Wagner, Wolfgang (Friedrichshafen, DE)

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10/485686

09/16/2004

02/03/2004

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700/20

(IPC1-7): G05B011/01

ROYLANCE, ABRAMS, BERDO & GOODMAN, L.L.P. (1300 19TH STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON,, DC, 20036, US)

1. A control and power supply system for actuators of at least two preferably adjacent airplane seats, characterized in that the actuators (1 to 9) of one aircraft seat and the actuators (10 to 18) of at least one other aircraft seat are connected by way of a data link device to a common control unit (21), wherein each actuator (1 to 18) can be supplied with power by at least two power supply units (23, 24), and wherein when the control unit (21) fails at least one actuator assumes the function of the control unit, for which are least one actuator is equipped with the corresponding software.

2. The control and power supply system as claimed in claim 1, wherein several or all actuators (1 to 18) take over the function of the control unit (21) by their distributed intelligence.

3. A control and power supply system for actuators of at least two preferably adjacent aircraft seats, wherein the actuators (1 to 9) of one aircraft seat and the actuators (10 to 18) of at least one other aircraft seat are connected by way of a data link device (22) to a common control unit (21), wherein all actuators (1 to 18) are connecting in series, and wherein all actuators (1 to 18) are provided with elements (28 to 31) for interrupting the incoming and outgoing lines.

4. The control and power supply system as claimed in claim 3, wherein there are both interruption elements (28, 29) for the data lines and also interruption elements (30, 31) for the power supply lines.

[0001] The invention relates to a control and power supply system for actuators in aircraft seats.

[0002] In the control units, drive units and other configuration alteration elements of an aircraft seat the following serious faults can occur: loose or detached plugs or other connectors, cable break, short circuits to ground or another power supply line, failed control units and the failure of drive units or input devices or controls, which can be for example buttons, switches, and chip-card readers, possibly with a display.

[0003] The object of this invention is to devise a system in which the function of the drive units or other configuration alteration elements is ensured.

[0004] This object is attained as claimed in the invention by the features of the independent claims.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are identified in the dependent claims.

[0006] The invention calls for a redundancy concept which is fault tolerant.

[0007] The system as claimed in the invention consists of a number of drive units and monitoring units or actuators, which number is matched to the respective aircraft seat, these elements of at least two preferably adjacent aircraft seats being in the form of a bus structure. The system can however also comprise elements of three or more aircraft seats.

[0008] The system as claimed in the invention contains only one single common control unit for at least two aircraft seats. This control unit controls the actuators by way of a data link device. The user controls the actuators which are relevant to his seat by way of its control element which has intelligence or at least a driver for the data link device. In doing so the data from the control element are routed from the control element by way of the data link device which is used by all elements to the control unit. The control unit then in turn triggers a corresponding reaction at the actuators by way of the data link means. This reaction is preferably reported by acknowledgments of the actuators by way of the data link means to the control unit. The latter monitors and optionally controls the entire sequence of motion.

[0009] It is furthermore provided as claimed in the invention that the actuators are intelligent and that an expanded range of tasks is assigned to them in case of a fault of the control unit. If the control unit fails for any reason or it outputs illogical data due to a defect, this malfunction is recognized by the actuators. In a special routine they decide to take over the operation of the control unit by their distributed intelligence. Each actuator reports its data which are relevant to the remaining actuators to the data link device. It reads in the data relevant to it from the data link device and accordingly reacts intelligently. One or more units also read data of the control element or elements, react accordingly and optionally relay the relevant data to the other actuators. It can also be provided that one actuator completely assumes the function of the control unit.

[0010] Since the drive units can operate without the control unit when the latter fails, a redundancy concept is implemented which continues to operate when the sole control unit fails. The hardware of a second control unit is thus replaced by software in the drive units or actuators.

[0011] The invention moreover calls for a system for decoupling defective parts from a bus structure, this object of the invention being independent of the above described object of the invention, according to which in a malfunction of the control unit its function is taken over by the actuators. In the system of decoupling defective parts from the bus structure preferably all actuators and the control elements are series-connected, while in the above described object of the invention for the elements of each aircraft seat it has by preference its own bus structure in the form of a tap line.

[0012] In the series connection of all actuator and control elements the two ends of the data link device on the control unit are connected into a physical ring. It is provided as claimed in the invention that in the actuators there are elements for interrupting the incoming and outgoing lines. This relates both to the data lines and also to the supply lines.

[0013] If a short circuit occurs for example between positive and negative of the power supply lines in the wiring harness of the data link device between two actuators, in a conventional system this would result in a short circuit of the power supply units and thus the failure of the complete seating group. According to this invention this is avoided by the interruption elements which in this case are opened, by means of which the shorted piece of line between the two actuators is shut off. This changes the bus from the ring structure into a structure with two tap lines.

[0014] This is detected by the control unit which optionally also configures its terminals accordingly.

[0015] It can thereby be provided that the data link device which has been separated by the interruption elements with its wave impedance be closed by other contacts of the interruption elements or by additional elements.

[0016] Since the data link device at the instant it is turned on is more or less fragmented by the interruption elements in the actuators, the ring is closed by a corresponding start routine.

[0017] Other details of the invention follow from the description of preferred embodiments below as well as with reference to the drawings, where

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a system with a control unit and distributed intelligence;

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a second bus system;

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a third bus system and

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a circuit in which symbolically only one of the actuators is shown.

[0022] In the system shown in FIG. 1 the elements of a left aircraft seat and of a right aircraft seat are each connected by way of one data link means 22 to the common control unit 21 .

[0023] The actuators 1 to 9 of the left seat and 10 to 18 of the right seat can be the following elements: reading light 1 , 10 , headrest actuator 2 , 11 , back rest actuator 3 , 12 , seat height actuator 4 , 13 , seat angle actuator 5 , 14 , seat depth actuator 6 , 15 , foot rest actuator 7 , 14 , air system 8 , 17 , foot rest actuator, external 9 , 14 . The actuators are each provided with a microcontroller which bears intelligence and manages communication.

[0024] The actuators 1 to 9 and 10 to 18 which are provided for the left and right seat are controlled by way of a control element 19 or 20 . The data from the control element 19 and 20 are routed by way of the data link device 22 to the control unit 21 . The control unit 21 then in turn triggers a corresponding reaction by way of the data link device 22 at the respective actuators. This reaction is reported in turn by acknowledgment of the actuators by way of the data link device 22 to the control unit 21 which monitors and controls the entire sequence of motion.

[0025] If the control unit 21 fails, the actuators by way of their software recognize this malfimction, whereupon they assume the function of the control unit by their distributed intelligence. Each actuator 1 to 18 reports its data which are relevant to the remaining actuators 1 to 18 to the data link device 22 . It reads in the data relevant to itself from the data link device 22 and reacts accordingly in an intelligent manner. One or more units also read the data of the control element or elements 18 , 19 , react accordingly, and optionally relay the relevant data to the other actuators 1 to 18 .

[0026] The system shown in FIG. 1 contains two power supply units 23 , 24 . The power supply and data line 22 preferably contains four power cables and two data lines.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a system in which each actuator is supplied by way of two wiring harnesses which are spatially and electrically separated. Each wiring harness consists of two lines for the data bus and two lines for the power supply from the two power supplies. This has the advantage that there is redundancy for any line fault.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a system with a ring bus structure which is routed through two aircraft seats. Here it should be mentioned that the system can also be used for three or more aircraft seats.

[0029] The ring preferably contains four power cables and two data lines. If two power cables run clockwise and the other two power cables run counterclockwise through the bus, this has the advantage that there is redundancy with respect to the power supply lines.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a circuit for the bus structure which is shown in FIG. 3 . In the figure the broken line shows one of the actuators 1 to 18 . In the actuators 1 to 18 there are elements 28 to 31 for interruption of the incoming and outgoing lines. The element 28 interrupts the incoming data line, while the element 29 interrupts the outgoing data line. The corresponding functions are assigned to the elements 30 and 31 for the power supply lines.

[0031] The interruption elements have the following function: Let it be assumed that a short circuit between the positive and negative of the power supply lines 26 in the wiring harness of the data link device 22 has occurred between the actuator 3 and the actuator 4 . This would be equivalent to a short circuit of the power supply units 23 and 24 and thus the failure of the complete group of seats. Such a short circuit is compensated by the system as claimed in the invention. In this example the interruption elements 31 and 30 in the actuator 3 are opened. Thus, the short-circuited line piece between the two actuators is turned off. The bus is converted from the ring structure into a structure with two tap lines. The control unit recognizes this and configures its terminals accordingly.

[0032] Since the data link device 22 is more or less fragmented at the instant of turning on by the interruption elements 28 to 31 in the actuators 1 to 18 , the ring must be closed by a corresponding start routine.