Thrust allocation using optimization in a distributed flight control system
AssigneeKitty Hawk Corporation
InventorTim Allan Wheeler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Thrust values for motors in an aircraft are generated where each flight controller in a plurality of flight controllers generates a thrust value for each motor in a plurality of motors using an optimization problem with a single solution. Each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers passes one of the generated thrust values to a corresponding motor in the plurality of motors, where other generated thrust values for that flight controller terminate at that flight controller. The plurality of motors perform the passed thrust values.
Claims20
An aircraft, comprising:
- a plurality of flight controllers configured to:
- generate thrust values for a plurality of motors in the aircraft, wherein each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers is configured to generate a complete set of thrust values that includes a thrust value for each motor in the plurality of motors using an optimization problem with a single solution, wherein the optimization problem includes an axes weighting parameter that is set to a value associated with prioritizing roll and pitch control over yaw control;
- and
- from each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers, pass only one of the generated thrust values in that flight controller's complete set of thrust values to a corresponding motor in the plurality of motors, wherein other generated thrust values in that flight controller's complete set of thrust values that are not passed to the corresponding motor terminate at that flight controller;
- and
- the plurality of motors is configured to perform the passed thrust values.
A method, comprising:
- generating thrust values for a plurality of motors in an aircraft, wherein each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers is configured to generate a complete set of thrust values that includes a thrust value for each motor in the plurality of motors using an optimization problem with a single solution, wherein the optimization problem includes an axes weighting parameter that is set to a value associated with prioritizing roll and pitch control over yaw control;
- from each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers, passing only one of the generated thrust values in that flight controller's complete set of thrust values to a corresponding motor in the plurality of motors, wherein other generated thrust values in that flight controller's complete set of thrust values that are not passed to the corresponding motor terminate at that flight controller;
- and
- performing the passed thrust values using the plurality of motors.
A computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
- generating thrust values for a plurality of motors in the aircraft, wherein each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers is configured to generate a complete set of thrust values that includes a thrust value for each motor in the plurality of motors using an optimization problem with a single solution, wherein the optimization problem includes an axes weighting parameter that is set to a value associated with prioritizing roll and pitch control over yaw control;
- from each flight controller in the plurality of flight controllers, passing only one of the generated thrust values in that flight controller's complete set of thrust values to a corresponding motor in the plurality of motors, wherein other generated thrust values in that flight controller's complete set of thrust values that are not passed to the corresponding motor terminate at that flight controller;
- and
- performing the passed thrust values using the plurality of motors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.