초록 ▼

An autopilot controller, for controlling a vehicle traveling in a fluid medium, designed for controlling the vehicle in any one of pre stall, stall and post stall regions. The autopilot controller provides an approach for one-to-one mapping between a target force or moment command which is received

An autopilot controller, for controlling a vehicle traveling in a fluid medium, designed for controlling the vehicle in any one of pre stall, stall and post stall regions. The autopilot controller provides an approach for one-to-one mapping between a target force or moment command which is received and control surface deflections for effecting the command. In one embodiment, the autopilot controller determines linear functions representative of the vehicle dynamic response for the current operating conditions in order to determine a direction of change of fin deflection for effeeting the command.

대표청구항 ▼

[ That which is claimed is:] [1.]1. An autopilot controller suitable for controlling a vehicle, traveling in a fluid medium, in response to a commanded maneuver, said controller being capable of controlling said vehicle in a pre-stall region, a stall region and a post-stall region, said vehicle havi

[ That which is claimed is:] [1.]1. An autopilot controller suitable for controlling a vehicle, traveling in a fluid medium, in response to a commanded maneuver, said controller being capable of controlling said vehicle in a pre-stall region, a stall region and a post-stall region, said vehicle having a control surface, said controller comprising:means for storing data corresponding to a model of vehicle response characteristics, said model including vehicle response characteristics for said pre-stall region, said stall region and said post-stall region;means for receiving at least one condition signal, each condition signal being representative of a current vehicle operating condition;means for generating, based on said at least one condition signal, an error signal indicative of a difference between said commanded maneuver and said at least one condition signal; anddetermining means for determining, based on said stored data, said at least one condition signal, and said error signal, a deflection for said control surface which would currently be suitable to effect at least a portion of the commanded maneuver;wherein, in the case of a commanded maneuver for which any one of a plurality of deflections for said control surface would currently be suitable to effect at least a portion of the commanded maneuver, said determning means determines only one of said plurality of currently suitable deflections for said control surface to effect at least a portion of the commanded maneuver.