Granted Patent B1

US 11,353,890 · App. 17/349,144 · Granted Jun 7, 2022

Inventors: Joshua E. Auerbach (Waterbury Center, VT); Andrew Giroux (Georgia, VT); Chris Townsend (Shelburne, VT); Timothy Gerard Richter (Wynantskill, NY)

Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC

G05D1/102B64C13/18B64D27/24B64D45/00G05D1/0022

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. A system for reversionary flight control, the system comprising:

a pilot control;

at least a sensor configured to:

sense analog control data associated with a pilot interaction with the pilot control; and

transmit the analog control data by way of an analog control signal;

at least a pilot interface module communicative with the at least a sensor and configured to:

receive the analog control data by way of the analog control signal;

convert the analog control signal to a digital control signal; and

transmit digital control data by way of the digital control signal;

at least one actuator; and

a flight controller communicative with the at least a sensor, the at least a pilot interface module, and the at least one actuator, wherein the flight controller is configured to:

receive the digital control data by way of the digital control signal;

determine a primary command datum as a function of the digital control data;

transmit the primary command datum to the at least one actuator;

receive the analog control data by way of the analog control signal if the digital control signal is determined to be non-functional;

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

transmit the reversionary command datum to the at least one actuator.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises:

a propulsor configured to generate propulsion for an aircraft; and

an inverter configured to:

receive the primary command datum and the reversionary command datum; and

control the propulsor as a function of at least one of the primary command datum and the reversionary command datum.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to determine at least one of the primary command datum and the reversionary command datum as a function of an inertial compensation algorithm.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to filter the analog control data.

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

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pilot control comprises a collective.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight controller is further configured to:

determine an autonomous command datum through autonomous function of the flight controller; and

transmit the autonomous command datum to the at least the actuator.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pilot control is remote from the aircraft and the analog control signal is communicated wirelessly.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is configured to:

receive the primary command datum and the reversionary command datum;

determine the primary command datum is non-functional; and

control at least a control element as a function of the reversionary command datum.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one actuator is further configured to:

determine the primary command datum is functional; and

control the at least a control element as a function of the primary command datum.

11. A method of reversionary flight, wherein the method comprises:

sensing, using at least a sensor, analog control data associated with a pilot interaction with a pilot control;

transmitting, using the at least a sensor, the analog control data by way of an analog control signal;

receiving, using a pilot interface module communicative with the at least a sensor, the analog control data by way of the analog control signal;

converting, using the pilot interface module, the analog control signal to a digital control signal;

transmitting, using the pilot interface module, digital control data by way of the digital control signal;

receiving, using a flight controller communicative with the at least a sensor, the at least a pilot interface module, and at least one actuator, the digital control data by way of the digital control signal;

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

transmitting, using the flight controller, the primary command datum to the at least one actuator;

determining, using the flight controller, that the digital control signal is non-functional;

receiving, using the flight controller, the analog control data by way of the analog control signal;

determining, using the flight controller, a reversionary command datum as a function of the analog control data; and

transmitting, using the flight controller, the reversionary command datum to the at least one actuator.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating, using a propulsor of the at least one actuator, propulsion for an aircraft;

receiving, using an inverter of the at least one actuator, the primary command datum, and the reversionary command datum; and

controlling, using the inverter, the propulsor as a function of at least one of the primary command datum and the reversionary command datum.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, using the flight controller, at least one of the primary command datum and the reversionary command datum as a function of an inertial compensation algorithm.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

filtering, using the flight controller, the analog 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 pilot control comprises a collective.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, using the flight controller, an autonomous command datum through autonomous function of the flight controller; and

transmitting, using the flight controller, the autonomous command datum to the at least one actuator.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pilot control is remote from the aircraft and the analog control signal is communicated wirelessly.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, using the at least one actuator, the primary command datum, and the reversionary command datum;

determining, using the at least one actuator, the primary command datum is non-functional; and

controlling, using the at least one actuator, at least a control element as a function of the reversionary command datum.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

determining, using the at least one actuator, the primary command datum is functional; and

controlling, using the at least one actuator, the at least a control element as a function of the primary command datum.

Assignments (1)

Cited By (8)

US 12,195,192 US 12,291,354 US 12,315,377 US 12,372,957 US 12,386,347 US 12,420,922 US 12,424,110 US 12,479,570