# US 9,437,056 B2 · Methods and apparatus for operating flight control systems of aircrafts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,056 B2 - Document ID: US9437056B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/511,036 - Filed: 2014-10-09 - Published: 2016-04-14 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-09 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Neal V. Huynh; Robert S. Eick; Thomas G. Heineman; Michael D. Bills; Patrick M. Fahey; John C. Nicholas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437056B2 ## CPC - G07C 5/0808: {Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005)} - B64C 13/16: actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors - B64D 45/00: Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for - B64D 2045/001: {for indicating symmetry of flaps deflection} - B64D 2045/0085: {Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration} - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for operating flight control systems of aircrafts are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a flight control system including a first sensor and a second sensor. The example apparatus also includes a processor to, based on data from the first and second sensors, determine first and second input values and, based the input values, determine an approximate location of a jam in the flight control system of an aircraft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: determining first and second values; based on the values, determining a location of a jam in a flight control system of an aircraft, the location of the jam is determined based on a first summation of the first and second values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flight control system comprises an elevator control system, a lateral control system, or a directional control system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second values comprise first and second input force values associated with control columns of the flight control system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flight control system comprises a mechanical control system or a fly-by-wire control system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the jam comprises determining if the first summation is approximately equal to or above a predetermined value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the jam comprises an aft jam if the first summation is approximately equal to or above a predetermined value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the jam comprises a forward jam if the first summation is approximately less than a predetermined value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein based on the jam being the forward jam, enabling a forward jam override device to mitigate the jam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the jam comprises an elevator jam. ### Claim 10 A method, comprising: determining first and second values; based on the values, determining a location of a jam in a flight control system of an aircraft, the jam comprises an elevator jam, and based on the elevator jam being an aft jam, determining a direct lift control command to mitigate the elevator jam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising, based on the direct lift control command, commanding wing spoilers of the aircraft to mitigate the elevator jam. ### Claim 12 An apparatus, comprising: an elevator control system comprising a first sensor and a second sensor; and a processor to: based on data from the first and second sensors, determine first and second input force values; based on a first summation of the first and second input force values, determine an approximate location of an elevator jam in an elevator control system of an aircraft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is to identify the elevator jam as being an aft jam if the first summation is approximately equal to or above a predetermined value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein when the processor identifies the elevator jam as being an aft jam, the processor is to determine a direct lift control command to mitigate the elevator jam. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein, based on the direct lift control command determined, the processor is to command the wing spoilers of the aircraft to mitigate the elevator jam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is to identify the elevator jam as being a forward jam if the first summation is approximately less than a predetermined value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein when the processor identifies the elevator jam as being a forward jam, the processor is to enable a forward jam override device to mitigate the elevator jam.