Aircrew automation system and method with integrated imaging and force sensing modalities
Inventors
Bosworth, William • Jensen, Devin Richard • Reagan, Margaret
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10509415-B2
Publication Date
2019-12-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
An aircrew automation system relates to the field of flight control systems, methods, and apparatuses; even more particularly, to a system, method, and apparatus for providing aircraft state monitoring and/or an automated aircrew employing a robotic arm with integrated imaging and force sensing modalities.
Core Innovation
The invention is an aircrew automation system for use in an aircraft that includes a computer system and an actuation system. The computer system is coupled with a flight control system and is configured to generate commands based at least in part on flight situation data received from one or more onboard systems or the flight control system.
The actuation system is operatively coupled to the computer system and includes an optical sensor, an actuator, and a force sensor. The optical sensor visually identifies one or more cockpit instruments corresponding to the flight control system, while the actuator engages the one or more cockpit instruments and the force sensor measures a force when the actuator makes contact with the one or more cockpit instruments.
A controller coordinates the optical sensor, actuator, and force sensor to map a location, type, and position of the cockpit instruments as a function of data collected by the optical sensor and the force sensor. The controller executes the commands received from the computer system via the actuator and communicates data collected by the optical sensor or the force sensor to the computer system, including comparison to stored references such as a matrix of force values and a matrix of image data.
In a related method, the system receives a commanded heading, identifies a knob, engages the knob with a robotic arm, verifies knob operation by force-profile matching, and turns the knob to reflect the commanded heading.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims, corresponding to an aircrew automation system architecture and a method for implementing the automation for commanded heading changes. Across these independent claims, there are three primary inventive groupings: command generation from flight situation data, visual identification plus force sensing for cockpit instrument mapping and engagement, and closed-loop verification of knob actuation using a stored force profile in the heading control method.
Aircrew automation system using flight-situation-data command generation
A computer system having a processor and one or more interfaces to connect a plurality of systems or subsystems, communicatively coupled with a flight control system of the aircraft, configured to generate commands based at least in part on flight situation data received from one or more of the plurality of systems or subsystems or the flight control system.
Optical identification and actuator engagement of cockpit instruments
An actuation system operatively coupled with the computer system via at least one of the one or more interfaces, the actuation system comprising an optical sensor configured to visually identify one or more cockpit instruments corresponding to the flight control system and an actuator configured to engage the one or more cockpit instruments.
Force-sensing-based mapping and feedback to the computer system
A force sensor operably coupled to the actuator and configured to measure a force when the actuator makes contact with the one or more cockpit instruments, and a controller operably coupled with the optical sensor, the actuator, and the force sensor, configured to map a location, type, and position of the one or more cockpit instruments as a function of data collected by the optical sensor and the force sensor, execute the commands received from the computer system via the actuator, and communicate data collected by the optical sensor or the force sensor to the computer system.
Commanded heading knob identification and robotic arm actuation with force-profile verification
Receiving a commanded heading from a flight control system of the aircraft to alter aircraft heading, identifying, via an optical sensor, a knob amongst one or more cockpit instruments that is configured to alter aircraft heading, activating a robotic arm configured to manipulate the one or more cockpit instruments, controlling the robotic arm to engage the knob, determining that a measured force profile for the knob matches a stored force profile value, and turning the knob to reflect the commanded heading.
The independent claim set centers on an automation architecture that uses flight situation data to generate commands and uses an optical sensor with a force sensor to map and identify cockpit instruments, engage them via an actuator, and communicate sensor-collected data back to the computer system. The method claim applies the approach to commanded heading changes by identifying and actuating a heading-control knob with a robotic arm and verifying engagement through matching a measured force profile to a stored force profile value.
Stated Advantages
Reduced certification burden.
Non-invasive/portable installation.
Richer state awareness.
Documented Applications
Implementing aircrew automation to alter aircraft heading by receiving a commanded heading, identifying a cockpit heading-control knob, engaging the knob with a robotic arm, verifying knob operation via force-profile matching, and turning the knob to reflect the commanded heading.
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