Health based actuator allocation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11834188-B2
Application number	US-202217828729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Sep 17, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

Commands, including a first and second command associated with a first and second rotor module, are determined based at least in part on a set of desired forces or moments and a plurality of health metrics, including by determining a plurality of differences between the plurality of health metrics and a threshold and assigning a lower thrust value to the first command based at least in part on the first difference and a higher thrust value to the second command based at least in part on the second difference, where the first difference indicates a higher degree of wear on the first rotor module than the second difference indicates for the second rotor module. The commands are sent to the rotor modules and after the commands are performed, updated health metrics are determined.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a communication interface that is configured to:
receive a set of one or more desired forces or desired moments associated with an aircraft that includes a plurality of rotor modules including a first rotor module and a second rotor module;
receive a plurality of health metrics, each of which is associated with a respective one of the plurality of rotor modules, including a first health metric that is associated with the first rotor module and a second health metric that is associated with the second rotor module; and
send a plurality of commands to the plurality of rotor modules, wherein each command in the plurality of commands is associated with a respective one of the plurality of rotor modules; and

a processor that is coupled to the communication interface and that is configured to:
determine the plurality of commands, including a first command associated with the first rotor module and a second command associated with the second rotor module, based at least in part on: (1) the set of desired forces or desired moments and (2) the plurality of health metrics, including by:
determining a plurality of differences between the plurality of health metrics and a threshold, including by:
determining a first difference between the first health metric and the threshold; and
determining a second difference between the second health metric and the threshold; and

determining the plurality of commands based at least in part on the plurality of differences, including by assigning a lower thrust value to the first command based at least in part on the first difference and a higher thrust value to the second command based at least in part on the second difference, wherein the first difference indicates a higher degree of wear on the first rotor module than the second difference indicates for the second rotor module; and

after the plurality of rotor modules perform the plurality of commands, determine an updated plurality of health metrics.

2. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the communication interface and the processor are included in an allocation block in the aircraft; and
the first health metric is received from a first built-in health monitoring circuit in the first rotor module and the second health metric is received from a second built-in health monitoring circuit in the second rotor module.

3. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the system further includes an allocation block in the aircraft that includes the communication interface and the processor; and
the first health metric is received from a first built-in health monitoring circuit in the first rotor module and the second health metric is received from a second built-in health monitoring circuit in the second rotor module.

4. The system recited in claim 1 , further including:
an allocation block in the aircraft that includes the communication interface and the processor; and
the plurality of rotor modules, wherein the first health metric is received from a first built-in health monitoring circuit in the first rotor module and the second health metric is received from a second built-in health monitoring circuit in the second rotor module.

5. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of commands further includes dividing, based at least in part on the plurality of health metrics, the plurality of commands into a first subset of commands for which there is at least some health metric consideration and a second subset of commands for which there is no health metric consideration.

6. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of commands further includes:
dividing, based at least in part on the plurality of health metrics, the plurality of commands into a first subset of zero or more commands for which there is at least some health metric consideration and a second subset of zero or more commands for which there is no health metric consideration;
determining values for the first subset of commands based at least in part on at least some of the plurality of health metrics; and
after determining values for the first subset of commands, determining values for the second subset of commands, independent of the plurality of health metrics.

7. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of commands further includes:
setting a first weight, associated with taking the set of desired forces or desired moments into account, and a second weight, associated with taking the plurality of health metrics into account, based at least in part on at least one of the plurality of health metrics; and
using the first weight and the second weight to determine the plurality of commands.

8. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of commands further includes prioritizing control associated with a first axis over control associated with a second axis.

9. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of commands further includes prioritizing control associated with a first axis, including a roll axis, over control associated with a second axis, including a yaw axis.

10. The system recited in claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of commands further includes prioritizing control associated with a first axis, including a pitch axis, over control associated with a second axis, including a yaw axis.

11. A method, comprising:
receiving a set of one or more desired forces or desired moments associated with an aircraft that includes a plurality of rotor modules including a first rotor module and a second rotor module;
receiving a plurality of health metrics, each of which is associated with a respective one of the plurality of rotor modules, including a first health metric that is associated with the first rotor module and a second health metric that is associated with the second rotor module;
determining a plurality of commands, including a first command associated with the first rotor module and a second command associated with the second rotor module, based at least in part on: (1) the set of desired forces or desired moments and (2) the plurality of health metrics, including by:
determining a plurality of differences between the plurality of health metrics and a threshold, including by:
determining a first difference between the first health metric and the threshold; and
determining a second difference between the second health metric and the threshold; and

determining the plurality of commands based at least in part on the plurality of differences, including by assigning a lower thrust value to the first command based at least in part on the first difference and a higher thrust value to the second command based at least in part on the second difference, wherein the first difference indicates a higher degree of wear on the first rotor module than the second difference indicates for the second rotor module;

sending the plurality of commands to the plurality of rotor modules, wherein each command in the plurality of commands is associated with a respective one of the plurality of rotor modules; and
after the plurality of rotor modules perform the plurality of commands, determining an updated plurality of health metrics.

12. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein:
the method is performed by an allocation block in the aircraft; and
the first health metric is received from a first built-in health monitoring circuit in the first rotor module and the second health metric is received from a second built-in health monitoring circuit in the second rotor module.

13. The method recited in claim 11 , wherein determining the plu

Assignees

• Kitty Hawk Corp

Inventors

• Saunders Christopher Scott
• Cutler Mark Johnson

Classifications

• B64D31/06 Primary

  actuated automatically · CPC title

• B64D45/00 Primary

  Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G05D1/46

  Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D] · CPC title

• G05D1/606

  Compensating for or utilising external environmental conditions, e.g. wind or water currents (station keeping G05D1/611) · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title