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US 12,709,405 B2Granted
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.
Claims20
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, wherein the vehicle is symmetric around a longitudinal axis of symmetry and the vehicle includes a first rotor and a second rotor that are symmetric with respect to each other around the longitudinal axis of symmetry;
- determine a plurality of models associated with vehicle failure;
- determine a subset of the plurality of models associated with vehicle failure to identify a malfunctioning rotor, including by:
- including a first model, associated with the first rotor failing, in the subset of the plurality of models;
- excluding a second model, associated with the second rotor failing, from the subset of the plurality of models;
- and
- sorting at least some of the plurality of models based on similarity to at least one of an attitude and an attitude rate;
- 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 determined plurality of models;
- identify, from a plurality of rotors associated with the vehicle, the 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.
12 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving vehicle state information and at least one actuator command from a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is symmetric around a longitudinal axis of symmetry and the vehicle includes a first rotor and a second rotor that are symmetric with respect to each other around the longitudinal axis of symmetry;
- determining a plurality of models associated with vehicle failure;
- determining a subset of the plurality of models associated with vehicle failure to identify a malfunctioning rotor, including by:
- including a first model, associated with the first rotor failing, in the subset of the plurality of models;
- excluding a second model, associated with the second rotor failing, from the subset of the plurality of models;
- and
- sorting at least some of the plurality of models based on similarity to at least one of an attitude and an attitude rate;
- 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 determined plurality of models;
- identifying, from a plurality of rotors associated with the vehicle, the 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.
9 more elements
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, wherein the vehicle is symmetric around a longitudinal axis of symmetry and the vehicle includes a first rotor and a second rotor that are symmetric with respect to each other around the longitudinal axis of symmetry;
- determining a plurality of models associated with vehicle failure;
- determining a subset of the plurality of models associated with vehicle failure to identify a malfunctioning rotor, including by:
- including a first model, associated with the first rotor failing, in the subset of the plurality of models;
- excluding a second model, associated with the second rotor failing, from the subset of the plurality of models;
- and
- sorting at least some of the plurality of models based on similarity to at least one of an attitude and an attitude rate;
- 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 determined plurality of models;
- identifying, from a plurality of rotors associated with the vehicle, the 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.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.