Speed controller for aircraft

Claim 2

In a speed controller for aircraft having a closed servo loop including a controller to which is applied a signal representative of aircraft speed and regulating means for regulating the aircraft speed in response to a control signal from said controller, the improvement comprising means for storing a predetermined aircraft control program for application to the regulating means said means for storing being outside the said closed servo loop and means for sensing aircraft disturbance and application means controlled by said last named means for applying the control program to the speed regulating means upon the occurrence of a disturbaNce.

Claim 3

A speed controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing and application means is arranged for sensing a disturbance in the state of the aircraft which is initiated by an aircraft command and for applying the control program to said regulating means upon the occurrence of said disturbance.

Claim 4

A speed controller as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sensing and application means is adapted for applying said program to said regulating means automatically upon actuation of said regulating means initiating a change in the state of the aircraft.

Claim 5

A speed controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing and application means is adapted to respond to variations in a command signal w of the servo loop.

Claim 6

A speed controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sensing and application means is responsive to a threshold value of the disturbance or a value derived from the disturbance.

Claim 7

A speed controller as claimed in claim 5 wherein said sensing and application means responds to a disturbance which is the time derivative of a head wind component averaged over a predetermined period of time.

Claim 8

A speed controller as claimed in claim 6 including means for providing a differentiated dynamic pressure signal and a longitudinal accelerometer providing an output signal thereof and coupled in opposition to the dynamic pressure signal for forming a signal proportional to the time derivative of the head wind component.

Claim 9

A speed controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided for varying said stored control program in dependence on the disturbance or on a value derived from it.

Claim 10

A speed controller as claimed in claim 8 wherein said program-varying means is adapted to vary a parameter of a stored program signal.

Claim 11

A speed controller as claimed in claim 9 wherein said program-varying means is adapted for causing the maximum amplitude of a stored program signal to be proportional to the average time derivative of a head wind component.

Claim 12

A speed controller as claimed in claim 8 wherein said program-varying means is adapted for varying the stored program in dependence on variation in the state of the aircraft.

Claim 13

A speed controller as claimed in claim 11 wherein said program-varying means is adapted for varying said program in response to variations in the state of the aircraft and other disturbances in a manner providing that the total variation of the program is a linear function of the various disturbances.

Claim 14

The speed controller of claim 12 wherein said program-varying means is adapted for limiting parameters of the variable program.

Claim 15

The speed controller of claim 12 wherein said program-varying means is adapted for varying the program parameters in a different manner upon the occurrence of disturbances having the same amplitude but opposite polarity.

Claim 16

A speed controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stored program is combined with a signal from said servo controller.

Claim 17

In a speed controller for aircraft having a closed servo loop including a controller to which is applied a signal representative of aircraft speed and regulating means for regulating the aircraft speed in response to a control signal from said controller, the improvement comprising means for storing a predetermined aircraft control program for application to the regulating means and means for sensing aircraft disturbance and for applying the control program to the speed regulating means upon the occurrence of a disturbance and means for inhibiting the application of signals from the servo controller to the regulating means when the stored programmer is applied to the regulating means.

Claim 18

In a speed controller for aircraft having a closed servo loop including a controller to which is applied a signal representative of aircraft speed and regulating means for regulating the aircraft speed in response to a control signal from said controller, the improvement comprising means for storing a predetermined aircraft control program for application to the regulating means and means for sensing aircraft disturbance and for applying the control program to the speed regulating means upon the occurrence of a disturbance and means for inhibiting the application of signals from the servo controller to the regulating means when the stored programmer is applied to the regulating means.