AUTOMATIC FLIGHT ENVELOPE PROTECTION FOR UNINHABITED AIR VEHICLES
First Claim
1. A method for automatic flight envelope protection for uninhabited air vehicles comprising:
- repeating the following operations until a mission is completed;
a) obtain a mission command from a mission management system that contains a predetermined flight mission;
b) evaluate whether executing the command will maintain the vehicle within a flight envelope;
c) modify the command not within the flight envelope to one within the flight envelope;
d) send the command to a flight control system and execute the command;
e) measure vehicle'"'"'s state to determine if the command was executed as planned; and
, f) obtain a next mission command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is for a method and system for automatic flight envelope protection to reduce damage and mishap rates of vehicles. The method and system generally comprise receiving a mission command from a mission management system that contains a predetermined flight mission; evaluating whether executing the command will maintain the vehicle within a flight envelope; modifying the command to one when executed will maintain the vehicle within the flight envelope, if otherwise; replanning and updating the mission pursuant to the command; sending the command to a flight control center; measuring the vehicle'"'"'s state to determine if the command was executed as planned, and finally obtaining a next mission command.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for automatic flight envelope protection for uninhabited air vehicles comprising:
repeating the following operations until a mission is completed;
a) obtain a mission command from a mission management system that contains a predetermined flight mission;
b) evaluate whether executing the command will maintain the vehicle within a flight envelope;
c) modify the command not within the flight envelope to one within the flight envelope;
d) send the command to a flight control system and execute the command;
e) measure vehicle'"'"'s state to determine if the command was executed as planned; and
,f) obtain a next mission command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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13. A method for providing automatic flight envelope protection for uninhabited air vehicles comprising:
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receiving a mission command from a mission management system;
evaluating whether executing the command will maintain the vehicle within a flight envelope and modify the command to one which will maintain the vehicle within the flight envelope if it is not;
sending the command to a flight control center;
measuring vehicle'"'"'s state to determine if the command was executed as planned, and;
obtaining a next mission command.
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23. A method for providing automatic flight envelope protection for uninhabited air vehicles comprising:
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receiving feedback states from a sensor signal logic system at a logical controller;
receiving command signals from a mission management system which contains a mission at the controller;
receiving command signals from a guidance and navigation system at the controller;
calculating, by the controller, a control signal from the feedback and command signal inputs to determine if the vehicle is approaching its flight envelope;
insuring the vehicle does not exceed operating limits by conforming the control signal with operating limits of the vehicle; and
,transmitting the conforming signals to a flight control system.
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34. A system for automatic flight envelope protection for uninhabited air vehicles comprising:
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means for dynamically calculating the flight envelope and mission on-line;
means for anticipating and detecting envelope exceedance logically interposed after the calculating means; and
,means for generating corrective actions to maintain the vehicle within the flight envelope and within the mission logically interposed after the anticipating and detecting means.
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Specification