Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system – Measured signal processing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-04
2001-03-06
Hoff, Marc S. (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
Measured signal processing
C702S094000, C701S003000, C701S122000, C244S003100, C244S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199028
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of aircraft pilot assistance systems and more particularly to systems that detect tracking errors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Devices that help pilots fly aircraft in unusual environments and circumstances are necessary as the performance characteristics of aircraft steadily increase. An example of one such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,226, issued to D. W. Repperger on May 7, 1996 and entitled, “Coriolis Indicator For Situational Awareness.” The device described in this U.S. Patent uses measurements of angular rates (aircraft body axis rates) and an indicator to detect the existence of Coriolis accelerations which may not be immediately obvious to a pilot. The presence of Coriolis accelerations affects a pilot's perception of aircraft attitude and spatial orientation, thus potentially affecting the safety of the pilot.
Another example of a pilot assistance device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,848, issued to Repperger et al on May 13, 1997 and entitled, “Spatial Disorientation Detector.” This detector senses important acceleration fields that are known to produce spatial disorientation to a pilot. This detector utilizes implicit models of the human vestibular system and a Kalman filter estimator to examine when adverse environmental influences may exist, even though these influences may not be readily detected by the pilot.
Examples of other pilot assistance devices and/or methods are found in the following articles: R. F. Stengel, “Toward Intelligent Flight Control,” IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, vol. 23, No. 6, November/December 1993, pp. 1699-1717; T. B. Sheridan and W. R. Ferrell, “Man-Machine Systems: Information, Control, and Decision Models of Human Performance,” The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1974; R. A. Hess, “Effects of Time Delays on Systems Subject To Manual Control,” J. Guidance, July-August, 1984, pp. 416-421; and R. A. Hess, “Technique For Predicting Longitudinal Pilot-Induced Oscillations,” J. Guidance, vol. 14, no. 1, 1990, pp. 198-204.
There still exists a need in these arts to not only notify the pilot of adverse conditions, but also to assist the pilot in tracking tasks. These tasks include pursuit or chase of another aircraft wherein the minimization of the error between position and orientation of the two aircraft is critical, following a specified flight trajectory or flight path, or following a specified terrain or runway. The present invention addresses this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one general object of the present invention is to provide a method and device that will assist a pilot in tracking various objects, and/or flight path, and/or terrain when flying. Another object of the present invention is to aid pilot training when over-control, and associated pilot-induced oscillation in pitch and/or roll is present. A third object of this invention is to aid operators of uninhabited vehicles when flying a specified flight path using a video feed from the vehicle to the ground-based control station.
Generally, the present invention is a device and method which includes a tracking error estimator, a detector and an indicator to alert the pilot to the potential loss of tracking control. The tracking error estimator uses the difference between the target and the desired response of the tracking aircraft to estimate the divergence from a desired tracking path. This difference is acquired by such systems as the Global Positioning System (GPS), radar, data link, video source, etc. The tracking error and its derivatives are then converted into 3 different metrics. The metrics represent percentage points when the tracking error and its derivatives are in an unstable or stable portion of its phase plane. Depending on whether these metrics and/or their combinations are above a particular threshold, the detector and indicator will alert the pilot or operator whether or not corrective action needs to be taken. The threshold is determined by a predetermined logic tree.
The present invention anticipates a different type of detection system than those previously disclosed. The present invention monitors and identifies instabilities that may occur in the tracking of either moving or stationary targets. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pilot in an aircraft, or an operator of a remote aircraft simulation system, an improved awareness of the possibility that the tracking error is about to diverge. In one embodiment of the invention, a red light indicator will illuminate, indicating that sudden changes have to be made because the tracking error will suddenly get larger and that loss of control is possible. Such a device provides an alerting mechanism to the pilot or operator of a ground-based tracking system of the imminent loss of control of the tracking task. The pilot or person involved in the tracking task may wish to modify the aircraft's characteristics or make other adaptive changes in order to improve the performance of the mission at hand. The apparatus described herein will also be helpful in predicting the incidence of a pilot-induced oscillation (PIO). PIO commonly occurs when pilots test new aircraft, and represents one of the first indications of loss of control of the aircraft. Finally, another possible application of the present invention may be to help establish a decision rule for an automated system to take over control of an aircraft when some undesirable event is about to produce a large tracking error. This device can also be used to predict a sudden change in error when landing an aircraft or when tasked with the mission of following terrain or other targets fixed in space.
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Haas Michael W.
Repperger Daniel W.
Bui Bryan
Hoff Marc S.
Hollins Gerald B.
Kundert Thomas L.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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