Geometry-Based Flight Control Under Dynamic Actuator Effectiveness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flight control systems struggle to determine the optimal combination of actuators and their parameters in real-time, especially for aircraft with dynamic geometry, as they cannot pre-compute all possible combinations under varying conditions, leading to inefficiencies and potential saturation issues.

Innovation Solution

A geometry-based flight control system that receives inputs for desired forces and moments, computes an optimal mix of actuators and their parameters, considering dynamic aircraft geometry, using an optimization problem controller that accounts for real-time sensor data and inceptor information to provide actuator commands that achieve the desired flight trajectory efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If pre-computation of actuator combinations is performed offline using heuristics and engineering judgement, then the control system can handle complex aircraft configurations, but it cannot determine all possible combinations under all conditions in advance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle different aircraft configurationsVSAvoidreal-time control response capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary computation of geometry matrices and actuator effectiveness factors offline to prepare for real-time control. The geometry matrix containing actuator effectiveness factors is pre-computed based on aircraft configuration, allowing rapid online optimization without recalculating all combinations from scratch during flight control operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically updates the geometry matrix and re-solves the optimization problem in real-time based on current aircraft state, sensor inputs, and inceptor commands. This allows the control system to adapt to changing flight conditions, dynamic geometry configurations, and saturation issues while maintaining optimal actuator command generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the aircraft has more actuators than degrees of freedom (over-actuated system), then more control authority and redundancy are available, but determining the optimal combination of actuators becomes computationally complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol authority and redundancyVSAvoidactuator combination determination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the mathematical formulation by introducing a geometry matrix that parameterizes actuator effectiveness factors. This transforms the complex combinatorial optimization problem into a structured matrix optimization problem that can be efficiently solved using quadratic programming, reducing computational complexity while maintaining full utilization of available actuators.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through the geometry matrix that continuously reflects current aircraft state, actuator positions, and saturation conditions. The optimization solver uses this feedback to dynamically adjust actuator commands, ensuring optimal distribution of control authority across all actuators while respecting physical constraints and avoiding saturation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Use of energy by moving object

If real-time optimization of actuator commands is performed, then the aircraft can utilize its full capabilities and optimize power consumption, but the computational load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumption optimizationVSAvoidcomputational processing power required

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary computation of the geometry matrix offline or at lower computational cost, pre-calculating actuator effectiveness factors based on aircraft configuration. This reduces the real-time computational burden to solving a structured quadratic programming problem with pre-computed parameters, enabling power optimization without excessive processing demands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex mechanical control logic with mathematical optimization algorithms. By substituting heuristic control rules with quadratic programming optimization, the system achieves more efficient power consumption management through mathematically optimal actuator distribution, while the computational load is managed through the structured nature of the optimization problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12084168B2Geometry-based flight control system

Publication Date: 2024.09.10 KITTY HAWK CORP

AI summary

A geometry-based flight control system is disclosed. In various embodiments, a set of inceptor inputs associated with a requested set of forces and moments to be applied to the aircraft is received. An optimal mix of actuators and associated actuator parameters to achieve to an extent practical the requested forces and moments is computed, including by taking into consideration dynamically varying effectiveness of one or more actuators based on a current dynamic state of the aircraft. An output comprising for each actuator in the optimal mix a corresponding set of one or more control signals associated with the set of actuator parameters computed for that actuator is provided.