INERTIALLY-AIDED AIR DATA COMPUTER ALTITUDE RATE
First Claim
1. An air data computer configured to be installed on an aircraft, the air data computer comprising:
- an inertial sensor assembly comprising a plurality of accelerometers and a plurality of rate gyroscopes;
an air data parameter module configured to determine a pressure altitude of the aircraft based on measured pressure of airflow about an exterior of the aircraft;
an attitude determination module configured to determine an estimated attitude of the aircraft based on rotational rate sensed by the plurality of rate gyroscopes; and
an altitude rate blending module configured to;
determine a vertical acceleration of the aircraft based on the estimated attitude of the aircraft and acceleration sensed by the plurality of accelerometers;
blend the vertical acceleration and the pressure altitude using a complementary filter to produce a blended altitude rate; and
output the blended altitude rate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air data computer configured to be installed on an aircraft includes an inertial sensor assembly having a plurality of accelerometers and a plurality of rate gyroscopes. The air data computer is configured to: determine a pressure altitude of the aircraft based on measured pressure of the airflow about the exterior of the aircraft; determine an estimated attitude of the aircraft based on rotational rate sensed by the plurality of rate gyroscopes; and determine a vertical acceleration of the aircraft based on the estimated attitude of the aircraft and the acceleration sensed by the plurality of accelerometers. The air data computer is further configured to blend the vertical acceleration and the pressure altitude using a complementary filter to produce a blended altitude rate that is output to consuming systems.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An air data computer configured to be installed on an aircraft, the air data computer comprising:
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an inertial sensor assembly comprising a plurality of accelerometers and a plurality of rate gyroscopes; an air data parameter module configured to determine a pressure altitude of the aircraft based on measured pressure of airflow about an exterior of the aircraft; an attitude determination module configured to determine an estimated attitude of the aircraft based on rotational rate sensed by the plurality of rate gyroscopes; and an altitude rate blending module configured to; determine a vertical acceleration of the aircraft based on the estimated attitude of the aircraft and acceleration sensed by the plurality of accelerometers; blend the vertical acceleration and the pressure altitude using a complementary filter to produce a blended altitude rate; and output the blended altitude rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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sensing acceleration of an air data computer configured to be installed on an aircraft along a plurality of axes via a plurality of accelerometers of an inertial sensor assembly of the air data computer; sensing rotational rate of the air data computer along the plurality of axes via a plurality of rate gyroscopes of the inertial sensor assembly; determining a pressure altitude of the aircraft based on measured pressure of airflow about an exterior of the aircraft; determining an estimated attitude of the aircraft based on the rotational rate sensed by the plurality of rate gyroscopes; determining a vertical acceleration of the aircraft based on the estimated attitude of the aircraft and the acceleration sensed by the plurality of accelerometers; blending the vertical acceleration and the pressure altitude using a complementary filter to produce a blended altitude rate; and outputting the blended altitude rate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification