System and method for adjustment response analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9243979-B2
Application number	US-201414154425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2014
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method to determine, from a measured result and an assumed adjustment set, the probability that a permutation to the assumed adjustment set was implemented or other error, such as a sensor error, is occurring. The determination of probability of a permutation of the adjustment set may be based on the error between the predicted response and the measured actual response for the assumed adjustment set and permutations of the assumed adjustment set. A number of statistical comparisons may be performed between the assumed adjustment set and the permutation sets to determine which are closer to the measured actual response. A probability value may be assigned to each adjustment set as to the likelihood of their having been implemented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor that is coupled to at least one of a sensor coupled to a helicopter or the helicopter and configured to determine effects to the helicopter of an actual adjustment that was made to a component of the helicopter, an actual adjustment result including measured data from the component after the actual adjustment has been performed;
determining, by the processor, a permutation of an available adjustment, the available adjustment including at least one potential adjustment that may be made to the component;
determining, by the processor, an expected result corresponding to expected effects to the helicopter for the permutation of the available adjustment from a measured start point corresponding to a point prior to the actual adjustment being performed;
determining, by the processor, an error measured from the actual adjustment result as compared with the expected result for the permutation of the available adjustment;
identifying, by the processor, the actual adjustment that was made to the component based on the error; and
displaying, by a display, data identifying the actual adjustment that was made.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, an inputted adjustment corresponding to an attempted adjustment to the component.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising comparing, by the processor, the actual adjustment result to an intended adjustment result corresponding to an adjustment result that would have occurred if the attempted adjustment were actually performed.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, measurement data corresponding to measured data from the component prior to the actual adjustment being made.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising determining, by the processor, an optimal actual adjustment to be made in order to achieve a desired effect to the helicopter.

6. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising determining, by the processor, an optimal actual adjustment to be made based on the actual pre-adjustment measurement data.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein identifying the actual adjustment that was made comprises identifying at least one of a sensor operation error, a sensor installation error or a mechanical defect associated with the component.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measured data corresponds to vibrations of a rotor of the helicopter.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the actual adjustment includes at least one of adding weight to a rotor blade of the rotor, removing weight from the rotor blade, balancing the rotor blade, regulating the twist of the rotor blade,or tuning the pitch of the rotor blade.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether a rate of the error is less than an acceptable value; and
determining, by the processor, that at least one of a sensor installation error occurred or a rotor of the helicopter has a mechanical defect in response to the rate of the error being less than the acceptable value.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the actual adjustment that was made corresponds to a dynamic balancing associated with at least one of a wheel, an engine, or a shaft of the helicopter.

12. A method comprising:
receiving, by a processor that is coupled to at least one of a sensor coupled to a helicopter or the helicopter and configured to assist dynamic balancing of a rotor of the helicopter, helicopter rotor vibration data that corresponds to operation of the rotor after an actual adjustment has been made to the rotor;
determining, by the processor, a permutation of an available rotor adjustment, the available rotor adjustment including at least one potential adjustment that can be made to the rotor;
determining, by the processor, an expected result corresponding to expected effects to the rotor for the available rotor adjustment after the available rotor adjustment has been made;
determining, by the processor, an error between the expected result of the adjustment and a measured actual result corresponding to the operation of the rotor after the actual adjustment has been made;
identifying, by the processor, at least one potential adjustment that may have been made to the rotor based on the error; and
displaying, by a display, the at least one potential adjustment that may have been made.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, an inputted adjustment corresponding to an attempted adjustment to the rotor.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising comparing, by the processor, the helicopter rotor vibration data to an intended adjustment result corresponding to potential helicopter rotor vibration data that would have occurred if the attempted adjustment had been made.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, pre-adjustment helicopter rotor vibration data corresponding to measured vibration data prior to the actual adjustment being made.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising determining, by the processor, an optimal actual adjustment to be made that corresponds to the rotor based on the pre-adjustment helicopter rotor vibration data.

Assignees

• Simmonds Precision Products

Inventors

• Hiatt Daniel

Classifications

• G05B23/0227 Primary

  Qualitative history assessment, whereby the type of data acted upon, e.g. waveforms, images or patterns, is not relevant, e.g. rule based assessment; if-then decisions · CPC title

• G06Q50/00 Primary

  Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism (healthcare informatics G16H) · CPC title

• B64C27/00

  Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto · CPC title

• G01M17/00 Primary

  Testing of vehicles (testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00) · CPC title

• B64C27/001

  Vibration damping devices · CPC title