US3892373A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated glide path/flare automatic flight control system
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1973-12-07
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Granted: 1975-07-01
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Expires: 1993-12-07
Abstract
Abstract A system for controlling an aircraft during integrated glide path capture and tracking and flare maneuvers when automatically landing the craft. The system eliminates the need for explicit switching to initiate the flare maneuver and the flare control channel is effectively exercised during the glide path capture and tracking maneuvers to eliminate extensive pre-land testing that would otherwise be required if the flare control channel were switched on at low critical altitudes as has previously been the case.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerry Doniger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 02:14
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/04; G05D1/06; G05D1/0607; G05D1/0653; G05D1/0676
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
283 words
A system for controlling an aircraft when landing the craft, comprising: means for providing an aircraft rate of descent signal; means for providing a glide path beam rate signal; means for limiting the glide path beam rate signal in accordance with predetermined flare mode flight parameters; means connected to the aircraft rate of descent signal means and to the glide path beam rate signal limiting means for combining the signals therefrom and for providing a rate of descent error signal; means for limiting the rate of descent error signal in accordance with predetermined glide-path mode flight parameters, said means including, means for providing a signal corresponding to the altitude of the aircraft, means for shaping the altitude signal in accordance with the flare mode flight parameters and for providing a shaped signal, means for providing a glide path beam rate signal, and feedback means connected to the beam rate signal means including means for combining the beam rate signal and the limited rate of descent error signal, means for integrating the combined signal, means for limiting the integrated signal and the limiting means connected to the shaping means, with the limit of the limiting means being varied in response to the shaped signal; means for providing a glide path beam displacement signal; means connected to the rate of descent error signal limiting means and to the beam displacement signal means, and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing a pitch rate command signal; means for providing a signal corresponding to the pitch attitude of the craft; and means connected to the pitch rate command signal means and to the pitch attitude signal means and responsive to the signals therefrom for controlling the aircraft.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
283 words
A system for controlling an aircraft when landing the craft, comprising: means for providing an aircraft rate of descent signal; means for providing a glide path beam rate signal; means for limiting the glide path beam rate signal in accordance with predetermined flare mode flight parameters; means connected to the aircraft rate of descent signal means and to the glide path beam rate signal limiting means for combining the signals therefrom and for providing a rate of descent error signal; means for limiting the rate of descent error signal in accordance with predetermined glide-path mode flight parameters, said means including, means for providing a signal corresponding to the altitude of the aircraft, means for shaping the altitude signal in accordance with the flare mode flight parameters and for providing a shaped signal, means for providing a glide path beam rate signal, and feedback means connected to the beam rate signal means including means for combining the beam rate signal and the limited rate of descent error signal, means for integrating the combined signal, means for limiting the integrated signal and the limiting means connected to the shaping means, with the limit of the limiting means being varied in response to the shaped signal; means for providing a glide path beam displacement signal; means connected to the rate of descent error signal limiting means and to the beam displacement signal means, and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing a pitch rate command signal; means for providing a signal corresponding to the pitch attitude of the craft; and means connected to the pitch rate command signal means and to the pitch attitude signal means and responsive to the signals therefrom for controlling the aircraft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system as described by claim 1, wherein the means for providing an aircraft rate of descent signal includes: means for sensing rate of descent and for providing a corresponding signal; and means connected to the sensing means for inertially augmenting the signal therefrom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
A system as described by claim 2, wherein the means connected to the sensing means for inertially augmenting the signal therefrom includes: means for providing an aircraft roll attitude signal; means for shaping the roll attitude sIgnal; means for providing an aircraft normal acceleration signal; means for combining the shaped roll attitude and normal acceleration signals; means for washing out the combined signal; means for combining the washed out signal and the signal from the sensign means; and means for filtering the last mentioned combined signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A system as described by claim 1, wherein the means for providing a glide path beam displacement signal includes: a sensor for sensing glide path beam displacement and for providing a corresponding signal; means for adjusting the gain of said signal; and means for varying the gain adjustment as a function of the altitude of the aircraft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
144 words
A system as described by claim 4, wherein the means connected to the rate of descent error signal limiting means and to the beam displacement signal means, and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing a pitch rate command signal includes: means for adjusting the gain of the limited rate of descent error signal by a first predetermined gain factor; means for combining the gain adjusted, limited rate of descent error signal with the gain adjusted beam displacement signal; means for filtering the combined signal; means for adjusting the gain of the filtered signal by a second predetermined gain factor; means for adjusting the gain of the limited rate of descent signal by a third predetermiend gain factor; and means for combining the gain adjusted, limited rate of descent error signal with the gain adjusted filtered signal to provide the pitch rate command signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
A system as described by claim 5, including: normally open switching, means connecting the last mentioned combining means to the aircraft controlling means, the controlling means being responsive to only the pitch attitude signal for controlling the craft; and means responsive to the pitch rate command signal when the sense of said signal is consistent with the sense of the beam displacement signal for closing the switching means, the controlling means being thereupon responsive to both the pitch rate command signal and the pitch attitude signal for controlling the craft.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
A system as described by claim 6, including: means connected to the switching means and to the pitch attitude signal means for combining the signals therefrom and for providing a combined signal; means for adjusting the gain of said combined signal by a fourth predetermined gain factor; and the aircraft controlling means including flight director means connected to said gain adjusting means and responsive to the combined signal gain adjusted by the fourth predetermined gain factor for controlling the aircraft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
176 words
A system as described by claim 7, including: means for adjusting the gain of the combined signal from the switching means and pitch attitude signal combining means by a fifth predetermined gain factor; means for adjusting the gain of said combined signal by a sixth predetermined gain factor; other normally open switching means connected to the limited rate of descent error signal means and means responsive to the error signal when said signal is at a predetermined level prior to the flare mode of flight for closing said switching means; combining means connected to the means for adjusting the gain of the combined signal by the sixth predetermined gain factor and to the other switching means for combining the gain adjusted signal and the signal applied through the closed other switching means; means for integrating said combined signal; and the aircraft controlling means including means for combining the integrated signal and the combined signal gain adjusted by the fifth predetermined gain factor, and autopilot means responsive to the signals from said combining means controlling the craft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
A system as described by claim 8, including: feedback means connected to the output of the switching means and to tHe input of the means for combining the signal gain adjusted by the sixth predetermined gain factor and the signal applied through the other switching means; said feedback means including an integrator/limiter connected to the input of said combining means and means for combining the output of the integrator/limiter with the signal applied through the closed other switching means, means for adjusting the gain of said combined signal by a seventh predetermined gain factor, and the integrator/limiter integrating and limiting said last mentioned gain adjusted signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-30 | 1978-12-30 | 1979-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-30 | 1982-12-30 | 1983-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-30 | 1986-12-30 | 1987-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |