Damage adaptive control

• US 9,132,911 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Litwinowicz, Anthony, Sahasrabudhe, Vineet, Garhart, Jonathan K., Bates, Preston R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, YUEN H
• Application Number:
  US13/780,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0066 for limitation of acceleration or stress

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to measuring, via at least one sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a vehicle, determining at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and adapting an operational envelope for the vehicle based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.

Claims

1. A method for providing adaptive control to a fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft, the method comprising:

measuring, via at least one first sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a component of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft;

measuring, via at least one second sensor, a state of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft, the at least one second sensor comprising a fly-by-wire sensor;

determining, from the measuring of the at least one first sensor at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise; and

adapting an operational envelope for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft based on the measured state of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft measured via the at least one second sensor and the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise,

wherein adapting the operational envelope for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft comprises adjusting one or more operational thresholds via a fly-by-wire control configuration of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft to prohibit a state of operation of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft that exceeds a safe or reliable operation threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first sensor is mounted on the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational envelope is adapted for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft during a flight.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

indicating that the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft should be landed based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an indication of the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the operational envelope further comprises reducing a load imposed on the component of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft in order to prevent the at least one of a damage and a compromise from propagating through the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft component.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to adapting an operational envelope, receiving at least one command based on an actuation of a device by a pilot, wherein adapting the operational envelope for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft is based on the received at least one command based on the actuation of the device by the pilot.

8. An apparatus configured to adaptively control a fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one first sensor configured to monitor at least one component of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft, the at least one first sensor in communication with the at least one processor;

at least one second sensor configured to monitor a state of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft, the at least one second sensor in communication with the at least one processor, the at least one second sensor comprising a fly-by-wire sensor; and

memory in communication with the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

measure at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with the at least one component of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft using the at least one first sensor,

determine at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and

adapt an operational envelope for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft based on the monitored state of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft measured via the at least one second sensor and the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise,

wherein the adaption comprises adjusting one or more operational thresholds via a fly-by-wire control configuration of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft to prohibit a state of operation of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft that exceeds a safe or reliable operation threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

measure the at least one of a damage and a compromise to the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft structure during a flight of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft, and

adapt the operational envelope for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft during the flight.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

provide an indication that the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft should be landed based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the damage and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

provide an indication of at least one of the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operational envelope is adapted to reduce a load imposed on the at least one component of the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft in order to allow for continued safe flight.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to receive at least one command based on an actuation of a device by a pilot, wherein adapting the operational envelope for the fly-by-wire rotary wing aircraft is based on the received at least one command based on the actuation of the device by the pilot.