Trajectory Control System for Aircraft Pilot Workload Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle control systems, particularly in aircraft, require pilots to manage basic aircraft states, increasing workload and limiting their focus on mission objectives, especially as aircraft become more sophisticated.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for trajectory control that involves obtaining an initial trajectory, presenting it on an I/O device overlaying terrain, initiating travel, updating in real-time, and altering the trajectory based on user input or sensed conditions such as obstacles, using a processing subsystem and memory with instructions to manage flight paths efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional pilot control of basic vehicle states is used, then direct control capability is maintained, but pilot workload increases and focus on mission objectives decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two distinct layers: automated trajectory control (high-level mission planning) and manual vehicle state control (low-level execution). This segmentation allows the pilot to focus on mission objectives while the automated system handles basic vehicle states, resolving the contradiction between reduced workload and maintained control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
An automated trajectory control system acts as an intermediary between the pilot's mission objectives and the vehicle's basic state controls. This intermediary automatically translates high-level trajectory goals into low-level control commands, reducing pilot workload while maintaining direct control capability when needed.
2Ease of operation
If automated trajectory control is implemented, then pilot workload is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the control system into automated trajectory management and manual vehicle state control, the complexity is distributed rather than concentrated. The automated portion handles high-level decisions while the manual portion handles execution, making the overall system more manageable despite increased automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated trajectory control system performs multiple functions including path planning, obstacle detection, and automatic adjustment of vehicle states. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems, managing complexity while providing comprehensive automated control.
3Reliability
If real-time trajectory updates are performed, then flight safety is improved, but computational requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs trajectory updates at periodic intervals rather than continuously, balancing safety requirements with processing time constraints. This periodic action allows sufficient time for computational processing while maintaining adequate monitoring of flight conditions for safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from sensors and trajectory deviations to trigger updates only when necessary, rather than performing continuous updates. This feedback-driven approach improves flight safety by responding to actual conditions while reducing unnecessary processing time and computational requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of trajectory control for a vehicle includes obtaining an initial trajectory; presenting the initial trajectory as a current trajectory on an I/O device, the current trajectory presented overlaying terrain; initiating travel of the vehicle along the current trajectory; updating the current trajectory and the terrain in real time as the vehicle travels along the current trajectory; determining if change in the current trajectory is required; changing the current trajectory to an altered trajectory in response to determining change in the current trajectory is required; and presenting the altered trajectory on the I/O device, the altered trajectory presented overlaying the terrain.