US5136518A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pitch guidance system
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1990-04-04
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Granted: 1992-08-04
•
Expires: 2010-04-04
Abstract
Abstract A pitch guidance system for an aircraft utilizes inertially derived pitch information to provide the pilot with information defining the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb during a wind shear condition. The system utilizes a pitch reference modulator that receives a stall warning discrete from a stall warning system to reduce the commanded pitch angle upon the occurrence of a stall warning to reduce the possibility of stalling the aircraft during degraded performance conditions such as tail winds and engine-out conditions. The system utilizes inertially derived pitch information rather than air mass derived angle of attack information to avoid transients in the angle of attack vane signal, and the commanded pitch angle is biased as a function of altitude and vertical speed to optimize the pitch angle for different altitudes and descent rates.
Inventors
- 👤 J. Howard Glover
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 10:53
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/04; G05D1/06; G05D1/0607; G05D1/0615; G05D1/0623
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A pitch guidance system for an aircraft, comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the vertical speed of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch guidance signal for manuevering the aircraft; and means responsive to said vertical speed signal and said pitch angle reference signal for modifying said pitch angle reference signal in accordance with the vertical speed signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
A pitch guidance system for an aircraft, comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the vertical speed of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch guidance signal for manuevering the aircraft; and means responsive to said vertical speed signal and said pitch angle reference signal for modifying said pitch angle reference signal in accordance with the vertical speed signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 1 wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for increasing the pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a vertical speed signal indicative of a descent of the aircraft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 2 wherein said pitch angle reference signal is representative of a pitch angle on the order of 13 to 15 degrees and wherein said pitch angle reference signal is increased by up to 8 degrees for vertical speeds in excess of a descent rate of 32 feet per minute.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 2 further including means for providing a signal representative of the altitude of the aircraft, said pitch angle reference signal modifying means being responsive to said altitude representative signal for reducing the amount the pitch angle reference signal is increased as the altitude of the increases.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 2 wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for decreasing the pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a vertical speed signal indicative of the ascent of the aircraft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 5 wherein the pitch angle reference signal is reduced by up to 4 degrees for ascent rates 44 feet per second.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 1 further including means for providing a signal representative of the pitch attitude of the aircraft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 7 wherein said pitch attitude signal providing means and said vertical speed signal providing means include means for providing said signals independently of the airmass surrounding the aircraft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
A pitch guidance system for an aircraft, comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the altitude of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the vertical speed of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch angle guidance signal for maneuvering the aircraft; and means responsive to said itch angle reference signal, said altitude representative signal and said vertical speed representative signal for modifying said pitch angle reference signal in response to said pitch angle reference signal, said altitude signal and said vertical speed signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
A pitch guidance system for an aircraft, comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the altitude of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the vertical speed of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch angle guidance signal for maneuvering the aircraft; and means responsive to said itch angle reference signal, said altitude representative signal and said vertical speed representative signal for modifying said pitch angle reference signal in response to said pitch angle reference signal, said altitude signal and said vertical speed signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 9 wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for increasing said pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a vertical speed signal representative of descent of the aircraft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 10 wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for controlling the amount the pitch angle reference signal is increased is reduced as the altitude representative signal increases.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 11 further including means for providing a stall warning signal, wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means is responsive to said stall warning signal to reduce the pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
105 words
A pitch guidance system for an aircraft, comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the altitude of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch angle guidance signal for use in maneuvering an aircraft; and means responsive to said altitude signal and said pitch angle reference signal for modifying said pitch angle reference signal in accordance with the altitude signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
A pitch guidance system for an aircraft, comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the altitude of the aircraft; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch angle guidance signal for use in maneuvering an aircraft; and means responsive to said altitude signal and said pitch angle reference signal for modifying said pitch angle reference signal in accordance with the altitude signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 13 wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for decreasing the pitch angle reference signal upon an ascent of the aircraft above a predetermined altitude above ground.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 14 wherein said pitch angle reference signal is representative of a pitch angle on the order of 13 to 15 degrees and wherein said pitch angle reference signal is decreased above altitudes above one hundred feet above the ground.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 14 wherein said system includes means for providing a signal representative of the vertical speed of the aircraft and wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for decreasing the pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a vertical speed signal indicative of an ascent of the aircraft.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
A pitch guidance system as recited in claim 14 further including means for providing a signal representative of the vertical speed of the aircraft and wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for increasing the pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a vertical speed signal indicative of a descent of the aircraft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
A guidance system for aircraft comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means for providing a stall warning signal; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch guidance signal for manuevering an aircraft; and means responsive to said pitch angle reference signal and said stall warning signal for modifying said pitch guidance signal in accordance with said stall warning signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
84 words
A guidance system for aircraft comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal; means for providing a signal representative of the pitch angle of the aircraft; means for providing a stall warning signal; means responsive to said pitch angle signal and said pitch angle reference signal for providing a pitch guidance signal for manuevering an aircraft; and means responsive to said pitch angle reference signal and said stall warning signal for modifying said pitch guidance signal in accordance with said stall warning signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A guidance system as recited in claim 18 wherein said pitch guidance signal modifying means includes means for reducing the value of the pitch guidance signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
A guidance system as recited in claim 18 further including means for receiving a signal representative of the position of the flaps of the aircraft and wherein said pitch guidance signal modifying means includes means responsive to the signal representative of the position of the flaps of the aircraft for altering the pitch guidance signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
A guidance system as recited in claim 20 further including means for providing a signal representative of the aircraft type and wherein said modifying means includes means responsive to said aircraft type signal for modifying said pitch guidance signal in accordance with the aircraft type.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for providing pitch guidance to the pilot of an aircraft comprising: monitoring pitch angle of the aircraft relative to a reference pitch value and providing a guidance signal to the pilot in response to the difference therebetween; and monitoring the occurrence of a stall warning and altering the value of the guidance signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
62 words
A method for providing pitch guidance to the pilot of an aircraft comprising: monitoring pitch angle of the aircraft relative to a reference pitch value and providing a guidance signal to the pilot in response to the difference therebetween; and monitoring the occurrence of a stall warning and altering the value of the guidance signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method recited in claim 22 wherein the value of the guidance signal is reduced upon the occurrence of a stall warning.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
123 words
An aircraft guidance system comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft during a wind shear; means for providing a stall warning signal; means for providing a signal representative of pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle reference signal and said pitch angle representative signal for providing a pitch guidance signal; means responsive to said stall warning signal for modifying the pitch angle reference signal to provide a modified stall warning signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning; and means responsive to the pitch angle signal and the modified pitch angle reference signal for providing pitch guidance information to the pilot during a wind shear.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
123 words
An aircraft guidance system comprising: means for providing a pitch angle reference signal representative of the optimum pitch angle for maximum climb of the aircraft during a wind shear; means for providing a stall warning signal; means for providing a signal representative of pitch angle of the aircraft; means responsive to said pitch angle reference signal and said pitch angle representative signal for providing a pitch guidance signal; means responsive to said stall warning signal for modifying the pitch angle reference signal to provide a modified stall warning signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning; and means responsive to the pitch angle signal and the modified pitch angle reference signal for providing pitch guidance information to the pilot during a wind shear.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 24 wherein said pitch angle signal providing means includes a vertical gyro.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 24 wherein said pitch angle reference signal modifying means includes means for reducing said pitch angle reference signal upon the occurrence of a stall warning.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 26 wherein said pitch angle reference signal is incrementally decreased as long as the stall warning is present.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 27 wherein said pitch angle reference signal is decrease in increments of 2 degrees.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 28 wherein said pitch angle reference signal is increased upon the cessation of the stall warning.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
18 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 29 wherein said pitch angle reference signal is incrementally increased.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
38 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 24 wherein said pitch guidance information providing means includes means for comparing the pitch angle representative signal with the modified pitch angle reference signal to provide said pitch guidance information.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
An aircraft guidance system as recited in claim 31 wherein said pitch guidance information is determined by the difference between the pitch angle representative signal and the modified pitch angle reference 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) | 1995-08-04 | 1996-02-03 | 1996-08-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-08-04 | 2000-02-03 | 2000-08-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-08-04 | 2004-02-03 | 2004-08-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |