine failure or the aircraft's electrical / air load being below the threshold, and by assisting in collecting operating status signals such as wheel load signal, airspeed signal, and fuel supply signal, etc., as the judgment signals for the APU to automatically start in flight, the operating status of the aircraft can be accurately judged, avoiding mis-starting of the APU. For example, when the aircraft is in an emergency, such as dual engine failure (or the aircraft's electrical / air load is below the threshold), the IMA receives this emergency status signal and executes the judgment logic for the APU air automatic start, comprehensively judging that the aircraft is in flight, the APU fuel supply is normal, the APU automatic start is not inhibited, etc., and gives an APU automatic start signal. For example, the IMA can generate an APU automatic start signal based at least in part on the emergency status signal and the operating status signal according to a preset judgment logic. In the embodiments of the present application, the emergency status signal and the operating status signal can be transmitted to the IMA system through the emergency channel bus, thus eliminating the need to change the scheme architecture of the cross-linked system. Among them, the operating status signal may include: a dual engine failure signal provided by the engine controller, a wheel load signal provided by the landing gear system controller, an airspeed signal provided by the navigation system, and an APU automatic start inhibition signal provided by the APU control panel.

[0030] In the embodiments of the present application, the start of the auxiliary power unit can be under the dual control of the APU control panel and the IMA.

[0031] In one aspect, the pilot can manually start the APU through the APU control panel. Preferably, a manual operation interface is provided on the APU control panel for manually controlling the start and stop of the APU in a non-emergency state. For example, during the normal start process of the APU, the pilot turns on and off the APU through the APU control panel. Among them, the manual operation interface includes a main switch (MASTER SW) and a start button (START PB), and the APU is started by triggering with the main switch signal (MASTER) and the start switch signal (START). For example, for a dual-button control panel, the main switch MASTER SW can be pressed first, and after a certain time interval, when the control system self-test is completed, the start switch button START PB is pressed to issue an APU start command. The start control principle of the APU is as follows: After pressing the main switch MASTER SW, an ON signal is issued, the APU power supply relay operates, the 28V DC power supply switch is closed, so that the APU controller is powered on and self-tested, and the power-on of the start and generation system (SGS) is also controlled; after pressing the start switch button START PB, the ECU starts to detect whether the start state is reached inside. If the conditions are met, a rotation command is issued to the start and generation system (SGS), and the APU starts to rotate and start. When the APU completes the in-air automatic start, the APU can be shut down by turning the APU main switch on the APU control panel from the "OFF" position to the "ON" position and then to the "OFF" position. It should be understood that there may be other forms of APU control panels without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0032] In another aspect, in an in-air emergency, the IMA can issue an APU automatic start signal based on the APU in-air automatic start judgment logic for the APU to perform an in-air automatic start. Among them, the APU automatic start signal can include an APU main switch signal (MASTER) for triggering the power-on of the start and generation system (such as, Figure 1A the SGS shown in Figure 1A and the APU controller (such as, Figure 1B the ECU shown in

[0033] In an embodiment of the present application, the APU in-air automatic start judgment logic is applicable to APU systems that can be started throughout the entire flight envelope. For APU systems with in-air start envelope limitations, relevant judgment logic for the APU start envelope range can be added to the above automatic start judgment logic, and the remaining judgment logic remains consistent with the judgment logic of this patent. For example, if the APU has a start envelope limitation, then judgment of the envelope ranges for airspeed and altitude is added, and an automatic start command is generated only within the permitted envelope range.

[0034] Figure 1B An example of a system architecture for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0035] In an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 1B shown, an APU automatic start inhibition switch is designed on the APU control panel. This inhibition switch can be used to inhibit the operation of the APU automatic start function in the event of a malfunction of the APU automatic start function. Preferably, this inhibition switch is in the normally open position during normal operation (for example, the non-inhibited state, Figure 1B such as AUTO in Figure 1B ), and does not inhibit the APU automatic start function without the need for operation. Only when a malfunction occurs in the APU automatic start function ( FAULT in

[0036] ), is it necessary to manually operate this button to generate an APU automatic start inhibition signal indicating that the APU automatic start function is to be inhibited.

[0037] Figure 2 An example of a process flow 200 for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0038] In an embodiment of the present application, as Figure 2 shown, the process flow 200 for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air may include: Step S1: Detect dual engine failure or insufficient electrical / air load; Step S2: Layered verification of the in-air state, airspeed, fuel supply, and inhibition state; Step S3: APU power-on, start, and result feedback. Specifically, the APU in-air automatic start logic flow includes: emergency state detection and flight operation state verification.

[0039] Preferably, the emergency state detection includes continuously monitoring for a dual engine failure signal or electrical / air load demand, and if either signal is triggered, entering the logic judgment chain.

[0040] Preferably, the flight operation status verification includes verifying a first logic, confirming that the aircraft is in the air state through the wheel load signal, verifying that the current airspeed is greater than a preset threshold (e.g., Ma≥0.1) through the airspeed sensor, and allowing the process to continue.

[0041] Additionally or alternatively, the flight operation status verification may further include verifying a second logic, checking the APU fuel supply pressure, valve status, and pipeline integrity, and allowing the process to continue if no fuel fault is confirmed.

[0042] Additionally or alternatively, the flight operation status verification may further include verifying a third logic, detecting the status of the inhibit switch (e.g., the APU automatic start inhibit switch as shown in Figure 1B ), and allowing the process to continue if it is not activated.

[0043] Additionally or alternatively, although Figure 2 is not shown, the flight operation status verification may further include verifying a fourth logic, and allowing the process to continue if it is determined that the APU is not currently in the operating state.

[0044] Additionally or alternatively, although Figure 2 is not shown, the flight operation status verification may further include verifying a fifth logic. If the APU has a start envelope limit, further determine whether the current airspeed and altitude are within the allowable range of the APU start envelope.

[0045] If all the above conditions are met, the IMA sends a start signal including timing to the APU controller through the emergency channel bus. It should be understood that other associated logics may also be added or reduced, or the order of the above logic determinations may be changed without departing from the scope of the present application.

[0046] Preferably, first power on the APU controller through the APU main switch signal, and then trigger the APU start switch signal to trigger the automatic start operation of the APU. Among them, the APU controller controls the APU to complete up to 3 start attempts according to a preset timing sequence. Each attempt may include steps such as fuel pump activation, igniter discharge, and turbine speed monitoring. Preferably, if the APU successfully reaches the operating state, it supplies power and air to the aircraft. If all attempts fail, record the fault code and trigger a cockpit warning.

[0047] In the embodiment of the present application, a hierarchical safety logic design is adopted, through such as Figure 1AThe "AND" logic gate shown in (double engine failure / insufficient load → in-air state → normal fuel → inhibition not activated → APU not running) ensures that the start is triggered only when all necessary conditions are met, with a low probability of false triggering. In an embodiment of the present application, a human-machine collaborative control mechanism is adopted. The physical inhibition switch is hard-wired (non-bus signal) and has a higher priority than the automatic logic, ensuring that the pilot can immediately terminate the process in extreme situations. In an embodiment of the present application, an adaptive start strategy is adopted. Within the start envelope, the ECU dynamically adjusts the fuel injection volume according to the real-time airspeed and barometric altitude to optimize the ignition success rate.

[0048] In an embodiment of the present application, in the scenario of APU automatic start in the double engine failure scenario. The double engine failure signal is sent from the engine electronic controller (EEC) to the IMA via the avionics bus. The airspeed signal is provided by the air data computer (ADC), and the wheel load signal comes from the landing gear position sensor. The IMA verifies that the aircraft is in the air (wheel load signal is "off the ground") and the Mach number > 0.1, and at the same time the APU fuel valve feedback is in the "open" state. Then the IMA generates the APU main switch signal and the start switch signal, with a 2-second interval between the two to simulate the pilot's manual operation timing control. The APU controller monitors the turbine speed. If the APU start is unsuccessful, a second start attempt is triggered, with a maximum of three start attempts.

[0049] Figure 3 A block diagram is illustrated that supports an apparatus for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that Figure 3 It is only intended to provide a general description of the various components, and any or all of them can be appropriately utilized. It can be noted that in some instances, the components illustrated by Figure 3 can be localized to a single physical device and / or distributed among various networked devices. For example, they can be located at different physical locations on an aircraft or other entities.

[0050] Device 300 is shown to include hardware elements that can be electrically coupled via bus 305 (or can be in communication in other appropriate ways). The hardware elements can include processing unit(s) 310, which can include but are not limited to one or more general-purpose processors, one or more dedicated processors (such as digital signal processing (DSP) chips, graphics acceleration processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), and / or other processing structures or devices.

[0051] Device 300 may further include one or more input devices 370, which may include devices related to the user interface (e.g., touch screen, touch pad, microphone, buttons, dials, switches, etc.) and / or devices related to navigation, autonomous driving, etc. Similarly, one or more output devices 315 may be related to interacting with the user (e.g., via a display, light-emitting diode (LED), speaker, etc.) and / or devices related to navigation, driving, etc.

[0052] Device 300 may further include a wireless communication interface 330, which may include but is not limited to a modem, network card, infrared communication device, wireless communication device, and / or chipset (such as devices, WiFi devices, WiMax devices, WAN devices, and / or various cellular devices, etc.). The wireless communication interface 330 may enable Device 300 to communicate with other devices. This may include various forms of communication of the previously described embodiments. And thus, it may be capable of transmitting direct communication, broadcast wireless signals, receiving direct and / or broadcast wireless signals, etc. Accordingly, the wireless communication interface 330 may be capable of sending and / or receiving RF signals from various RF channels / bands. Communication using the wireless communication interface 330 may be performed via one or more wireless communication antennas 332 that send and / or receive wireless signals 334.

[0053] Device 300 may further include (a) sensor(s) 340. The sensor(s) 340 may include but is not limited to one or more inertial sensors and / or other sensors (e.g., lidar, accelerometer, gyroscope, camera, magnetometer, altimeter, microphone, proximity sensor, light sensor, barometer, etc.). The sensor(s) 340 may be used, for example, to determine certain real-time characteristics of the aircraft, such as position, speed, acceleration, altitude, heading, attitude, meteorological data, etc.

[0054] Device 300 may further include a memory 360 and / or be in communication with the memory 360. The memory 360 may include but is not limited to local and / or network-accessible storage, disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, solid-state storage devices (such as random access memory (RAM) and / or read-only memory (ROM)), which may be programmable, flash-updatable, etc. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data storage, including but not limited to various file systems, database structures, and / or the like.

[0055] The memory 360 of Device 300 may further include software elements ( Figure 3(not shown in the figure), these software elements include an operating system, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or other code (such as one or more applications), and these software elements may include computer programs provided by various embodiments, and / or may be designed to implement the methods described herein, and / or configure the systems described herein. The software applications stored in the memory 360 and executed by the processing unit(s) 310 can be used to implement the functionality of the aircraft as described herein. In addition, one or more procedures described with respect to the methods discussed herein can be implemented as code and / or instructions in the memory 360 executable by the device 300 (and / or the processing unit(s) 310 or DSP 320 within the device 300), including the functionality described in the Figure 4 method described below. In one aspect, then such code and / or instructions can be used to configure and / or adapt a general-purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or more operations in accordance with the described methods.

[0056] Figure 4 FIG. illustrates a block diagram supporting a method for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] In an embodiment of the present application, a device (e.g., device 300) for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air can be jointly operated by the aircraft and the executor to achieve the function. The method 400 for operating the device is as Figure 4 shown.

[0058] In an embodiment of the present application, the method 400 may include: step 405, receiving an emergency status signal and an operating status signal associated with the aircraft. For example, when an emergency occurs in the aircraft in the air, such as a double engine failure in the air and / or the aircraft's electrical / gas load is below a threshold, the IMA receives an emergency status signal associated with the aircraft. Additionally, the IMA receives an operating status signal associated with the aircraft. Preferably, the emergency status signal and the operating status signal can be transmitted to the IMA system through an emergency channel bus, and the operating status signal may include: a double engine failure signal provided by an engine controller, a wheel load signal provided by a landing gear system controller, an airspeed signal provided by a navigation system, and an APU automatic start inhibition signal provided by an APU control board. The device for performing the functionality of step 405 can be the IMA illustrated in FIG. 1. The device for performing the functionality of step 405 may include one or more software and / or hardware components of the device, such as the bus 305, the processing unit(s) 310, the memory 360, and / or other software and / or hardware components of the device 300 illustrated in Figure 3 the figure, and / or in Figure 3 the figure.

[0059] In an embodiment of the present application, method 400 may include step 410 of generating an APU automatic start signal according to a preset judgment logic based at least in part on an emergency state signal and an operating state signal. Preferably, the judgment logic includes: a first logic for judging that the aircraft is in the air and the airspeed is greater than a preset threshold; a second logic for judging that the fuel supply state of the APU is normal; a third logic for judging that the APU automatic start inhibition signal is not activated; a fourth logic for judging that the APU is not currently in an operating state; wherein when the first logic, the second logic, the third logic, and the fourth logic are simultaneously satisfied, the IMA generates an APU automatic start signal. Preferably, the judgment logic further includes: a fifth logic for further judging whether the current airspeed and altitude are within the allowable range of the APU start envelope if the APU has a start envelope limit; and the APU automatic start signal is generated only when the fifth logic is satisfied. The means for performing the functionality of step 410 may be the IMA illustrated in FIG. 1. The means for performing the functionality of step 410 may include one or more software and / or hardware components of the device, such as the bus 305, (a) processing unit 310, memory 360, and / or other software and / or hardware components of the device 300 illustrated below with reference to Figure 3 the bus 305, (a) processing unit 310, memory 360, and / or other software and / or hardware components of the device 300 illustrated in Figure 3 the device 300 illustrated in

[0060] In an embodiment of the present application, method 400 may include step 415 of controlling the APU to perform an automatic start operation based on the APU automatic start signal. Preferably, the APU automatic start signal includes: an APU main switch signal for triggering the power-on of the APU controller; and an APU start switch signal for triggering the APU controller to perform an automatic start operation of the APU; wherein the timing control of the APU main switch signal and the APU start switch signal is consistent with the two-step timing control of the pilot control manual operation interface. The means for performing the functionality of step 415 may be the APU controller illustrated in FIG. 1. The means for performing the functionality of step 415 may include one or more software and / or hardware components of the device, such as the bus 305, (a) processing unit 310, memory 360, and / or other software and / or hardware components of the device 300 illustrated below with reference to Figure 3 the bus 305, (a) processing unit 310, memory 360, and / or other software and / or hardware components of the device 300 illustrated in Figure 3 the device 300 illustrated in

[0061] Moreover, an embodiment of the present application also discloses a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions thereon, and the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute the methods of the embodiments herein.

[0062] In addition, embodiments of the present application also disclose a device, which includes a processor and a memory storing computer-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by the processor, the processor performs the methods of the various embodiments herein.

[0063] In addition, embodiments of the present application also disclose a device for assisting in decision-making for special operation scenarios of an aircraft. The device includes a device for implementing the methods of the various embodiments herein. In one aspect, the device includes: a device for receiving an emergency status signal and an operating status signal associated with the aircraft; a device for generating an APU automatic start signal based at least in part on the emergency status signal and the operating status signal according to a preset judgment logic; and a device for controlling the APU to perform an automatic start operation based on the APU automatic start signal, and so on.

[0064] The above describes a system and method for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air according to the present invention. Compared with the prior art, the method of the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0065] (1). It provides an APU automatic start architecture based on IMA, which can realize the automatic start of the APU in an emergency situation in the air without changing the system hardware, reduce the burden on the pilot, and improve flight safety;

[0066] (2). An APU automatic start inhibition switch is provided, which can inhibit the function when the APU automatic start function fails to ensure the normal takeoff of the aircraft;

[0067] (3). All signals participating in the logical judgment are connected to the emergency channel bus, and the IMA system can simply obtain the signals without changing the scheme architecture of the cross-linking system;

[0068] (4). By integrating the APU automatic start judgment logic through IMA, the impact on the APU system and the cross-linking system is minimized, and the APU automatic start function can be added to mainstream aircraft models based on this architecture solution.

[0069] Throughout the specification, reference has been made to "embodiments", meaning that the specifically described features, structures, or characteristics are included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the use of these phrases may refer to more than just one embodiment. In addition, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0070] The various steps and modules of the methods and apparatuses described above can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. If implemented in hardware, the various illustrative steps, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the present disclosure can be implemented or executed using a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic components, hardware components, or any combination thereof. The general-purpose processor can be a processor, a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, or a state machine, etc. If implemented in software, the various illustrative steps and modules described in conjunction with the present disclosure can be stored on or transmitted as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. The software modules for implementing the various operations of the present disclosure can reside in a storage medium such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, cloud storage, etc. The storage medium can be coupled to the processor such that the processor can read from / write to the storage medium and execute the corresponding program modules to implement the various steps of the present disclosure. Moreover, the software-based embodiments can be uploaded, downloaded, or remotely accessed via appropriate communication means. Such appropriate communication means include, for example, the Internet, the World Wide Web, an intranet, software applications, cables (including fiber optic cables), magnetic communication, electromagnetic communication (including RF microwave and infrared communication), electronic communication, or other such communication means.

[0071] The numerical values given in the embodiments are only examples and do not limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, as an overall technical solution, there are also other components or steps that are not listed in the claims or the specification of the present invention. Moreover, the single name of a component does not exclude other names of the component.

[0072] It should also be noted that these 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. Additionally, the order of these operations can be rearranged.

[0073] The disclosed methods, apparatuses, and systems should not be limited in any way. On the contrary, the present disclosure encompasses all novel and non-obvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments (individually and in various combinations and sub-combinations with each other). The disclosed methods, apparatuses, and systems are not limited to any specific aspect or feature or their combination, and any of the disclosed embodiments does not require the presence of any one or more specific advantages or the solution of specific or all technical problems.

[0074] The present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments. The above specific embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the inspiration of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the art can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of the present invention and the scope protected by the claims. All of these fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0075] Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that these embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or by using other methods, resources, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, resources, or operations have not been shown or described in detail merely to obscure aspects of the embodiments for observation.

[0076] Although the embodiments and applications have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the above precise configurations and resources. Without departing from the scope of the claimed embodiments, various modifications, substitutions, and improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made in the arrangements, operations, and details of the methods and systems disclosed herein.

[0077] As used herein, the terms "and," "or," and "and / or" can include a variety of meanings that also are expected to depend, at least in part, upon the context in which such terms are used. Generally, "or" if used to associate a list, such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C (here used in the inclusive sense) as well as A, B, or C (here used in the exclusive sense). Additionally, the term "one or more" as used herein can be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in the singular or can be used to describe plural features, structures, or characteristics or some other combination thereof. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example.

[0078] Although the presently considered exemplary features have been illustrated and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various other modifications can be made and equivalents can be substituted without departing from the claimed subject matter. Additionally, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular scenario to the teachings of the claimed subject matter without departing from the central concept described herein.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an auxiliary power unit of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air, characterized in that, Comprising: An Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) for providing air source and power supply for the aircraft; An Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) system for: Receiving an emergency status signal and an operating status signal associated with the aircraft; and Generating an APU automatic start signal according to a preset judgment logic based at least in part on the emergency status signal and the operating status signal; And An APU controller communicatively connected to the IMA and configured to control the APU to perform the automatic start operation after receiving the APU automatic start signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein The emergency status signal and the operating status signal are transmitted to the IMA via an emergency channel bus; and wherein The emergency status signal includes a dual engine failure signal or an aircraft electrical / air load lower than a threshold signal, The operating status signal includes one or more of the following: wheel load signal, airspeed signal, fuel supply signal, or APU automatic start inhibition signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein The judgment logic includes: A first logic for judging that the aircraft is in the air and the airspeed is greater than a preset threshold; A second logic for judging that the fuel supply status of the APU is normal; A third logic for judging that the APU automatic start inhibition signal is not activated; A fourth logic for judging that the APU is not currently in an operating state; Wherein when the first logic, the second logic, the third logic, and the fourth logic are simultaneously satisfied, the IMA generates the APU automatic start signal.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein The judgment logic further includes: A fifth logic for further judging whether the current airspeed and altitude are within the allowable range of the APU start envelope if the APU has a start envelope limit; And the APU automatic start signal is generated only when the fifth logic is satisfied.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein The system further includes: An APU control panel communicatively connected to the IMA and provided with a manual operation interface and a suppression switch, wherein: The manual operation interface is used to manually control the start and stop of the APU in a non-emergency state; and The suppression switch is default in a non-suppressed state and generates an APU automatic start inhibition signal only by manual triggering in case of APU automatic start failure.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that The suppression switch is a physical button and is configured with a status indicator for real-time display of the suppression status of the automatic start operation of the APU.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein The APU automatic start signal includes: An APU main switch signal for triggering the power-on of the APU controller; and An APU start switch signal for triggering the APU controller to perform the automatic start operation of the APU; Wherein the timing control of the APU main switch signal and the APU start switch signal is consistent with the two-step timing control of the pilot controlling the manual operation interface.

8. A method for controlling an auxiliary power unit (APU) of an aircraft to perform an automatic start operation in the air, characterized in that, Comprising: Receiving an emergency status signal and an operating status signal associated with the aircraft; And Generating an APU automatic start signal according to a preset judgment logic based at least in part on the emergency status signal and the operating status signal; And Controlling the APU to perform the automatic start operation based on the APU automatic start signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: the emergency state signal includes a dual engine failure signal or an aircraft electrical / air load lower than a threshold signal; the operating state signal includes one or more of the following: a wheel load signal, an airspeed signal, a fuel supply signal, or an APU automatic start inhibition signal.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein The judgment logic includes: a first logic for judging that the aircraft is in the air and the airspeed is greater than a preset threshold; a second logic for judging that the fuel supply state of the APU is normal; a third logic for judging that the APU automatic start inhibition signal is not activated; a fourth logic for judging that the APU is not currently in an operating state; wherein when the first logic, the second logic, the third logic, and the fourth logic are simultaneously satisfied, the IMA generates the APU automatic start signal.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The judgment logic further includes: a fifth logic for further judging whether the current airspeed and altitude are within the allowable range of the APU start envelope if the APU has a start envelope limit; and the APU automatic start signal is generated only when the fifth logic is satisfied.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein The APU automatic start signal includes: an APU main switch signal for triggering the power-on of the APU controller; and an APU start switch signal for triggering the automatic start operation of the APU; wherein the timing control of the APU main switch signal and the APU start switch signal is consistent with the two-step timing control of the pilot control manual operation interface.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein The APU automatic start inhibition signal is generated only by manually triggering a suppression switch in case of an APU automatic start failure.

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