Abstract:
In embodiments, a passenger aircraft includes a body and a landing gear member that is retractable and deployable with respect to the body. The passenger aircraft also includes an altitude detection system. The landing gear member may become deployed automatically if a deploy condition related to the detected altitude is met, and/or retracted automatically if a retract condition related to the detected altitude is met. Accordingly, the action of deploying and/or retracting the landing gear becomes something that the pilot need only supervise, instead of doing. In addition, embodiments may become a helpful safety feature, in the event the pilot has become distracted.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/899,285, filed on Nov. 3, 2013, titled: “AIRCRAFT WITH AUTOMATICALLY DEPLOYABLE AND/OR RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Some passenger aircraft have landing gear that is deployable and retractable by the pilot. U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,053 teaches a landing gear warning apparatus and method for a pilot approaching a runway with retracted landing gear, so the pilot could deploy it. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present description gives instances of passenger aircraft and methods, the use of which may help overcome problems and limitations of the prior art. 
         [0004]    In embodiments a passenger aircraft includes a body and a landing gear member that is retractable and deployable with respect to the body. The passenger aircraft also includes an altitude detection system. The landing gear member may become deployed automatically if a deploy condition related to the detected altitude is met, and/or retracted automatically if a retract condition related to the detected altitude is met. 
         [0005]    An advantage over the prior art is that the action of deploying and or retracting the landing gear becomes something that the pilot need only supervise, instead of doing. In addition, embodiments may become a helpful safety feature, in the event the pilot has become distracted. 
         [0006]    These and other features and advantages of this description will become more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1A  is a diagram of a passenger aircraft descending with its landing gear retracted, and in which a deploy condition has been just met, according to embodiments. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1B  is a diagram of the passenger aircraft of  FIG. 1A , sometime after the time of  FIG. 1A , and in which the landing gear has been deployed automatically according to embodiments. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of components of a passenger aircraft made according to embodiments. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of sample relative locations of altitude thresholds used to define the deploy condition while descending, according to embodiments. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart for illustrating methods according to embodiments. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5A  is a diagram of a passenger aircraft ascending with its landing gear deployed, and in which a retract condition has been just met, according to embodiments. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5B  is a diagram of the passenger aircraft of  FIG. 5A , sometime after the time of  FIG. 5A , and in which the landing gear members have been retracted automatically according to embodiments. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of sample altitude thresholds according to embodiments. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart for illustrating methods according to embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    As has been mentioned, the present description is about passenger aircraft and related methods. Embodiments are now described in more detail. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a diagram of a passenger aircraft  100 , made according to sample embodiments. Aircraft  100  is flying above ground  190 , and descending towards ground  190  according to descent arrow  171 . 
         [0018]    Passenger aircraft  100  has a body, which includes a fuselage  110 . The passengers travel by being within fuselage  110 . The body of aircraft  100  also includes wings  112 ,  114 , and other components taken together. Wings  112 ,  114  include respective flaps  142 ,  144 , which may be lowered so as to achieve the descent. 
         [0019]    Aircraft  100  also includes landing gear. The landing gear includes members  122 ,  124 , and also wheels for ground movement attached to landing gear members  122 ,  124 . Landing gear member  122  is retractable and deployable with respect to the body, in this particular case by pivoting around a short axle  126  within wing  112 . Axle  126  is on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Similarly, landing gear member  124  is retractable and deployable, by pivoting around a short axle  128  within wing  114 . Axle  128  can be parallel to axle  126 . In the diagram of  FIG. 1A , landing gear members  122 ,  124  are retracted. 
         [0020]    Aircraft  100  further includes an altitude detection system (ADS)  140 . ADS  140  is configured to detect an altitude ALT of the body relative to ground  190 , and can be made in a number of ways. For example, it could employ components of a ground proximity warning system. Or it could include a barometer plus data about an elevation of a ground at the location the aircraft is at. Other ways include using directly a version of radar, and so on. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1A , in passenger aircraft  100  a deploy condition has been just met, according to embodiments. The deploy condition relates to the detected altitude, and will be elaborated on below. Since the deploy condition is met, landing gear members  122 ,  124  may become deployed automatically. The deployment process may start at the instant of  FIG. 1A , and continue as will be seen immediately below. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1B  is a diagram of the passenger aircraft of  FIG. 1A , sometime after the time of  FIG. 1A . Passenger aircraft has descended some more, compared to its altitude in  FIG. 1A . It will be observed that landing gear members  122 ,  124  have been deployed. Deploying may have been performed automatically, according to embodiments. In this example, deploying has been performed by a motion of landing gear members  122 ,  124 , around respective axles  126 ,  128  in the direction of respective arrows  132 ,  134 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of components  200  of a passenger aircraft made according to embodiments. Any one of components  200  could be, for example, in aircraft  100  or aircraft  500  that is described later in this document. 
         [0024]    Components  200  include an ADS  240 , which can be made similarly as ADS  140 . Components  200  also include landing gear components, such as landing gear members  222 ,  224  that support wheels and pivot around respective short axles  226 ,  228 . Landing gear members  222 ,  224  could be made similarly to landing gear members  122 ,  124 . Axles  226 ,  228  could be made similarly to axles  126 ,  128 . 
         [0025]    A driver  250  may be configured to deploy landing gear members  222 ,  224 . Driver  250  may operate according to whether the deploy condition is met. 
         [0026]    Components  200  optionally include in actuator  245 , which would be operable by a person, such as a pilot. Actuator  245 , if operated, it may override how driver  250  is controlled. 
         [0027]    Components  200  also optionally include a processor  255 . Processor  255  may be a computer, a microprocessor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and so on. Processor  255  can be configured to determine whether the deploy condition is met, and accordingly control driver  250  as to whether driver  250  would deploy landing gear members  222 ,  224 . Determining can be performed from inputs received by ADS  240 . If provided, actuator  245  may override the deploy condition by operating in the workings of processor  255 , whether software, firmware or hardware. 
         [0028]    Components  200  further optionally include a time-keeping mechanism  260 . Time-keeping mechanism  260  can be configured to provide time inputs, and may be implemented within processor  255 . 
         [0029]    The deploy condition may be implicitly determined, or explicitly defined in software, such as by setting of a flag. Embodiments of how the deploy condition is defined are now described in more detail. 
         [0030]    The deploy condition could include that the altitude is lower than a first threshold. In other embodiments, a rate of descent is combined with a time measurement, such as from the time inputs of time-keeping mechanism  260 . So, the deploy condition could include that the altitude is lower than a second threshold, plus the detected altitude has decreased by a certain amount over a certain time interval measured from at least one of the time inputs. In some instances, the deploy condition could include that the flaps are down at least in part, as a safety precaution. 
         [0031]    The various mentioned thresholds can be defined in terms of safety precautions, to prevent the aircraft from landing with the landing gear retracted. As such, expected inputs can be pilot response times, landing gear deployment times, rates of descent and other considerations, as will be obvious or evident to a person skilled in the art. Examples are now described. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of sample altitude thresholds used to define the deploy condition, according to embodiments. The altitude thresholds are defined in terms of ground level  190 , and while passenger aircraft  100  is descending. Descending is depicted in  FIG. 3  by descent arrow  171 . There is shown the first, the second, a third and a fourth threshold  391 ,  392 ,  393 ,  394 . These altitude thresholds are not to scale. Rather,  FIG. 3  shows sample locations for them, relative to each other. 
         [0033]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , components  200  may also include a seat  270  intended for a pilot. Actuator  245  could he located so that a pilot seated in seat  270  can access actuator  245  and operate it. Components  200  could further include a notification system  280 , which can be configured to issue a notification  282  to a pilot seated in seat  270 . In some embodiments, notification  282  is a warning, if a warning condition is met related to the detected altitude. 
         [0034]    Like with the deploy condition, the warning condition may be implemented in any number of ways. For example, the warning condition could include that the detected altitude is lower than a third threshold, such as third threshold  393 . Or, a rate of descent can be combined with a time measurement such as from the time inputs of time-keeping mechanism  260 . So, the warning condition could include that the detected altitude is lower than a fourth threshold plus the detected altitude has decreased by a certain amount over a certain time interval measured from at least one of the time inputs. 
         [0035]      FIG. 4  shows a flowchart  400  for describing methods according to embodiments. The methods of flowchart  400  may also be practiced by embodiments described above, such as passenger aircraft  100 . 
         [0036]    According to an operation  410 , a passenger aircraft flies above ground. Its landing gear member could be retracted with respect to its body. According to another operation  420 , an altitude of the body relative to the ground may be detected. According to another, optional operation  430 , time inputs are received. 
         [0037]    According to another, optional operation  440 , it is inquired whether a warning condition is met. The warning condition may be implemented as above. If not then execution can branch to another operation, such as return to operation  420 . if yes, then according to another, optional operation  450 , a notification is issued to a pilot. The notification can be a warning, for example that the landing gear needs to be deployed. 
         [0038]    According to another operation  460 , it is inquired whether a deploy condition is met. The deploy condition may be implemented as above. If not then execution can branch to another operation, such as return to operation  420 . If yes, then according to another operation  470 , the landing gear member can be deployed, even automatically. 
         [0039]      FIG. 5A  is a diagram of a passenger aircraft  500 , made according to sample embodiments. Aircraft  500  is flying above ground  190 , and ascending from ground  190  according to ascent arrow  572 . 
         [0040]    As will be seen, many aspects of aircraft  500  could be similar to respective aspects of passenger aircraft  100 . Passenger aircraft  500  has a body, which includes a fuselage  510 . The passengers travel by being within fuselage  510 . The body of aircraft  500  also includes wings  512 ,  514 , and other components taken together. Wings  512 ,  514  include respective flaps  542 ,  544 , which may be raised so as to achieve the ascent. 
         [0041]    Aircraft  500  also includes landing gear. The landing gear includes members  522 ,  524 , and also wheels for ground movement attached to landing gear members  522 ,  524 . Landing gear member  522  is retractable and deployable with respect to the body, in this particular case by pivoting around a short axle  526  within wing  512 . Axle  526  is on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Similarly, landing gear member  524  is retractable and deployable, by pivoting around a short axle  528  within wing  514 . Axle  528  can be parallel to axle  526 . In the diagram of  FIG. 5A , landing gear members  522 ,  524  are deployed. 
         [0042]    Aircraft  500  further includes an altitude detection system (ADS)  540 . ADS  540  is configured to detect an altitude ALT of the body relative to ground  190 , and can be made in a number of ways, such as was described for ADS  140 . 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 5A , in passenger aircraft  500  a retract condition has been just met, according to embodiments. The retract condition relates to the detected altitude, and will be elaborated on below. Since the retract condition is met, landing gear members  522 ,  524  may become retracted automatically. The retracting process may start at the instant of  FIG. 5A , and continue as will be seen immediately below. 
         [0044]      FIG. 5B  is a diagram of the passenger aircraft of  FIG. 5A , sometime after the time of  FIG. 5A . Passenger aircraft has ascended some more, compared to its altitude in  FIG. 5A . It will be observed that landing gear members  532 ,  524  have been retracted. Retracting may have been performed automatically, according to embodiments. In this example, retracting has been performed by a motion of landing gear members  522   524 , around respective axles  526 ,  528  in the direction of respective arrows  532 ,  534 . 
         [0045]    As mentioned above,  FIG. 2  is a diagram of components  200  of a passenger aircraft made according to embodiments that could also be aircraft  500 . 
         [0046]    ADS  240  can be made similarly as ADS  540 . Landing gear members  222 ,  224  could be made similarly to landing gear members  523 ,  524 . Axles  226 ,  228  could be made similarly to axles  526 ,  528 . 
         [0047]    Driver  250  may be configured to retract landing gear members  222 ,  224 , instead of, or in addition to deploying them as described above. Driver  250  may operate according to whether the retract condition is met. Actuator  245 , if operated, it may override how driver  250  is controlled. 
         [0048]    Processor  255  can be configured to determine whether the retract condition is met, and accordingly control driver  250  as to whether driver  250  would retract landing year members  222 ,  224 . Again, determining can be performed from inputs received by ADS  240 . If provided, actuator  245  may override the retract condition by operating in the workings of processor  255 , whether software, firmware or hardware. 
         [0049]    The retract condition may be implicitly determined, or explicitly defined in software, such as by setting of a flag. Embodiments of how the retract condition is defined are now described in more detail. 
         [0050]    The retract condition could include that the altitude is higher than a fifth threshold. In other embodiments, a rate of ascent is combined with a time measurement, such as from the time inputs of time-keeping mechanism  260 . So, the retract condition could include that the altitude is higher than a sixth threshold, plus the detected altitude has increased by a certain amount over a certain time interval measured from at least one of the time inputs. In some instances, the deploy condition could include that the flaps are up at least in part. 
         [0051]    The various mentioned thresholds can be defined in terms of precautions related to the risk of flying with the landing gear deployed. The risk is increased drag from air resistance, but not as critical as the risk of the aircraft landing with the landing gear retracted, As such, expected inputs can be pilot response times, landing gear retraction times and other considerations, as will be obvious or evident to a person skilled in the art. Examples are now described. 
         [0052]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of sample altitude thresholds used to define the retract condition, according to embodiments. The altitude thresholds are defined in terms of ground level  190 , and while passenger aircraft  500  is ascending. Ascending is depicted in  FIG. 6  by ascent arrow  572 . There is shown the fifth, the sixth, a seventh and an eighth threshold  695 ,  696 ,  697 ,  698 . These altitude thresholds are not to scale. Rather,  FIG. 6  shows sample locations for them, relative to each other. 
         [0053]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , notification  282  can be a reminder, if a reminder condition is met related to the detected altitude. Like with the retract condition, the reminder condition may be implemented in any number of ways. For example, the reminder condition could include that e detected altitude is higher than a seventh threshold, such as seventh threshold  697 . Or, a rate of ascent can be combined with a time measurement, such as from the time inputs of time-keeping mechanism  260 . So, the reminder condition could include that the detected altitude is higher than an eighth threshold plus the detected altitude has increased by a certain amount over a certain time interval measured from at least one of the time inputs. 
         [0054]      FIG. 7  shows a flowchart  700  for describing methods according to embodiments. The methods of flowchart  700  may also be practiced by embodiments described above, such as passenger aircraft  500 . 
         [0055]    According to an operation  710 , a passenger aircraft takes off from ground. Its landing gear member could be deployed with respect to its body. According to another operation  720 , an altitude of the body relative to the ground may he detected. According to another, optional operation  730 , time inputs are received. 
         [0056]    According to another, optional operation  740 , it is inquired whether a reminder condition is met. The reminder condition may be implemented as above. If not, then execution can branch to another operation, such as return to operation  720 . If yes, then according to another, optional operation  750 , a notification is issued to a pilot. The notification can be a reminder, for example that the landing gear needs to be retracted. 
         [0057]    According to another operation  760 , it is inquired whether a retract condition is met. The retract condition may be implemented as above. If not, then execution can branch to another operation, such as return to operation  720 . If yes, then according to another operation  770 , the landing gear member can be retracted, even automatically. 
         [0058]    In the methods described above, each operation can be performed as an affirmative step of doing, or causing to happen, what is written that can take place. Such doing or causing to happen can be by the whole system or device, or just one or more components of it. In addition, the order of operations is not constrained to what is shown, and different orders may be possible according to different embodiments. Moreover, in certain embodiments, new operations may be added, or individual operations may be modified or deleted. The added operations can be, for example, from what is mentioned while primarily describing a different system, device or method. 
         [0059]    This description includes one or more examples, but that does not limit how the invention may be practiced. Indeed, examples or embodiments of the invention may be practiced according to what is described, or yet differently, and also in conjunction with other present or future technologies. 
         [0060]    A person skilled in the art will be able to practice the present invention in view of this description, which is to be taken as a whole. Details have been included to provide a thorough understanding. In other instances, well-known aspects have not been described, in order to not obscure unnecessarily the present invention. 
         [0061]    Other embodiments include combinations and sub-combinations of features described herein, including for example, embodiments that are equivalent to: providing or applying a feature in a different order than in a described embodiment; extracting an individual feature from one embodiment and inserting such feature into another embodiment; removing one or more features from an embodiment; or both removing a feature from an embodiment and adding a feature extracted from another embodiment, while providing the advantages of the features incorporated in such combinations and sub-combinations. 
         [0062]    The following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations of elements, features and steps or operations, which are regarded as novel and non-obvious. Additional claims for other such combinations and subcombinations may be presented in this or a related document.