Method and system for automatically converting course and track reference and automatically synchronizing target value based on Stateflow

The conditional and event-driven state transition mechanism built by Stateflow solves the problem of mode binding limitations in civil aircraft flight control systems, realizes automatic switching between HDG/TRK and VS/FPA modes and target value synchronization, and improves the availability of the flight guidance system and the flexibility of pilot operation.

CN121902431APending Publication Date: 2026-04-21COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT CORP OF CHINA LTD +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202610030585.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2026-01-09
Publication Date
2026-04-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the flight control systems of currently operational civil aircraft, there is a lack of automatic mechanisms for switching between horizontal and vertical modes, resulting in mode binding restrictions, an inability to make flexible selections, and the disconnection of the flight guidance system when the mode is invalid.

Method used

The solution adopts Stateflow's automatic heading and track reference conversion and target value synchronization scheme. By constructing a condition-driven and event-driven state transition mechanism, it realizes automatic conversion and target value synchronization between HDG/TRK and VS/FPA modes, eliminates the heading, track and target value synchronization button, and optimizes the FMCP panel design.

Benefits of technology

It improves the pilot's operational flexibility and the availability of the flight guidance system, reduces the pilot's operational burden, and enables automatic mode switching and intelligent synchronization of target values.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for automatic conversion of course and track reference and automatic target value synchronization based on Stateflow. The method comprises the following steps: in an initialization stage, setting different flight stages experienced by an aircraft during flight as independent conditions; according to the characteristics of each condition, setting a state associated with the condition so as to construct a condition-driven state transition mechanism; collecting various events triggering state transition; according to the characteristics of each event, determining the state that the aircraft will enter after the event occurs so as to construct an event-driven state transition mechanism; in the application stage, whether a condition or a trigger event occurs or not is monitored by monitoring flight state data and panel input, if the condition or the trigger event is triggered, corresponding mode conversion is executed according to a state transition mechanism, and a mode displayed in a corresponding mode display window is updated; otherwise, keeping the current mode, and returning to the monitoring step to continue monitoring; the states comprise an HDG and TRK horizontal mode and a VS and FPA vertical mode.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of flight control, and more specifically, to a scheme for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values ​​based on Stateflow. Background Technology

[0002] During the flight phase of currently operational civil aircraft, HDG / TRK horizontal guidance mode (hereinafter referred to as "horizontal mode") and VS / FPA vertical guidance mode (hereinafter referred to as "vertical mode") are provided to control the aircraft's flight, wherein: HDG (Heading) is an abbreviation for "heading" in English. It indicates heading hold mode: in this mode, the aircraft locks the current heading angle through sensors (such as a magnetic compass) and automatically adjusts the control surfaces or motors to maintain the preset direction.

[0003] TRK (Track) refers to "track tracking": flying along a pre-set path (such as route planning) using GPS or visual algorithms.

[0004] VS (Vertical Speed) refers to the vertical speed mode, which is the mode in the flight control system that controls the climb / descent rate of the aircraft. It maintains the target's vertical speed by adjusting the thrust or pitch angle.

[0005] FPA (Flight Path Angle) refers to the flight path angle mode, which controls the angle between the aircraft and the horizontal plane (such as the climb angle / glide angle) and comprehensively manages speed, altitude, and attitude.

[0006] In current aircraft models, the above modes are switched by pressing the HDG / TRK selection button on the FMCP (Flight Mode Control Panel). When the HDG / TRK selection switch is in the HDG position, it enters the heading selection mode, using the current heading or pre-selected heading as the reference; when the HDG / TRK selection switch is in the TRK position, it enters the track selection mode, using the current track or pre-selected track as the reference. Similarly, pressing the VS / FPA button on the FMCP can activate either VS mode or FPA mode.

[0007] However, according to the current flight control design logic, there is no automatic mechanism that allows automatic transition from HDG mode to TRK mode, or vice versa. Furthermore, in the current flight control design logic, if the horizontal mode is HDG, the vertical mode can only be VS mode, i.e., HDG-VS bound mode; if the horizontal mode is TRK, the vertical mode can only be FPA mode, i.e., TRK-FPA bound mode. Although HDG / TRK and VS / FPA knobs are provided on the FMCP, the flight control design logic also limits the flexibility of switching between HDG / TRK and VS / FPA modes, only providing two mode combinations: HDG-VS or TRK-FPA. Pilots cannot freely choose the desired mode.

[0008] Recently, even though the flight control design logic has been optimized for FMCP, eliminating the HOLD horizontal mode and adopting HDG SEL / TRK SEL as the horizontal mode, the aforementioned limitations from the previous version remain unresolved: 1) There is no automatic switching logic between HDG SEL and TRK SEL; switching can only be done manually by pressing the HDG / TRK selection button on the FMCP, and the vertical reference can only be switched using the VS / FPA selection button. 2) Only two mode combinations, HDG-VS or TRK-FPA, are still provided. These limitations are not suitable for the optimized FMCP.

[0009] For example, some currently in-service aircraft models bind HDG-VS and TRK-FPA modes, which are also used as modes in the automatic flight control system. Mode switching is performed by pressing the HDG / TRK selection button and the VS / FPA selection button on the FMCP. This mechanism has the following problems: Scenario 1: When the inertial navigation track is invalid but the inertial navigation heading is valid, the TRK SEL mode is unavailable and cannot be automatically downgraded to HDG SEL, causing the FD (Flight Director) function to be disconnected.

[0010] Scenario 2: When the FPA signal is invalid but the vertical speed is valid, the FPA mode is unavailable and cannot automatically degrade to VS, causing the FD function to disconnect.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need to design a solution that can automatically switch between vertical and horizontal modes while removing mode binding restrictions. Summary of the Invention

[0012] This application proposes an automatic conversion scheme for HDG / TRK baseline and target values ​​based on Stateflow. On the one hand, during takeoff, go-around, and wind shear, HDG mode can automatically switch to TRK mode, and when TRK is invalid, it can automatically downgrade to HDG mode, improving the availability of FD function and reducing the pilot's operational burden. On the other hand, during the FMCP panel optimization process, the heading, track, and target value synchronization button can be removed. Based on the new FMCP equipment, a method for automatically synchronizing heading, track, and target values ​​is designed to improve scenario analysis, forming an intelligent design for human-machine interaction.

[0013] According to a first aspect of this application, a method for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values ​​based on Stateflow is provided, comprising: During the initialization phase: Set the different flight phases that the aircraft experiences during flight as independent conditions; Based on the characteristics of each condition, a state associated with the condition is set to construct a condition-driven state transition mechanism; Collect various events that trigger state transitions; Based on the characteristics of each event, determine the state the aircraft will enter after the event occurs, in order to construct an event-driven state transition mechanism; In the application phase: Monitor whether the conditions are met or the events are triggered by monitoring flight status data and panel inputs: If the aforementioned conditions are met or the aforementioned event is triggered, the corresponding mode transition is executed according to the constructed state transition mechanism, and the mode displayed in the corresponding mode display window is updated. If the condition is not met or the event is not triggered, maintain the current mode and return to the monitoring step to continue monitoring; The states include HDG and TRK horizontal modes and VS and FPA vertical modes; When a mode change occurs, the corresponding heading and track target values ​​are automatically converted according to the change scenario.

[0014] According to a second aspect of this application, a system for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values ​​based on Stateflow is provided, including means for performing the method as described in the first aspect of this application.

[0015] This overview is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, some of the concepts further described in the detailed description below. This overview is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To describe how the above and other advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more detailed description of the invention, which has been briefly described above, will be presented with reference to specific embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that these drawings depict only exemplary embodiments of the invention and are therefore not intended to limit its scope. The invention will be described and explained using the drawings and with the aid of additional features and details, in which: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of state transitions in the scheme of this application is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 An example flowchart of a method for automatic heading and track reference conversion based on Stateflow according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0018] Figure 3 An example transition logic diagram of a finite state machine for automatic heading and track reference transformation based on Stateflow, according to the scheme of this application, is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating the automatic conversion logic between heading and track target values ​​and conversion scenarios according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0020] As mentioned earlier, the current switching between HDG / TRK horizontal mode and VS / FPA vertical mode relies primarily on manual operation. Pilots must switch modes by pressing the HDG / TRK selection button and the VS / FPA selection knob on the FMCP; the system does not automatically switch based on factors such as crosswind or navigation requirements. Furthermore, on aircraft like Airbus, HDG-VS and TRK-FPA are linked. When a pilot selects HDG horizontal mode, the system automatically switches to VS vertical mode, and when TRK horizontal mode is selected, it automatically switches to FPA. Therefore, pilots cannot manually select the vertical mode when flying this type of aircraft. This results in the system failing to automatically switch to another mode when the current horizontal or vertical mode becomes invalid, causing FD (Flying Directional Control) functionality to disconnect.

[0021] To eliminate the aforementioned defects, this application proposes a scheme for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values ​​based on Stateflow.

[0022] First, in the conversion scheme of this application, the FMCP panel was optimized by removing the heading, track and target value synchronization button. Then, based on the newly optimized FMCP equipment, a set of automatic heading, track and target value synchronization logic based on Stateflow was designed, thus forming an intelligent design for human-computer interaction.

[0023] Specifically, this application proposes a scheme based on Stateflow for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values ​​in HDG / TRK-VS / FPA. During takeoff, go-around, wind shear, and approach, HDG mode can automatically switch to TRK mode; when TRK is invalid, it can automatically downgrade to HDG mode. Conversely, when FPA is invalid, it can automatically downgrade to VS mode; and when VS is invalid, it can automatically switch to FPA mode. Simultaneously, automatic target value synchronization can be performed during mode / scenario transitions. This scheme improves the usability of HDG / TRK-VS / FPA and reduces the pilot's operational burden.

[0024] Stateflow is a graphical tool for modeling and simulating complex flight control logic. Its core is based on finite state machine theory and is used to describe the dynamic behavior of a system under the influence of events or conditions.

[0025] Stateflow has two main functions: 1. State Machine Modeling: Supports Finite State Machine (FSM) design, describing system behavior through three elements: State, Transition, and Event / Condition. It can nest sub-states and manage parallel state synchronization.

[0026] In this application, the state machine includes four states: HDG, TRK, VS, and FPA.

[0027] 2. Event / Condition Driven: Set different flight phases / scenarios (such as takeoff, cruise, and landing) as (transition) conditions, and set various events that occur on the aircraft that trigger state transitions as (transition) events.

[0028] When a transition condition or a transition event occurs, the state machine undergoes a corresponding state transition driven by the condition or event.

[0029] Condition-driven state transitions, for example: when the aircraft enters the approach and landing state, the level mode is automatically switched from HDG to TRK.

[0030] Event-driven state transitions, for example: when an event indicating TRK invalidation occurs, the horizontal mode is automatically switched from TRK to HDG.

[0031] exist Figure 1 The diagram shows a state transition diagram in the scheme of this application.

[0032] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 2The following is a schematic flowchart illustrating an automatic conversion method in HDG / TRK-VS / FPA dual modes based on Stateflow according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, firstly, in the system initialization phase, in step 202, the different flight phases / scenarios (such as takeoff, cruise, and landing) experienced by the aircraft during flight are set as independent (transition) conditions.

[0034] Subsequently, in step 204, based on the characteristics of each condition, the state associated with that condition (i.e., horizontal mode (HDG / TRK) and vertical mode (VS / FPA)) is set to construct a condition-driven state transition mechanism.

[0035] Next, in step 206, various (transition) events that trigger state transitions are collected, such as mode invalidation events, sudden weather events, manual transition events, and other events that cause changes in the aircraft's state. These events may cause one or more state changes during a phase of flight (e.g., an emergency transition from cruise to climb or descent due to sudden weather changes). Therefore, the occurrence of these events can also lead to changes in the aircraft's state or render certain guidance modes invalid and unavailable. The changes in the aircraft's state may, in turn, render the currently used guidance mode inapplicable.

[0036] Finally, in step 208, based on the characteristics of each event, the state that the aircraft will enter after the event occurs (i.e., horizontal mode (HDG / TRK) and vertical mode (VS / FPA)) is determined, thereby constructing an event-driven state transition mechanism.

[0037] For example, the flight phases / scenarios that an aircraft goes through when performing a flight mission, their corresponding modes, and transition logic are illustrated below: 1. Takeoff phase Features: From a standstill to liftoff, thrust, pitch angle, and climb rate need to be controlled.

[0038] Expected flight mode transition: from Ground Mode to Climb Mode.

[0039] Key actions: engine thrust increase, flaps / slats deployment, autopilot activation.

[0040] Current level mode: HDG mode. During takeoff, the heading needs to be flexibly adjusted to align with the runway or departure route. HDG mode allows the pilot to directly input heading commands.

[0041] Expected Level Mode (Climb Phase): TRK mode, for stable flight along the planned route.

[0042] The logic for switching from the current level mode to the expected level mode is as follows: after climbing off the ground, switch from HDG mode to TRK mode.

[0043] Current vertical mode: VS mode. During takeoff, priority should be given to controlling the rate of climb (e.g., setting VS=2000ft / min) to ensure safe takeoff.

[0044] Expected vertical mode (climb phase): FPA mode to optimize track angle (e.g., FPA=3°).

[0045] The logic for switching from the current vertical mode to the expected vertical mode is as follows: When the aircraft is steadily climbing after takeoff, it can switch to FPA mode to optimize the track angle (e.g., FPA=3°).

[0046] 2. Climbing Phase

[0047] Features: Stable climb to cruising altitude, optimized fuel efficiency.

[0048] Expected flight mode transition: from climb mode to cruise mode.

[0049] Key maneuvers: altitude / speed control, track tracking (TRK mode).

[0050] Current level mode: TRK mode. During the climb phase, the flight path must be strictly tracked to ensure flight at the planned altitude and path.

[0051] Expected Level Mode (Cruise Phase): TRK Mode.

[0052] The logic for switching from the current level mode to the desired level mode: Under normal circumstances, no switching is required. Exception: If it is necessary to avoid obstacles or adjust the course, the system can be temporarily switched to HDG mode.

[0053] Current vertical mode: FPA mode. During the climb phase, a constant track angle (e.g., FPA=3°) must be maintained to ensure ascent along the planned path.

[0054] Expected Vertical Mode (Cruise Phase): VS Mode.

[0055] The logic for switching from the current vertical mode to the expected vertical mode is as follows: When the aircraft enters cruise mode from the climb state, it switches from FPA mode to VS mode, or if a rapid altitude adjustment is required during the climb phase (such as to avoid airspace), it can temporarily switch to VS mode.

[0056] 3. Cruise Phase

[0057] Features: Maintains constant altitude and speed, performing en-route flight.

[0058] Expected flight mode transition: from cruise mode to descent mode (during cruise, it may also transition to an alternative route or emergency mode as required by the mission).

[0059] Key actions: Autopilot maintains track (TRK mode), fuel management.

[0060] Current level mode: TRK mode, which relies on the autopilot to maintain the course during the cruise phase, reducing pilot intervention.

[0061] Expected Level Pattern (Declining Phase): TRK Pattern.

[0062] The logic for switching from the current level mode to the expected level mode is as follows: Under normal circumstances, no switching is required. Exception: If manual heading correction is needed (e.g., weather avoidance), the system can be temporarily switched to HDG mode.

[0063] Current vertical mode: VS mode (altitude fine adjustment). During the cruise phase, a small adjustment of altitude is required (such as VS=0 or ±100ft / min) to maintain level flight.

[0064] Expected vertical pattern (descent phase): FPA pattern.

[0065] The logic for switching from the current vertical mode to the expected vertical mode is as follows: when the aircraft begins its descent from cruise mode, it switches from VS mode to FPA mode; or during the climb phase, if a rapid altitude adjustment is needed (such as to avoid airspace), it can temporarily switch to VS mode.

[0066] 4. Descent Phase

[0067] Feature: Descending from cruising altitude to approach altitude.

[0068] Expected flight mode transition: from cruise mode to approach mode.

[0069] Key maneuvers: deceleration, flap / landing gear deployment, localizer interception (LOC mode).

[0070] Current level mode: TRK mode, descent requires precise control along the approach track, usually managed by the autopilot.

[0071] Expected Level Pattern (Approach Phase): TRK Pattern.

[0072] The logic for switching from the current level mode to the expected level mode is as follows: No switching is required under normal circumstances. Exception: If adjustments to the approach direction are needed (e.g., visual corrections), the system can be temporarily switched to HDG mode.

[0073] Current vertical mode: FPA mode. During descent, the glide slope angle needs to be steadily tracked (e.g., FPA = -3°) to ensure accurate approach.

[0074] Expected vertical pattern (approach phase): FPA pattern.

[0075] The logic for switching from the current vertical mode to the expected vertical mode is as follows: Normally, no switching is required. Exceptions include switching to VS mode if a rapid descent is needed (e.g., when executing an ATC command).

[0076] 5. Approach and Landing Phase

[0077] Features: Precisely aligned with the runway and successfully landing.

[0078] Expected flight mode transition: None (the flight will end after landing).

[0079] Key actions: ILS guidance, flattening (Flare), and grounding (Rollout).

[0080] Current level mode: TRK mode (ILS guidance), requiring stable tracking of the localizer (LOC) and glide slope (G / S) during approach.

[0081] Horizontal mode switching logic: Switch to HDG mode when going around or performing an emergency maneuver.

[0082] Current vertical mode: FPA mode (ILS guided), during approach, the FPA command of the glide slope (G / S) must be strictly followed (e.g., FPA=-3°).

[0083] Vertical mode switching logic: When going around the gate, switch to VS mode for rapid climb.

[0084] 6. Emergency Scenarios

[0085] Characteristics: The aircraft's flight status (speed, heading, and / or altitude) changes drastically in a short period of time, such as due to mechanical failure, collision avoidance, or airspace avoidance.

[0086] Expected flight mode transition: transition from the current mode to an emergency mode (such as return-to-home (RTL) or emergency landing).

[0087] Key actions: mechanical fault diagnosis, backup system activation, and course correction.

[0088] Current level mode: HDG mode. In emergency situations, the course needs to be quickly and manually controlled (e.g., engine failure, collision avoidance).

[0089] The logic for switching to horizontal mode is: switch back to the original mode after stabilization.

[0090] Current vertical mode: VS mode. In emergency situations, the altitude needs to be adjusted quickly (e.g., VS=3000ft / min for climbing and obstacle avoidance).

[0091] Vertical mode switching logic: Switch back to the original mode after stabilization.

[0092] From the flight phases / scenarios listed above, their corresponding modes and transition logic, it can be seen that in different flight phases of the aircraft (i.e., under different conditions set in step 204), the horizontal mode HDG / TRK and the vertical mode VS / FPA each have their own uses. Therefore, when the aircraft transitions from one state to another, it is necessary to set the horizontal mode and the vertical mode to the specified mode according to the state machine model.

[0093] The conversion logic disclosed above can be divided into two categories: 1) State transitions in flight phases / scenarios (i.e., conditions), such as the transitions between takeoff (phase) >> climb >> cruise >> descent >> approach and landing states during normal flight operations.

[0094] 2) State transitions caused by various events, which can be divided into internal events and external events: Internal events: Manual operation events, such as the pilot manually pressing the HDG / TRK selection button or the VS / FPA selection button; invalid events caused by mechanical failure of related components inside the aircraft, such as damage to the inertial navigation equipment causing HDG to become invalid.

[0095] External events: Sudden weather events, such as wind shear, strong cyclones, severe convective weather, etc.

[0096] Thus, based on the condition-driven state transition mechanism in steps 202 and 204 and the event-driven state transition mechanism in steps 206 and 208, a Stateflow-based HDG / TRK-VS / FPA dual-mode finite state machine can be constructed. An example transition logic diagram of the finite state machine is shown in... Figure 3 As shown in the image.

[0097] according to Figure 3 The transition logic shown below includes specific examples of the conditions / events that trigger various state transitions: 1. HDG enters TRK When the horizontal mode is HDG, TRK mode can be entered in any of the following ways: a) Press the HDG / TRK button; b) TOGA or WS activation (TOGA (Takeoff / Go-Around) and WS (Wind Shear) are two key functions used for takeoff / go-around thrust management and wind shear warning response, respectively). c) Entering the approach phase; d) HDG is invalid.

[0098] 2. TRK enters HDG

[0099] When the horizontal mode is TRK, HDG mode can be entered in any of the following ways: a) Press the HDG / TRK button; b) TRK is invalid.

[0100] 3. FPA enters VS

[0101] a) Press the VS / FPA button; b) FPA is invalid.

[0102] 4. VS enters FPA

[0103] a) Press the VS / FPA button; b) VS is invalid.

[0104] Based on the aforementioned transfer logic, HDG can be used in conjunction with VS or FPA. When the horizontal mode is HDG, the vertical mode can be either VS or FPA. Similarly, TRK can be used in conjunction with VS or FPA. When the horizontal mode is TRK, the vertical mode can be either VS or FPA. This removes the restriction of binding HDG-VS and TRK-FPA on existing aircraft models, allowing pilots to freely choose various guidance modes.

[0105] For example, during a non-precision approach using TRK / FPA, if the FPA signal is invalid, the pilot can still use TRK and VS in combination without switching to HDG; if the TRK signal is invalid, the pilot can still use FPA mode to fly a -3° glide path without switching to VS mode. This improves mode availability.

[0106] Furthermore, when the non-manually triggered conditions / events in the above transfer logic are met, automatic switching between horizontal and vertical modes can be achieved.

[0107] For example, when the horizontal mode is HDG, if the go-around mode or wind shear mode is activated, or when entering the approach phase, the horizontal mode automatically switches to TRK mode; when the horizontal mode is TRK, if TRK becomes invalid, the horizontal mode automatically switches to HDG mode; when the vertical mode is FPA, if FPA becomes invalid, the vertical mode automatically downgrades to VS mode; ...

[0108] After constructing the Stateflow-based HDG / TRK-VS / FPA dual-mode finite state machine through steps 202, 204, 206, and 208, the initialization phase of the method ends, and the process enters the application phase.

[0109] First, in step 210, the occurrence of the (transfer) condition or the triggering of the (transfer) event is monitored by monitoring flight status data and panel input.

[0110] If the condition is met or the event is triggered, the process proceeds to step 212. In step 212, the corresponding horizontal / vertical mode transition is executed according to the transition logic of the constructed finite state machine (i.e., the condition-driven state transition mechanism and / or the event-driven state transition mechanism), and the process proceeds to step 214 in parallel. If the condition is not met or the event is not triggered, the process proceeds to step 216, maintains the current horizontal / vertical mode, and returns to monitoring step 210 to continue monitoring.

[0111] In step 214, the corresponding mode in the relevant mode display window on the FMCP panel is updated. That is, the new horizontal mode is displayed in the HDG / TRK display window and / or the new vertical mode is displayed in the VS / FPA display window on the FMCP panel. In this way, the pilot can know the current horizontal and / or vertical mode through the HDG / TRK display window and / or VS / FPA display window on the FMCP panel.

[0112] This concludes the automatic conversion method process.

[0113] The following examples illustrate the process of the application phase using specific application scenarios.

[0114] 1. Manual or automatic switching between horizontal and vertical modes, including: 1) When the horizontal mode is HDG, you can manually switch to TRK mode by pressing the HDG / TRK button; when TOGA or WS is activated, when entering the approach phase, or when HDG is invalid, it can automatically switch to TRK mode. 2) When the horizontal mode is TRK, you can manually switch to HDG mode by pressing the HDG / TRK button; when TRK is invalid, it will automatically switch to HDG mode. 3) When the vertical mode is VS, you can manually switch to FPA mode by pressing the VS / FPA button; when VS is invalid, it will automatically switch to FPA mode. 4) When the vertical mode is FPA, you can manually switch to VS mode by pressing the VS / FPA button; when FPA is invalid, it will automatically switch to VS mode. 2. The horizontal mode is switched and displayed in the HDG / TRK display window on the FMCP board; 3. The vertical mode is switched and displayed in the VS / FPA display window on the FMCP board; 4. The pilot knows the current horizontal and vertical modes through the HDG / TRK display window and VS / FPA display window on the FMCP board.

[0115] On the other hand, when a mode transition occurs, this application can also automatically convert the corresponding heading, track, and target values ​​according to the specific transition scenario. By automatically converting the heading, track, and target values, the heading, track, and target value synchronization button can be eliminated, realizing a scenario-based design for automatic conversion of heading, track, and target values. This makes the display of heading, track, and target values ​​more automated and intelligent, reducing the pilot's workload.

[0116] The automatic conversion logic relationship between the heading and track target values ​​and the conversion scenario is as follows: Figure 4 As shown.

[0117] exist Figure 4 The upper part presents the correspondence between various transformation scenarios and heading / track target values ​​in the form of a list or table, while the lower part represents these correspondences in a more intuitive logic diagram. The two are actually the same, just presented in different forms.

[0118] As shown in the figure, the conversion scenarios can be divided into the following categories: special takeoff scenario (scenario g), manual rotation of the knob (scenario h), active mode activation (scenario b, d), passive mode activation (scenario a, c), and the heading and track window changing from blank to numerical values ​​(scenario f).

[0119] For each transition scenario, when entering the scenario, the system will automatically set the heading and track target value to one of the four values ​​according to the corresponding logical relationship: the predicted heading and track target value, the current heading and track target value, the manually input heading and track target value, and the runway heading. This eliminates the need for crew members to manually set the heading and track target value by pressing the heading and track target value synchronization button when the HDG / TRK-VS / FPA mode transition occurs.

[0120] In addition, in one embodiment, if two or more mode transition scenarios occur simultaneously (or nearly simultaneously), the scenario priority order as shown below can be specified to avoid frequent changes in the heading and track target values ​​in a short period of time: Takeoff special scenario > Manually rotate the knob > Active mode activated > Passive mode activated > Heading and track window changes from blank to numerical value.

[0121] It should be understood that the conditions and events listed above are given as examples for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered limiting. Therefore, other conditions and events that cause state changes are also within the scope of protection of this application.

[0122] Although the techniques have been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the appended claims are not necessarily limited to the described features or actions. Rather, these features and actions are described as exemplary forms of implementing these techniques.

[0123] The operations of the example processes are shown in separate boxes and are summarized with reference to these boxes. These processes are shown as a flow of logical boxes, each of which may represent one or more operations that can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, these operations represent computer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform a given operation. Generally, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects, modules, components, data structures, etc., that perform a particular function or implement a particular abstract data type. The order in which the operations are described is not intended to be construed as limiting, and any number of the operations may be executed in any order, combined in any order, subdivided into multiple sub-operations, and / or executed in parallel to implement the described process. The described process may be executed by resources associated with one or more computing devices, such as one or more internal or external CPUs or GPUs, and / or one or more pieces of hardware logic, such as FPGAs, DSPs, or other types of accelerators.

[0124] All of the methods and processes described above can be embodied in software code modules executed by one or more general-purpose computers or processors, and can be fully automated via these software code modules. These code modules can be stored on any type of computer-executable storage medium or other computer storage device. This code can also be packaged into corresponding computer program products. Some or all of these methods can alternatively be embodied in dedicated computer hardware.

[0125] Any routine description, element, or box in the flowcharts described herein and / or in the accompanying drawings should be understood as potentially representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a specific logical function or element in that routine. Alternative implementations are included within the scope of the examples described herein, wherein elements or functions may be removed or performed inconsistently with the order shown or discussed, including substantially synchronous or reverse order execution, depending on the functionality involved, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0126] While different embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they are merely examples and not limitations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments disclosed above, but should be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A conversion method based on Stateflow for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values, comprising: During the initialization phase: Set the different flight phases that the aircraft experiences during flight as independent conditions; Based on the characteristics of each condition, a state associated with the condition is set to construct a condition-driven state transition mechanism; Collect various events that trigger state transitions; Based on the characteristics of each event, determine the state the aircraft will enter after the event occurs, in order to construct an event-driven state transition mechanism; In the application phase: Monitor whether the conditions are met or the events are triggered by monitoring flight status data and panel inputs: If the aforementioned conditions are met or the aforementioned event is triggered, the corresponding mode transition is executed according to the constructed state transition mechanism, and the mode displayed in the corresponding mode display window is updated. If the condition is not met or the event is not triggered, maintain the current mode and return to the monitoring step to continue monitoring; The states include HDG and TRK horizontal modes and VS and FPA vertical modes; When a mode change occurs, the corresponding heading and track target values ​​are automatically converted according to the change scenario.

2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The conditions include: takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach and landing, and emergency scenarios; The events include: manual operation, invalid mode, and sudden weather changes.

3. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: The user can freely choose between the HDG and TRK horizontal modes and between the VS and FPA vertical modes through manual operation.

4. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The condition-driven state transition mechanism and the event-driven state transition mechanism are constructed into a finite state machine.

5. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transition logic of the finite state machine is as follows: 1) HDG enters TRK When the horizontal mode is HDG, the transition logic to TRK mode is as follows: a) Press the HDG / TRK button; b) TOGA or WS activation are two key functions used for takeoff / go-around thrust management and wind shear warning response, respectively. c) Entering the approach phase; d) HDG is invalid; 2) TRK enters HDG When the horizontal mode is TRK, the transition logic to HDG mode is as follows: a) Press the HDG / TRK button; b) TRK is invalid; 3) The transfer logic from FPA to VS is as follows: a) Press the VS / FPA button; b) FPA is invalid; 4) The transition logic from VS to FPA is as follows: a) Press the VS / FPA button; b) VS is invalid.

6. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The manual operation includes: The pilot manually rotates the HDG / TRK rotary switch or the VS / FPA rotary switch.

7. A system for automatic conversion of heading and track references and automatic synchronization of target values ​​based on Stateflow, comprising: Apparatus for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.