Damage adaptive control

• US 9,448,558 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• 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): WONG, YUEN H
• Application Number:
  US14/753,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• 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 rotary wing aircraft system comprising:

at least one first fly-by-wire sensor configured to measure a state of a rotary wing aircraft;

at least one second sensor configured to measure at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a structural component of the rotary wing aircraft; and

a control computer configured to receive data from the at least one first fly-by-wire sensor and the at least one second sensor, the control computer further configured to analyze the data to determine (i) the structural component that is at least one of damaged and compromised, (ii) a location of the structural component, and (iii) a level of operability of the structural component that is at least one of damaged and compromised,

wherein the control computer is configured to provide information relating to the determined structural component, location, and level of operability to an Input/Output (I/O) device; and

wherein the control computer is configured to adapt an operational envelope of the rotary wing aircraft based on the measured state of the rotary wing aircraft and the determined structural component, location, and level of operability.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotary wing aircraft adheres to a fly-by-wire (FBW) configuration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control computer is configured to determine that the structural component is at least one of damaged and compromised when the rotary wing aircraft is on ground, and wherein the control computer is configured to adapt the operational envelope for the rotary wing aircraft such that the rotary wing aircraft remains on the ground until an indication is received by the control computer that a maintenance activity has been performed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control computer is configured to determine that the structural component is damaged when the rotary wing aircraft is on ground, and wherein the control computer is configured to adapt the operational envelope for the rotary wing aircraft such that the rotary wing aircraft is configured to fly a reduced mission before the damage is repaired.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control computer is configured to determine that the structural component of the rotary wing aircraft is at least one of damaged and compromised when the rotary wing aircraft is in flight, and wherein the control computer is configured to adapt the operational envelope based on a determined level of at least one of damage and compromise associated with the structural component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control computer is configured to receive at least one command based on an actuation of a device located in a cockpit of the rotary wing aircraft.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control computer is configured to limit the at least one command at least to an extent that the at least one command directs an operation of the rotary wing aircraft that exceeds the operational envelope.

8. A rotary wing aircraft comprising:

at least one first fly-by-wire sensor configured to measure a state of a rotary wing aircraft;

at least one second sensor configured to measure at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a structural component of the rotary wing aircraft;

a computing system configured to;

(i) receive data from the at least one first fly-by-wire sensor and the at least one second sensor,

(ii) process the data,

(iii) determine information comprising;

(a) the structural component that is at least one of damaged an compromised;

(b) a location of the structural component that is at least one of damaged an compromised; and

(c) a level of operability of the structural component that is at least one of damaged and compromised, and

(iv) generate a control output based on the measured state of the rotary wino aircraft and the determined information; and

a propulsion and control surface structure configured to compensate for the determined level of operability in the structural component of the rotary wing aircraft based on the control output.