US3686626A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aircraft instrument
Assignee: United Control Corp
•
Filing: 1970-06-03
•
Granted: 1972-08-22
•
Expires: 1990-06-03
Abstract
Abstract An aircraft instrument providing visual flight path guidance to the pilot during landing approach, to clear an obstacle or the like. A head-up collimated display has a transverse bar positioned in accordance with a signal representing the angle of attack of the aircraft, with a corrective bias, which indicates to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft. The display includes a vertical scale positioned with respect to a horizontal reference, indicating to the pilot the angle of the path from the aircraft to a point on the ground. The angle of attack signal displayed by the bar is biased by a signal derived from the rate of change of flight path of the aircraft to compensate for the effect of errors, as caused by winds having a component in the vertical plane containing the flight path. Synthetic signals are developed for various flight conditions minimizing errors due to air mass movement and inherent inaccuracies of condition sensors.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Donald Bateman
- 👤 Lyle J Noland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:54
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D43/00; B64D43/02; G; G01; G01S; G01S1/00; G01S1/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; a head-up display means for said signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means including a source of signal representing the rate of change of the aircraft flight path and a rate limiter connected thereto, establishing a bias signal as the pilot follows the display; and means for combining said flight path condition and bias signals in said display.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; a head-up display means for said signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means including a source of signal representing the rate of change of the aircraft flight path and a rate limiter connected thereto, establishing a bias signal as the pilot follows the display; and means for combining said flight path condition and bias signals in said display.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The instrument of claim 1 in which said bias signal means includes an integrator connected with the output of the rate limiter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
121 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing the aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said signal indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; a source of signal representing aircraft pitch; means for combining the pitch and angle of attack signals for establishing a flight path signal; means establishing a signal representing a steady state component of said flight path signal; means for subtracting the steady state component from the flight path signal and establishing a flight path change signal; means for integrating the flight path change signal to establish a bias signal; and means for combining the bias and aircraft angle of attack signals in said head-up display.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
121 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing the aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said signal indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; a source of signal representing aircraft pitch; means for combining the pitch and angle of attack signals for establishing a flight path signal; means establishing a signal representing a steady state component of said flight path signal; means for subtracting the steady state component from the flight path signal and establishing a flight path change signal; means for integrating the flight path change signal to establish a bias signal; and means for combining the bias and aircraft angle of attack signals in said head-up display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The instrument of claim 3 including means for limiting the flight path change signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
120 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; means displaying the signal for the pilot; means establishing a signal representing a desired flight path for the aircraft; means establishing a signal representing the actual flight path of the aircraft; means combining the desired and actual flight path signals and establishing a signal representing the flight path error; means establishing a signal representing the change in flight path as the pilot follows the display; means for combining the flight path angle change and error signals; means for integrating the combined flight path angle change and error signals, establishing a bias signal; and means combining said flight path condition and bias signals in said pilot display.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
120 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; means displaying the signal for the pilot; means establishing a signal representing a desired flight path for the aircraft; means establishing a signal representing the actual flight path of the aircraft; means combining the desired and actual flight path signals and establishing a signal representing the flight path error; means establishing a signal representing the change in flight path as the pilot follows the display; means for combining the flight path angle change and error signals; means for integrating the combined flight path angle change and error signals, establishing a bias signal; and means combining said flight path condition and bias signals in said pilot display.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said angle of attack signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a signal representing aircraft pitch angle; means combining the pitch and display signals, establishing a flight path signal; means for determining a change of said flight patH angle; means for integrating said change of flight path signal to establish a bias signal; and means for combining the bias signal with the angle of attack signal in said pilot display.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
99 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said angle of attack signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a signal representing aircraft pitch angle; means combining the pitch and display signals, establishing a flight path signal; means for determining a change of said flight patH angle; means for integrating said change of flight path signal to establish a bias signal; and means for combining the bias signal with the angle of attack signal in said pilot display.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing the aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said angle of attack signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path of the aircraft as the pilot follows the displayed signal; and means combining said bias signal with said angle of attack signal for display to the pilot for positive flight path compensation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing the aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said angle of attack signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path of the aircraft as the pilot follows the displayed signal; and means combining said bias signal with said angle of attack signal for display to the pilot for positive flight path compensation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
The instrument of claim 7 in which a positive flight path signal represents a climb and a negative flight path signal represents a descent, a positive bias signal represents a change in flight path reducing descent or increasing climb and the negative bias signal represents a change in flight path increasing descent or decreasing climb and said bias signal is subtracted from the angle of attack signal for positive flight path compensation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing the aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said angle of attack signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path of the aircraft as the pilot follows the displayed signal; and means combining said bias signal with said angle of attack signal for display to the pilot for negative flight path compensation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
82 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing the aircraft angle of attack; a head-up display means for said angle of attack signal, indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path of the aircraft as the pilot follows the displayed signal; and means combining said bias signal with said angle of attack signal for display to the pilot for negative flight path compensation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
The instrument of claim 9 in which a positive flight path signal represents a climb and a negative flight path signal represents a descent, a positive bias signal represents a change in flight path reducing descent or increasing climb and the negative bias signal represents a change in flight path increasing descent or decreasing climb and said bias signal is added to the angle of attack signal for negative flight path compensation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
132 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: a source of signal representing vertical velocity of the aircraft; a source of signal representing forward velocity of the aircraft; means for dividing the vertical velocity signal by the forward velocity signal to establish a signal representing the inertial flight path of the aircraft; a source of signal representing the pitch of the aircraft; means combining said inertial flight path and pitch signals to provide a flight path condition signal; a head-up display means for said flight path condition signal indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in the flight path as the pilot follows the displayed signal; and means for combining the flight path condition and bias signals in said display.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
132 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: a source of signal representing vertical velocity of the aircraft; a source of signal representing forward velocity of the aircraft; means for dividing the vertical velocity signal by the forward velocity signal to establish a signal representing the inertial flight path of the aircraft; a source of signal representing the pitch of the aircraft; means combining said inertial flight path and pitch signals to provide a flight path condition signal; a head-up display means for said flight path condition signal indicating to the pilot the flight path of the aircraft with reference to the ground; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in the flight path as the pilot follows the displayed signal; and means for combining the flight path condition and bias signals in said display.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
The instrument of claim 11 in which the source of signal representing vertical velocity includes a source of signal representing the rate of change of the barometric altitude of the aircraft, a source of signal representing the integral of the normal acceleration of the aircraft and means for combining the barometric rate and integrated normal acceleration signals to provide a composite vertical velocity signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The instrument of claim 12 wherein said combining means comprises a complementary filter combining the long term components of the barometric altitude rate signal and the short term components of the normal acceleration signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
The instrument of claim 11 in which the source of signal representing forward velocity includes a source of signal representing air speed of the aircraft, a source of signal representing forward acceleration of the aircraft and means for combining the air speed and forward acceleration signals to provide a composite forwarD velocity signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The instrument of claim 14 wherein said combining means comprises a complementary filter combining the long term components of air speed and the short term components of the forward acceleration signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; means displaying said signal for the pilot; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path as the pilot follows said signal; means establishing a signal which is a function of forward acceleration of the aircraft; and means for combining the flight path condition, bias and forward acceleration signals in said pilot display.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
69 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; means displaying said signal for the pilot; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path as the pilot follows said signal; means establishing a signal which is a function of forward acceleration of the aircraft; and means for combining the flight path condition, bias and forward acceleration signals in said pilot display.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
71 words
The instrument of claim 16 including a source of signal representing the inertial flight path of the aircraft, a gyroscope providing a source of signal representing the pitch of the aircraft and means combining said inertial flight path and pitch signals to provide said flight path condition signal, said gyroscope having an erection error due to acceleration, a component of the signal from the gyroscope representing forward acceleration of the aircraft.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The instrument of claim 16 including means for measuring the relative wind past the aircraft body to provide said flight path condition signal and in which said forward acceleration signal is referenced to the ground.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The instrument of claim 16 in which said source of forward acceleration includes a source of signal representing the rate of change of velocity with reference to the ground, a limiter and an integrator for said limited velocity rate signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
109 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; means displaying said signal for the pilot; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path as the pilot follows said signal; means for deriving a signal representing the displacement of an aircraft control to modify the aircraft flight path condition; means for deriving from said displacement signal a rate signal, said rate signal deriving means having a time period comparable with the time for response of the aircraft to operation of said control; and means for combining said bias and rate signals with the flight path condition signal in said pilot display.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
109 words
An aircraft instrument, comprising: means establishing a signal representing an aircraft flight path condition; means displaying said signal for the pilot; means establishing a bias signal representing the change in flight path as the pilot follows said signal; means for deriving a signal representing the displacement of an aircraft control to modify the aircraft flight path condition; means for deriving from said displacement signal a rate signal, said rate signal deriving means having a time period comparable with the time for response of the aircraft to operation of said control; and means for combining said bias and rate signals with the flight path condition signal in said pilot display.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
74 words
An instrument for synthesizing a signal representing forward velocity of an aircraft, including: a source of signal representing air speed of the aircraft; a source of signal representing forward acceleration of the aircraft; and a complementary filter means connected with said signal sources for combining the long term components of the air speed signal with a short term forward velocity signal derived from said forward acceleration signal to provide a composite forward velocity signal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
74 words
An instrument for synthesizing a signal representing forward velocity of an aircraft, including: a source of signal representing air speed of the aircraft; a source of signal representing forward acceleration of the aircraft; and a complementary filter means connected with said signal sources for combining the long term components of the air speed signal with a short term forward velocity signal derived from said forward acceleration signal to provide a composite forward velocity signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3051416A
Cited
US3052122A
Cited
US3077557A
Cited
US3276255A
Cited
US3448948A
Cited
US3521227A
Cited
US3577120A
Cited
US3569926A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-22 | 1976-02-21 | 1976-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-22 | 1980-02-21 | 1980-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-22 | 1984-02-21 | 1984-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |