IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,498,668
Granted Patent B2
US 11,498,668 · App. 16/855,113 · Granted Nov 15, 2022

Systems and methods to perform track and balance for rotorcrafts

Inventors: Patrik Moravek (Czech, CR); Pavel Badin (Dolni Kounice, CR); Michal Dobes (Olomouc, CR)
Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL S.R.O.
B64C27/008B64D47/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,498,668
App. No.
16/855,113
Granted
Nov 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to certain aspects of the disclosure, a computer-implemented method may be used for rotorcraft track and balance. The method may include capturing one or more images of at least one rotating blades of a rotorcraft and analyzing the one or more images of the at least one rotating blades to determine blade information. Additionally, the method may include determining a location of the at least one rotating blades in the one or more images based on the blade information and calculating blade position information based on the determined location of the at least one rotating blade and a parameter of a user device capturing the one or more images. Additionally, the method may include displaying the blade position information to the user device and displaying instructions on one or more adjustments to the at least one rotating blades of the rotorcraft based on the blade position information.

Claims (45)

1. A computer-implemented method for rotorcraft track and balance, the method comprising:

capturing, by one or more processors, one or more images of at least one rotating blade of a rotorcraft;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the one or more images of the at least one rotating blade of the rotorcraft to determine blade information;

determining, by the one or more processors, a location of the at least one rotating blade in the one or more images based on the blade information;

calculating, by the one or more processors, blade position information based on the determined location of the at least one rotating blade and a parameter of a user device capturing the one or more images, wherein the calculating further comprises calculating, by the one or more processors, horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade relative to a central optical axis of the user device, and determining, by the one or more processors, a height of the at least one rotating blade based on the calculated horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade;

displaying, by the one or more processors, the blade position information to the user device; and

displaying, by the one or more processors, instructions on one or more adjustments to the at least one rotating blade of the rotorcraft based on the blade position information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user device is positioned inside the rotorcraft.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter of the user device include at least one of, a number of cameras, a location of the user device, an image resolution of the user device, pixel size of the user device, and/or a focal length of the user device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the blade position information further comprises calculating at least one of,

blade angular information, a relative vertical distance of the at least one rotating blade, and an absolute height of the at least one rotating blade.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade relative to the central optical axis of the user device further omprises:

calculating, by the one or more processors, the horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade by using horizontal pixels and vertical pixels of the user device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein calculating blade position information further comprises receiving, by the one or more processors, data from one or more sensors located on the rotorcraft.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location of the at least one rotating blade further comprises identifying a marker placed on the at least one rotating blade.

8. A computer-implemented system for rotorcraft track and balance, the computer-implemented system comprising:

a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein; and

at least one processor configured to access the memory and execute the processor-readable instructions, which when executed by the processor configures the processor to perform a plurality of functions, including functions to:

capture one or more images of at least one rotating blade of a rotorcraft;

analyze the one or more images of the at least one rotating blade of the rotorcraft to determine blade information;

determine a location of the at least one rotating blade in the one or more images based on the blade information;

calculate blade position information based on the determined location of the at least one rotating blade and a parameter of a user device capturing the one or more images, wherein the function to calculate further comprises a function to calculate horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade relative to a central optical axis of the user device, and determine a height of the at least one rotating blade based on the calculated horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade;

display the blade position information to the user device; and

display instructions on one or more adjustments to the at least one rotating blade of the rotorcraft based on the blade position information.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 , wherein the user device is positioned inside the rotorcraft.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 , wherein the parameter of the user device include at least one of, a number of cameras, a location of the user device, an image resolution of the user device, pixel size of the user device, and/or a focal length of the user device.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 , wherein the function to calculate the blade position information further comprises calculating at least one blade angular information, a relative vertical distance of the at least one rotating blade, and an absolute height of the at least one rotating blade.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 , wherein the function to calculate the horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade relative to the central optical axis of the user device further comprises:

a function to calculate the horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade by using horizontal pixels and vertical pixels of the user device.

13. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 , wherein the function to calculate blade position information further comprises a function to receive data from one or more sensors located on the rotorcraft.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 8 , wherein the function to determine the location of the at least one rotating blade further comprises a function to identify a marker placed on the at least one rotating blade.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for rotorcraft track and balance, comprising:

capturing, by one or more processors, one or more images of at least one rotating blade of a rotorcraft;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the one or more images of the at least one rotating blade of the rotorcraft to determine blade information;

determining, by the one or more processors, a location of the at least one rotating sblade in the one or more images based on the blade information;

calculating, by the one or more processors, blade position information based on the determined location of the at least one rotating blade and a parameter of a user device capturing the one or more images, wherein the calculating further comprises calculating, by the one or more processors, horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade relative to a central optical axis of the user device, and determining, by the one or more processors, a height of the at least one rotating blade based on the calculated horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade;

displaying, by the one or more processors, the blade position information to the user device; and

displaying, by the one or more processors, instructions on one or more adjustments to the at least one rotating blade of the rotorcraft based on the blade position information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the user device is positioned inside the rotorcraft.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the parameter of the user device include at least one of, a number of cameras, a location of the user device, an image resolution of the user device, pixel size of the user device, and/or a focal length of the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein calculating the blade position information further comprises calculating at least one of,

blade angular information, a relative vertical distance of the at least one rotating blade, and an absolute height of the at least one rotating blade.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein calculating the horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade relative to the central optical axis of the user device further comprises:

calculating, by the one or more processors, the horizontal and vertical angles of the at least one rotating blade by using horizontal pixels and vertical pixels of the user device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein calculating blade position information further comprises receiving, by the one or more processors, data from one or more sensors located on the rotorcraft.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: MORAVEK, PATRIK; BADIN, PAVEL; DOBES, MICHAL
To: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL S.R.O.
Reel/Frame 052462/0987 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210331788A1 · Oct 28, 2021
Cited By (2)
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