Distributed Aircraft Flight Control for Common-Mode Failure Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern aircraft rely on centralized flight control computers that are susceptible to common mode failures, which can lead to catastrophic failures in fly-by-wire systems, necessitating a distributed control system to ensure robust and reliable flight operations.
Innovation Solution
A distributed flight control system that includes a plurality of flight components and an aircraft component configured to receive commands, obtain aircraft orientation, and command the flight components to produce response commands, utilizing a network of sensors and actuators to ensure redundancy and fault tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a centralized flight control computer is used, then the control system is simpler and easier to manage, but the system becomes susceptible to common mode failures leading to catastrophic failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized flight control computer into multiple distributed flight control computers (at least three separate computers). Each computer independently processes sensor inputs and generates actuator commands. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure in centralized systems, as the aircraft can continue to be controlled even if one or two computers fail, thereby resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and reliability.
2Reliability
If flight control functions are distributed across multiple components, then fault tolerance and reliability improve, but the system complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple flight control computers into a unified distributed control system that shares common sensor inputs and actuator outputs. The computers work in parallel with identical functionality, and their outputs are merged through voting logic or arbitration mechanisms. This merging approach achieves fault tolerance through redundancy while managing complexity through standardized interfaces and shared components, resolving the contradiction between reliability and system complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If a centralized flight control computer processes all sensor inputs and generates all actuator commands, then the control logic is centralized and easier to implement, but the system lacks redundancy and is vulnerable to single point failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements identical copies of the flight control logic across multiple independent computers. Each computer contains the same software and processing capabilities, creating redundant copies of the control function. This copying strategy maintains ease of implementation through standardized logic while providing robust redundancy, as failed computers can be replaced or bypassed without affecting overall system functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for distributed control of an aircraft. The system includes a plurality of flight components, an aircraft control located within the aircraft, and an aircraft component attached to a flight component of the plurality of flight components. The aircraft component is configured to receive, from a command sensor attached to the aircraft control, an aircraft command, obtain, from an attitude sensor, an aircraft orientation, and command the flight component to produce a response command.