Distributed Flight Control with Independent Actuators for Fault Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated flight control systems face challenges in ensuring safety due to complexity and cost associated with implementing redundancy, particularly in non-redundant and triplex redundant systems, which can lead to single points of failure and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A distributed flight control system is implemented, where each actuator is controlled by a separate processor, allowing for redundancy to be physically built into the aircraft, enabling continued safe flight even if one or more actuators fail, with a simple and cost-effective setup that decouples flight computers and actuators, ensuring no single point of failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundancy is implemented in automated flight control systems to safeguard against failures, then safety is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control system is divided into multiple independent flight computers, each capable of independently controlling the aircraft. This segmentation allows redundancy without requiring a centralized complex redundant system, as each computer operates autonomously with its own sensor suite and control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
Each flight computer is designed to perform all flight control functions independently, making them universal and multi-functional. This eliminates the need for specialized redundant components, as any single flight computer can take over complete control if others fail, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Reliability
If redundancy is implemented in automated flight control systems to safeguard against failures, then safety is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses identical copies of flight computers rather than complex specialized redundant systems. Each computer is a complete functional copy capable of independent operation, providing redundancy through replication of proven, standardized units rather than expensive custom-designed backup systems.
3Device complexity
If a non-redundant flight control system is used to reduce complexity and cost, then system simplicity is improved, but safety deteriorates due to single points of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments flight control into multiple independent computers rather than using a single centralized controller. This segmentation provides inherent redundancy without requiring complex interconnections or centralized backup systems, maintaining simplicity while eliminating single points of failure.
Data Source
AI summary
A set of commands for each of a plurality of actuators to alter an aircraft's state responsive to one or more inputs is produced. The set of commands is provided to fewer than all actuators comprising the plurality of actuators.