Actuator monitoring system using inertial sensors
AssigneeKitty Hawk Corporation
InventorMark Johnson Cutler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sensor data is received from an inertial measurement unit on a vehicle. An observed attitude and an observed attitude rate of the vehicle are determined based on the sensor data. Using a model associated with a vehicle failure mode, an expected attitude and an expected attitude rate of the vehicle are determined. A malfunctioning rotor is determined based on the observed attitude, the observed attitude rate, the expected attitude, and the expected attitude rate. In response to identifying the malfunctioning rotor, a responsive action is performed, including by updating a geometry matrix so that at least one non-malfunctioning rotor in the plurality of rotors compensates for the malfunctioning rotor.
Claims21
A system, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
- receive vehicle state information and at least one actuator command from a vehicle;
- determine a model associated with a vehicle failure mode, wherein the model includes an output state vector representing a vehicle state in the vehicle failure mode, the output state vector being determined based at least in part on at least one function that:
- receives the vehicle state information and the at least one actuator command, models each failure mode independently, and outputs the output state vector;
- determine an observed flight characteristic and an observed flight characteristic rate of the vehicle based at least in part on sensor data from an inertial measurement unit on the vehicle;
- determine an expected flight characteristic and an expected flight characteristic rate of the vehicle based at least in part on the model associated with a vehicle failure mode;
- identify, from a plurality of rotors associated with the vehicle, a malfunctioning rotor based at least in part on the observed flight characteristic, the observed flight characteristic rate, the expected flight characteristic, and the expected flight characteristic rate;
- and
- in response to identifying the malfunctioning rotor, perform a responsive action.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a processor, vehicle state information and at least one actuator command from a vehicle;
- determining, by a processor, a model associated with a vehicle failure mode, wherein the model includes an output state vector representing a vehicle state in the vehicle failure mode, the output state vector being determined based at least in part on at least one function that:
- receives the vehicle state information and the at least one actuator command, models each failure mode independently, and outputs the output state vector;
- determining, by a processor, an observed flight characteristic and an observed flight characteristic rate of the vehicle based at least in part on sensor data from an inertial measurement unit on the vehicle;
- determining, by a processor, an expected flight characteristic and an expected flight characteristic rate of the vehicle based at least in part on the model associated with a vehicle failure mode;
- identifying, by the processor, from a plurality of rotors associated with the vehicle, a malfunctioning rotor based at least in part on the observed flight characteristic, the observed flight characteristic rate, the expected flight characteristic, and the expected flight characteristic rate;
- and
- in response to identifying the malfunctioning rotor, performing, by a processor, a responsive action.
A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to be configured for:
- receiving vehicle state information and at least one actuator command from a vehicle;
- determining a model associated with a vehicle failure mode, wherein the model includes an output state vector representing a vehicle state in the vehicle failure mode, the output state vector being determined based at least in part on at least one function that:
- receives the vehicle state information and the at least one actuator command, models each failure mode independently, and outputs the output state vector;
- determining an observed flight characteristic and an observed flight characteristic rate of the vehicle based at least in part on sensor data from an inertial measurement unit on the vehicle;
- determining an expected flight characteristic and an expected flight characteristic rate of the vehicle based at least in part on the model associated with a vehicle failure mode;
- identifying, from a plurality of rotors associated with the vehicle, a malfunctioning rotor based at least in part on the observed flight characteristic, the observed flight characteristic rate, the expected flight characteristic, and the expected flight characteristic rate;
- and
- in response to identifying the malfunctioning rotor, performing a responsive action.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.