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US3887148A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Aircraft glide slope coupler and landing system

Assignee: Honeywell Inc
•
Filing: 1973-12-19
•
Granted: 1975-06-03
•
Expires: 1993-12-19
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Abstract

Abstract A glide slope coupler, adapted for use in an integrated automatic pilot and flight director system provides apparatus for guiding an aircraft with respect to a radio defined glide slope to a flare out point, and for providing the flare out command for an automatic landing or for a flight director landing. An integrating device is used for synchronizing the coupler prior to glide slope mode engagement, and operates as a radio error integrator subsequent to autopilot glide slope engagement. The integrator operates to wash out the steady state flight path angle subsequent to flight director glide slope engagement. In the synchronizing mode, the elevator actuator amplifier output is forced to zero by the integrator to assure that no engage transients occur. At the same time, the integrator output is initialized by virtue of the system gain ratios, to a value approximately equal to the desired glide slope flight path angle. After glide slope engagement, the integrator output is summed with signals representing craft displacement from the glide slope, craft flight path angle, and short term damping signals, all for operation of the craft elevator surface or a flight director indicator pitch bar to reduce the radio defined path displacement to zero. As the aircraft descends through approximately 50 feet, radio gains are reduced to zero and the flare computer automatically computes a flare point and issues the proper flare commands for the specific conditions relative to descent rates and winds for each approach. The flare command automatically reduces shortly after touch down to cause the nose wheel to settle firmly on the landing surface. If the craft has a tendency to float due to abnormal conditions, this reduction in flare command will slightly increase the descent rate to assure a touch down within the longitudinal requirements.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bernard T Devlin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 14:03
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/04; G05D1/06; G05D1/0607; G05D1/0653; G05D1/0676

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
Apparatus for guiding a craft to a landing with respect to a radio defined path, comprising: means for providing a first output signal representative of craft altitude above a landing surface, flare computer means including first asymmetric limiter means and responsive to said first output signal for providing a second output signal only for a signal of predetermined input polarity, second asymmetric limiter means responsive to said first output signal for producing a third output signal, glide slope receiver means for producing a fourth output signal representative of the displacement of said craft from said radio defined path, multiplier means for producing a product output signal proportional to the product of said third and fourth output signals, flight path angle computer means for deriving a fifth output signal, circuit means for combining said second, fifth, and product output signals for selective control of the attitude of said craft about the pitch axis thereof, said fifth output signal substantially reducing the effects of wind shear in the approach to landing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
Apparatus for guiding a craft to a landing with respect to a radio defined path, comprising: means for providing a first output signal representative of craft altitude above a landing surface, flare computer means including first asymmetric limiter means and responsive to said first output signal for providing a second output signal only for a signal of predetermined input polarity, second asymmetric limiter means responsive to said first output signal for producing a third output signal, glide slope receiver means for producing a fourth output signal representative of the displacement of said craft from said radio defined path, multiplier means for producing a product output signal proportional to the product of said third and fourth output signals, flight path angle computer means for deriving a fifth output signal, circuit means for combining said second, fifth, and product output signals for selective control of the attitude of said craft about the pitch axis thereof, said fifth output signal substantially reducing the effects of wind shear in the approach to landing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 169 words
Apparatus for guiding a craft to a landing with respect to a radio defined path, comprising: means for providing a first output signal representative of craft altitude above a landing surface, flare computer means including first asymmetric limiter means and responsive to said first output signal for providing a second output signal only for a signal of predetermined input polarity, second asymmetric limiter means responsive to said first output signal for producing a third output signal, glide slope receiver means for producing a fourth output signal representative of the displacement of said craft from said radio defined path, multiplier means for producing a product output signal proportional to the product of said third and fourth output signals, flight path angle computer means for deriving a fifth output signal, circuit means for combining said second, fifth, and product output signals for selective control of the attitude of said craft about the pitch axis thereof, said fifth output signal substantially reducing the effects of wind shear in the approach to landing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 169 words
Apparatus for guiding a craft to a landing with respect to a radio defined path, comprising: means for providing a first output signal representative of craft altitude above a landing surface, flare computer means including first asymmetric limiter means and responsive to said first output signal for providing a second output signal only for a signal of predetermined input polarity, second asymmetric limiter means responsive to said first output signal for producing a third output signal, glide slope receiver means for producing a fourth output signal representative of the displacement of said craft from said radio defined path, multiplier means for producing a product output signal proportional to the product of said third and fourth output signals, flight path angle computer means for deriving a fifth output signal, circuit means for combining said second, fifth, and product output signals for selective control of the attitude of said craft about the pitch axis thereof, said fifth output signal substantially reducing the effects of wind shear in the approach to landing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
Apparatus as described in claim 1 additionally including: means for deriving a signal representative of craft vertical acceleration, means for deriving a signal representative of craft pitch rate, and means for additionally combining said signals representing craft vertical acceleration and craft pitch rate for positioning said craft about said pitch axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
Apparatus as described in claim 2 additionally including flight director pitch bar means selectively responsive to said composite signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 53 words
Apparatus as described in claim 1 additionally including means for generating a sixth output signal representative of craft elevator position for summation with said second, fifth, and product output signals, and said signals representing cRaft vertical acceleration and pitch rate for providing a composite signal for positioning said craft about said pitch axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 58 words
Apparatus as described in claim 4 additionally including synchronizing means responsive to said composite signal comprising: integrator means, amplifier means responsive to said composite signal and to said integrator means, said integrator means being selectively responsive to said amplifier means, and means for selectively coupling said amplifier means to means for positioning said craft about said pitch axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 77 words
Apparatus as described in claim 4 additionally including: beam sensor means responsive to said product output signal, and first switch means responsive to said beam sensor means for coupling said product output signal to said integrator means input while disconnecting the output of said amplifier from said integrator input, said beam sensor cooperatively operating to permit the radio defined path to be captured at substantially the same displacement from said radio defined path independent of craft altitude.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3418458A Cited
US3282537A Cited
US3743221A Cited
US3652835A Cited
US3801049A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-06-02 1978-12-02 1979-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-06-02 1982-12-02 1983-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-06-02 1986-12-02 1987-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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