Aircraft Control Switching for Generator Fault Actuation Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern aircraft control systems face delays in actuating components like landing gear due to engine faults, leading to potential unresponsiveness and the need for additional electrical power resources, which increase aircraft weight.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft control system with a switch mechanism that monitors the status of external electrical resource devices and switches control between two units based on the status, ensuring uninterrupted actuation without the need for additional electrical power storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a secondary electrical power storage device is provided for each control unit, then reliability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the electrical resource devices (generators) serve multiple functions: they provide power to their associated control unit and also serve as a backup power source for the other control unit through the switch mechanism. This eliminates the need for separate secondary power storage devices while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the backup power function into the existing electrical resource devices (generators) rather than adding separate backup power storage devices. The switch mechanism enables the generators to be shared between control units, combining resources to avoid additional weight.
2Reliability
If control switches periodically between two control units, then reliability is improved, but response time worsens due to delays
Solution Approach 1:
The switch mechanism monitors the status of electrical resource devices in advance and proactively switches control to the standby control unit before power failure occurs. This preliminary switching action prevents the 700ms delay that would occur if switching happened after power interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The switch mechanism uses status inputs from the electrical resource devices to continuously monitor their health and make real-time switching decisions. This feedback loop enables the system to respond immediately to generator faults without the delays associated with periodic switching.
3Device complexity
If electrical resource from external devices is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability worsens due to external failures
Solution Approach 1:
The switch mechanism acts as an intermediary that decouples the control units from direct dependence on single external electrical resource devices. By enabling dynamic switching between generators, the system maintains simplicity while protecting against external failures.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft control system 100 including a control assembly 110 having control units, including a first control unit 130 for controlling actuation of the aircraft component during a first time period, using electrical resource 512 from a first electrical resource device 510, and a second control unit 140 for controlling actuation of the aircraft component during a second time period, and a switch mechanism 120 for switching control of the actuation of the aircraft component between the first and second control units, wherein the switch mechanism has a first electrical resource device status input 513 for indicating the status of the first electrical resource device 510 and wherein, the switch mechanism is configured to switch control between the first 130 and second 140 control units based on the first electrical resource device status input 513.