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US5303142A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Control system for gas turbine helicopter engines and the like

Assignee: RTX Corp
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Filing: 1993-07-02
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Granted: 1994-04-12
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Expires: 2013-07-02
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Abstract

Abstract A engine control system for helicopters and the like in which free turbine speed is isochronously controlled by a more robust control system having increased bandwidth due to loop architecture and filter implementation accomplished via closed loop control. Dual notch (feedback compensation) is used with design forward path compensation, including variable lead/position of the lead, variable gain and implementation of integrator/proportional. Superior transient control is achieved by the use of a multi-loop governing design using different error compensations when on "NF" loop control and when not on "NF" loop control, and with "bumpless" inner loop reference by the combination of compensation switching and re-initialization of a common integrator. Parallel select logic with dynamic compensation is used separating the system control loops and the selection process of the controlling functions, as they pertain to the application of control loops designed form small signal stability to large transients. A torque loop limitation as a direct function of the speed loop gains provides a predetermined limit to the governed speed excursion in the event of an in-range failure of the torque signal, or an unannounced fail fix on one engine or system of the twin engine application.

Inventors

  • 👤 Douglas A. Parsons
  • 👤 Mark A. Johnston
  • 👤 John E. Games
  • 👤 Gerald L. DePardo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 07:34
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B7/00; G05B7/02; G05B11/00; G05B11/01; G05B11/36; G05B11/42; G05B13/00; G05B13/02; G05B13/0205; G05B13/024

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
A select and control system architecture for controlling a plant, comprising: control logic, having a plurality of error paths and corresponding control dynamic compensations, each of said error paths providing an error path signal, each of said dynamic compensations being operable to compensate the corresponding error path signal and to provide a corresponding control dynamic compensation signal in response thereto, a selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals controlling said parameter of the plant; and loop select logic, responsive to at least two of said plurality of error path signals, for selecting one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals to control said parameter of the plant independent of the values of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals, and for providing a loop select signal indicative of said selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals; and control output logic, responsive to said loop select signal, for selectively providing a plant control output signal indicative of said selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
A select and control system architecture for controlling a plant, comprising: control logic, having a plurality of error paths and corresponding control dynamic compensations, each of said error paths providing an error path signal, each of said dynamic compensations being operable to compensate the corresponding error path signal and to provide a corresponding control dynamic compensation signal in response thereto, a selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals controlling said parameter of the plant; and loop select logic, responsive to at least two of said plurality of error path signals, for selecting one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals to control said parameter of the plant independent of the values of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals, and for providing a loop select signal indicative of said selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals; and control output logic, responsive to said loop select signal, for selectively providing a plant control output signal indicative of said selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 71 words
The select and control system architecture of claim 1, wherein said select logic further comprises a plurality of corresponding loop select dynamic compensations, each of said corresponding loop select dynamic compensations being responsive to a corresponding one of said error path signals for providing a corresponding compensated select signal, said loop select logic being operable to select one of said compensated select signals to be indicative of said loop select signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 44 words
The select and control system architecture of claim 1, wherein said select logic further comprises logic to initialize a selected one of said corresponding loop select dynamic compensations, thereby providing a "bumbless" transfer to said selected one of said corresponding control dynamic compensation signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 39 words
The select and control system architecture of claim 1, wherein the plant is a gas generator portion of a gas turbine engine and said parameter of the plant to be controlled is fuel flow to the gas turbine engine.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 141 words
A system for controlling a plant, comprising: a. control logic means, including a plurality of error signals, each of the error signals being indicative of any difference between a reference signal indicative of a desired value of a plant variable and a feedback signal indicative of an actual value of the corresponding plant variable, and further including control dynamic compensation logic associated with each one of the error signals, the control logic means comprising means, responsive to the error signals, for providing corresponding control dynamic compensation signals; and b. select logic means, responsive to the error signals, for selecting, independently of the values of the control dynamic compensation signals, one of the control dynamic compensation signals to control a parameter of the plant; and c. means for controlling the parameter of the plant based on the selected control dynamic compensation signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 141 words
A system for controlling a plant, comprising: a. control logic means, including a plurality of error signals, each of the error signals being indicative of any difference between a reference signal indicative of a desired value of a plant variable and a feedback signal indicative of an actual value of the corresponding plant variable, and further including control dynamic compensation logic associated with each one of the error signals, the control logic means comprising means, responsive to the error signals, for providing corresponding control dynamic compensation signals; and b. select logic means, responsive to the error signals, for selecting, independently of the values of the control dynamic compensation signals, one of the control dynamic compensation signals to control a parameter of the plant; and c. means for controlling the parameter of the plant based on the selected control dynamic compensation signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 80 words
The system of claim 5, wherein the select logic means further includes select dynamic compensation logic associated with each one of the error signals, and further comprises means for providing corresponding select dynamic compensation signals, and for selecting form among one of the select dynamic compensation signals and for providing a loop select signal indicative thereof, the loop select signal also being indicative of the one of the control dynamic compensation signals selected to control the parameter of the plant.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3940593A Cited
US4133615A Cited
US4139887A Cited
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US4675804A Cited
US4719561A Cited
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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) 1997-04-11 1997-10-11 1998-04-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-04-11 2001-10-11 2002-04-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-04-11 2005-10-11 2006-04-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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