US4586140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aircraft liftmeter
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1984-02-08
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Granted: 1986-04-29
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Expires: 2004-02-08
Abstract
Abstract A display for aiding the pilot of an aircraft in anomalous wind environments. Wind velocity components are measured by an instrument 11, processed by a computer 12 and a vector generator 17 and then displayed as a vector 34 on the display shown in FIG. 3. A signal F indicative of flap position selects a flight validated lift curve which is displayed as a lift curve channel 42. During normal wind conditions the cursor 35 marking the termination of vector 34 is in the channel of curve 42. However, during wind anomalies cursor 35 moves outside the channel. It then becomes the task of the pilot to control the aircraft such that cursor 35 will move back into the channel.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest W. Millen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:56
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/04; G05D1/06; G05D1/0607; G05D1/0615; G05D1/02; G05D1/0202; G05D1/0204
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for controlling an aircraft during wind anomalies comprising the steps of: generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface, a second signal proportional to the velocity of the vertical wind and a third signal proportional to the ground speed; processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on a display; selecting a lift curve, the lift curve being the locus of points at which the lift is equal to the weight of the aircraft during normal winds as predetermined by flight test; displaying said selected lift curve on said display such that the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is superimposed on said lift curve during normal winds; whereby whenever the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is not superimposed on said displayed lift curve the pilot know that the aircraft is encountering wind anomalies and thereby can make appropriate maneuvers with the aircraft.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for controlling an aircraft during wind anomalies comprising the steps of: generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface, a second signal proportional to the velocity of the vertical wind and a third signal proportional to the ground speed; processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on a display; selecting a lift curve, the lift curve being the locus of points at which the lift is equal to the weight of the aircraft during normal winds as predetermined by flight test; displaying said selected lift curve on said display such that the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is superimposed on said lift curve during normal winds; whereby whenever the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is not superimposed on said displayed lift curve the pilot know that the aircraft is encountering wind anomalies and thereby can make appropriate maneuvers with the aircraft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said lift curve is selected in accordance with the position of the flaps of the aircraft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1 including the step of differentiating said first and second signals and displaying the values of the differentiated signals on said display to give the pilot warnings when there are sudden changes in the velocity of the wind.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on a display comprises the steps of: processing said first, second and third signals to produce a change in angle-of-attack signal; computing the resultant of said first, second and third signals to obtain the relative wind velocity signal; combining said change in angle-of-attack signal with an initial angle-of-attack signal to obtain a precursor angle-of-attack signal; combining said precursor angle-of-attack signal with said relative wind velocity signal to obtain a vector of the relative wind velocity; and displaying said vector on said display.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said processing said first, second and third signals to produce a change in angle-of-attack signal comprises the steps of: summing said first and third signals to obtain a summed signal; and producing said change in angle-of-attack signal by obtaining the arctangent of the second signal divided by the summed signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said step of combining said change in angle-of-attack signal with an initial angle-of-attack signal comprises subtracting said change in angle-of-attack signal from said initial angle-of-attack signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for controlling an aircraft whenever there are wind anomalies in the path of and a distance from the aircraft comprising the steps of: generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface at said distance from the aircraft, a second signal proportional to the velocity of the vertical wind at said distance from the aircraft and a third signal proportional to the ground speed of said aircraft: processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on a display; selecting a lift curve, the lift curve being the locus of points at which the lift is equal to the weight of the aircraft during normal winds; and displaying said selected lift curve on said display such that the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is superimposed on said lift curve during normal winds; whereby whenever the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is not superimposed on said displayed lift curve the pilot knows that wind anomalies are present at said distance from the aircraft and thereby can make appropriate maneuvers with the aircraft.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for controlling an aircraft whenever there are wind anomalies in the path of and a distance from the aircraft comprising the steps of: generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface at said distance from the aircraft, a second signal proportional to the velocity of the vertical wind at said distance from the aircraft and a third signal proportional to the ground speed of said aircraft: processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on a display; selecting a lift curve, the lift curve being the locus of points at which the lift is equal to the weight of the aircraft during normal winds; and displaying said selected lift curve on said display such that the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is superimposed on said lift curve during normal winds; whereby whenever the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is not superimposed on said displayed lift curve the pilot knows that wind anomalies are present at said distance from the aircraft and thereby can make appropriate maneuvers with the aircraft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 7 including the step of measuring the time for the aircraft to travel a distance from the current aircraft position to said wind anomalies and displaying said time on said display.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 7 including the steps of processing said first, second and third signals to produce the change in lift of said aircraft at said distance from the aircraft and displaying the produced change in lift on said display.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus for aiding a pilot to control an aircraft during wind anomalies comprising: a display; means for generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface, a second signal proportional to the velocity of the vertical wind and a third signal proportional to ground speed; means for processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on said display; and means for selecting a lift curve and displaying it on said display such that the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is superimposed on said lift curve during normal winds and deviates therefrom during wind anomalies; whereby the display is an aid to the pilot during wind anomalies.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus for aiding a pilot to control an aircraft during wind anomalies comprising: a display; means for generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface, a second signal proportional to the velocity of the vertical wind and a third signal proportional to ground speed; means for processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on said display; and means for selecting a lift curve and displaying it on said display such that the cursor endpoint of the displayed said vector is superimposed on said lift curve during normal winds and deviates therefrom during wind anomalies; whereby the display is an aid to the pilot during wind anomalies.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for processing said first, second and third signals comprising means for computing a precursor angle of attack of the aircraft from said first, second and third signals, means for computing the relative wind velocity from said first, second and third signals, and means for forming said vector from said relative wind velocity and said precursor angle of attack.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for selecting a lift curve includes means for selecting the lift curve in accordance with the position of the flaps of said aircraft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said display is a cathode ray tube display.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 including means differentiating said first and second signals and displaying differentiated signals on said display to give the pilot warnings of anomalous wind conditions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 including means for generating a signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the heading of the aircraft and parallel to the Earth's surface, means for differentiating the last mentioned signal and means for displaying the differentiated said last mentioned signal on said display.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said means for processing said first, second and third signals to produce a vector of the relative wind velocity on said display comprises: means for combining said first, second and third signals to obtain both a precursor angle-of-attack signal and a relative wind velocity signal to obtain a vector of the relative wind velocity; and means for displaying said vector on said display.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said means for combining said first, second and third signals to obtain a precursor angle-of-attack signal comprises: means for summing said first and third signals to obtain a summed signal; means for obtaining the arctangent of said second signal divided by said summed signal to obtain a change in angle-of-attack signal; means for obtaining an initial angle-of-attack signal; and means for subtracting said change in angle of attack signal from said initial angle-of-attack signal to obtain said precursor angle-of-attack signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
152 words
Apparatus for displaying the change in lift of an aircraft comprising: a display means; means for generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface, a second signal proportional to the vertical wind and a third signal proportional to the ground speed; means receiving said first and third signals for generating a signal proportional to the lift under initial conditions: means receiving said first, second and third signals for generating a signal proporional to lift under precursor conditions of angle of attack and relative wind velocity; means for subtracting the signal proportional to lift under said precursor conditions from the signal proportional to lift under initial conditions to obtain a change in lift signal; and means for displaying said change in left signal on said display whereby said change in lift is used in controlling said aircraft.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
152 words
Apparatus for displaying the change in lift of an aircraft comprising: a display means; means for generating a first signal proportional to the velocity of the wind in the direction of the aircraft heading and parallel to the Earth's surface, a second signal proportional to the vertical wind and a third signal proportional to the ground speed; means receiving said first and third signals for generating a signal proportional to the lift under initial conditions: means receiving said first, second and third signals for generating a signal proporional to lift under precursor conditions of angle of attack and relative wind velocity; means for subtracting the signal proportional to lift under said precursor conditions from the signal proportional to lift under initial conditions to obtain a change in lift signal; and means for displaying said change in left signal on said display whereby said change in lift is used in controlling said aircraft.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said means for generating a signal proporitonal to the lift under initial conditions comprises: means for summing said first and third signals; and means for squaring said summed signal and multiplying by a constant.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said means for generating a signal proportional to the under precursor conditions of angle of attack and relative wind velocity comprises: means for summing said first and third signals; means for squaring said summed signal to obtaining a first squared signal; means for squaring said second signal to obtain a second squared signal; and means for summing said first and second squared signals and multiplying by a constant.
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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) | 1989-04-28 | 1989-10-28 | 1990-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-28 | 1993-10-28 | 1994-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-10-28 | 1998-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |