US 2026/0091867 A1 · Vehicle Control Router

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for a vehicle control and interface system configured to facilitate control of different vehicles through universal mechanisms. The vehicle control and interface system can be integrated with different types of vehicles (e.g., rotorcraft, fixed-wing aircraft, motor vehicles, watercraft, etc.) in order to facilitate operation of the different vehicles using universal vehicle control inputs. In particular, the vehicle control and interface system converts universal vehicle control inputs describing a requested trajectory of a vehicle received from one or more universal vehicle control interfaces into commands for specific actuators of the vehicle configured to adjust a current trajectory of the vehicle to the requested trajectory. In order to convert the universal vehicle control inputs to actuator commands the vehicle control and interface system processes the universal vehicle control inputs using a universal vehicle control router.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

receiving sensor signals generated by sensors of a rotorcraft that is flying;
determining, by an aircraft control router of the rotorcraft, an estimated rotorcraft state of the rotorcraft based on the sensor signals;
determining, by the aircraft control router, the rotorcraft is experiencing a vehicle operation event based on the estimated rotorcraft state of the rotorcraft;
responsive to determining the rotorcraft is experiencing the vehicle operation event, generating, by the aircraft control router, actuator commands configured to implement a phase of an autorotation maneuver of the rotorcraft, the actuator commands generated based on the estimated rotorcraft state of the rotorcraft;
and
transmit, by the aircraft control router, the actuator commands to corresponding actuators to implement the phase of the autorotation maneuver.

3 more elements

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions that, when executed by a set of one or more processors, cause the set of one or more processors to:

receive sensor signals generated by sensors of a rotorcraft that is flying;
determine, an estimated rotorcraft state of the rotorcraft based on the sensor signals;
determine the rotorcraft is experiencing a vehicle operation event based on the estimated rotorcraft state of the rotorcraft;
responsive to determining the rotorcraft is experiencing the vehicle operation event, generate actuator commands configured to implement a phase of an autorotation maneuver of the rotorcraft, the actuator commands generated based on the estimated rotorcraft state of the rotorcraft;
and
transmit the actuator commands to corresponding actuators to implement the phase of the autorotation maneuver.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

19/379,497Filed 4 Nov 2025

Priority

8 Jul 2020

Published

2 Apr 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

G05D 1/101
Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions: specially adapted for aircraft
B64C 13/02
Control systems or transmitting systems for actuating flying-control surfaces, lift-increasing flaps, air brakes, or spoilers: initiating means
B64C 27/56
Mechanisms for controlling blade adjustment or movement relative to rotor head, e.g. lag-lead movement: characterised by the control initiating…
B64D 31/02
Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft: initiating means

Family

Application63/049,553Us provisional application · filed 8 Jul 2020

Application63/049,567Us provisional application · filed 8 Jul 2020

Application63/059,491Us provisional application · filed 31 Jul 2020

Application17/370,415Continuation · filed 8 Jul 2021

Application18/523,216Continuation · filed 29 Nov 2023

Application19/379,497Continuation

US 11,874,674 B2Related patent

US 12,487,606 B2Related patent

US 2022/0011783 A1Published application

US 2024/0201693 A1Published application

US 2026/0091867 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Vehicle Control Router

Life of this patent

Vehicle Control Router

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20