Abstract: In some examples, a cabin pressure control system includes a valve system including a valve configured to fluidically couple an internal environment internal to an aircraft and external environment external to the aircraft. The valve system includes a primary controller, a secondary controller, a first valve control system, and a second valve control system. The primary controller is configured to control a first outflow valve and a second outflow valve. The secondary controller is configured to control the first outflow valve and the second outflow flow when the primary controller is unavailable or ineffective. The first valve control system is configured to control the first outflow valve and the second outflow flow when the secondary controller is unavailable or ineffective. The second valve control system is configured to control the first outflow valve and the second outflow flow when the first valve control system is unavailable or ineffective.

Abstract: In some examples, a cabin pressure control system includes a valve system including a valve configured to fluidically couple an internal environment internal to an aircraft and external environment external to the aircraft. The valve system includes a first motor assembly, a second motor assembly, and a manual motor assembly configured to operate the valve. The first motor assembly is configured to receive a first motor command from a first controller, the second motor assembly is configured to receive a second motor command from a second controller, and the manual motor assembly is configured to receive a manual motor command from a manual controller. The system may include a gearbox configured to receive a mechanical power from any of the first motor assembly, the second motor assembly, and the third motor assembly to cause operation of the valve.

Abstract: A system configuration significantly reduces the number of interconnections needed between an electromechanical actuator (EMA) and an EMA controller (EMAC) while maintaining redundancy and other safety aspects needed by the target application. This allows simplification of communication interfaces between multiple sensors in the EMA and EMAC and unification of the interface to multiple sensors inside the EMAC, leading to cost and weight reduction that can be significant for many aerospace products and applications, including unmanned vehicle (e.g., UAM/UAV) applications.

Abstract: A system configuration significantly reduces the number of interconnections needed between an electromechanical actuator (EMA) and an EMA controller (EMAC) while maintaining redundancy and other safety aspects needed by the target application without adding second or third independent redundant position sensors to the EMA for use with backup channel of the controller. The system configuration extends the sensor architecture used by COM-COM controllers with an additional sensor channel used by a backup controller without the need for adding a separate physical position sensor for the backup controller, which saves implementation effort, space, and weight that would otherwise be needed for integration of additional redundant sensors into the EMA.

Abstract: A high-integrity electromechanical actuator control system includes a system function controller, a plurality of actuator controllers, and at least one electromechanical actuator. Each actuator controller includes a primary channel having a first controller, a second controller, and a duty cycle computation circuit, and includes a backup channel having a backup controller. The first controller receives digital actuator control commands from two functional control channels and supplies first digital duty cycle commands. The second controller receives digital actuator control commands from two functional control channels and supplies second digital duty cycle commands. The duty cycle computation circuit computes an average of the first and second duty cycle commands and generates pulse width modulated (PWM) commutation control signals based on the computed average.

Abstract: A cabin pressure control system comprising an automatic motor controller (AMC); and a manual motor controller (MMC) that comprises a motor configured to regulate cabin pressure; a cabin pressure sensor configured to determine a first set of cabin pressure data; a differential pressure sensor comprising first and second ports, the first port configured to obtain a second set of cabin pressure data and the second port configured to obtain a first set of ambient pressure data; processing circuitry coupled to the cabin pressure sensor and to the differential pressure sensor, the processing circuitry configured to receive the first set of cabin pressure data; determine a first set of differential pressure data, the first set of differential pressure data relating the second set of cabin pressure data with the first set of ambient pressure data; disable the AMC; and control the motor to regulate the cabin pressure.

Abstract: A digital surface position sensor includes a position sensor, an adaptable hardware input, and a processing circuit. The position sensor is adapted to be coupled to an aircraft flight control surface The adaptable hardware input provides an identification signal that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled. The processing circuit is configured to generate sensor actuator position data representative of flight control surface actuator position, determine flight control surface actuator position error, and generate a fault signal when the flight control surface actuator position error exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A digital surface position sensor includes a position sensor, an adaptable hardware interface, and a processing circuit. The position sensor is adapted to be coupled to an aircraft flight control surface and is configured to sense a position of the aircraft flight control surface and supply a position signal representative thereof. The adaptable hardware input supplies an identification signal that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled. The processing circuit is coupled to receive the position signal and the identification signal. The processing circuit is configured, upon receipt of the signals, to process the position signal and the identification signal and generate (i) a first digital position signal representative of the position of, and the identification of, the aircraft flight control surface and (ii) and independent second digital signal representative of the position of, and the identification of, the aircraft flight control surface.

Abstract: A system configuration significantly reduces the number of interconnections needed between an electromechanical actuator (EMA) and an EMA controller (EMAC) while maintaining redundancy and other safety aspects needed by the target application without adding second or third independent redundant position sensors to the EMA for use with backup channel of the controller. The system configuration extends the sensor architecture used by COM-COM controllers with an additional sensor channel used by a backup controller without the need for adding a separate physical position sensor for the backup controller, which saves implementation effort, space, and weight that would otherwise be needed for integration of additional redundant sensors into the EMA.

Abstract: A system configuration significantly reduces the number of interconnections needed between an electromechanical actuator (EMA) and an EMA controller (EMAC) while maintaining redundancy and other safety aspects needed by the target application. This allows simplification of communication interfaces between multiple sensors in the EMA and EMAC and unification of the interface to multiple sensors inside the EMAC, leading to cost and weight reduction that can be significant for many aerospace products and applications, including unmanned vehicle (e.g., UAM/UAV) applications.

Abstract: A distributed aircraft cabin pressure control system (CPCS), and techniques for interfacing the distributed CPCS to avionics. The CPCS-specific equipment of this disclosure is used in a variety of different type aircraft with no hardware or software change for each aircraft type. In this manner, CPCS-specific equipment is used in different type aircraft without the need for formal re-certification of the CPCS-specific equipment. The CPCS-specific equipment may operate with limited, and fixed, functionality and control algorithms in its hardware and software that would not change from airplane application to application, but it would instead use “gain terms” transmitted from the avionics. The distributed CPCS processes in the various avionics modules may send information to the CPCS-specific equipment that customizes the operation of the CPCS-specific equipment to that specific aircraft type.

Abstract: In some examples, a thrust recovery valve system is configured to use an outflow valve to discharge a fluid flow from a cabin of an aircraft to an external environment surrounding the aircraft. The outflow valve may include a frame supported by a body of the aircraft and a gate configured to displace from the frame to define a flow passage for the discharge of the fluid follow. The thrust recovery valve system includes an obstacle configured to extend into the fluid flow in an extended position and retract from the fluid flow in a retracted position. In examples, the obstacle is configured to extend from and/or retract into a wall surface defined by the frame.

Abstract: A cabin pressure control and monitoring system includes an outflow valve and a manual control panel comprising a selector switch and configured to generate a signal, wherein a value encoded in the signal is dependent on a position of the selector switch. The cabin pressure control and monitoring system also includes a controller configured to receive the signal from the manual control panel, determine a target rate of change for a cabin pressure based on the value encoded in the signal, and control the outflow valve based on the target rate of change.

Abstract: A high-integrity electromechanical actuator control system includes a system function controller, a plurality of actuator controllers, and at least one electromechanical actuator. Each actuator controller includes a primary channel having a first controller, a second controller, and a duty cycle computation circuit, and includes a backup channel having a backup controller. The first controller receives digital actuator control commands from two functional control channels and supplies first digital duty cycle commands. The second controller receives digital actuator control commands from two functional control channels and supplies second digital duty cycle commands. The duty cycle computation circuit computes an average of the first and second duty cycle commands and generates pulse width modulated (PWM) commutation control signals based on the computed average.

Abstract: A system configuration significantly reduces the number of interconnections needed between an electromechanical actuator (EMA) and an EMA controller (EMAC) while maintaining redundancy and other safety aspects needed by the target application. This allows simplification of communication interfaces between multiple sensors in the EMA and EMAC and unification of the interface to multiple sensors inside the EMAC, leading to cost and weight reduction that can be significant for many aerospace products and applications, including unmanned vehicle (e.g., UAM/UAV) applications.

Abstract: A digital surface position sensor includes a position sensor, an adaptable hardware interface, and a processing circuit. The position sensor is adapted to be coupled to an aircraft flight control surface and is configured to sense a position of the aircraft flight control surface and supply a position signal representative thereof. The adaptable hardware input supplies an identification signal that identifies the aircraft flight control surface to which the position sensor is coupled. The processing circuit is coupled to receive the position signal and the identification signal. The processing circuit is configured, upon receipt of the signals, to process the position signal and the identification signal and generate (i) a first digital position signal representative of the position of, and the identification of, the aircraft flight control surface and (ii) and independent second digital signal representative of the position of, and the identification of, the aircraft flight control surface.

Abstract: A cabin pressure control system comprising an automatic motor controller (AMC); and a manual motor controller (MMC) that comprises a motor configured to regulate cabin pressure; a cabin pressure sensor configured to determine a first set of cabin pressure data; a differential pressure sensor comprising first and second ports, the first port configured to obtain a second set of cabin pressure data and the second port configured to obtain a first set of ambient pressure data; processing circuitry coupled to the cabin pressure sensor and to the differential pressure sensor, the processing circuitry configured to receive the first set of cabin pressure data; determine a first set of differential pressure data, the first set of differential pressure data relating the second set of cabin pressure data with the first set of ambient pressure data; disable the AMC; and control the motor to regulate the cabin pressure.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an independent manual control system of an all-electric cabin pressure control system (CPCS). The manual control system may include a momentary electrical switch to manually set the position of an outflow valve (OFV) along with a closed loop control to hold the cabin pressure at the pressure setpoint. The closed loop control of the manual control system is independent from the automatic pressure control functions of the all-electric CPCS.

Abstract: In some examples, a cabin pressure control and monitoring system includes an outflow valve, a first motor configured to operate the outflow valve to release fluid from a cabin, and a second motor configured to operate the outflow valve to release fluid from the cabin. The cabin pressure control and monitoring system also includes a first microcontroller configured to automatically control the first motor based on a pressure of the fluid in the cabin. The cabin pressure control and monitoring system further includes a second microcontroller configured to control the second motor based on user input and monitor the pressure of the fluid in the cabin. In some examples, a type of the first microcontroller is different than a type of the second microcontroller.

Abstract: In some examples, a cabin pressure control and monitoring system includes an outflow valve and a manual control panel comprising a selector switch and configured to generate a signal, wherein a value encoded in the signal is dependent on a position of the selector switch. The cabin pressure control and monitoring system also includes a controller configured to receive the signal from the manual control panel, determine a target rate of change for a cabin pressure based on the value encoded in the signal, and control the outflow valve based on the target rate of change.