Dual-Channel Position Sensor Layout for Redundant EMA Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromechanical actuator systems in aircraft face challenges in maintaining redundancy and safety without increasing cost, size, and weight by using dissimilar complex electronic components, and existing solutions are prone to common mode failures.
Innovation Solution
Implement a dual-channel position sensor system with a primary and backup actuator controller, utilizing multiple motor and actuator position sensors, processors, and communication buses to process and combine position data, reducing interconnections and avoiding common mode failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple independent position sensors are used to achieve functional redundancy, then safety margin is improved, but device complexity and number of interconnections increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple position sensors (first and second position sensors) into a single integrated sensor unit that provides redundant sensing capabilities through a unified interface, reducing the number of separate interconnections while maintaining functional redundancy for safety
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated sensor unit serves multiple functions simultaneously - it provides both primary and redundant position feedback through a single device, allowing one component to fulfill multiple safety-critical roles and reducing overall system complexity
2Reliability
If dissimilar complex electronic components are used to prevent common mode failure, then reliability is improved, but cost, size, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different processing approaches to different data channels within the same sensor unit - the first position data is processed through a first processor while the second position data is processed through a second processor, creating local differentiation that prevents common mode failure without requiring the entire sensor unit to be oversized
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit is segmented into independent processing paths with separate processors for primary and redundant channels, allowing each processor to be optimized independently while maintaining compact overall dimensions and reducing total weight compared to a monolithic complex device
3Reliability
If dissimilar complex electronic components are used to prevent common mode failure, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensing elements into a single integrated sensor unit with unified physical interface, reducing device complexity while maintaining internal redundancy through separate processing paths that prevent common mode failure
Data Source
AI summary
A system configuration significantly reduces the number of interconnections needed between an electromechanical actuator (EMA) and an EMA controller (EMAC) while maintaining redundancy and other safety aspects needed by the target application without adding second or third independent redundant position sensors to the EMA for use with backup channel of the controller. The system configuration extends the sensor architecture used by COM-COM controllers with an additional sensor channel used by a backup controller without the need for adding a separate physical position sensor for the backup controller, which saves implementation effort, space, and weight that would otherwise be needed for integration of additional redundant sensors into the EMA.