Flight Control Switching via Backup Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight control systems for aircraft face challenges in maintaining engine control when one or more actuators fail, particularly when both processing units are in suboptimal health conditions, leading to a potential loss of critical system functionality.
Innovation Solution
A switching method between two processing units in a flight control system that utilizes emergency communication means, such as a network of sensors or an onboard secure network, to exchange data and determine health conditions, allowing each unit to switch states and ensure engine control despite actuator failures, thereby maintaining system redundancy and safety without additional dedicated communication means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the active channel uses its own actuators for engine control, then the control response is direct and fast, but the system loses control capability when actuators fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control capabilities of both active and passive channels by allowing the active channel to access and control actuators through the passive channel's I/O module when local actuators fail. This combining of control paths ensures that engine control capability is maintained even when local actuators are unavailable, resolving the contradiction between direct control speed and control reliability under failure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive channel's I/O module serves as an intermediary that enables the active channel to control actuators indirectly when local actuators fail. The active channel sends control commands through the passive channel's I/O module, which then executes the control actions. This intermediary mechanism maintains control reliability while preserving the active channel's decision-making capability.
2Reliability
If additional dedicated communication means are added for redundancy, then system reliability under communication failure is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing communication infrastructure multi-functional by enabling it to serve both normal data exchange and emergency failover communication. The same communication links and I/O modules used for regular operation are also utilized for maintaining control capability during failures, eliminating the need for separate dedicated emergency communication channels and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing communication infrastructure and I/O modules to provide emergency failover functionality. Rather than requiring external dedicated emergency communication means, the system's existing components serve dual purposes: normal operation and emergency backup, achieving reliability improvement without adding complexity.
3Reliability
If the passive channel is kept in standby with full functionality, then failover capability is improved, but resource utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic role assignment where the passive channel's functionality is adapted based on system state. During normal operation, the passive channel maintains minimal monitoring capability. Upon detection of active channel or actuator failure, the passive channel dynamically transitions to an active control role, utilizing its I/O module for control execution. This dynamic adaptation ensures failover capability while optimizing resource utilization during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns a method for switching, by a local processing unit (1,2) of a flight control system of an aircraft, configured to control at least one local actuator, connected to at least one local sensor and connected via at least one link (3,4) to an opposite processing unit (2,1) configured to control at least one opposite actuator and be connected to at least one opposite sensor, said local processing unit (1,2) being further configured to be connected to backup communication means (13,14) enabling data exchanges between the local processing unit (1,2) and the opposite processing unit (2,1) in the case of failures of the links connecting same (3,4), said backup communication means comprising an array of sensors or actuators (13) and/or a secure onboard network for the avionics (14), comprising steps of: •—sending, to the opposite processing unit (2,1), acquisition data relative to the at least one local sensor and actuator data relative to the at least one local actuator, •—receiving, from the opposite processing unit (2,1), acquisition data relative to the at least one opposite sensor and actuator data relative to the at least one opposite actuator, •—receiving an item of opposite health data and determining an item of local health data, •—switching said local processing unit (1,2) from a first state to a second state chosen from an active state (15), a passive state (16) and a slave state (18), depending on the opposite health data received and the local health data determined.