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US 2010/0250029 A1Published application
Digital smart servo controller for safety critical vehicle control
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsGerald Parras, David Scott Axtman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A smart servo controller that is operable to control a redundant configuration of servo motors corresponding to mechanical control surfaces of an aerial vehicle is described. The controller (i) outputs the necessary electrical signals that control the servo motors corresponding to each control surface, (ii) monitors those signals, (iii) monitors the positions of the servo motor shafts, and (iv) provides notification to a flight control computer upon detecting a servo malfunction.
Claims19
A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
- for each of a first plurality of servo motors, applying an electrical signal operable to change an angular position of a corresponding servo motor shaft, the angular position of the servo motor shaft controlling a position of a unique one of a corresponding plurality of mechanical control surfaces;
- monitoring the angular positions of each of a second plurality of servo motor shafts, wherein the second plurality is a subset of the first plurality, and wherein each mechanical control surface corresponding to each servo motor in the second plurality controls the vehicle with respect to a first axis;
- monitoring the angular positions of each of a third plurality of servo motor shafts, wherein the third plurality is a subset of the first plurality, and wherein each mechanical control surface corresponding to each servo motor in the third plurality controls the vehicle with respect to a second axis;
- determining whether each servo motor shaft in one of the second or third pluralities is not in substantially the same angular position;
- and upon determining that each servo motor shaft in one of the second or third pluralities is not in substantially the same angular position, signaling a fault.
2 more elements
A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
- for each of a first plurality of servo motors, applying a respective electrical signal operable to change an angular position of a corresponding servo motor shaft, the angular position of the servo motor shaft controlling a position of a unique one of a corresponding first plurality of mechanical control surfaces;
- for each of a second plurality of servo motors, applying a respective electrical signal operable to change an angular position of a corresponding servo motor shaft, the angular position of the servo motor shaft controlling a position of a unique one of a corresponding second plurality of mechanical control surfaces;
- determining whether the signals applied to the first plurality of servo motors are asserted at substantially the same time, and upon determining that the electrical signals applied to the first plurality of servo motors are asserted at substantially the same time, generating an interrupt in the second microcontroller;
- determining whether the signals applied to the second plurality of servo motors are asserted at substantially the same time, and upon determining that the signals applied to the second plurality of servo motors are asserted at substantially the same time, generating an interrupt in the first microcontroller.
1 more element
An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of mechanical control surfaces;
- and
- a servo controller comprising:
- a first microcontroller for controlling a first plurality of servo motors, each servo motor having a shaft, wherein an angular position of the shaft corresponds to a position of a unique one of a first subset of the plurality of mechanical control surfaces, and wherein each mechanical control surface of the first subset controls the vehicle with respect to a different respective axis;
- a second microcontroller for controlling a second plurality of servo motors, each servo motor having a shaft, wherein an angular position of the shaft corresponds to a position of a unique one of a second subset of the plurality of mechanical control surfaces, and wherein each mechanical control surface of the second subset controls the vehicle with respect to a different respective axis.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.