Fault tolerant automatic control system utilizing analytic redundancy
First Claim
1. A fault tolerant automatic control system for a non-stationary device having a sensor which detects parameters which vary over time, comprising:
- a computer which transforms a mathematical model of the non-stationary device into a plurality of linear equations, said computer comparing a signal from the sensor with an expected value resulting from the plurality of linear equations to determine whether the sensor is functioning properly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for a fault tolerant automatic control system for a dynamic device having a sensor and a predetermined control algorithm include structure and steps for receiving a status signal from the sensor. Structure and steps are provided for transforming the sensor status signal and a predetermined reference signal into a linear time invariant coordinate system, generating a sensor estimate in the linear time invariant coordinate system based on the transformed sensor status signal and the transformed reference signal, transforming the sensor estimate into a physical coordinate system, detecting an error in the sensor status signal based on a comparison of the transformed sensor estimate and the sensor status signal, and reconfiguring the predetermined control algorithm based on the detected error. Preferably, the apparatus and method are implemented in an aircraft flight control system capable of detecting an aircraft sensor fault and reconfiguring the flight control program such that flight control surface actuators are commanded by ignoring or mitigating the failed sensor.
49 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A fault tolerant automatic control system for a non-stationary device having a sensor which detects parameters which vary over time, comprising:
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a computer which transforms a mathematical model of the non-stationary device into a plurality of linear equations, said computer comparing a signal from the sensor with an expected value resulting from the plurality of linear equations to determine whether the sensor is functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An aircraft flight control computer for fault tolerant automatic control of an aircraft, comprising:
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a data processing apparatus, said data processing apparatus transforming a mathematical model of the aircraft into a plurality of linear equations, said data processing apparatus further comparing a signal from a sensor with an expected value resulting from the plurality of linear equations to determine whether the sensor is functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for fault tolerant automatic control of a time-varying device, comprising the steps of:
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transforming a mathematical model of the time-varying device into a plurality of linear equations; and
comparing a signal from a sensor with an expected value resulting from the plurality of linear equations to determine whether the sensor is functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer readable storage medium for storing code which causes one or more computers to control a dynamic device having a sensor which senses a time-varying parameter, the code causing the one or more computers to:
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transform a mathematical model of the dynamic device into a plurality of linear equations; and
compare a signal from the sensor with an expected value resulting from the plurality of linear equations to determine whether the sensor is functioning properly. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A process for detecting the failure of a sensor, comprising the steps of:
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(i) transforming a status signal from a sensor and a corresponding reference signal into a non-dynamic coordinate system;
(ii) generating a sensor estimate in the non-dynamic coordinate system based on the transformed sensor status signal and the transformed reference signal;
(iii) transforming the sensor estimate into a physical coordinate system; and
(iv) detecting an error in the sensor based on a comparison of the transformed sensor estimate and the sensor status signal. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A system for detecting the failure of a time-varying sensor, comprising:
a computer capable of (i) transforming a status signal from a sensor and a corresponding reference signal into a non-time-varrying coordinate system, (ii) generating a sensor estimate in the non-time-varying coordinate system based on the transformed sensor status signal and the transformed reference signal, (iii) transforming the sensor estimate into a physical coordinate system, and (iv) detecting an error in the sensor based on a comparison of the transformed sensor estimate and the sensor status signal.
Specification