Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for redundancy management of a fly-by-wire avionics system. A control module for producing a control signal is provided comprising a common processing partition for receiving a flight input signal and at least one first mode input signal, a first processing partition coupled to the common processing partition and configured to receive the first mode input signals and flight input signal from the common processing partition, and a second processing partition coupled to the common processing partition. The first processing partition produces a first mode output signal in response to one of the first mode input signals and flight input signal. The second processing partition generates a second mode signal in response to the flight input signal when the first processing partition fails. The common processing partition produces the control signal in response to one of the first mode output signal and second mode signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for more reliably transferring operational control for various aircraft flight control surfaces from a first sub-system to a second sub-system. The present invention provides an Actuator Control Electronics (ACE) wrap-back module that monitors the output of the normal mode control module and switches control to the direct control module based upon the detection of an error condition. The switching function is controlled by a monitoring system that monitors the output from an integrated heartbeat module that emits a pre-programmed signal. The pre-programmed signal is encoded and sent over a communication bus where it is then decoded and validated by comparing the decoded signal to the expected results. Any irregularity in the heartbeat signal automatically triggers a change of control from the first flight control sub-system to the second flight control sub-system.

Abstract: A flight control module with integrated actuator spoiler control electronics, where the flight control functions have been integrated into the integrated modular avionics through the use of a flight control module (“FCM”), the FCM being configured to contain spoiler actuator control electronics (“ACE”). The spoiler ACE is used to control the roll functions of the spoiler. The spoiler ACE is configured to be separate from the FCM, even though it is located within the same modules and receives its power independent of the power supply for the FCM. In the event of a failure of the primary flight control surfaces of an airplane, the spoilers can be used to control the roll of the aircraft because the spoiler ACE is independent of the ACE used to control the primary flight control surfaces. The spoiler ACE can also be used in the event of a failure of the FCM because the spoiler ACE is independent of the FCM.

Abstract: The present invention is a method that allows controllable devices attached to a vehicle's surface (such as, for example, controllable actuators on an aircraft) to be controlled by a processor or like device in an active-active mode and when a malfunction is detected in one of the controllable devices, the processor will switch to control the controllable devices in an active-standby mode.

Abstract: In an aircraft using fly-by-wire technology, the flight control functions have been integrated into the integrated modular avionics (“IMA”). The new flight control module (“FCM”) resides on the same data bus as the other modules in the IMA and receives power from the same power supply. In addition, the FCM is also connected to a separate power supply to add redundancy to the system. Several benefits arise from this configuration of an FCM. There is no longer a separate chassis needed for the flight control functions, thus resulting in a reduction in weight. In addition, the FCM now has access to all of the data on the IMA bus, instead of a limited amount of data over an ARINC 629 bus. The FCM provides augmentation signals to the actuator control electronics (“ACE”) to aid in the flying of the aircraft. In the event of a failure of the FCM, the ACE still provides enough control to fly the airplane.

Abstract: A method augmenting a pilot's command lane signal by transmitting the pilot's input command to a first summer and the surface actuator control circuitry. The first summer output signal is transmitted to a second summer circuit to add (or subtract) the first summer output signal with a flight control signal resulting in a second summer output signal. The second summer output signal is transmitted to the first summer to add, subtract or otherwise modify the second summer output signal with the pilot command input signal. Thus, the pilot command input signal is augmented or coupled with the second summer output signal to provide better control of the aircraft while not allowing the flight control computer/avionics control electronic circuitry to directly augment the pilot command input signal.