Technical Field

This invention relates generally to the field of servosystems, and, more particularly, to an improved system for optically transmitting power to, and controlling the operation of, a remote electrical load, such as the torque motor of a servovalve.

Background Art

Aircraft flight control surfaces (e.g., flaps, rudder, ailerons, ele- vators, etc.) are typically controlled by electrohydraulic servoactuators operat¬ ing in closed-loop position servosystems. Such systems determine the error be¬ tween a commanded position and an actual position, and operate the servoactu- ator so as to reduce or eliminate the error.

The conventional two-stage servovalve typically has an electrical section and a hydraulic section. The electrical section includes a torque motor which is arranged to produce a proportional pivotal displacement of an arma¬ ture-flapper member in response to an input current. The armature-flapper member is commonly mounted on a substantially frictionless flexure tube. Hence, an input current of one polarity will displace the flapper in one angular direction, while a current of the opposite polarity will displace the flapper in the opposite direction. In the hydraulic section, the flapper portion is movable between two spaced, facing nozzles. Thus, as the torque motor causes the flap¬ per to move closer to one nozzle and farther from the other, back pressures are developed in the fluid conduits leading to these nozzles. The differential of these back pressures is, in turn, used to selectively displace a second-stage valve spool relative to a body to create the desired flow(s) through the valve. The valve may also include a mechanical feedback wire which functions to urge the flapper back toward a centered or null position between the nozzles when the spool is in the commanded position. Such servovalves are commonly used to control the flows of fluid with respect to the opposing chambers of a double- acting fluid-powered actuator. Additional details as to the structure and oper¬ ation of such a servovalve are more fully shown and described in U.S. Pat. No.

3,023,782, the aggregate disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by refer¬ ence.

In aircraft, the servovalve is typically located immediately adja¬ cent the actuator. This has required long lengths of electrical conductors from the source of the command signal (typically, the cockpit) to the servovalve site. Moreover, it is common to use redundant control systems such that, should there be a failure of one conductor, effective control of the servovalve may still be maintained through the other undisturbed conductive paths. Indeed, many aircraft employ quad-redundant systems, in which four conductors follow physically separate paths from the command source to the servovalve. The length of such conductors, magnified by the extent to which redundancy is pro¬ vided, has posed a problem in that such conductors are susceptible to electro¬ magnetic interference, such as lightning and the like. Any interference with the command signal can cause unintended servoactuator response. To render such systems less susceptible to electro-magnetic in¬ terference, others have proposed to control the servovalve by an optical tech¬ nique. This generally contemplates the transmission of an optical command signal, controlled by a pulse-width-modulated technique, along one or more op¬ tical fibers from the cockpit to the servovalve. While this has been conceptual- ly feasible, it has not wholly solved the problem because there has still been a need to provide an electrical conductor to power the servovalve-driving am¬ plifier or controller in response to such optically-transmitted command signal. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,180 appears to disclose a servosystem control system for aircraft applications, in which a command signal is transmitted opti- cally to a remote servosystem. However, this system also contemplates the simultaneous transmission of electrical power via one or more conventional con¬ ductors to various parts and components of the system, such as a receiver, a demodulator, a processor, and servoamplifier. Thus, in this type of system, the command signal was transmitted optically, but electrical power was transmitted via conventional conductors.

Other details of known systems for transmitting optical com¬ mand data between a source and a receiver, are shown in U.S. Pats. No. 4,313, 226, 4,495,655, and 4,538,655.

Disclosure of the Invention

The present invention broadly provides an improved opto-electri-

cal power transmission and control system, and method of operating same, for proportionally controlling the operation of an electrical load (e.g., a torque mo¬ tor, a force motor, or the like) in response to the intensity of transmitted light. Thus, both the command signal and the power needed to operate the load are transmitted optically, and the need for conventional electrical conductors be¬ tween the command source and the load is wholly eliminated.

In one aspect, the improved system broadly includes: a light source operatively arranged to selectively emit light at a controllable intensity; a plurality (i.e., one or more) of photodiodes, each diode having a receiver sur- face operatively arranged to be illuminated by incident light emitted by the source and having an electrical output; and an electric power-consuming load connected to the output of each photodiode, the load having an output propor¬ tional to its input current, the load also having a maximum impedence such that the maximum load input voltage required to produce the maximum desired load current does not exceed the forward conductive breakdown voltage of each pho¬ todiode, whereby the output of the load will be proportional to the intensity of light emitted by the source. The outputs of the photodiode(s) may be con¬ nected to a single load or to multiple loads.

In another aspect, the improved system broadly includes: a first photodiode having a first receiver surface and having a first electrical output arranged to produce a first current when the first receiver surface is illuminat¬ ed; a second photodiode having a second receiver surface and having a second electrical output arranged to produce a second current when the second receiv¬ er surface is illuminated, the second diode output being connected in parallel with the first diode output such that the first and second currents will oppose one another in the load; an electric power-consuming load connected to the first and second photodiode ^' outputs, the load having a maximum impedence such that the maximum load input voltage required to produce the maximum desired load current does not exceed the forward conductive breakdown voltage of either of said photodiodes; and means for selectively and controllably illuminating the first and second receiver surfaces on a mutually-exclusive basis to create a cur¬ rent of desired polarity and magnitude in the load.

In still another aspect, the improved system broadly includes: a power light source for selectively emitting light at a controllable intensity; a first photodiode having a first receiver surface arranged to be illuminated with light from the power source and operative to produce an electrical output in response to such received light; an electric power-consuming load arranged

to receive the output of the first photodiode, the load having an output propor¬ tional to input current, the load having a maximum impedence such that the maximum load input voltage required to produce the maximum desired load cur¬ rent does not exceed the forward conductive breakdown voltage of the first photodiode; an electrically-operated switch interposed between the first photo¬ diode and load for selectively causing the magnitude of the electrical output of the first photodiode to have a desired polarity; a signal light source for selec¬ tively emitting light at a controlled intensity; a second photodiode having a sec¬ ond receiver surface arranged to be illuminated with light from the second source and operative to produce an electrical output in response to such inci¬ dent light; and a controller arranged to receive the second photodiode electrical output and to operate the switch in response to some parameter (e.g., intensity) of the incident light; whereby the current in the load will have a magnitude sub¬ stantially proportional to the intensity of light generated by the power source, and will have a polarity determined by the intensity of light generated by the signal source.

The light sources may, for example, be laser diodes, or the like. The light-receiving photodiodes may be of a gallium arsenide composition. The load may be an electrical motor, a torque motor, a force motor, a heating resis- tance, or the like.

The invention also comprehends the methods provided by such systems.

Accordingly, the general object of the invention is to provide an improved opto-electrical power transmission system in which the power to operate a load is transmitted optically.

Another object is to provide an improved opto-electrical control system for proportionally controlling the operation of a load having an output (e.g., speed of rotation, torque, force, heat, etc.) substantially proportional to its input current. Still another object is to provide an improved opto-electrical power transmission and control system in which the power to operate a load, and the signal to control such operation, are transmitted optically.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the foregoing and ongoing written specification, the drawings, and the ap- pended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a prior art system in which the control signal was transmitted optically, but the load-driving electrical power was transmitted via a conventional electrical conductor. Fig. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a first form of the im¬ proved system, in which the control signal and the power signal are both trans¬ mitted optically.

Fig. 3 is an "equivalent circuit" electrical schematic of a photo¬ diode associated with a load. Fig. 4 is a graph of output current vs. output voltage of a gallium arsenide photodiode, for various load impedences.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a portion of a second form of the improved system, in which light exiting a fiber is directed to fall upon the re¬ ceiver surfaces of three photodiodes having their electrical outputs arranged to be series-aiding with respect to the load.

Fig. 6 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a portion of an improved system, showing a coupling lens operatively arranged between an optical fiber and a photodiode.

Fig. 7 is a perspective schematic view of such coupling lens, and further showing the receiver surface of a photodiode as having been segmented into quadrants so as to produce a plurality of smaller photodiodes, the outputs of which may be connected in a series-aiding manner.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a third form of an improved system for controlling the polarity of the load current independently of its magnitude. Fig. 9 is an electrical schematic of the polarity switch and con¬ troller shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a plot showing the filtered outputs of the photodiode, as a function of input optical signal.

Fig. 11 is a schematic of still another improved system for con- trolling the polarity of the load current independently of its magnitude.

Mode(s) of Practicing the Invention

At the outset, it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements, portions or sur¬ faces consistently throughout the several drawing figures, as such elements,

portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification, of which this detailed description is an integral part. Unless oth¬ erwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read (e.g., cross-hatching, arrangement of parts, proportion, degree, etc.) together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire "written description" of this invention, as required by 35 U.S.C. §112. As used in the following description, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "left", "right", "up" and "down", as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof (e.g., "horizontally", "rightwardly", "upwardly", etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms "inward¬ ly" and "outwardly" generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or axis of rotation, as appropriate.

Referring now to the drawings, this invention broadly provides improved apparatus for, and methods of, optically transmitting both power and control for proportionally controlling the operation of an electric power-con¬ suming load, perhaps at a remote location, in response to light emitted from a source. However, before discussing the structure and operation of the inven¬ tive apparatus and methods, it is deemed advisable to review an existing opto- electrical control system.

Prior Art Device (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a known control system, such as rep¬ resentatively shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,180. This system, gen¬ erally indicated at 10, broadly includes: a light source 11 (e.g., a light-emitting diode, a laser diode, or the like) operatively arranged to emit light of intensity I-L in response to an input electrical signal E^. Such emitted light is appropri¬ ately controlled (e.g., as by a pulse-frequency-modulation or pulse-width-modu- lation technique), and is transmitted along an optical fiber or conductor 12 to illuminate the receiver surface of a photodiode 13. The light exiting the optical fiber is schematically indicated as having an intensity l . The photodiode con- verts such received light into an output electrical signal E2, which is then am¬ plified by an amplifier 14 and then supplied as the electrical input to a load 15, such as the torque motor of a servovalve (not shown), having an output, sche¬ matically indicated at 16.

However, the electrical power needed to operate amplifier 14 is supplied by a suitable external power source 18 (e.g., a generator powered

by an aircraft propulsion plant, an auxiliary turbine, a battery, or a slip-stream turbine) via a conventional electrical conductor 19. Thus, in this known system, the control signal is transmitted optically between the source and the receiver, but the electrical power for operating the load in response to such control signal is transmitted via one or more conventional electrical conductors.

The invention disclosed herein defers from this prior art system by providing an improved system in which the power signal and the control sig¬ nal are both transmitted in the form of light, and are used to proportionally control the operation of an electric power-consuming load in response to the intensity of light emitted from one or more sources. In order to facilitate such proportional control, it is presently preferred that the output of the load be sub¬ stantially proportional to its input current. Several embodiments of the inven¬ tion will now be described.

First Embodiment (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a first form of the improved system.

This system, generally indicated at 20, broadly includes: a light source 21 (e.g., a laser diode, or the like) operatively arranged to selectively transmit light of controllable intensity 1^ in response to an electrical signal E _] _. Alternatively, the intensity of such emitted light may be modified or otherwise controlled downstream of the source. In any event, such emitted light is then transmitted by an optical fiber or conductor 22 to illuminate the receiver surface of at least one photodiode 23. The light exiting optical fiber 22 is again indicated as hav¬ ing an intensity I2. At the present time, photodiodes of gallium arsenide are preferred because of their relatively-high opto-electrical efficiencies, as com- pared with earlier forms of such devices. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to use with only gallium arsenide photodiodes, and may employ other photodiodes, whether now-existing or hereinafter developed. In any event, such incident light causes photodiode 23 to produce an electrical output E2, which is in turn supplied directly to the load 24. This electrical out- put signal E2 has a voltage e2 and a current i2- The load is schematically indi¬ cated as having an output 25. As used herein, the term "load" is intended in a broad generic sense to include various types of electro-magnetic devices, such as torque motors, force motors, and other devices (e.g., heating resistances, etc.) in which the load output, whatever its form (e.g., torque, force, rotational speed, heat, etc.), is substantially proportional to the load input current. Thus,

while the preferred embodiments may describe such load as being a torque mo¬ tor, such as used to control a servovalve (not shown), it should be clearly under¬ stood that this is only one species example of a broader class and type of such loads. In the improved system, both the power to drive the load as well as the signal for controlling its operation, are transmitted in the form of light between the source 21 and the photodiode 23. This has the distinct advantage of eliminating the need to provide load-driving electrical power via a separate conventional conductor, as in the prior art. If it is desired to control the load output 25 substantially propor¬ tionally in response to the intensity of light emitted by the source, Ij_, then each of the intermediate elements between the source and the output shaft must have a constant gain (or complementary gains) so that the overall transfer func¬ tion of the system (i.e., the product of the gains of all feed-forward compo- nents) will also be a constant.

To some extent, the operational feasibility of the improved sys¬ tem has been made possible by the recent development of gallium arsenide di¬ odes, and the like, which offer an order-of-magnitude improvement in efficien¬ cy (i.e., E2/I2) over those previously available. While the efficiency of such gallium arsenide photodiodes may be on the order of 5096, the linearity of their gains is possible only if the designer appreciates that there is a point at which the photodiode wiE become saturated with incident light. In other words, be¬ yond this point, the diode wiE not respond to increased intensity of incident light. Fig. 3 is an "equivalent circuit" electrical schematic of photodi¬ ode 23 connected to the load 24. Incident light of intensity I2 iEuminates the receiver surface 26 of the photodiode. This causes the photodiode to generate an internal current in, which passes through the internal resistance Rj of the photodiode. The photodiode also acts as though it has a diode 26 in paraEel with the load 24. The load is depicted as having an impedence Z^- . Thus, the photo¬ diode is depicted as producing an output voltage e which causes a current i2 in the load. As long as the photodiode output voltage 62 is less than the forward conductive breakdown voltage of the photodiode, the internal diode 26 acts as though it were open. However, at and above the forward conductive breakdown voltage, diode 26 will become conductive. Hence, increased light intensity wiE not thereafter produce a proportional current 12 in the load.

This is graphicaEy iEustrated in Fig. 4, which is a plot of load

current i2 vs. photodiode output voltage β2, for various values of load imped¬ ence. The horizontal lines represent lines of constant current. From this, it will be seen that the photodiode will produce a current proportional to incident light intensity until the photodiode output voltage exceeds the forward conduc- tive breakdown voltage of the photodiode, this being represented by the dashed line in Fig. 4. The maximum load impedence (i.e, the curve labeled "Z _max ") for proportional response is indicated as being that output voltage which is sub- stantiaEy equal to the forward conductive breakdown voltage, and which, in turn, produces the maximum current i2- If additional light is received above this limit, the photodiode will not produce a current proportional to the intensi¬ ty of such incident light. The curve labeled "Zj" represents another load imped¬ ence at which the maximum desired current, say i2, will be generated at less than the forward conductive breakdown voltage of the photodiode. Conversely, the curve labeled "Z2" represents another load impedence for which the photo- diode wiE reach its forward conductive breakdown voltage without producing such desired current, i2- Thus, the load must be carefully matched, by proper design and/or selection of the maximum load impedence, to the properties and characteristics of a particular photodiode, be it gallium arsenide or some other material, in order to achieve proportionality of response. If this is done proper- ly, a system can be designed which will uniquely allow both power and control to be transmitted in turns of light energy from a light source to one or more photodiodes, aE with the object of proportionaEy controlling the output of the load in response to the intensity of light emitted by the source.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a portion of a system, in which light exiting an optical fiber, again indicated at 22, is directed to fall upon the indi¬ vidual receiver surfaces of a number of photodiodes, severally indicated at 23A,23B and 23C, which have their electrical outputs connected so as to be se¬ ries-aiding with respect to the load 24. To effect this, a splitter 27 may be po¬ sitioned between the light fiber 22 and each of the photodiodes, so as to trans- mit exiting light to the receiver surface of each photodiode. In this arrange¬ ment, the individual voltages provided by the several photodiodes will be summed across the load. Here again, the load should have a maximum impedence such that the maximum load input voltage needed to produce the maximum desired load current will not exceed the sum of the forward conductive breakdown voltages of the photodiodes. While this arrangement is shown as having three photodiodes arranged so as to be series-aiding, persons skiEed in this art will readily appreciate that any greater or lesser number may

be used to achieve the desired summed voltage.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of a portion of another improved sys¬ tem, in which a coupling lens 28 is operatively arranged between the end of an optical fiber 22 and the receiver surface 26 of a photodiode 23. The coupling lens may be butt-bonded to the photodiode and the fiber by means of a suitable optical epoxy or the like. The coupling lens is shown as being a horizontaEy- elongated cylindrical rod, and has a selected length and is formed of a material having a desired index of refraction, such that light exiting the fiber will di¬ verge at an angle θ to substantiaEy just cover the entire area of the receiver surface. The typical conductive diameter of the fiber may be on the order of about 0.004 inches [0.1016 mm] and the diameter of the receiver surface may be on the order of 0.120 inches [3.048 mm], although this may readily be changed as desired.

Fig. 7 is a perspective schematic of the coupling lens shown in Fig. 6, but depicts the receiver surface of the photodiode as having been sec¬ tioned or segmented so as to subdivide the same into a number of smaEer photo¬ diodes. Each of these smaEer diodes is shown as having an individual receiver surface 26A,26B,26C,26D. Each of the smaEer photodiodes produces an individ¬ ual output, and these may, if desired, be connected in a series-aiding manner, as shown in Fig. 5.

In some applications, it may be desired to control the polarity of the current generated by the photodiode(s) apart from its magnitude. For example, the magnitude of torque produced by a torque motor is substantiaEy proportional to the magnitude of the input current, but the direction of such torque is related to the polarity of such current. Analogous situations exist with respect to other species of motors having bidirectional outputs. With these types of loads, it may be desired to control the polarity of the photodiode out¬ put current independently of its magnitude.

Fig. 8 schematicaEy iEustrates one manner in which this can be done. This system, generaEy indicated at 29, is shown as broadly including a power light source 30 (e.g., a laser diode, or the like), a first optical fiber or conductor 31, a first photodiode 32, and a polarity switch 33 operatively inter¬ posed between the electrical output of first photodiode 32 and a load 34. The load is shown as having an output 35. The system also includes a second signal light source 36 (e.g., a laser diode, or the Eke), a second optical fiber or conduc¬ tor 38, a second photodiode 39, and a controller 40 operatively connected to the electrical output of second photodiode 39 and arranged to operate polarity

switch 33. Thus, the power light source 30 may be caused to emit light of vari¬ able intensity, which is transmitted through optical fiber 31 to the receiver sur¬ face of first photodiode 32. The magnitude of the load current will be propor¬ tional to the electrical output of first photodiode 32. The signal light source is used to transmit a control signal for operating the polarity switch. Thus, sig¬ nal light source 36 may emit light, suitably controlled or modulated, and then be transmitted via optical fiber 38 to second photodiode 39. Controller 40 is arranged to receive the output of second photodiode 39, and to operate the po¬ larity switch so as to prefix the magnitude of the current generated by first photodiode 32 with the desired polarity.

Fig. 9 is an electrical schematic of the controller and polarity switch shown in Fig. 8. The electrical output terminals of second photodiode 39 are connected by a resistor R^ and a capacitor C . The node between capac¬ itor Ci and the appropriate photodiode terminal is grounded, as indicated at 41. Thus, the R-C circuit acts as a filter. The node between photodiode 39 and resistor Rj supplies power to an operational amplifier 42 through a diode 43. The node between diode 43 and amplifier 42 is connected to a grounded capac¬ itor C2, which acts as a rectifier. Thus, a rectified voltage ^ is supplied to provide power to amplifier 42. The node between resistor R^ and capacitor Ci is supplied as the input to amplifier 42. Persons skilled in this art will appreci¬ ate that when the input of amplifier 42 is high, the output thereof will be low, and vice versa. The polarity switch 33 is shown as including four electrically- operated semiconductor switches, and S4, operatively arranged in a bridge circuit with respect to the load. The output from amplifier 42 is ar- ranged to operate switches S _j and S3, which form one cooperative pair, whereas the input to amplifier 42 is arranged to operate switches S2 and S4 which form a second cooperative pair thereof. Thus, when the input to amplifier 42 is low, switches S2 and S4 will be opened, and switches S _j and S3 will be closed. How¬ ever, when the input to amplifier 42 is high, switches Sj and S3 will be closed, and switches S2 and S4 will be opened. If hexfet switches are used, the value of ej-, should be about 5 volts.

Fig. 10 illustrates the voltage available at the node between re¬ sistor Ri and capacitor C^ for two alternative pulse-width-modulated light sig¬ nals (i.e., 10% or 90%) received by photodiode 39. Thus, these light signals may be used to selectively control the two cooperative pairs of switches in the bridge circuit, all with the object of selectively causing the current to flow in the desired direction through the load. However, for either light input condi-

tion, the amplifier power voltage e^ wiE be substantiaEy the same because of the very low power current flow.

Fig. 11 is a schematic view of another system in which load cur¬ rent polarity and magnitude may be controlled. This system has parallel oppos- ing photodiodes with separate light inputs. More particularly, this system, gen¬ eraEy indicated at 44, is shown as including a power light source (e.g., a laser diode) 45, operatively arranged to produce light of variable intensity and to sup¬ ply the same to a color filter 46. This system also includes a signal light source 47 (e.g., a laser diode), which is arranged to supply light through a different col- or filter 48. For iEustrative purposes, filter 46 is indicated as being a red filter, and filter 48 is indicated as being a green filter. In any event, light passing through these two filters 46,48 is then transmitted along a single optical fiber or conductor 49. At the distal end of such filter, the light is then separated by means of another red filter 50 and a green filter 51. Such transmitted light passing through red filter 50 is then directed to the receiver surface of a first photodiode 52. Such transmitted light as may pass through green filter 51 is transmitted on to the receiver surface of a second photodiode 53. These two photodiodes are arranged in paraEel with a load 54 having an output 55. How¬ ever, the two photodiodes are arranged so as to produce currents of opposite polarity in the load. Thus, by selectively causing either power light source 45, 47 to emit light at the desired intensity, a current of desired polarity and mag¬ nitude may be created in the load.

Persons skiEed in this art wiE readily appreciate that many var¬ ied and different changes may be made. For example, the invention is not lim- ited to use with gaEium arsenide photodiodes, unless an express limitation to that effect appears in the appended claims. Similarly, other types of light and signal sources may be used. The light source(s) and light recelver(s) may, if de¬ sired, be separated by one or more optical fibers or conductors, but this need not invariably obtain. The various forms of the system are readily adaptable to redundant operation. As previously indicated, the load may be, for example, a torque motor, a rotational motor, a force motor, or may be a passive resis¬ tance heating element, or may be of some other form. In order to obtain pro¬ portionality between the load output and the emitted light, it is presently de¬ sired that such load have a constant gain. Moreover, in order to achieve such proportionality, the maximum impedence of the load should be such that the maximum voltage produced by the photodiode needed to produce the maximum desired load current will be less than the forward conductive breakdown voltage

of each photodiode in the system.

Therefore, while several embodiments of the improved system, and the method of operating the same, have been shown and described, persons skiEed in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.