Aircraft Descent Protection Envelope Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircrafts face challenges in automatically preventing excessive descent rates during descent, which can lead to collision risks with the ground, as existing warning systems rely on crew reaction time and may trigger untimely alarms due to different measurement sources.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that automatically measure current flight parameters and compare them to a safety envelope to generate and apply control surface orders, preventing the aircraft from entering or exiting an unauthorized descent rate envelope, thereby reducing the risk of collision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing warning systems rely on crew reaction time and different measurement sources, then the system can detect collision risks, but it may trigger untimely alarms and fail to prevent excessive descent rates effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision risk detection reliabilityVSAvoidcrew reaction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system defines unauthorized flight envelopes in advance that contain excessive descent rates. Before the aircraft enters a dangerous state, the system continuously compares current flight parameters against these pre-defined envelopes and triggers protection automatically when violations are detected, eliminating the need for crew reaction time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements automatic feedback control by continuously measuring current flight parameters, comparing them with the safety envelope, and automatically triggering protection when the aircraft approaches or enters unauthorized flight conditions. This closed-loop feedback system replaces manual crew monitoring and reaction with automated real-time control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If the system uses multiple measurement sources (radioaltimeter, GPS, inertial systems), then it can provide comprehensive collision warning, but it may trigger false or untimely alarms due to different measurement chains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement source compatibilityVSAvoidalarm triggering accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system is designed to accept and process flight parameters from multiple measurement sources (radioaltimeter, GPS, inertial systems) through a universal comparison mechanism. The safety envelope comparison approach works regardless of the measurement source, making the system multi-functional and adaptable to different sensor inputs while maintaining consistent alarm triggering logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the approach from source-specific alarm triggering to parameter-based envelope violation detection. Instead of triggering alarms based on specific measurement chain thresholds, it monitors whether flight parameters (vertical speed, height) violate the pre-defined safety envelope, making the alarm triggering accurate and consistent across different measurement sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the system triggers protection automatically when flight parameters enter the safety envelope, then it can prevent excessive descent rates, but it requires rapid automated control surface actuation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexcessive descent rate preventionVSAvoidautomated control surface actuation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides self-service automated protection by automatically detecting envelope violations and triggering control surface actuation without crew intervention. When flight parameters enter the safety envelope, the system autonomously initiates the protection sequence, measuring parameters, comparing with envelope, and actuating controls independently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical control (crew operating control surfaces) with automated electronic control and actuation. The protection trigger automatically generates control surface commands and actuates them through electronic flight control systems, substituting the mechanical manual control process with an automated electronic-mechanical hybrid system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8818577B2Method and device for automatically protecting an aircraft against an excessive descent rate

Publication Date: 2014.08.26 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

A device includes means for generating and applying to an aircraft protecting orders avoiding a flight with an excessive descent rate. More specifically, the device includes components configured to perform a series of operations including measuring the current vertical speed and the current height of the aircraft and comparing these flight parameters with a safety envelope defining couples of vertical speed and height that are indicative of an excessive descent rate. If the current vertical speed and height are located in the safety envelope, a protection is triggered by generating protecting orders to remove the aircraft from the safety envelope and applying those protecting orders to control surfaces of the aircraft.