Rotorcraft FBW Control State Comparison for Redundant Processors
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Solution Overview
Problem
As rotorcraft become larger and more complex, the differences between flying rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft become more pronounced, requiring tightly coupled flight parameters and controls, which existing flight control systems struggle to manage efficiently, especially in varying flight regimes, leading to increased pilot workload and potential stability issues.
Innovation Solution
A rotorcraft system employing redundant control processors with state comparison, where a primary microprocessor and a secondary microprocessor determine desired control law states, matching them for consistent control and maintaining the last known state when they do not match, ensuring stable flight operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant control processors are used to improve reliability, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously compares the output states from primary and secondary microprocessors through a feedback mechanism. The comparison unit monitors whether both processors produce matching control law states, and this feedback loop ensures that any divergence is detected and handled appropriately, thereby maintaining reliability while managing complexity through automated monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing approaches to different components: the primary microprocessor handles normal control operations, while the secondary microprocessor serves as a redundant backup. The comparison unit selectively activates based on the operational state, applying redundancy only where needed rather than uniformly across all operations, thus balancing reliability improvement with complexity management.
2Stability of the object's composition
If state comparison between processors is implemented to ensure stability, then flight stability is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary comparison of control law states from both processors before final control execution. By comparing states in advance and maintaining a last known good state when mismatches occur, the system prepares for potential failures proactively without disrupting real-time control responsiveness, thus ensuring stability while minimizing processing delays.
3Measurement precision
If redundant processors with state comparison are used, then control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a redundant copy of the control law computation through the secondary microprocessor. Both processors independently calculate the desired control law state from the same input parameters, and the comparison unit verifies consistency between these copies. This copying approach ensures control precision through verification while managing complexity through systematic duplication rather than complex coordination protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control system and method for providing state comparison of redundant processors used to control a rotorcraft (101). A primary microprocessor (412) is configured to receive input data from a position sensor (207) and a flight condition sensor (207) and to determine therefrom a first desired control law state, and a secondary microprocessor (414) is configured to receive input data from the position sensor (207) and the flight condition sensor (207) and to determine therefrom a second desired control law state. The first desired control law state from the primary microprocessor (412) and the second desired control law state from the secondary microprocessor (414) are compared, and either (a) the first desired control law state is taken into accont when the first desired control law state and the second desired control law state match, or (b) a last known control law state is maintained when the first desired control law state and the second desired control law state do not match.