Aircraft Landing Gear Steering Angle Detection Using Centroid Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the steering angle of an aircraft landing gear are invasive, require multiple sensors, and lack real-time accuracy, leading to latency in providing feedback to pilots during aircraft maneuvering.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using position data points from sensors like lidar devices to calculate the centroid and determine the steering angle by finding the intersection between a straight line through the centroid and the aircraft landing gear's axis of rotation and central axis, allowing for non-intrusive, real-time monitoring and reduced sensor usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive methods with multiple sensors are used to determine steering angle, then measurement precision may be improved, but device complexity and intrusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the steering angle measurement function from direct physical sensors on the landing gear and relocates it to an imaging device mounted on the aircraft fuselage. By capturing images of the landing gear and processing the images computationally, the system eliminates the need for multiple intrusive sensors while maintaining measurement capability through image-based geometric analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical sensors that physically interact with the landing gear steering mechanism with an optical imaging system. The imaging device captures visual data, and computer processing algorithms extract steering angle information from the images, substituting mechanical measurement with optical and computational methods to reduce device complexity and intrusion
2Reliability
If real-time steering angle monitoring is implemented, then pilot feedback is improved, but latency in determining steering angle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous real-time image capture by the imaging device, maintaining a ready stream of landing gear visual data. This preliminary action ensures that when steering angle information is needed, the system can immediately process the most recent image without waiting for trigger events or sensor activations, thereby reducing latency while providing reliable real-time feedback to the pilot
3Ease of operation
If non-intrusive measurement methods are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the landing gear's physical state through high-resolution imaging. The imaging device captures detailed visual information, and computer processing algorithms generate a virtual representation from which steering angle can be precisely measured. This copying approach allows non-intrusive measurement while maintaining high precision through computational analysis of the visual data
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables accurate, non-intrusive determination of the steering angle in real-time, reducing latency and the number of sensors needed, thereby improving pilot feedback and aircraft maneuvering efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The imaging device may comprise at least one of: a lidar device, a radar device, a sonar device, time-of-flight sensors or an ultrasonic rangefinder
Implementation Method 2
The imaging device may comprise at least one of: a lidar device, a radar device, a sonar device, time-of-flight sensors or an ultrasonic rangefinder
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining a steering angle of an aircraft landing gear. The computer-implemented method comprises obtaining a set of position data points, wherein the set of position data points comprises position data points of a component of the aircraft landing gear and calculating a centroid of the set of position data points. The method also comprises determining an angle of an intersection between a straight line that passes through both the centroid and an axis of rotation of the aircraft landing gear and an axis that is orthogonal to a strut of the aircraft landing gear when the aircraft landing gear is at a previously known steering angle, and determining the steering angle of the aircraft landing gear based on the determined angle of intersection.