Managing force equalization via force-fight cycle detection

1. A method of managing force equalization (FEQ) on a vehicle utilizing redundant actuation systems for one or more control surfaces, the method comprising, by a computer system for the vehicle:

determining, via a force sensor, a measured force applied by a first actuation system in relation to a control surface, wherein the control surface is redundantly serviced by a plurality of actuation systems comprising the first actuation system;

updating a measured-force time series for the first actuation system with the measured force;

analyzing movement over at least a portion of the measured-force time series responsive to the updating;

responsive to the analyzing, identifying a force-fight cycle in the measured-force time series, wherein the force-fight cycle comprises a detected instance of the measured-force time series being in opposition to measured-force data of each other actuation system of the plurality of actuation systems followed by a relaxation of the opposition;

indicating the force-fight cycle in cumulative force-fight cycle data for the first actuation system; and

executing FEQ failure logic responsive to the cumulative force-fight cycle data for the first actuation system satisfying force-fight cycle failure criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing comprises:

determining, as a measured-force difference, a difference between the measured force and a reference measured-force value for one or more other actuation systems of the plurality of actuation systems; and

updating a delta time series for the first actuation system.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying the force-fight cycle responsive to a determination that the delta time series indicates a first measured-force difference in excess of a first threshold followed by a relaxation in measured-force difference of at least a second threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indicating comprises incrementing a force-fight cycle counter for the first actuation system.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the incrementing comprises:

determining a weighted value based, at least in part, on a measured-force difference associated with the force-fight cycle; and

adding the weighted value to the force-fight cycle counter.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the executing comprises executing the FEQ failure logic responsive to the force-fight cycle counter exceeding a threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the executing comprises disabling the first actuation system.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

monitoring FEQ commands issued by the computer system to the first actuation system; and

responsive to a determination that an FEQ command exceeds FEQ authority of the computer system, executing the FEQ failure logic.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor comprises a delta pressure sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuation systems comprise a second actuation system and a third actuation system, and where the first, second, and third actuation systems each comprise an actuator forming part of a common actuation component.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

12. A vehicle computer system comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processor and the memory in combination are operable to perform a method of managing force equalization (FEQ), the method comprising:

determining, via a force sensor, a measured force applied by a first actuation system in relation to a control surface, wherein the control surface is redundantly serviced by a plurality of actuation systems comprising the first actuation system;

updating a measured-force time series for the first actuation system with the measured force;

analyzing movement over at least a portion of the measured-force time series responsive to the updating;

responsive to the analyzing, identifying a force-fight cycle in the measured-force time series, wherein the force-fight cycle comprises a detected instance of the measured-force time series being in opposition to measured-force data of each other actuation system of the plurality of actuation systems followed by a relaxation of the opposition;

indicating the force-fight cycle in cumulative force-fight cycle data for the first actuation system; and

executing FEQ failure logic responsive to the cumulative force-fight cycle data for the first actuation system satisfying force-fight cycle failure criteria.

13. The vehicle computer system of claim 12 , wherein the analyzing comprises:

determining, as a measured-force difference, a difference between the measured force and a reference measured-force value for one or more other actuation systems of the plurality of actuation systems; and

updating a delta time series for the first actuation system.

14. The vehicle computer system of claim 13 , wherein the identifying comprises identifying the force-fight cycle responsive to a determination that the delta time series indicates a first measured-force difference in excess of a first threshold followed by a relaxation in measured-force difference of at least a second threshold.

15. The vehicle computer system of claim 12 , wherein:

the indicating comprises incrementing a force-fight cycle counter for the first actuation system; and

the executing comprises executing the FEQ failure logic responsive to the force-fight cycle counter exceeding a threshold.

16. The vehicle computer system of claim 15 , wherein the incrementing comprises:

determining a weighted value based, at least in part, on a measured-force difference associated with the force-fight cycle; and

adding the weighted value to the force-fight cycle counter.

17. The vehicle computer system of claim 12 , wherein the executing comprises disabling the first actuation system.

18. A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of managing force equalization (FEQ), the method comprising:

determining, via a force sensor, a measured force applied by a first actuation system in relation to a control surface, wherein the control surface is redundantly serviced by a plurality of actuation systems comprising the first actuation system;

updating a measured-force time series for the first actuation system with the measured force;

analyzing movement over at least a portion of the measured-force time series responsive to the updating;

responsive to the analyzing, identifying a force-fight cycle in the measured-force time series, wherein the force-fight cycle comprises a detected instance of the measured-force time series being in opposition to measured-force data of each other actuation system of the plurality of actuation systems followed by a relaxation of the opposition;

indicating the force-fight cycle in cumulative force-fight cycle data for the first actuation system; and

executing FEQ failure logic responsive to the cumulative force-fight cycle data for the first actuation system satisfying force-fight cycle failure criteria.