초록 ▼

A system is provided for increasing autopilot control authority in a vehicle, such as aircraft including mechanical control systems. The system includes an autopilot system, a control element and an autopilot supplement assembly. The autopilot system can automatically control the vehicle by applying

A system is provided for increasing autopilot control authority in a vehicle, such as aircraft including mechanical control systems. The system includes an autopilot system, a control element and an autopilot supplement assembly. The autopilot system can automatically control the vehicle by applying a variable autopilot force to control surfaces. The control element can control the vehicle by applying a variable control force to control surfaces, where the control force acts counter to the autopilot force. The autopilot supplement assembly can measure the control force and, in turn, determine a variable supplemental force. Thereafter, the autopilot supplement assembly can apply the supplemental force to the control surfaces such that the sum of the supplemental force and the autopilot force is greater than the control force. Thus, the system may provide the benefits of systems that require full control authority to vehicles such as aircraft that include mechanical control systems.

대표청구항 ▼

A system is provided for increasing autopilot control authority in a vehicle, such as aircraft including mechanical control systems. The system includes an autopilot system, a control element and an autopilot supplement assembly. The autopilot system can automatically control the vehicle by applying

A system is provided for increasing autopilot control authority in a vehicle, such as aircraft including mechanical control systems. The system includes an autopilot system, a control element and an autopilot supplement assembly. The autopilot system can automatically control the vehicle by applying a variable autopilot force to control surfaces. The control element can control the vehicle by applying a variable control force to control surfaces, where the control force acts counter to the autopilot force. The autopilot supplement assembly can measure the control force and, in turn, determine a variable supplemental force. Thereafter, the autopilot supplement assembly can apply the supplemental force to the control surfaces such that the sum of the supplemental force and the autopilot force is greater than the control force. Thus, the system may provide the benefits of systems that require full control authority to vehicles such as aircraft that include mechanical control systems. 1. In an electrical energy meter containing means therein for metering a quantity of electrical energy generated by a supplier and transferred via a power supply line to a load during an energy measurement time interval, a method of monitoring variations in the electrical energy, comprising the steps of: a) sensing a line voltage transferred via the power supply line to the load during the energy measurement time interval; b) detecting a variation in a magnitude of the sensed line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level, wherein the variation exceeds a first variation threshold; c) capturing a first waveform of the sensed line voltage corresponding to the time when said variation is detected; d) detecting a subsequent reduction in the variation of the magnitude of the sensed line voltage such that the variation is equal to or less than the first variation threshold; and e) capturing a second waveform of the sensed line voltage corresponding to the time when the subsequent reduction in the variation is detected. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) further comprises detecting a variation in a magnitude of the sensed line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level wherein said variation comprises a decrease in said sensed line voltage below the acceptable voltage level. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) further comprises detecting a variation in a magnitude of the sensed line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level wherein said variation comprises an increase in said sensed line voltage above the acceptable voltage level. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises capturing a first waveform by storing information representative of the first waveform in a memory. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein step c) further comprises capturing a first waveform by storing information representative of the first waveform in the memory wherein said memory comprises a non-volatile memory. 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of communicating the captured first waveform and the captured second waveform to the supplier. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said communicating step comprises transferring data from a modem internal to the meter to a telephone line operatively connected thereto via a data port. 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: detecting a subsequent variation in a magnitude of the sensed line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level, wherein said variation exceeds the first variation threshold and a second variation threshold; and capturing a third waveform of the sensed line voltage corresponding to the time when said variation exceeding the first variation threshold and the second variation threshold is detected. 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of: detecting a subsequent reduction in the variation of the magnitude of the sensed line voltage such that the variation is equal to or less than the second variation threshold and greater than the first variation threshold; capturing a fourth waveform of the sensed line voltage corresponding to the time when the subsequent reduction in the variation is detected. 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of obtaining user input identifying the first variation threshold. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises capturing the first waveform such that said captured first waveform includes information representative of a the sensed line voltage prior to and contemporaneous with the detection of said variation. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises capturing the first waveform such that said captured first waveform includes information representative of the sensed line voltage contemporaneous with and subsequent to the detection of said variation. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises capturing the first waveform such that said captured first waveform includes information representative of the sensed line voltage prior to, contemporaneous with, and subsequent to the detection of said variation. 14. An electrical energy meter for detecting line voltage variations in real-time, comprising: a voltage digitizing circuit operable to obtain analog line voltage information and generate digital line voltage information therefrom; a current digitizing circuit operable to obtain analog line current information and generate digital line current information therefrom; a metering circuit operable to receive the digital line voltage information and the digital line current information and generate metering information therefrom; a power quality circuit operable to receive the digital line voltage information and obtain magnitude information therefrom, the magnitude information representative of the magnitude of the line voltage, detect a variation in the magnitude of the line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level, wherein said variation exceeds a first variation threshold, capture a first waveform in the form of a first set of digital line voltage information corresponding to the time when said variation is detected, detect a subsequent reduction in the variation of the magnitude of the line voltage such that the variation is equal to or less than the first variation threshold, capture a second waveform in the form of a second set of digital line voltage information corresponding to the time when the subsequent reduction in the variation is detected. 15. The electrical energy meter of claim 14 wherein the power quality circuit is further operable to detect a variation in a magnitude of the line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level wherein said variation comprises a decrease in said line voltage below the acceptable voltage level. 16. The electrical energy meter of claim 14 wherein the power quality circuit is further operable to detect a variation in a magnitude of the line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level wherein said variation comprises an increase in said sensed line voltage above the acceptable voltage level. 17. The electrical energy meter of claim 14 wherein the power quality circuit includes at least one memory for capturing the first waveform in the form of digital line voltage information corresponding to the time when said variation is detected. 18. The electrical energy meter of claim 17 wherein the at least one memory includes at least one non-volatile memory. 19. The electrical energy meter of claim 14 further comprising a communication circuit, the communication circuit connected to the power quality circuit and operable to communicate the captured first waveform and the captured second waveform to the supplier. 20. The electrical energy meter of claim 19 wherein said communication circuit includes a modem that is operably connected to a telephone line via a data port. 21. The electrical energy meter of claim 14 wherein the power quality circuit is further operable to: detect a variation in a magnitude of the line voltage relative to an acceptable voltage level, wherein said variation exceeds the first variation threshold and a second variation threshold; and capture a third waveform in the form of a first set of digital line voltage information corresponding to the time when said variation that exceeds the first variation threshold and the second variation threshold is detected. 22. The electrical energy meter of claim 21 wherein the power quality circuit is further operable to: detect a subsequent reduction in the variation of the magnitude of the line voltage such that the variation is equal to or less than the second variation threshold and greater than the first variation threshold; and capture a fourth waveform in the form of a first set of digital line voltage information corresponding to the time when the subsequent reduction in the variation is detected. 23. An apparatus for providing control parameters to an electrical energy meter, the electr