RU2137678C1 - Automated method of remote control of on-board complex and systems of flying vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aviation; remote control of on-board complex and system of flying vehicle by pilot (with flying vehicle control levers held by hands). SUBSTANCE: in the course of control prompting actions to the pilot are continuously furnished in accordance with preprogrammed hierarchic sequence for performing them. For reselection of preprogrammed actions, use is made of movable marker moved remotely over sign points of designation of multi-functional buttons of screen by shifting the RESELECT switch to left, to right, up, down or at cyclic reselection of function of multi-functional button by depressing the RESELECT switch forward; in case of agreement with recommended or preselected actions, pilot depresses AGREE button. EFFECT: increased productivity; enhanced accuracy and efficiency of pilot's actions; enhanced safety of flight. 1 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the field of aviation and can be used for remote control of an avionic system and aircraft by a pilot.

 There is a known method of controlling the onboard complex and aircraft systems (for example, used by the French company Sagem), in which the control is built on the principle of a drop-down hierarchical menu by directly pressing the multifunction button (IFC) or its familiarity on the screen (if the screen is touch-sensitive). Familiar IFC contains symbols designating its functions in the form of abbreviations or mnemonic images. Moreover, the logic of using the indicator sides is that the MFKs on one side of the indicator perform functions belonging to the same hierarchical control level in the hierarchical menu, as a result of which the MFKs on one side of the indicator open the menu to the other side. In addition, each IFC can have a cyclic search of its functions, carried out by repeated clicking on it.

 Similar in technical essence to the prototype is US patent "Metod and device for revising the leteral flight plan of an aircraft" N 5340061 dated August 23, 1994, which also uses the principle of a hierarchical menu, the disclosure of which occurs by directly clicking on the familiarity, located only at the bottom of the touch screen.

 However, at the most stressful and critical flight conditions of an aircraft in conditions of acute time shortage, this method does not provide the necessary performance and faultlessness of the pilot's actions, while maintaining high piloting accuracy. This is primarily due to the fact that the pilot, to control the on-board complex and systems, is forced to take his hand off the aircraft control levers and bring it to the indicator for pressing the IFC.

 At the same time, at the moment the IFC is pressed on opposite sides of the indicator screen, it briefly closes it with a hand. However, if there are a lot of such control actions, then the total time of invisibility by the pilot of the indicator screen can reach significant values at the most stressful moments of the flight.

 In addition, in the presence of strong acceleration effects at this moment due to abrupt evolutions of the aircraft, the pilot's actions may be inaccurate or impossible at all (for example, when flying with large overloads).

 In many layouts of MFK cabins, the indicators on the indicators are poorly accessible for the pilot, since the dashboard is far removed from him, and the indicators are located behind the aircraft control levers (for example, helms). In this case, in order to press the IFC, the pilot is forced to loosen his seat belts or even to unfasten his seat, which affects the safety of piloting. A pilot of short stature (with short arms) may not reach the IFC indicator at all without moving forward with the whole body.

 In the complex hierarchical control structure of the airborne complex, the number of control options for the various phases of flight and the flight situations that arise in them can be so great that it will be difficult for the pilot to remember them all. This will require a long time of special preparation for each flight to memorize, inculcate and maintain sustainable management skills. In case of forgetting, the possibility of using various paper instructions in flight is very limited, especially in the event of rapidly developing dangerous situations.

 As a result, the time for the pilot to distract from the piloting process to control the airborne complex and aircraft systems is likely to lead to a decrease in piloting accuracy and untimely intervention of the pilot in aircraft control if there is a threat to the safety of the aircraft (for example, if the automatic control system for the airborne complex and systems fails LA).

 In addition, the failure of the IFC can lead to the failure of the entire flight mission and even a threat to flight safety.

 The technical results of using the invention are as follows.

 1. Reliable remote control of the aircraft complex and systems is ensured under strong acceleration effects on the pilot and regardless of his anthropometric features, as well as continuous visual contact with the indicator (not obscured by hands).

 2. A high “flexibility” of control has been maintained, since depending on the flight situation, at each decision-making step, the pilot can choose any other control option (from the proposed variable series) that is different from the programmed one.

 3. The pilot’s ignorance of the sequence of actions does not lead to the disruption of the flight mission and the threat to flight safety, since rational actions are always “prompted” to him.

 4. The invention allows you to control the on-board complex and aircraft systems simultaneously using two different control methods (remotely, by the operational controls on the aircraft control levers and by directly pressing the indicator frame on the MFK), which provides convenience (the more convenient it is to operate at the moment, the pilot also manages it) and high reliability of control (in case of failure of one of the controls, the pilot manages the other).

 5. It is very convenient for the pilot to control the automatic control system for the airborne complex and aircraft systems by changing the labeling of the IFC designations on the open hierarchical menu and quickly switch to automated control of the complex and aircraft systems when you first press the operational controls on the aircraft control levers.

 6. The invention contributes to the rapid training of the pilot in rational actions in flight in regular and emergency situations, as they are constantly “prompted”.

 7. A short time for distracting the pilot from piloting the aircraft is ensured, which leads to an increase in piloting accuracy and a decrease in the time for the pilot to intervene in the control of the aircraft in case of a flight safety threat.

 In general, the invention allows for the most loaded and critical phases of flight in conditions of acute time pressure to ensure high performance and error-free actions of the pilot to control the airborne complex and aircraft systems with high accuracy of their execution in place and time, as well as accurately pilot the aircraft and still have small reserves attention to solve the problems of "prudence" in flight.

 The indicated technical results are achieved by the fact that the control system for the airborne complex and aircraft systems is built on the principle of a drop-down hierarchical menu on different sides of the indicator when you click on the MFK, and when you press the MFK again, it cycles through the functions indicated by the symbols on the indicator screen opposite the MFK, this, in accordance with the programmed sequence of actions of the pilot in the performance of one action marking it is recommended that the following action, with all actions are carried out without taking your hands off the aircraft control levers by pressing the “consent” button located on the control lever, in case the pilot agrees with the recommended action, and in case of disagreement, by choosing another action by moving the moving marker over the IFC’s familiarity by pressing the “select” switch ", also located on the control lever, to the sides (left, right, up, down) or by cyclic enumeration of the IFC functions by pressing the" re-selection "switch (directly), when the pilot is late for execution of the recommended action, an audio signal is synchronized with the blinking of the moving marker, and in case of an erroneous execution of the action, it is blocked with a message by the voice informant and on the indicator screen about the reasons for its prohibition.

 Thus, the on-board complex and aircraft systems are controlled remotely (without taking your hands off the aircraft control levers using the "consent" button and the "re-select" switch, which has six discrete positions, including neutral) and automatically with continuous "prompt" actions by marking signs IFC functions in accordance with a pre-programmed sequence of their execution, in which, due to the hierarchical construction of control, all subsequent actions are determined by the previous ones. Moreover, marking the designations of IFC functions (both in accordance with the program and performed by the pilot himself using the “reselect” switch) is a preliminary operation with respect to pressing the “consent” button - executive operation.

 In flight, the pilot’s fingers are almost always located on the operational controls: the “consent” button and the “re-selection” switch, which ensures their instant pressing. Short-term holding the “consent” button by the pilot in the pressed state leads to the simultaneous execution of all actions in the subordinate hierarchical menu branch.

 Given the characteristics of short-term human memory, the number of IFCs on one side of the indicator should not be more than seven, and each of the IFCs should not have more than seven functions. These restrictions practically do not narrow the scope of the invention, since the control hierarchy of even the most complex multifunctional aircraft complexes is much simpler.

 The drawing shows the results of experiments on an aerobatic bench compared to the invention ("automated" control method) and prototype (control method using IFC).

As an example of the use of the invention, we can cite a three-level hierarchical control structure of the display system, in which:
the first level is the types and subtypes of indication frames;
the second level is the modes and submodes of control subtypes of indication frames;
the third level - methods and sub-methods for implementing the selected sub-modes of display control.

 IFCs for selecting types and subtypes of indications are located on top of the indicator, IFCs for choosing modes and submodes are on the right, methods and sub-modes are on the left. Moreover, the submenus of each control level (subtypes, submodes, sub methods) are selected by cyclic enumeration of the IFC functions.

 Thus, at the initial moment, the movable marker is located on some familiarity in the form of abbreviations of the type of indication. To re-select the type of indication, the pilot presses the "re-select" switch on the RUS with the thumb of the right hand left or right. In this case, the movable marker (for example, in the form of a ring) moves along the upper line of the IFC designations in the direction specified by the pilot (respectively, left or right). To re-select a subtype, in the selected display type, the pilot presses the "re-selection" switch directly. Simultaneously with pressing the switch, the type and subtype are marked with rectangles with automatic disclosure on the right of the corresponding mode and submode (also marked with rectangles), for which, in turn, the method and method (also marked with rectangles) are opened on the left in accordance with a pre-programmed sequence of actions of the pilot.

 A pilot can carry out similar actions when re-selecting a mode-submode and a method-sub-mode. To do this, the moving marker will move by pressing the switch up or down, and cyclic sorting - by directly pressing the "re-select" switch.

 Thus, the whole sequence of actions can be reprogrammed anew, including all menus and submenus (subtypes, submodes, sub ways).

 If the pilot agrees to carry out all the programmed actions, then he presses the “consent” button on the ORE with his left hand finger, while the “inclusion” is marked by “igniting” the background of the IFC abbreviation, and the movable marker in the form of a “ring” automatically moves to the next action in the program, corresponding to the familiar designation of the IFC function. If the pilot agrees with the recommendation, the cycle of pressing the "consent" button is repeated.

 From the experiments conducted on the flight bench, it follows that if it is necessary to simultaneously pilot and control the airborne complex and aircraft systems, an invention (“automated” method) is about two times better than a prototype (method using IFC) both in terms of performance and accuracy piloting aircraft (see drawing).

Claims (1)

 A method of controlling the on-board complex and aircraft systems, including the disclosure of the hierarchical menu on different sides of the indicator screen when a multifunction button is pressed, the cyclic search of its functions indicated by the symbols on the indicator screen opposite the multifunction button, when it is pressed again, characterized in that with the programmed sequence of actions of the pilot when performing one action by marking, the following action is determined, while the execution of all The actions are carried out without taking off the arms from the control levers of the aircraft by pressing the “consent” button located on the control lever, in case the pilot agrees with the previously defined action, and in case of disagreement, by choosing another action by moving the moving marker over the familiarity of the multi-function buttons by pressing switch "re-selection", also located on the control lever, to the sides (left, right, up, down), or by cycling through the functions of the multifunction button by pressing the the re-selector directly, when the pilot is delayed in performing the previously defined action, gives an audible signal synchronized with the blinking of the moving marker, and in case of erroneous execution of the action, it is blocked with a message issued by the voice informant and on the indicator screen about the reasons for its prohibition.