# US 11,440,647 B2 · Configurable rotary encoder including two point inflight auto calibration and error adjustment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,647 B2 - Document ID: US11440647B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/393,019 - Filed: 2019-04-24 - Published: 2020-04-09 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-05 - Assignees: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. - Applicants: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. - Inventors: Arthur M. Berenbaum; Rajendra S. Kekan; Sanat Kumar Choudhury; Rohin Hilloowala - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440647B2 ## CPC - B64C 25/62: Spring shock-absorbers; Springs - G01D 18/006: {Intermittent recalibration} - B64C 25/001: {Devices not provided for in the groups B64C25/02 - B64C25/68} - B64F 5/60: Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems - G01D 5/2449: {using hard-stored calibration data} - B64C 2025/008: {Comprising means for modifying their length, e.g. for kneeling, for jumping, or for leveling the aircraft} - G01D 2205/22: by converting the rotary movement into a linear movement - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A landing gear system includes a landing gear collar and a strut assembly supported by the landing gear collar. The strut assembly includes a piston that is adjustable between a fully extended position and a fully compress position. The landing gear system further includes a rotary encoder and a controller. The rotary encoder rotates in response adjusting the piston and to outputs a data value in response to its rotation. The controller is in signal communication with the rotary encoder and determines a stroke of the piston based on the data value output from the rotary encoder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A landing gear system comprises: a landing gear collar; a strut assembly supported by the landing gear collar, the strut assembly including a piston that is adjustable between a fully extended position and a fully compress position; a rotary encoder rotatably coupled to the strut assembly, the rotary encoder configured to rotate in response to adjusting the piston and to output a data value indicative of a voltage level in response to rotating the rotary encoder; and a controller in signal communication with the rotary encoder and configured to determine a stroke of the piston based on the data value output from the rotary encoder, wherein the controller stores a plurality of pre-determined voltages that are cross-referenced to a respective stroke position of the piston, and determines the stroke based on a comparison between the voltage level and the plurality of pre-determined voltages. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The landing gear of claim 1, wherein the strut assembly further comprises a strut linkage configured to adjust in response to adjusting the piston. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The landing gear of claim 2 wherein the rotary encoder is coupled to the strut linkage and rotates in response to adjusting the strut linkage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The landing gear of claim 3, wherein the piston is configured to move between a fully extended position and a fully compressed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The landing gear of claim 1, wherein the controller dynamically adjusts the voltage level based on a correction value, and determines the stroke based on the adjusted voltage level. ### Claim 6 A method of determining a stroke of a piston, the method comprising: storing, in a look-up table of a controller, a plurality of pre-determined voltages that are cross-referenced to a respective stroke position of a piston included in a strut assembly; adjusting the piston between a fully extended position and a fully compress position; rotating a rotary encoder in response to adjusting the piston; and outputting a data value indicative of a voltage level from the rotating encoder in response to rotating the rotary encoder; determining, via the controller, the stroke of the piston based on the data value output from the rotary encoder; and determining, via the controller, the stroke based on a comparison between the voltage level and the plurality of pre-determined voltages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprises rotatably coupling the rotary encoder to a strut linkage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising outputting the data value in response to adjusting the strut linkage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising moving the piston between a fully extended position and a fully compressed position, and determining the data value based on a difference between an adjusted position of the piston and the fully compressed position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: determining a correction value; storing the correction value in a memory unit; and dynamically adjusting, via the controller, the voltage level based on the correction value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, via the controller, the stroke based on the adjusted voltage level.