Method For Training A Person While Operating A Vehicle

Abstract

In a method for training a person while operating a vehicle, the vehicle has a control system for receiving vehicle operating commands from the person for controlling the vehicle. A calculation unit is provided for simulating a state of the vehicle and/or the environment to which the vehicle is subjected, the simulated state being a possible real state of the vehicle and/or the environment which is different from the actual state of the vehicle and/or the environment. The vehicle operating commands and the calculation unit are used for calculating vehicle command signals. The vehicle command signals are used for controlling the vehicle so as to cause the vehicle to respond to the vehicle operating commands in a way that corresponds to the state simulated by the calculation unit instead of the actual state of the vehicle and/or the environment.

1 . A method for training a person while operating a vehicle, the vehicle having a control system for receiving vehicle operating commands from the person for controlling the vehicle comprising
 providing a means for simulating a state of the vehicle and/or the environment to which the vehicle is subjected, the simulated state being at least one of a possible real state of the vehicle and the environment which is different from at least one of an actual state of the vehicle and the environment,   using the vehicle operating commands and the simulation means, the vehicle operating commands and the simulation means comprising a calculation unit, for calculating vehicle command signals, and   using the vehicle command signals for controlling the vehicle so as to cause the vehicle to respond to the vehicle operating commands in a way that corresponds to the state simulated by the simulation means instead of the at least one of the actual state of the vehicle and the environment.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using the calculation unit comprising an actual vehicle model and using the vehicle operating commands as input to the actual vehicle model for calculating the vehicle command signals. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  comprising using at least one of key data for the simulated state of the vehicle and key data for the actual vehicle as input to the calculation unit for calculating the vehicle command signals. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using the calculation unit comprising an inverse actual vehicle model for calculating the vehicle command signals and calculated motion of the simulated state of the vehicle as input to the inverse actual vehicle model for calculating the vehicle command signals. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using the simulation means comprising a load database for calculating the vehicle command signals. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , comprising using the load database to calculate at least one of key data for the simulated state of the vehicle and key data for the actual state of the vehicle. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising calculating the key data for the simulated state of the vehicle by using vehicle operating commands as input to the load database. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising calculating the key data for the actual state of the vehicle by using vehicle response as input to the load database. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 6 , comprising calculating the at least one of the key data for the simulated state of the vehicle and the key data for the actual state of the vehicle by using load configuration for at least one of the simulated state and actual vehicle state as input to the load database. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to any preceding  claim 6 , comprising  using the simulation means comprising a vehicle model for calculating the vehicle command signals. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , comprising calculating, in a first step, motion of the vehicle in the simulated state by using the vehicle model and the vehicle operating commands as input, and then calculating, in a second step, the vehicle command signals by using the calculated motion of the vehicle in the simulated state as input to the calculation unit. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 10 , comprising using the key data for the simulated state of the vehicle as input to the vehicle model. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , comprising transmitting the key data for the simulated state of the vehicle to the vehicle model during operation of the vehicle. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 11 , comprising calculating the vehicle command signals by using the vehicle operating commands as input in the second step. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 11  comprising calculating the vehicle command signals by using the key data for the actual vehicle as input in the second step. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising calculating the vehicle command signals by using vehicle response as input to the simulation means. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , comprising calculating the vehicle command signals by using vehicle response as input to the calculation unit. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 10 , comprising calculating the vehicle command signals by using vehicle response as input to the vehicle model. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using the vehicle command signals in order to simulate transient effects on vehicle motion relating to load release. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using pre-calculated data in the simulation means for calculating the vehicle command signals, the pre-calculated data defining a relation between certain vehicle operating commands and the vehicle command signals. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling at least one actuator of the vehicle. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling at least one actuator of an engine of the vehicle. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling power or thrust of the engine. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling at least one control surface of the vehicle. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling a position of the control surface. 
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 21 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling at least one wheel of the vehicle. 
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 26 , comprising using the vehicle command signals for controlling at least one wheel brake actuator of the vehicle. 
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising providing a simulated state of the vehicle wherein the weight of the vehicle is different from the real weight of the vehicle. 
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising providing a simulated state of the vehicle wherein the vehicle is loaded by a load which is different from the real load. 
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising switching between a training mode operation in which behavior of the vehicle in the simulated state of the vehicle is arranged to be obtained and a normal mode operation during the same operation of the vehicle. 
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising switching between different simulated states of the vehicle during a same flight of the vehicle, the vehicle being an air vehicle. 
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising training a person while operating an air vehicle which is adapted to be flown in either one of a first configuration or in a second configuration, the first and second configurations being selectable by the operator during a flight, and using a state simulated by the simulation means for simulating a transition from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
   
   
       33 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising training a person while operating an air vehicle. 
   
   
       34 . A training system for training a person while operating a vehicle, the vehicle having a control system for receiving vehicle operating commands from the person for controlling the vehicle, the training system comprising
 means for simulating at least one of a state of the vehicle and the environment to which the vehicle is subjected, the simulated state being at least one of a possible real state of the vehicle and the environment which is different from the at least one of the actual state of the vehicle and the environment,   means for calculating vehicle command signals using the vehicle operating commands and the simulation means, and   means for transmitting the vehicle command signals to at least one controllable component of the vehicle for controlling the vehicle so as to cause the vehicle to respond to the vehicle operating commands in a way that corresponds to the state simulated by the simulation means instead of the at least one of the actual state of the vehicle and the environment.   
   
   
       35 . An air vehicle comprising a training system according to  claim 34 . 
   
   
       36 . A land vehicle comprising a training system according to  claim 34 . 
   
   
       37 . A space vehicle comprising a training system according to  claim 34 . 
   
   
       38 . A marine vehicle comprising a training system according to  claim 34 . 
   
   
       39 . A control unit comprising a computer and a computer program stored in an internal memory of the computer, the computer program being used for instructing a processor to accomplish the steps according to  claim 1  when the computer program is executed in the computer. 
   
   
       40 . A computer program product comprising software code portions for instructing a processor to accomplish the steps according to  claim 1  when the program is run in a computer. 
   
   
       41 . A computer program according to  claim 40  provided at least partly via a network such as the internet. 
   
   
       42 . A computer readable medium having a stored program thereon intended to cause a computer to control the steps according to  claim 1 .