Active Throttle Lever Control System for Haptic Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from mechanical to electrical throttle control in aircraft resulted in the loss of haptic feedback for pilots, necessitating the development of active throttles to provide tactile cues, but existing systems face challenges in accurately sensing force and position data, leading to reduced fidelity and visual feedback.
Innovation Solution
A method and control system for a multi-quadrant active throttle assembly that analyzes force and position data to determine thresholds, switching between collective and independent lever control modes to improve haptic feedback fidelity and visual feedback accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If force and position data analysis with threshold switching is implemented, then haptic feedback fidelity and visual feedback accuracy are improved, but device complexity and control system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically switches between collective and independent lever control modes based on real-time analysis of force and position data. When thresholds are exceeded, the system transitions from collective to independent control, allowing adaptive response to varying operational conditions while maintaining improved measurement precision through continuous monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops that monitor force and position data from multiple levers, analyze threshold exceedance, and adjust control modes accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain high measurement precision by detecting subtle changes in lever positions and forces while managing complexity through automated threshold-based decision logic
2Ease of operation
If multiple levers are controlled collectively, then system operation is simplified and alignment is maintained, but individual lever fidelity and independent operation capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the control mode for each lever based on real-time data analysis. When threshold exceedance is detected in specific levers, those levers switch from collective to independent control mode, allowing the system to maintain simplicity where applicable while achieving precision where needed
Solution Approach 2:
The control system segments the lever group into subsets that are collectively controlled and subsets that are independently controlled based on threshold analysis. This segmentation allows the system to apply collective control simplification to stable levers while applying independent precision control to levers exhibiting abnormal behavior
3Loss of information
If threshold-based mode switching is implemented, then visual feedback accuracy is improved, but processing requirements and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex continuous control algorithms with simplified threshold-based switching logic. By defining specific threshold values for force and position data, the system reduces computational complexity while maintaining visual feedback fidelity, as the threshold comparisons require minimal processing compared to continuous optimization algorithms
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein is a method of controlling a multi-quadrant active throttle assembly. The method comprises: receiving force and position data for a plurality of levers in the multi-quadrant active throttle assembly; analysing the force and position data to determine whether a threshold is exceeded; in response to determining that the threshold is not exceeded, operating in a first mode of operation in which the plurality of levers are controlled collectively; and in response to determining that the threshold is exceeded, operating in a different mode of operation in which the plurality of levers are not controlled collectively.