IP Library Granted Patent US 11,208,200
Granted Patent B1
US 11,208,200 · App. 17/320,309 · Granted Dec 28, 2021

Systems and methods for fly-by-wire reversionary flight control

Inventors: Joshua E Auerbach (Waterbury Center, VT); Andrew Giroux (Georgia, VT); Chris Townsend (Shelburne, VT); Timothy Gerard Richter (Wynantskill, NY); Matthew John Sheppard (Bow, NH)
Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
B64C13/503B64C13/0421G05D1/0077
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,208,200
App. No.
17/320,309
Granted
Dec 28, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

Some aspects relate to systems and methods for fly-by-wire reversionary flight control including a pilot control, a plurality of sensors configured to: sense control data associated with the pilot control, and transmit the control data, a first actuator communicative with the plurality of sensors configured to receive the control data, determine a first command datum as a function of the control data and a distributed control algorithm, and actuate a first control element according to the first command datum.

Claims (54)

1. A system for fly-by-wire reversionary flight control comprising:

a pilot control;

a plurality of sensors configured to:

sense control data associated with the pilot control; and

transmit the control data;

a first actuator communicative with the plurality of sensors configured to:

receive the control data;

determine a first command datum as a function of the control data and a distributed control algorithm; and

actuate a first control element according to the first command datum.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a flight controller communicative with the plurality of sensors and the first actuator, the flight controller configured to:

receive the control data;

determine the first command datum as a function of the control data; and

transmit the first command datum to the first actuator; and

wherein the first actuator is configured to receive the first command datum from the flight actuator.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first actuator is further configured to:

determine that the first actuator is not receiving the first command datum from the flight controller; and

determine the first command datum as a function of the control data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distributed control algorithm comprises filtering the control data.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein filtering the control data comprises a voting process.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distributed control algorithm comprises finding an average of two or more control datums of the control data.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distributed control algorithm comprises finding a difference between two or more control datums of the control data.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is further configured to:

determine a second command datum as a function of the control data and the distributed control algorithm; and

transmit the second command datum to a second actuator communicative with the first actuator.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the second actuator is configured to:

receive the second command datum; and

actuate a second control element according to the second command datum.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first control element comprises a propulsor.

11. A method of fly-by-wire reversionary flight control comprising:

sensing, using a plurality of sensors, control data associated with a pilot control;

transmitting, using the plurality of sensors, the control data;

receiving, using a first actuator communicative with the plurality of sensors, the control data;

determining, using the first actuator, a first command datum as a function of the control data and a distributed control algorithm; and

actuating, using the first control actuator, a first control element according to the first command datum.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, using a flight controller communicative with the plurality of sensors and the first actuator, the control data;

determining, using the flight controller, the first command datum as a function of the control data;

transmitting, using the flight controller, the first command datum to the first actuator; and

receiving, using the first actuator, the first command datum from the flight controller.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining, using the first actuator, that the first actuator is not receiving the first command datum from the flight controller; and

contingently determining, using the first actuator, the first command datum when unable to receive the first command datum from the flight controller.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the distributed control algorithm is configured to filter the control data.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein filtering the control data comprises performing a voting process.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the distributed control algorithm is configured to find an average of two or more control datums of the control data.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the distributed control algorithm is configured to find a difference between two or more control datums of the control data.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, using the first actuator, a second command datum as a function of the control data and the distributed control algorithm; and

transmitting, using the first actuator, the second command datum to a second actuator communicative with the first actuator.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

receiving, using the second actuator, the second command datum; and

actuating a second control element according to the second command datum.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first control element comprises a propulsor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2021
From: AUERBACH, JOSHUA E.; GIROUX, ANDREW; TOWNSEND, CHRIS; RICHTER, TIMOTHY GERARD; SHEPPARD, MATTHEW JOHN
To: BETA AIR, LLC
Reel/Frame 057399/0711 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,315,375 US 12,315,377