Integrated Engine Propeller Controller Redundancy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current propeller-driven aircraft systems have inefficiencies due to separate control systems for engines and propellers, lacking a unified and redundant control solution to prevent hazardous operations.

Innovation Solution

An electronic controller with dual redundant communication channels, each equipped with control and protection processors, manages engine and propeller parameters to generate commands for normal operation and protection against hazardous conditions, integrating engine and propeller control in a single unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate control systems are used for engine and propeller, then each system can be independently optimized, but the overall system complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent optimization capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate engine control and propeller control systems into a single integrated controller. This integration maintains the ability to independently optimize each subsystem's control algorithms while eliminating the complexity and weight of having physically separate control units. The integrated controller uses a modular architecture where engine control modules and propeller control modules operate independently but share common hardware resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If separate control systems are used for engine and propeller, then each system can be independently optimized, but the overall weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent optimization capabilityVSAvoidcontrol system weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges separate control systems into a single integrated controller, sharing common hardware components such as processors, memory, and communication interfaces. This integration maintains independent optimization capabilities through modular control algorithms while significantly reducing the total weight compared to having physically separate control units for engine and propeller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If a single integrated controller is used for engine and propeller, then system complexity and weight are reduced, but redundancy for hazardous condition protection is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidhazardous condition protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated controller is segmented into distinct functional modules: control processors for normal operation and separate protection processors for hazardous condition monitoring. This segmentation allows the protection functions to operate independently and override control functions when hazards are detected, maintaining high reliability while keeping the overall system integrated and manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protection processors act as intermediary safety mechanisms between the control processors and the actual engine/propeller actuators. When hazardous conditions are detected, the protection processors insert protective commands that override normal control commands, ensuring safety without requiring completely separate physical control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If control and protection functions are integrated in a single unit, then overall system efficiency improves, but the risk of single-point failure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem efficiencyVSAvoidsingle-point failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated controller is divided into functionally independent segments: control processors for normal operation and protection processors for safety monitoring. This segmentation ensures that a failure in control functions does not necessarily compromise protection functions, and vice versa, maintaining system efficiency while reducing single-point failure risk through functional independence within an integrated architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3656661B1Integral propeller and engine controller

Publication Date: 2021.07.21 PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP

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AI summary

An electronic controller (200) for an engine (100) and a propeller (120) comprises a first channel (A) and a second channel (B) independent from and redundant to the first channel (A). Each channel (A, B) having a control processor (212, 222) configured to receive first engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the first engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine control command comprising instructions for controlling an operation of the engine (100) and at least one propeller control command comprising instructions for controlling an operation of the propeller (120). Each channel (A, B) also comprises a protection processor (214, 224) configured to receive second engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the second engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine protection command comprising instructions for protecting the engine (100) from hazardous conditions and at least one propeller protection command comprising instructions for protecting the propeller (120) from hazardous conditions.