FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of computerized vehicle control and navigation. In particular, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle.
BACKGROUND
Air travel and conveyance today has remained largely unchanged since the mid-twentieth century. A time traveler from the 1960s would find herself baffled by the changes to modern life brought on by technological advances. However, if she chooses air travel in the 2020s, she will find relatively few differences between the airplanes of today and those of her time. This is because the most recent significant change to air travel occurred 1957 with the widespread use of the jet engine for commercial travel and the Boeing 707. While the technology of commercial flight has remained largely unchanged, new technologies have allowed unmanned aircraft to take off with reduced cost and increased functionality. Quadcopters and vertical take-off “drones” have gained in popularity for unmanned flight. But as of today, no means of personal conveyance through an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is available to the air traveling public. While promising, the methods of flight embodied by drones presently fail to attain flight safety standards, which the public has come to expect This is at least in part due to the lack of effective and cost-effective safety monitoring systems.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In an aspect a system for monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle includes at least a flight component, a first sensor, a computing device, and a pilot display. The first sensor is configured to sense a first characteristic associated with the at least a flight component and transmit the first characteristic. The computing device is communicative with the first sensor, and is configured to: receive the first characteristic, analyze the first characteristic, and determine a condition of the at least a flight component as a function of the first characteristic. The pilot display is communicative with the first sensor and the computing device and is configured to: receive the first characteristic and the condition of the at least a flight component and display the first characteristic and the condition of the at least a flight component.
In another aspect a method of monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle includes: sensing, using a first sensor, a first characteristic associated with at least a flight component, transmitting, using the first sensor, the first characteristic, receiving, using a computing device, the first characteristic, analyzing, using the computing device, the first characteristic, determining, using the computing device, a condition of the at least a flight component as a function of the first characteristic, receiving, using a pilot display, the first characteristic and the condition of the at least a flight component, and displaying, using the pilot display, the first characteristic and the condition of the at least a flight component.
These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary embodiment of an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary flight controller;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary machine-learning process;
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method of monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle; and
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used to implement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and any one or more portions thereof.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
At a high level, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for monitoring heath of an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. In an embodiment, a characteristic of at least a flight component is sensed; this characteristic is then displayed to a pilot. In this disclosure, “health” of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is an indication of a characteristic or condition of at least a flight component. In some embodiments, a characteristic of at least a flight component may be analyzed by a computing device and used to make a determination about a condition of the at least a flight component.
Aspects of the present disclosure may be used to sense characteristics associated with condition of flight components, monitor condition of flight components, display a representation of the condition of the flight components to pilot, and log the characteristics and conditions to a memory components. Aspects of the present disclosure may also be used to predict future performance of flight components. This is so, at least in part, because sensed characteristic of at least a flight component may be indicative of a future change in performance.
Aspects of the present disclosure allow for monitoring of one or more flight components of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle which may be needed to function during flight. Exemplary embodiments illustrating aspects of the present disclosure are described below in the context of several specific examples.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of an aircraft 100 is illustrated. System 100 may include an electrically powered aircraft. In some embodiments, electrically powered aircraft may be an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Electric aircraft may be capable of rotor-based cruising flight, rotor-based takeoff, rotor-based landing, fixed-wing cruising flight, airplane-style takeoff, airplane-style landing, and/or any combination thereof “Rotor-based flight,” as described in this disclosure, is where the aircraft generated lift and propulsion by way of one or more powered rotors coupled with an engine, such as a quadcopter, multi-rotor helicopter, or other vehicle that maintains its lift primarily using downward thrusting propulsors. “Fixed-wing flight,” as described in this disclosure, is where the aircraft is capable of flight using wings and/or foils that generate lift caused by the aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings and/or foils, such as airplane-style flight.
Still referring to FIG. 1, aircraft 100 may include a fuselage 104. As used in this disclosure a “fuselage” is the main body of an aircraft, or in other words, the entirety of the aircraft except for the cockpit, nose, wings, empennage, nacelles, any and all control surfaces, and generally contains an aircraft's payload. Fuselage 104 may comprise structural elements that physically support the shape and structure of an aircraft. Structural elements may take a plurality of forms, alone or in combination with other types. Structural elements may vary depending on the construction type of aircraft and specifically, the fuselage. Fuselage 104 may comprise a truss structure. A truss structure may be used with a lightweight aircraft and may include welded aluminum tube trusses. A truss, as used herein, is an assembly of beams that create a rigid structure, often in combinations of triangles to create three-dimensional shapes. A truss structure may alternatively comprise titanium construction in place of aluminum tubes, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, structural elements may comprise aluminum tubes and/or titanium beams. In an embodiment, and without limitation, structural elements may include an aircraft skin. Aircraft skin may be layered over the body shape constructed by trusses. Aircraft skin may comprise a plurality of materials such as aluminum, fiberglass, and/or carbon fiber, the latter of which will be addressed in greater detail later in this paper.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in embodiments, aircraft fuselage 104 may comprise geodesic construction. Geodesic structural elements may include stringers wound about formers (which may be alternatively called station frames) in opposing spiral directions. A “stringer,” as used herein, is a general structural element that comprises a long, thin, and rigid strip of metal that is mechanically coupled to and spans a distance from, station frame to station frame to create an internal skeleton on which to mechanically couple aircraft skin. A former (or station frame) can include a rigid structural element that may be disposed along the length of the interior of aircraft fuselage 104 orthogonal to the longitudinal (nose to tail) axis of the aircraft and may form a general shape of fuselage 104. A former may include differing cross-sectional shapes at differing locations along fuselage 104, as the former is a structural element that informs an overall shape of a fuselage 104 curvature. In embodiments, aircraft skin can be anchored to formers and strings such that an outer mold line of volume encapsulated by the formers and stringers may have substantially the same shape as aircraft 100 when installed. In other words, former(s) may form a fuselage's ribs, and stringers may form the interstitials between said ribs. Spiral orientation of stringers about formers may provide uniform robustness at any point on an aircraft fuselage, such that if a portion sustains damage, another portion may remain largely unaffected. Aircraft skin may be mechanically coupled to underlying stringers and formers and may interact with a fluid, such as air, to generate lift and perform maneuvers.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1, fuselage 104 may be formed by way of a monocoque construction. Monocoque construction may include a primary structure that forms a shell (or skin in an aircraft's case) and supports physical loads. As used in this disclosure, “monocoque fuselages” are fuselages in which aircraft skin or shell is also a primary structure. In monocoque construction aircraft skin may support tensile and compressive loads within itself and true monocoque aircraft may be further characterized by an absence of internal structural elements. Aircraft skin in this construction method is rigid and can sustain its shape with no structural assistance form underlying skeleton-like elements. Monocoque fuselage may include aircraft skin made from plywood layered in varying grain directions, epoxy-impregnated fiberglass, carbon fiber, or any combination thereof.
Still referring to FIG. 1, according to embodiments, fuselage 104 may include a semi-monocoque construction. “Semi-monocoque construction,” as used herein, is a partial monocoque construction, wherein a monocoque construction is describe above detail. In semi-monocoque construction, aircraft fuselage 104 may derive some structural support from stressed aircraft skin and some structural support from underlying frame structure made of structural elements. Formers or station frames may be seen running transverse to the long axis of fuselage 104 with circular cutouts which are generally used in real-world manufacturing for weight savings and for the routing of electrical harnesses and other modern on-board systems. In a semi-monocoque construction, stringers may be thin, long strips of material that run parallel to fuselage's long axis. Stringers may be mechanically coupled to formers permanently, such as with rivets. Aircraft skin may be mechanically coupled to stringers and formers permanently, such as by rivets as well. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are numerous methods for mechanical fastening of the aforementioned components like screws, nails, dowels, pins, anchors, adhesives like glue or epoxy, or bolts and nuts, to name a few. A subset of fuselage under the umbrella of semi-monocoque construction may be unibody vehicles. Unibody, which is short for “unitized body” or alternatively “unitary construction”, vehicles may be characterized by a construction in which body, floor plan, and chassis form a single structure. With aircraft, a unibody may include internal structural elements like formers and stringers constructed in one piece, integral to aircraft skin as well as any floor construction, such as without limitation a deck.
Still referring to FIG. 1, stringers and formers may account for a bulk of any aircraft structure, excluding monocoque construction which can be arranged in a plurality of orientations depending on aircraft operation and materials. Stringers may be arranged to carry axial (tensile or compressive), shear, bending or torsion forces throughout their overall structure. Due to their coupling to aircraft skin, aerodynamic forces exerted on aircraft skin may be transferred to stringers. The location of said stringers may inform a type of forces and loads applied to each and every stringer, all of which may be handled by material selection, cross-sectional area, and mechanical coupling methods of each member. Similar assessment may be made for formers. In general, formers may be significantly larger in cross-sectional area and thickness, depending on location, than stringers. Both stringers and formers may comprise aluminum, aluminum alloys, graphite epoxy composite, steel alloys, titanium, or an undisclosed material alone or in combination.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1, stressed skin, when used in semi-monocoque construction, bears partial, yet significant, load. In other words, internal structure, whether it be a frame of welded tubes, formers and stringers, or some combination, may not be sufficiently strong enough by design to bear all loads. Stressed skin may be structural in monocoque and semi-monocoque construction methods of fuselage 104. As described above, monocoque construction may rely entirely on structural skin, and in that sense, aircraft skin may undergo stress by applied aerodynamic fluids imparted by the fluid. Stress as used in continuum mechanics may be described in pound-force per square inch (lbf/in2) or Pascals (Pa). In semi-monocoque construction stressed skin may bear part of aerodynamic load and additionally imparts force on an underlying structure of stringers and formers.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, fuselage 104 may be configurable based on needs of an eVTOL per specific mission or objective. General arrangement of components, structural elements, and hardware associated with storing and/or moving a payload may be added or removed from fuselage 104 as needed, whether it is stowed manually, automatedly, or removed by personnel altogether. Fuselage 104 may be configurable for a plurality of storage options. Bulkheads and dividers may be installed and uninstalled as needed, as well as longitudinal dividers where necessary. Bulkheads and dividers may be installed using integrated slots and hooks, tabs, boss and channel, or hardware like bolts, nuts, screws, nails, clips, pins, and/or dowels, to name a few. Fuselage 104 may also be configurable to accept certain specific cargo containers, or a receptable that can, in turn, accept certain cargo containers.
Still referring to FIG. 1, aircraft 100 includes a plurality of flight components 108. Flight component may include a component that promotes flight of an aircraft. In an embodiment, flight component 108 may be mechanically coupled to an aircraft. As used herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand “mechanically coupled” to mean that at least a portion of a device, component, or circuit is connected to at least a portion of the aircraft via a mechanical coupling. Said mechanical coupling can include, for example, rigid coupling, such as beam coupling, bellows coupling, bushed pin coupling, constant velocity, split-muff coupling, diaphragm coupling, disc coupling, donut coupling, elastic coupling, flexible coupling, fluid coupling, gear coupling, grid coupling, Hirth joints, hydrodynamic coupling, jaw coupling, magnetic coupling, Oldham coupling, sleeve coupling, tapered shaft lock, twin spring coupling, rag joint coupling, universal joints, screws, bolts, rivets, adhesives, welding, brazing, interference fit joints, enclosure, or any combination thereof. As used in this disclosure an “aircraft” is vehicle that may fly. As a non-limiting example, aircraft may include airplanes, helicopters, airships, blimps, gliders, paramotors, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, mechanical coupling may be used to connect the ends of adjacent parts and/or objects of an electric aircraft. Further, in an embodiment, mechanical coupling may be used to join two pieces of rotating electric aircraft components.
With continued reference to FIG. 1, a plurality of flight components 108 may be configured to produce a torque. As used in this disclosure a “torque” is a measure of force that causes an object to rotate about an axis in a direction. For example, and without limitation, torque may rotate an aileron and/or rudder to generate a force that may adjust and/or affect altitude, airspeed velocity, groundspeed velocity, direction during flight, and/or thrust. For example, plurality of flight components 108 may include a component used to produce a torque that affects aircrafts' roll and pitch, such as without limitation one or more ailerons. An “aileron,” as used in this disclosure, is a hinged surface which form part of the trailing edge of a wing in a fixed wing aircraft, and which may be moved via mechanical means such as without limitation servomotors, mechanical linkages, or the like. As a further example, plurality of flight components 108 may include a rudder, which may include, without limitation, a segmented rudder that produces a torque about a vertical axis. Additionally or alternatively, plurality of flight components 108 may include other flight control surfaces such as propulsors, rotating flight controls, or any other structural features which can adjust movement of aircraft 100. Plurality of flight components 108 may include one or more rotors, turbines, ducted fans, paddle wheels, and/or other components configured to propel a vehicle through a fluid medium including, but not limited to air.
Still referring to FIG. 1, plurality of flight components 108 may include at least a propulsor component. As used in this disclosure a “propulsor component” is a component and/or device used to propel a craft by exerting force on a fluid medium, which may include a gaseous medium such as air or a liquid medium such as water. In an embodiment, when a propulsor twists and pulls air behind it, it may, at the same time, push an aircraft forward with an amount of force and/or thrust. More air pulled behind an aircraft results in greater thrust with which the aircraft is pushed forward. Propulsor component may include any device or component that consumes electrical power on demand to propel an electric aircraft in a direction or other vehicle while on ground or in-flight. In an embodiment, propulsor component may include a puller component. As used in this disclosure a “puller component” is a component that pulls and/or tows an aircraft through a medium. As a non-limiting example, puller component may include a flight component such as a puller propeller, a puller motor, a puller propulsor, and the like. Additionally, or alternatively, puller component may include a plurality of puller flight components. In another embodiment, propulsor component may include a pusher component. As used in this disclosure a “pusher component” is a component that pushes and/or thrusts an aircraft through a medium. As a non-limiting example, pusher component may include a pusher component such as a pusher propeller, a pusher motor, a pusher propulsor, and the like. Additionally, or alternatively, pusher flight component may include a plurality of pusher flight components.
In another embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1, propulsor may include a propeller, a blade, or any combination of the two. A propeller may function to convert rotary motion from an engine or other power source into a swirling slipstream which may push the propeller forwards or backwards. Propulsor may include a rotating power-driven hub, to which several radial airfoil-section blades may be attached, such that an entire whole assembly rotates about a longitudinal axis. As a non-limiting example, blade pitch of propellers may be fixed at a fixed angle, manually variable to a few set positions, automatically variable (e.g. a “constant-speed” type), and/or any combination thereof as described further in this disclosure. As used in this disclosure a “fixed angle” is an angle that is secured and/or substantially unmovable from an attachment point. For example, and without limitation, a fixed angle may be an angle of 2.2° inward and/or 1.7° forward. As a further non-limiting example, a fixed angle may be an angle of 3.6° outward and/or 2.7° backward. In an embodiment, propellers for an aircraft may be designed to be fixed to their hub at an angle similar to the thread on a screw makes an angle to the shaft; this angle may be referred to as a pitch or pitch angle which may determine a speed of forward movement as the blade rotates. Additionally or alternatively, propulsor component may be configured having a variable pitch angle. As used in this disclosure a “variable pitch angle” is an angle that may be moved and/or rotated. For example, and without limitation, propulsor component may be angled at a first angle of 3.3° inward, wherein propulsor component may be rotated and/or shifted to a second angle of 1.7° outward.
Still referring to FIG. 1, propulsor may include a thrust element which may be integrated into the propulsor. Thrust element may include, without limitation, a device using moving or rotating foils, such as one or more rotors, an airscrew or propeller, a set of airscrews or propellers such as contra-rotating propellers, a moving or flapping wing, or the like. Further, a thrust element, for example, can include without limitation a marine propeller or screw, an impeller, a turbine, a pump-jet, a paddle or paddle-based device, or the like.
With continued reference to FIG. 1, plurality of flight components 108 may include power sources, control links to one or more elements, fuses, and/or mechanical couplings used to drive and/or control any other flight component. Plurality of flight components 108 may include a motor that operates to move one or more flight control components, to drive one or more propulsors, or the like. A motor may be driven by direct current (DC) electric power and may include, without limitation, brushless DC electric motors, switched reluctance motors, induction motors, or any combination thereof. A motor may also include electronic speed controllers, inverters, or other components for regulating motor speed, rotation direction, and/or dynamic braking.
Still referring to FIG. 1, plurality of flight components 108 may include an energy source. An energy source may include, for example, a generator, a photovoltaic device, a fuel cell such as a hydrogen fuel cell, direct methanol fuel cell, and/or solid oxide fuel cell, an electric energy storage device (e.g. a capacitor, an inductor, and/or a battery). An energy source may also include a battery cell, or a plurality of battery cells connected in series into a module and each module connected in series or in parallel with other modules. Configuration of an energy source containing connected modules may be designed to meet an energy or power requirement and may be designed to fit within a designated footprint in an electric aircraft in which system may be incorporated.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1, an energy source may be used to provide a steady supply of electrical power to a load over a flight by an electric aircraft 100. For example, energy source may be capable of providing sufficient power for “cruising” and other relatively low-energy phases of flight. An energy source may also be capable of providing electrical power for some higher-power phases of flight as well, particularly when the energy source is at a high SOC, as may be the case for instance during takeoff In an embodiment, energy source may include an emergency power unit which may be capable of providing sufficient electrical power for auxiliary loads including without limitation, lighting, navigation, communications, de-icing, steering or other systems requiring power or energy. Further, energy source may be capable of providing sufficient power for controlled descent and landing protocols, including, without limitation, hovering descent or runway landing. As used herein the energy source may have high power density where electrical power an energy source can usefully produce per unit of volume and/or mass is relatively high. As used in this disclosure, “electrical power” is a rate of electrical energy per unit time. An energy source may include a device for which power that may be produced per unit of volume and/or mass has been optimized, for instance at an expense of maximal total specific energy density or power capacity. Non-limiting examples of items that may be used as at least an energy source include batteries used for starting applications including Li ion batteries which may include NCA, NMC, Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO) batteries, which may be mixed with another cathode chemistry to provide more specific power if the application requires Li metal batteries, which have a lithium metal anode that provides high power on demand, Li ion batteries that have a silicon or titanite anode, energy source may be used, in an embodiment, to provide electrical power to an electric aircraft or drone, such as an electric aircraft vehicle, during moments requiring high rates of power output, including without limitation takeoff, landing, thermal de-icing and situations requiring greater power output for reasons of stability, such as high turbulence situations, as described in further detail below. A battery may include, without limitation a battery using nickel based chemistries such as nickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride, a battery using lithium ion battery chemistries such as a nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA), nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), and/or lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a battery using lithium polymer technology, lead-based batteries such as without limitation lead acid batteries, metal-air batteries, or any other suitable battery. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various devices of components that may be used as an energy source.
Still referring to FIG. 1, an energy source may include a plurality of energy sources, referred to herein as a module of energy sources. Module may include batteries connected in parallel or in series or a plurality of modules connected either in series or in parallel designed to satisfy both power and energy requirements. Connecting batteries in series may increase a potential of at least an energy source which may provide more power on demand. High potential batteries may require cell matching when high peak load is needed. As more cells are connected in strings, there may exist a possibility of one cell failing which may increase resistance in module and reduce overall power output as voltage of the module may decrease as a result of that failing cell. Connecting batteries in parallel may increase total current capacity by decreasing total resistance, and it also may increase overall amp-hour capacity. Overall energy and power outputs of at least an energy source may be based on individual battery cell performance or an extrapolation based on a measurement of at least an electrical parameter. In an embodiment where energy source includes a plurality of battery cells, overall power output capacity may be dependent on electrical parameters of each individual cell. If one cell experiences high self-discharge during demand, power drawn from at least an energy source may be decreased to avoid damage to a weakest cell. Energy source may further include, without limitation, wiring, conduit, housing, cooling system and battery management system. Persons skilled in the art will be aware, after reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, of many different components of an energy source. Exemplary energy sources are disclosed in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/948,157 and Ser. No. 16/048,140 both entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH ENERGY DENSITY BATTERY MODULE” by S. Donovan et al., which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
Still referring to FIG. 1, according to some embodiments, an energy source may include an emergency power unit (EPU) (i.e., auxiliary power unit). As used in this disclosure an “emergency power unit” is an energy source as described herein that is configured to power an essential system for a critical function in an emergency, for instance without limitation when another energy source has failed, is depleted, or is otherwise unavailable. Exemplary non-limiting essential systems include navigation systems, such as MFD, GPS, VOR receiver or directional gyro, and other essential flight components, such as propulsors.
Still referring to FIG. 1, another exemplary flight components may include landing gear. Landing gear may be used for take-off and/or landing/Landing gear may be used to contact ground while aircraft 100 is not in flight. Exemplary landing gear is disclosed in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/196,719 entitled “SYSTEM FOR ROLLING LANDING GEAR” by R. Griffin et al., which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
Still referring to FIG. 1, for example, and without limitation flight component may include a pilot control 112, including without limitation, a hover control, a thrust control, an inceptor stick, a cyclic, and/or a collective control. As used in this disclosure a “collective control” is a mechanical control of an aircraft that allows a pilot to adjust and/or control the pitch angle of the plurality of flight components 108. For example and without limitation, collective control may alter and/or adjust the pitch angle of all of the main rotor blades collectively. For example, and without limitation pilot control 112 may include a yoke control. As used in this disclosure a “yoke control” is a mechanical control of an aircraft to control the pitch and/or roll. For example and without limitation, yoke control may alter and/or adjust the roll angle of aircraft 100 as a function of controlling and/or maneuvering ailerons. In an embodiment, pilot control 112 may include one or more foot-brakes, control sticks, pedals, throttle levels, and the like thereof. In another embodiment, and without limitation, pilot control 112 may be configured to control a principal axis of the aircraft. As used in this disclosure a “principal axis” is an axis in a body representing one three dimensional orientations. For example, and without limitation, principal axis or more yaw, pitch, and/or roll axis. Principal axis may include a yaw axis. As used in this disclosure a “yaw axis” is an axis that is directed towards the bottom of the aircraft, perpendicular to the wings. For example, and without limitation, a positive yawing motion may include adjusting and/or shifting the nose of aircraft 100 to the right. Principal axis may include a pitch axis. As used in this disclosure a “pitch axis” is an axis that is directed towards the right laterally extending wing of the aircraft. For example, and without limitation, a positive pitching motion may include adjusting and/or shifting the nose of aircraft 100 upwards. Principal axis may include a roll axis. As used in this disclosure a “roll axis” is an axis that is directed longitudinally towards the nose of the aircraft, parallel to the fuselage. For example, and without limitation, a positive rolling motion may include lifting the left and lowering the right wing concurrently.
Still referring to FIG. 1, pilot control 112 may be configured to modify a variable pitch angle. For example, and without limitation, pilot control 112 may adjust one or more angles of attack of a propeller. As used in this disclosure an “angle of attack” is an angle between the chord of the propeller and the relative wind. For example, and without limitation angle of attack may include a propeller blade angled 3.2°. In an embodiment, pilot control 112 may modify the variable pitch angle from a first angle of 2.71° to a second angle of 3.82°. Additionally or alternatively, pilot control 112 may be configured to translate a pilot desired torque for flight component 108. For example, and without limitation, pilot control 112 may translate that a pilot's desired torque for a propeller be 160 lb. ft. of torque. As a further non-limiting example, pilot control 112 may introduce a pilot's desired torque for a propulsor to be 290 lb. ft. of torque. Additional disclosure related to pilot control 112 may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/001,845 and Ser. No. 16/929,206 both of which are entitled “A HOVER AND THRUST CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT” by C. Spiegel et al., which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
Still referring to FIG. 1, aircraft 100 may include a loading system. A loading system may include a system configured to load an aircraft of either cargo or personnel. For instance, some exemplary loading systems may include a swing nose, which is configured to swing the nose of aircraft 100 of the way thereby allowing direct access to a cargo bay located behind the nose. A notable exemplary swing nose aircraft is Boeing 747. Additional disclosure related to loading systems can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/137,594 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOADING AND SECURING PAYLOAD IN AN AIRCRAFT” by R. Griffin et al., entirety of which in incorporated herein by reference.
Still referring to FIG. 1, aircraft 100 includes a sensor 116. Sensor 116 is configured to sense a characteristic of a flight component. As used in this disclosure a “sensor” is a device, module, and/or subsystem, utilizing any hardware, software, and/or any combination thereof to sense a characteristic and/or changes thereof, in an instant environment, for instance without limitation a flight component which the sensor is proximal to or otherwise in a sensed communication with, and transmit information associated with the characteristic, for instance without limitation digitized data. Sensor 116 may be mechanically and/or communicatively coupled to aircraft 100, including, for instance, to at least a flight component 108. Sensor 116 may be configured to sense a characteristic associated with at least a flight component 108. For example and without limitation, a characteristic associated with at least a flight component 108 may include one or more conditions of energy source and/or motor. One or more conditions may include, without limitation, voltage levels, electromotive force, current levels, temperature, current speed of rotation, and the like. Sensor may further include detecting electrical parameters. Electrical parameters may include, without limitation, potential, current, and/or impedance of a flight component. Sensor 116 may include one or more environmental sensors, which may function to sense parameters of an environment surrounding aircraft 100. An environmental sensor may include without limitation one or more sensors used to detect ambient temperature, barometric pressure, and/or air velocity, one or more motion sensors which may include without limitation gyroscopes, accelerometers, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and/or magnetic sensors, one or more humidity sensors, one or more oxygen sensors, or the like. Additionally or alternatively, sensor 116 may include at least a geospatial sensor. Sensor 116 may be located inside an aircraft; and/or be included in and/or attached to at least a portion of the aircraft. Sensor may include one or more proximity sensors, displacement sensors, vibration sensors, and the like thereof. Sensor may be used to monitor the status of aircraft 100 for both critical and non-critical functions. Sensor may be incorporated into vehicle or aircraft or be remote.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, sensor 116 may be configured to sense a characteristic associated with any flight component 108 described in this disclosure. Non-limiting examples of a sensor 116 may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a pitot tube, an air speed sensor, a position sensor, a speed sensor, a switch, a thermometer, a strain gauge, an acoustic sensor, and an electrical sensor. In some cases, sensor 116 may sense a characteristic as an analog measurement, for instance, yielding a continuously variable electrical potential indicative of the sensed characteristic. In these cases, sensor 116 may additionally comprise an analog to digital converter (ADC) as well as any additionally circuitry, such as without limitation a Whetstone bridge, an amplifier, a filter, and the like. For instance, in some cases, sensor 116 may comprise a strain gage configured to determine loading of one or flight components, for instance landing gear. Strain gage may be included within a circuit comprising a Whetstone bridge, an amplified, and a bandpass filter to provide an analog strain measurement signal having a high signal to noise ratio, which characterizes strain on a landing gear member. An ADC may then digitize analog signal produces a digital signal that can then be transmitted other systems within aircraft 100, for instance without limitation a computing system, a pilot display, and a memory component. Alternatively or additionally, sensor 116 may sense a characteristic of a flight component 108 digitally. For instance in some embodiments, sensor 116 may sense a characteristic through a digital means or digitize a sensed signal natively. In some cases, for example, sensor 116 may include a rotational encoder and be configured to sense a rotational speed of a rotor; in this case, the rotational encoder digitally may sense rotational “clicks” by any known method, such as without limitation magnetically, optically, and the like.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in some cases, sensor 116 may be configured to sense a characteristic related to structural health of aircraft 100. For example sensor 116 may be located anywhere proximal fuselage and configured to sense at least a characteristic associated with structural health. Characteristics associated with structural health may include strain, vibrations, acoustic feedback, and the like. In some cases, sensor 116 may include a structural health monitoring (SHM) sensor. Sensor 116 may be mounted proximal an aircraft frame or fuselage. In some cases, a plurality of sensors 116 may be grouped together according to a zone; and a network zone of sensors may communicate a plurality of characteristics associated with a flight component. In some cases, sensor 116 may include a remote data concentrator unit (RDCU). an RDCU 116 may be configured to aggregate characteristics from at least a sensor (e.g., receive and store characteristics). RDCU 116 may extract high priority characteristics for transmission, in some embodiments. According to some embodiments, sensor 116 is configured to communicate wirelessly, for example through wireless transmission and reception of data. Sensor 116 may communicate wirelessly through any known or future wireless communication methods, such as without limitation IEEE 802.15.4, ZigBee protocol. An exemplary wireless sensor 116 that may be used in some embodiments may include SG Link-LSRS, PN:6308-3000 from LORD Microstrain of Cary, N.C. SG Link sensor modules are readily available with and without wireless communication for many sensor types, including strain gauges, load cells, pressure sensors, accelerometers, thermocouples, and the like. In some cases, sensor 116 may include an inertial gps sensor. An exemplary inertial GPS sensor may include MICRO-AHRS from LORD Microstrain. In some cases, sensor may include a vibration sensor. A vibration sensor may be configured to detect abnormal vibrations. In some cases, abnormal vibrations are difficult for human pilots to distinguish from normal vibration. Abnormal vibrations may be indicative of mechanical health issues, including without limitation rotor imbalance, mechanical failure, airflow disturbances over control surfaces, play and free movement of flight components and the like. In some cases, a piezoelectric accelerometer may be used as a vibration sensor. An exemplary piezoelectric accelerometer may be configured to detect acceleration, velocity and displacement. Piezoelectric accelerometers may be located throughout airframe and/or fuselage. Piezoelectric accelerometers may be configured to operate at different frequencies depending upon vibrational frequencies of interest. An exemplary piezoelectric accelerometer sensor range may include between about 1 KHz to about 10 MHz. SMART Layer SL-A from LORD Microstrain may comprise an exemplary dielectric film, comprising a plurality of a piezoelectric accelerometers that may be employed, according to some embodiments. According to some embodiments, vibration may be sensed using an acoustic sensor 116, for example a microphone. In some embodiments, an acoustic sensor may be located on a control surface or some other external surface of aircraft. In some cases, sensor 116 may comprise a smoke/fire detector that is configured to sense at least a characteristic believed to be a concomitant of smoke and/or fire.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, sensor 116 may be configured to store or log a sensed characteristic. Sensor 116 may continuously transmit sensed characteristic. Alternatively or additionally, sensor 116 may periodically or intermittently transmit characteristic. In some cases, non-continuous transmission of characteristic may reducing sensor power consumption, thereby contributing to increased efficiency of eVTOL aircraft. Non-continuous transmission of at least a characteristic may be performed at a predetermined sample rate. Alternatively or additionally, non-continuous transmission of at least a characteristic may be performed intermittently and/or according to at least a transmission parameter, for example priority level. An exemplary data aggregator may be Wireless Gateways from LORD Microstrain, WSDA-1000. A data aggregator may collect data from one or more sensors 116 and transmit aggregated data to a computing device.
Still referring to FIG. 1, according to some embodiments, sensor 116 may include an audio and/or visual sensor configured to sense at least a characteristic associated with pilot, for example pilot controls. In some cases, sensor 116 may include a pilot camera. Pilot camera may be configured to record cockpit video, which includes pilot, and pilot controls. Pilot camera may operate at a frame rate of at least 1 fps. Pilot camera may operate continuously for at least an hour and/or entire duration of flight. Pilot camera may operate pre- and post-flight. In some cases, sensor 116 may be configured to sense at least a characteristic associated with a health of a battery. Additional systems and methods related to battery monitoring is described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/108,798 and Ser. No. 17/111,002 entitled “PACK LEVEL BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM’ and “ELECTRICAL DISTROBUTION MONITORING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRICAL AIRCRAFT,” respectively; both of which are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.
Still referring to FIG. 1, according to some embodiments, sensor 116 may include any sensor described in this disclosure, for example above. Additionally or alternatively, sensor 116 may include any of an electro-optical sensor, an imager, a machine-vision system, a high-speed camera, a thermal imaging camera, a multispectral camera, a pressure sensor, and the like. In some cases, sensor 116 may be configured to sense a characteristic of an electric motor, such as without limitation as is on a propulsor. In some cases, sensor 116 may be configured to sense any motor characteristic including, without limitation, current, vibration, stray flux, light polarization changes resulting from external magnetic field according to Faraday principle, partial discharge, acoustics, temperature, and the like. In some cases, sensor may be configured to sense a characteristic associated with a motor at a substantially steady-state. For example, in some cases motor current signal analysis may be performed under state-state motor conditions. Alternatively, sensor 116 may be configured to sense a characteristic associated with motor in a transient operating condition. Non-limiting exemplary transient operating conditions include motor start-up, motor load variations, plugging stop, regenerative braking, dynamic braking, acceleration, deceleration, supply frequency changes, and the like. In some cases, sensor 116 may sense a motor characteristic which may be further analyzed, for example by way of one or more transforms. In some cases, motor characteristic may be analyzed using a time-frequency transform. Non-limiting time-frequency transforms may include any of discrete wavelet transform, undecimated discrete wavelength transform, wavelet packets, continuous wavelet transform, Hilbert-Huang transform, Wigner-Ville distribution, Choi-Williams distribution, and the like. In some cases, a discrete transform (e.g., discrete wavelet transform) may be advantageously utilized for continual monitoring of motor, because of reducing processing requirements of the discrete transform. Alternative or additionally, a continuous transform may be used for finer more accurate analysis. In some cases, a time-frequency transform may be used to analyze a motor current draw signal. Alternatively or additionally a time-frequency transform may be used to analyze a motor vibration signal, a stray flux signal, and/or an optical polarization signal. An exemplary embodiment is provided below in which transient analysis of motor current during startup is analyzed using time-frequency transform.
Still referring to FIG. 1, evolution of frequency over time during transient motor conditions may be indicative of motor health. In some cases, steady state motor conditions may be used. For example, lower sideband harmonics and/or upper sideband harmonics present under steady state conditions may be indicative of motor rotor damage. Alternatively or additionally, in some cases, it may be advantageous to sense and analyze motor characteristics during transient motor states. As an electric motor undergoes startup, frequency, as revealed through a time-frequency transform of motor current, evolves over time. Transient motor condition analysis may be used because generally fault harmonics, which fall at specific frequency values at steady-state (e.g., sidebands), change in frequency and time under transient operation. As an exemplary embodiment, Lower Sideband Harmonic (LSH), which may be associated with rotor damages, may be detected during motor startup. LSH frequency may be given as
f
LSH
=f*(1−2*s)
where fLSH is lower sideband harmonic frequency, f is supply frequency, and s is slip. Slip may be given as
where ns is synchronous speed, and n is motor speed. Under steady-state motor conditions, LSH frequency will remain substantially stable. However, under transient motor conditions LSH frequencies may change in a characteristic manner, in coherence with variation of the above parameters. For instance, during direct stating of an induction motor slip decreases from s=1 (when motor is connected) to near zero (when steady-state regime is reached) Consequently, frequency of LSH may evolve in a predictable manner during startup. For example, fLSH may be substantially equal to supply frequency at startup, drop to nearly zero, and then increase again to about equal to that the supply frequency. Frequency evolution for lower sideband harmonics may therefore exhibit a telltale V-pattern during startup, when time-frequency transform of motor current is plotted. Time-frequency transform analysis has been shown to be useful with a motor current signal, in some cases, time-frequency transform analysis may be used on other motor signals to determine motor health.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, a motor, for example a propulsor motor, may include an external coil 116 to sense stray flux. In some cases, external coil 116 may be oriented to sense radial flux and/or axial flux. Stray flux may be analyzed according to any method described in this disclosure, including through time-frequency transform. In some cases, a motor may include an optical sensor 116 for example to measure polarized light changes resulting from magnetic field (Faraday) changes and/or a laser vibrometer. In some cases, signals from optical sensor 116 may be analyzed by way of time-frequency transform. In some cases, an acoustic sensor 116 (e.g., microphone and/or vibrometer) may sense vibrations from a motor. Acoustic/vibrational signals may, in some cases, be analyzed by way of time-frequency transform.
Still referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, aircraft 100 may include a flight controller 120. In some cases, flight controller may be located within fuselage 104. Flight controller may include a computing device or a plurality of computing devices which may be dedicated to data storage, security, distribution of traffic for load balancing, and flight instruction. Flight controller 120 may include and/or communicate with any computing device as described in this disclosure, including without limitation a microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/or system on a chip (SoC) as described in this disclosure. Further, flight controller may include a single computing device operating independently, or may include two or more computing device operating in concert, in parallel, sequentially or the like; two or more computing devices may be included together in a single computing device or in two or more computing devices. In some embodiments, flight controller 120 may be installed in an aircraft, may control the aircraft remotely, and/or may include an element installed in the aircraft and a remote element in communication therewith. Flight controller 120 may include any flight controller described in this disclosure, for example in reference to FIG. 3.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of an exemplary system 200 for monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle having a flight component 204 is shown. In some cases, system 200 may be referred to as an integrated vehicle health management (IVHM) system. In general system 200 may be configured to detect and isolate faults, recommend maintenance, diagnose a current health, and/or determine a prognosis associated with at least a flight component or eVTOL aircraft. Flight component 204 may include any flight component described within this disclosure for instance in reference to FIG. 1. A first sensor 208 may be configured to sense a first characteristic of flight component 204. As used in this disclosure a “characteristic” is any sensed attribute, such as without limitation an attribute associated with a flight component or an immediate environment proximal or affecting a flight component. A characteristic may include a quantitative or qualitative attribute. A characteristic may include a continuous or discretely measurable attribute and may be sensed by any sensor, as described in this disclosure. First sensor 208 may include any sensor described in this disclosure for instance in reference to FG. 1; and first characteristic may include any characteristic associated with any flight component as described in this disclosure for instance in reference to FIG. 1. In some cases, flight component may include a flight data recorder. Flight data recorders may be used to store critical flight parameters. A flight data recorder may be crash protected, for example according to CS-25.1459. In some cases, flight data recorder may additionally include CNS/ATM digital data, cockpit video navigation and surveillance parameters, and the like. In some cases, first characteristic may be a controlled parameter which is controlled by one or more other systems of the aircraft 100; for instance in a non-limiting example, first characteristic may be rotational velocity of a rotor and the rotational velocity may be a parameter that is controlled by one or more controllers, such as a motor controller and/or a flight controller. Alternatively or additionally, in some cases, a characteristic may be an uncontrolled parameter or a measured variable. For instance, an uncontrolled parameter may include a parameter which is under direct or indirect control of a pilot or flight control system, but which is not under automatic feedback control, for instance without limitation some manual flight or aircraft controls. A measured variable may include any characteristic measurable, for instance with a sensor, but which is not typically controlled by any aircraft flight systems or a pilot, for instance without limitation measured strain or temperature present in a flight component. In some cases, first sensor 208 may perform one or more signal processing steps on sensed first characteristic. For instance, first sensor 208 may analyze, modify, and/or synthesize a signal representative of first characteristic in order to improve the signal, for instance by improving transmission, storage efficiency, or signal to noise ratio.
Continuing in reference to FIG. 2, Exemplary methods of signal processing include analog, continuous time, discrete, digital, nonlinear, and statistical. Analog signal processing may be performed on non-digitized or analog signals. Exemplary analog processes may include passive filters, active filters, additive mixers, integrators, delay lines, compandors, multipliers, voltage-controlled filters, voltage-controlled oscillators, and phase-locked loops. Continuous-time signal processing may be used, in some cases, to process signals which vary continuously within a domain, for instance time. Exemplary non-limiting continuous time processes may include time domain processing, frequency domain processing (Fourier transform), and complex frequency domain processing. Discrete time signal processing may be used when a signal is sampled non-continuously or at discrete time intervals (i.e., quantized in time). Analog discrete-time signal processing may process a signal using the following exemplary circuits sample and hold circuits, analog time-division multiplexers, analog delay lines and analog feedback shift registers. Digital signal processing may be used to process digitized discrete-time sampled signals. Commonly, digital signal processing may be performed by a computing device or other specialized digital circuits, such as without limitation an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or a specialized digital signal processor (DSP). Digital signal processing may be used to perform any combination of typical arithmetical operations, including fixed-point and floating-point, real-valued and complex-valued, multiplication and addition. Digital signal processing may additionally operate circular buffers and lookup tables. Further non-limiting examples of algorithms that may be performed according to digital signal processing techniques include fast Fourier transform (FFT), finite impulse response (FIR) filter, infinite impulse response (IIR) filter, and adaptive filters such as the Wiener and Kalman filters. Statistical signal processing may be used to process a signal as a random function (i.e., a stochastic process), utilizing statistical properties. For instance, in some embodiments, a signal may be modeled with a probability distribution indicating noise, which then may be used to reduce noise in a processed signal. Additionally exemplary signal processing methods may include without limitation use of physics and data driven models, transforms, sensor/feature fusion, filters, arithmetic/small model (arithmetic and logical), large logical constructs/reasoner (e.g., model-based diagnostic reasoners at management level), and the like.
Continuing in reference to FIG. 2, first sensor 208 may transmit first characteristic to any number of receiving components, which are communicative with the first sensor 208, including without limitation, a computing device 212, a pilot display 214, a flight controller 216, and a memory component 218. In some cases, first sensor 208 may transmit first characteristic by way of one or more communication systems and protocols, including without limitation serial, ethernet, control area network vehicle bus (CAN), FireWire, RS-232, SpaceWire, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and the like. In some embodiments, communication system may include integrated modular avionics (IMA) and/or avionics full-duplex switched ethernet (AFDX). In some embodiments, communication system may additionally and/or alternatively include electronic centralized aircraft monitor (ECAM) and/or engine indication and crew altering system (EICAS). In some cases, communication may include a common aviation data bus, as well as data from sensors used by other systems of aircraft 100.
Still referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, a computing device 212 is configured to receive a first characteristic from a first sensor 208. In some cases, computing device 212 receives first characteristic by way of digital communication. Alternatively or additionally, in some cases, computing device receives first characteristic by way of an analog signal and the computing device 212 converts the analog signal to digital, for instance according to digitization methods described above. In some cases, computing device 212 may analyze first characteristic. According to some embodiments, analyzing first characteristic may include any data analysis methods including, such as without limitation averaging, filtering, amplifying, comparing, computing a derived value, finding an extreme value, find range of values, characterize a distribution, find anomalous data, cluster, correlate, contextualize, or any data analysis or signal processing method described in this disclosure.
In some embodiments, computing device may be configured to determine a condition of a flight component 204. As used in this disclosure “condition” of a flight component is a quantifiable indication of the flight component, for instance an indication of the flight component's performance, anticipated future performance, utilization, efficiency, loading, strain, and the like. In some cases, condition of a flight component may be a relative measure for instance a proportion between 0 and 1, for instance current performance relative peak (or installed) performance. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, a condition of a flight component may be a prediction of an amount of time until a need to replace component may be expected, for instance number of flight hours before replacement. In some embodiments, condition may indicate a flight component is within or outside of a range, for instance without limitation a range of acceptable performance. In some cases, a condition may indicate that a flight component is experiencing abnormal operations. In some cases, a condition may indicate that operation of a flight component is out of control. “Out of control,” as used in this disclosure, in the case of a controlled parameter, refers to a system or state which is not behaving in a manner anticipated or expected by its control system or control algorithm; in the case of a non-controlled parameter or a measured variable, out of control refers to a system or state having measured signals (i.e., characteristics) which are not represented by an expected probability distribution function, for instance a circumstance where noise of a measured characteristic yields a statistical distribution, which is not normal (i.e., Gaussian). In some cases, computing device may be configured to transmit condition of flight component to any device it may be communicatively connected with, for instance a pilot display 214, a memory component 218, or a flight controller 216. In some cases, computing device may be configured to determine a condition of a flight component diagnostically and/or prognostically. As used in this disclosure, a condition is determined “diagnostically,” when the condition is determined to include an identification of a current state (i.e., diagnosis). As used in this disclosure, a condition is determined “prognostically,” when the condition is determined to include a predicted outcome (i.e., prognosis). In some cases, computing device determines a condition of at least a flight component using a diagnostic algorithm and/or a prognostic algorithm. In some cases, computing device is located within aircraft. Alternatively and additionally, in some cases, computing device may be located remotely from aircraft. Remote computing device may download at least a characteristic while aircraft is not in flight. Alternatively and or additionally, in some embodiments a remote computing device may communicate wirelessly with aircraft. Wireless communication with a remote computing device may be performed according to any known or future method of wireless communication, for example methods described in this disclosure. For example, in some cases, remote computing device may communicated with aircraft by way of radio or Li-Fi. Additional systems and methods related to assessment of condition of at least a flight component is described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/599,538 entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IN-FLIGHT OPERATIONAL ASSESMENT,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Still referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, pilot display 214 may be configured to receive a first characteristic from a first sensor 208. Pilot display may also be configured to receive a condition from computing device 212. In some embodiments, pilot display 214 may be configured to display one or more of first characteristic and condition. Pilot display 214 may include any display device useful for displaying information and/or imagery to a pilot. Pilot device 214 may include, without limitation, a graphical user interface (GUI), a multi-function display (MFD), a mobile device, a tablet, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a quantum-dot display, a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a head mounted display, a heads-up display, an electric ink display, and the like. In some cases, a characteristic or a condition of a flight component may be displayed by way of a diagrammatic representation, for instance a plot, a gauge, a chart, or the like. In some cases, a characteristic or a condition may be represented differently as a function of their respective values. For instance, should a condition of a flight component 204 be outside of a normal (or safe) range, pilot display 214 may display more prominently the condition, for example by increasing a prominence of the display of the condition by flashing, increasing the size of the condition display, and the like. In some cases, a visual and/or audio alarm may be employed to communicate to a pilot when a characteristic or condition is determined to be in a state, which warrants alarm.
Still referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, a flight controller 216 may be configured to receive one or more of a characteristic and a condition. Flight controller 216 may include any flight controller described throughout this disclosure, including for instance in reference to FIG. 1. In some cases, flight controller 216 may control one or more flight parameters as a function of a received characteristic or condition. For instance, in a circumstance where a motor is found to be over temperature flight controller 216 may automatically reduce the motor power, speed, and/or torque.
Still referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, a memory component 218 is configured to receive one or more of a characteristic and a condition. Memory component 218 may include any memory component described throughout this disclosure. For instance memory component 218 may include any non-transient memory configured to store information, for instance without limitation EPROM and EEPROM memory, write once read many (WORM) memory, memory utilizing floating gate metal-oxide semiconductor field effects transistors (MOFSETs), and the like. In some instances memory component 218 may additionally include a database configured to log (i.e., store) one or more of a characteristic associated with a flight component and a condition of the flight component. Database may be implemented, without limitation, as a relational database, a key-value retrieval database such as a NOSQL database, or any other format or structure for use as a database that a person skilled in the art would recognize as suitable upon review of the entirety of this disclosure. Database may alternatively or additionally be implemented using a distributed data storage protocol and/or data structure, such as a distributed hash table or the like. Database may include a plurality of data entries and/or records as described above. Data entries in a database may be flagged with or linked to one or more additional elements of information, which may be reflected in data entry cells and/or in linked tables such as tables related by one or more indices in a relational database. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various ways in which data entries in a database may store, retrieve, organize, and/or reflect data and/or records as used herein, as well as categories and/or populations of data consistently with this disclosure.
Still referring to FIG. 2, according to some embodiments, system 200 may additionally be configured with a second sensor 220. Second sensor 220 may include any sensor described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIG. 1. Second sensor 220 may be configured to sense a second characteristic of a flight component 204. Second sensor 220 may be configured to transmit second characteristic to any number of communicative systems, including aforementioned computing device 212, pilot display, flight controller 216, and/or memory component 218. In some cases, computing device 212 may be configured to receive second characteristic, analyze second characteristic, and determine condition of flight component as a function of second characteristic. For instance, computing device 212 may determine condition as a function of both first characteristic from first sensor 208 and second characteristic from second sensor 220. In some cases, computing device 212 may determine condition algorithmically using both first characteristic and second characteristic. In some embodiments, an unhealthy condition may be determined when at least one of first characteristic and second characteristic are found to be outside of a healthy range. In some cases, a condition may be determined by aggregating a first condition determined from first characteristic and a second condition determined from second characteristic. Aggregation may include any mathematical means of aggregation, including without limitation multiplication, averaging, addition, and the like. In some cases, determining a condition using both a first and a second characteristic may include statistical analysis methods. Statistical analysis methods may include any statistical analysis method described in this disclosure. In some cases, pilot display 214 may be additionally configured to receive second characteristic and display the second characteristic, for instance in addition to first characteristic and condition of flight component.
Now referring to FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment 300 of a flight controller 304 is illustrated. As used in this disclosure a “flight controller” is a computing device of a plurality of computing devices dedicated to data storage, security, distribution of traffic for load balancing, and flight instruction. Flight controller 304 may include and/or communicate with any computing device as described in this disclosure, including without limitation a microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/or system on a chip (SoC) as described in this disclosure. Further, flight controller 304 may include a single computing device operating independently, or may include two or more computing device operating in concert, in parallel, sequentially or the like; two or more computing devices may be included together in a single computing device or in two or more computing devices. In embodiments, flight controller 304 may be installed in an aircraft, may control the aircraft remotely, and/or may include an element installed in the aircraft and a remote element in communication therewith.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may include a signal transformation component 308. As used in this disclosure a “signal transformation component” is a component that transforms and/or converts a first signal to a second signal, wherein a signal may include one or more digital and/or analog signals. For example, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 may be configured to perform one or more operations such as preprocessing, lexical analysis, parsing, semantic analysis, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 may include one or more analog-to-digital convertors that transform a first signal of an analog signal to a second signal of a digital signal. For example, and without limitation, an analog-to-digital converter may convert an analog input signal to a 10-bit binary digital representation of that signal. In another embodiment, signal transformation component 308 may include transforming one or more low-level languages such as, but not limited to, machine languages and/or assembly languages. For example, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 may include transforming a binary language signal to an assembly language signal. In an embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 may include transforming one or more high-level languages and/or formal languages such as but not limited to alphabets, strings, and/or languages. For example, and without limitation, high-level languages may include one or more system languages, scripting languages, domain-specific languages, visual languages, esoteric languages, and the like thereof. As a further non-limiting example, high-level languages may include one or more algebraic formula languages, business data languages, string and list languages, object-oriented languages, and the like thereof
Still referring to FIG. 3, signal transformation component 308 may be configured to optimize an intermediate representation 312. As used in this disclosure an “intermediate representation” is a data structure and/or code that represents the input signal. Signal transformation component 308 may optimize intermediate representation as a function of a data-flow analysis, dependence analysis, alias analysis, pointer analysis, escape analysis, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 may optimize intermediate representation 312 as a function of one or more inline expansions, dead code eliminations, constant propagation, loop transformations, and/or automatic parallelization functions. In another embodiment, signal transformation component 308 may optimize intermediate representation as a function of a machine dependent optimization such as a peephole optimization, wherein a peephole optimization may rewrite short sequences of code into more efficient sequences of code. Signal transformation component 308 may optimize intermediate representation to generate an output language, wherein an “output language,” as used herein, is the native machine language of flight controller 304. For example, and without limitation, native machine language may include one or more binary and/or numerical languages.
In an embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 may include transform one or more inputs and outputs as a function of an error correction code. An error correction code, also known as error correcting code (ECC), is an encoding of a message or lot of data using redundant information, permitting recovery of corrupted data. An ECC may include a block code, in which information is encoded on fixed-size packets and/or blocks of data elements such as symbols of predetermined size, bits, or the like. Reed-Solomon coding, in which message symbols within a symbol set having q symbols are encoded as coefficients of a polynomial of degree less than or equal to a natural number k, over a finite field F with q elements; strings so encoded have a minimum hamming distance of k+1, and permit correction of (q-k−1)/2 erroneous symbols. Block code may alternatively or additionally be implemented using Golay coding, also known as binary Golay coding, Bose-Chaudhuri, Hocquenghuem (BCH) coding, multidimensional parity-check coding, and/or Hamming codes. An ECC may alternatively or additionally be based on a convolutional code.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may include a reconfigurable hardware platform 316. A “reconfigurable hardware platform,” as used herein, is a component and/or unit of hardware that may be reprogrammed, such that, for instance, a data path between elements such as logic gates or other digital circuit elements may be modified to change an algorithm, state, logical sequence, or the like of the component and/or unit. This may be accomplished with such flexible high-speed computing fabrics as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), which may include a grid of interconnected logic gates, connections between which may be severed and/or restored to program in modified logic. Reconfigurable hardware platform 316 may be reconfigured to enact any algorithm and/or algorithm selection process received from another computing device and/or created using machine-learning processes.
Still referring to FIG. 3, reconfigurable hardware platform 316 may include a logic component 320. As used in this disclosure a “logic component” is a component that executes instructions on output language. For example, and without limitation, logic component may perform basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, input/output operations, and the like thereof. Logic component 320 may include any suitable processor, such as without limitation a component incorporating logical circuitry for performing arithmetic and logical operations, such as an arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), which may be regulated with a state machine and directed by operational inputs from memory and/or sensors; logic component 320 may be organized according to Von Neumann and/or Harvard architecture as a non-limiting example. Logic component 320 may include, incorporate, and/or be incorporated in, without limitation, a microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), Graphical Processing Unit (GPU), general purpose GPU, Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), analog or mixed signal processor, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a floating point unit (FPU), and/or system on a chip (SoC). In an embodiment, logic component 320 may include one or more integrated circuit microprocessors, which may contain one or more central processing units, central processors, and/or main processors, on a single metal-oxide-semiconductor chip. Logic component 320 may be configured to execute a sequence of stored instructions to be performed on the output language and/or intermediate representation 312. Logic component 320 may be configured to fetch and/or retrieve the instruction from a memory cache, wherein a “memory cache,” as used in this disclosure, is a stored instruction set on flight controller 304. Logic component 320 may be configured to decode the instruction retrieved from the memory cache to opcodes and/or operands. Logic component 320 may be configured to execute the instruction on intermediate representation 312 and/or output language. For example, and without limitation, logic component 320 may be configured to execute an addition operation on intermediate representation 312 and/or output language.
In an embodiment, and without limitation, logic component 320 may be configured to calculate a flight element 324. As used in this disclosure a “flight element” is an element of datum denoting a relative status of aircraft 300. For example, and without limitation, flight element 324 may denote one or more torques, thrusts, airspeed velocities, forces, altitudes, groundspeed velocities, directions during flight, directions facing, forces, orientations, and the like thereof. For example, and without limitation, flight element 324 may denote that aircraft 300 is cruising at an altitude and/or with a sufficient magnitude of forward thrust. As a further non-limiting example, flight status may denote that 300 is building thrust and/or groundspeed velocity in preparation for a takeoff. As a further non-limiting example, flight element 324 may denote that aircraft 300 is following a flight path accurately and/or sufficiently.
Still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may include a chipset component 328. As used in this disclosure a “chipset component” is a component that manages data flow. In an embodiment, and without limitation, chipset component 328 may include a northbridge data flow path, wherein the northbridge dataflow path may manage data flow from logic component 320 to a high-speed device and/or component, such as a RAM, graphics controller, and the like thereof. In another embodiment, and without limitation, chipset component 328 may include a southbridge data flow path, wherein the southbridge dataflow path may manage data flow from logic component 320 to lower-speed peripheral buses, such as a peripheral component interconnect (PCI), industry standard architecture (ICA), and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation, southbridge data flow path may include managing data flow between peripheral connections such as ethernet, USB, audio devices, and the like thereof. Additionally or alternatively, chipset component 328 may manage data flow between logic component 320, memory cache, and a flight component 332. As used in this disclosure a “flight component” is a portion of an aircraft that can be moved or adjusted to affect one or more flight elements. For example, flight component 332 may include a component used to affect the aircrafts' roll and pitch which may comprise one or more ailerons. As a further example, flight component 332 may include a rudder to control yaw of an aircraft. In an embodiment, chipset component 328 may be configured to communicate with a plurality of flight components as a function of flight element 324. For example, and without limitation, chipset component 328 may transmit to an aircraft rotor to reduce torque of a first lift propulsor and increase the forward thrust produced by a pusher component to perform a flight maneuver.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may be configured generate an autonomous function. As used in this disclosure an “autonomous function” is a mode and/or function of flight controller 304 that controls aircraft 300 automatically. For example, and without limitation, autonomous function may perform one or more aircraft maneuvers, take offs, landings, altitude adjustments, flight leveling adjustments, turns, climbs, and/or descents. As a further non-limiting example, autonomous function may adjust one or more airspeed velocities, thrusts, torques, and/or groundspeed velocities. As a further non-limiting example, autonomous function may perform one or more flight path corrections and/or flight path modifications as a function of flight element 324. In an embodiment, autonomous function may include one or more modes of autonomy such as, but not limited to, autonomous mode, semi-autonomous mode, and/or non-autonomous mode. As used in this disclosure “autonomous mode” is a mode that automatically adjusts and/or controls aircraft 300 and/or the maneuvers of aircraft 300 in its entirety.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may generate autonomous function as a function of an autonomous machine-learning model. As used in this disclosure an “autonomous machine-learning model” is a machine-learning model to produce an autonomous function output given flight element 324 and a pilot signal 336 as inputs; this is in contrast to a non-machine learning software program where the commands to be executed are determined in advance by a user and written in a programming language. As used in this disclosure a “pilot signal” is an element of datum representing one or more functions a pilot is controlling and/or adjusting. For example, pilot signal 336 may denote that a pilot is controlling and/or maneuvering ailerons, wherein the pilot is not in control of the rudders and/or propulsors. In an embodiment, pilot signal 336 may include an implicit signal and/or an explicit signal. For example, and without limitation, pilot signal 336 may include an explicit signal, wherein the pilot explicitly states there is a lack of control and/or desire for autonomous function. As a further non-limiting example, pilot signal 336 may include an explicit signal directing flight controller 304 to control and/or maintain a portion of aircraft 300, a portion of the flight plan, the entire aircraft, and/or the entire flight plan. As a further non-limiting example, pilot signal 336 may include an implicit signal, wherein flight controller 304 detects a lack of control such as by a malfunction, torque alteration, flight path deviation, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation, pilot signal 336 may include one or more explicit signals to reduce torque, and/or one or more implicit signals that torque may be reduced due to reduction of airspeed velocity. In an embodiment, and without limitation, pilot signal 336 may include one or more local and/or global signals. For example, and without limitation, pilot signal 336 may include a local signal that is transmitted by a pilot and/or crew member. As a further non-limiting example, pilot signal 336 may include a global signal that is transmitted by air traffic control and/or one or more remote users that are in communication with the pilot of aircraft 300. In an embodiment, pilot signal 336 may be received as a function of a tri-state bus and/or multiplexor that denotes an explicit pilot signal should be transmitted prior to any implicit or global pilot signal.
Still referring to FIG. 3, autonomous machine-learning model may include one or more autonomous machine-learning processes such as supervised, unsupervised, or reinforcement machine-learning processes that flight controller 304 and/or a remote device may or may not use in the generation of autonomous function. As used in this disclosure “remote device” is an external device to flight controller 304. Additionally or alternatively, autonomous machine-learning model may include one or more autonomous machine-learning processes that a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) may or may not use in the generation of autonomous function. Autonomous machine-learning process may include, without limitation machine learning processes such as simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, polynomial regression, support vector regression, ridge regression, lasso regression, elasticnet regression, decision tree regression, random forest regression, logistic regression, logistic classification, K-nearest neighbors, support vector machines, kernel support vector machines, naive bayes, decision tree classification, random forest classification, K-means clustering, hierarchical clustering, dimensionality reduction, principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, kernel principal component analysis, Q-learning, State Action Reward State Action (SARSA), Deep-Q network, Markov decision processes, Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), or the like thereof.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, autonomous machine learning model may be trained as a function of autonomous training data, wherein autonomous training data may correlate a flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data to an autonomous function. For example, and without limitation, a flight element of an airspeed velocity, a pilot signal of limited and/or no control of propulsors, and a simulation data of required airspeed velocity to reach the destination may result in an autonomous function that includes a semi-autonomous mode to increase thrust of the propulsors. Autonomous training data may be received as a function of user-entered valuations of flight elements, pilot signals, simulation data, and/or autonomous functions. Flight controller 304 may receive autonomous training data by receiving correlations of flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data to an autonomous function that were previously received and/or determined during a previous iteration of generation of autonomous function. Autonomous training data may be received by one or more remote devices and/or FPGAs that at least correlate a flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data to an autonomous function. Autonomous training data may be received in the form of one or more user-entered correlations of a flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data to an autonomous function.
Still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may receive autonomous machine-learning model from a remote device and/or FPGA that utilizes one or more autonomous machine learning processes, wherein a remote device and an FPGA is described above in detail. For example, and without limitation, a remote device may include a computing device, external device, processor, FPGA, microprocessor and the like thereof. Remote device and/or FPGA may perform the autonomous machine-learning process using autonomous training data to generate autonomous function and transmit the output to flight controller 304. Remote device and/or FPGA may transmit a signal, bit, datum, or parameter to flight controller 304 that at least relates to autonomous function. Additionally or alternatively, the remote device and/or FPGA may provide an updated machine-learning model. For example, and without limitation, an updated machine-learning model may be comprised of a firmware update, a software update, a autonomous machine-learning process correction, and the like thereof. As a non-limiting example a software update may incorporate a new simulation data that relates to a modified flight element. Additionally or alternatively, the updated machine learning model may be transmitted to the remote device and/or FPGA, wherein the remote device and/or FPGA may replace the autonomous machine-learning model with the updated machine-learning model and generate the autonomous function as a function of the flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data using the updated machine-learning model. The updated machine-learning model may be transmitted by the remote device and/or FPGA and received by flight controller 304 as a software update, firmware update, or corrected habit machine-learning model. For example, and without limitation autonomous machine learning model may utilize a neural net machine-learning process, wherein the updated machine-learning model may incorporate a gradient boosting machine-learning process.
Still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may include, be included in, and/or communicate with a mobile device such as a mobile telephone or smartphone. Further, flight controller may communicate with one or more additional devices as described below in further detail via a network interface device. The network interface device may be utilized for commutatively connecting a flight controller to one or more of a variety of networks, and one or more devices. Examples of a network interface device include, but are not limited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of a network include, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., the Internet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a network associated with an office, a building, a campus or other relatively small geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associated with a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications provider data and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computing devices, and any combinations thereof. The network may include any network topology and can may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may include, but is not limited to, for example, a cluster of flight controllers in a first location and a second flight controller or cluster of flight controllers in a second location. Flight controller 304 may include one or more flight controllers dedicated to data storage, security, distribution of traffic for load balancing, and the like. Flight controller 304 may be configured to distribute one or more computing tasks as described below across a plurality of flight controllers, which may operate in parallel, in series, redundantly, or in any other manner used for distribution of tasks or memory between computing devices. For example, and without limitation, flight controller 304 may implement a control algorithm to distribute and/or command the plurality of flight controllers. As used in this disclosure a “control algorithm” is a finite sequence of well-defined computer implementable instructions that may determine the flight component of the plurality of flight components to be adjusted. For example, and without limitation, control algorithm may include one or more algorithms that reduce and/or prevent aviation asymmetry. As a further non-limiting example, control algorithms may include one or more models generated as a function of a software including, but not limited to Simulink by MathWorks, Natick, Mass., USA. In an embodiment, and without limitation, control algorithm may be configured to generate an auto-code, wherein an “auto-code,” is used herein, is a code and/or algorithm that is generated as a function of the one or more models and/or software's. In another embodiment, control algorithm may be configured to produce a segmented control algorithm. As used in this disclosure a “segmented control algorithm” is control algorithm that has been separated and/or parsed into discrete sections. For example, and without limitation, segmented control algorithm may parse control algorithm into two or more segments, wherein each segment of control algorithm may be performed by one or more flight controllers operating on distinct flight components.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, control algorithm may be configured to determine a segmentation boundary as a function of segmented control algorithm. As used in this disclosure a “segmentation boundary” is a limit and/or delineation associated with the segments of the segmented control algorithm. For example, and without limitation, segmentation boundary may denote that a segment in the control algorithm has a first starting section and/or a first ending section. As a further non-limiting example, segmentation boundary may include one or more boundaries associated with an ability of flight component 332. In an embodiment, control algorithm may be configured to create an optimized signal communication as a function of segmentation boundary. For example, and without limitation, optimized signal communication may include identifying the discrete timing required to transmit and/or receive the one or more segmentation boundaries. In an embodiment, and without limitation, creating optimized signal communication further comprises separating a plurality of signal codes across the plurality of flight controllers. For example, and without limitation the plurality of flight controllers may include one or more formal networks, wherein formal networks transmit data along an authority chain and/or are limited to task-related communications. As a further non-limiting example, communication network may include informal networks, wherein informal networks transmit data in any direction. In an embodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flight controllers may include a chain path, wherein a “chain path,” as used herein, is a linear communication path comprising a hierarchy that data may flow through. In an embodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flight controllers may include an all-channel path, wherein an “all-channel path,” as used herein, is a communication path that is not restricted to a particular direction. For example, and without limitation, data may be transmitted upward, downward, laterally, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flight controllers may include one or more neural networks that assign a weighted value to a transmitted datum. For example, and without limitation, a weighted value may be assigned as a function of one or more signals denoting that a flight component is malfunctioning and/or in a failure state.
Still referring to FIG. 3, the plurality of flight controllers may include a master bus controller. As used in this disclosure a “master bus controller” is one or more devices and/or components that are connected to a bus to initiate a direct memory access transaction, wherein a bus is one or more terminals in a bus architecture. Master bus controller may communicate using synchronous and/or asynchronous bus control protocols. In an embodiment, master bus controller may include flight controller 304. In another embodiment, master bus controller may include one or more universal asynchronous receiver-transmitters (UART). For example, and without limitation, master bus controller may include one or more bus architectures that allow a bus to initiate a direct memory access transaction from one or more buses in the bus architectures. As a further non-limiting example, master bus controller may include one or more peripheral devices and/or components to communicate with another peripheral device and/or component and/or the master bus controller. In an embodiment, master bus controller may be configured to perform bus arbitration. As used in this disclosure “bus arbitration” is method and/or scheme to prevent multiple buses from attempting to communicate with and/or connect to master bus controller. For example and without limitation, bus arbitration may include one or more schemes such as a small computer interface system, wherein a small computer interface system is a set of standards for physical connecting and transferring data between peripheral devices and master bus controller by defining commands, protocols, electrical, optical, and/or logical interfaces. In an embodiment, master bus controller may receive intermediate representation 312 and/or output language from logic component 320, wherein output language may include one or more analog-to-digital conversions, low bit rate transmissions, message encryptions, digital signals, binary signals, logic signals, analog signals, and the like thereof described above in detail.
Still referring to FIG. 3, master bus controller may communicate with a slave bus. As used in this disclosure a “slave bus” is one or more peripheral devices and/or components that initiate a bus transfer. For example, and without limitation, slave bus may receive one or more controls and/or asymmetric communications from master bus controller, wherein slave bus transfers data stored to master bus controller. In an embodiment, and without limitation, slave bus may include one or more internal buses, such as but not limited to a/an internal data bus, memory bus, system bus, front-side bus, and the like thereof. In another embodiment, and without limitation, slave bus may include one or more external buses such as external flight controllers, external computers, remote devices, printers, aircraft computer systems, flight control systems, and the like thereof.
In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3, control algorithm may optimize signal communication as a function of determining one or more discrete timings. For example, and without limitation master bus controller may synchronize timing of the segmented control algorithm by injecting high priority timing signals on a bus of the master bus control. As used in this disclosure a “high priority timing signal” is information denoting that the information is important. For example, and without limitation, high priority timing signal may denote that a section of control algorithm is of high priority and should be analyzed and/or transmitted prior to any other sections being analyzed and/or transmitted. In an embodiment, high priority timing signal may include one or more priority packets. As used in this disclosure a “priority packet” is a formatted unit of data that is communicated between the plurality of flight controllers. For example, and without limitation, priority packet may denote that a section of control algorithm should be used and/or is of greater priority than other sections.
Still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may also be implemented using a “shared nothing” architecture in which data is cached at the worker, in an embodiment, this may enable scalability of aircraft and/or computing device. Flight controller 304 may include a distributer flight controller. As used in this disclosure a “distributer flight controller” is a component that adjusts and/or controls a plurality of flight components as a function of a plurality of flight controllers. For example, distributer flight controller may include a flight controller that communicates with a plurality of additional flight controllers and/or clusters of flight controllers. In an embodiment, distributed flight control may include one or more neural networks. For example, neural network also known as an artificial neural network, is a network of “nodes,” or data structures having one or more inputs, one or more outputs, and a function determining outputs based on inputs. Such nodes may be organized in a network, such as without limitation a convolutional neural network, including an input layer of nodes, one or more intermediate layers, and an output layer of nodes. Connections between nodes may be created via the process of “training” the network, in which elements from a training dataset are applied to the input nodes, a suitable training algorithm (such as Levenberg-Marquardt, conjugate gradient, simulated annealing, or other algorithms) is then used to adjust the connections and weights between nodes in adjacent layers of the neural network to produce the desired values at the output nodes. This process is sometimes referred to as deep learning.
Still referring to FIG. 3, a node may include, without limitation a plurality of inputs xi that may receive numerical values from inputs to a neural network containing the node and/or from other nodes. Node may perform a weighted sum of inputs using weights wi that are multiplied by respective inputs xi. Additionally or alternatively, a bias b may be added to the weighted sum of the inputs such that an offset is added to each unit in the neural network layer that is independent of the input to the layer. The weighted sum may then be input into a function φ, which may generate one or more outputs y. Weight wi applied to an input xi may indicate whether the input is “excitatory,” indicating that it has strong influence on the one or more outputs y, for instance by the corresponding weight having a large numerical value, and/or a “inhibitory,” indicating it has a weak effect influence on the one more inputs y, for instance by the corresponding weight having a small numerical value. The values of weights wi may be determined by training a neural network using training data, which may be performed using any suitable process as described above. In an embodiment, and without limitation, a neural network may receive semantic units as inputs and output vectors representing such semantic units according to weights wi that are derived using machine-learning processes as described in this disclosure.
Still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller may include a sub-controller 340. As used in this disclosure a “sub-controller” is a controller and/or component that is part of a distributed controller as described above; for instance, flight controller 304 may be and/or include a distributed flight controller made up of one or more sub-controllers. For example, and without limitation, sub-controller 340 may include any controllers and/or components thereof that are similar to distributed flight controller and/or flight controller as described above. Sub-controller 340 may include any component of any flight controller as described above. Sub-controller 340 may be implemented in any manner suitable for implementation of a flight controller as described above. As a further non-limiting example, sub-controller 340 may include one or more processors, logic components and/or computing devices capable of receiving, processing, and/or transmitting data across the distributed flight controller as described above. As a further non-limiting example, sub-controller 340 may include a controller that receives a signal from a first flight controller and/or first distributed flight controller component and transmits the signal to a plurality of additional sub-controllers and/or flight components.
Still referring to FIG. 3, flight controller may include a co-controller 344. As used in this disclosure a “co-controller” is a controller and/or component that joins flight controller 304 as components and/or nodes of a distributer flight controller as described above. For example, and without limitation, co-controller 344 may include one or more controllers and/or components that are similar to flight controller 304. As a further non-limiting example, co-controller 344 may include any controller and/or component that joins flight controller 304 to distributer flight controller. As a further non-limiting example, co-controller 344 may include one or more processors, logic components and/or computing devices capable of receiving, processing, and/or transmitting data to and/or from flight controller 304 to distributed flight control system. Co-controller 344 may include any component of any flight controller as described above. Co-controller 344 may be implemented in any manner suitable for implementation of a flight controller as described above.
In an embodiment, and with continued reference to FIG. 3, flight controller 304 may be designed and/or configured to perform any method, method step, or sequence of method steps in any embodiment described in this disclosure, in any order and with any degree of repetition. For instance, flight controller 304 may be configured to perform a single step or sequence repeatedly until a desired or commanded outcome is achieved; repetition of a step or a sequence of steps may be performed iteratively and/or recursively using outputs of previous repetitions as inputs to subsequent repetitions, aggregating inputs and/or outputs of repetitions to produce an aggregate result, reduction or decrement of one or more variables such as global variables, and/or division of a larger processing task into a set of iteratively addressed smaller processing tasks. Flight controller may perform any step or sequence of steps as described in this disclosure in parallel, such as simultaneously and/or substantially simultaneously performing a step two or more times using two or more parallel threads, processor cores, or the like; division of tasks between parallel threads and/or processes may be performed according to any protocol suitable for division of tasks between iterations. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various ways in which steps, sequences of steps, processing tasks, and/or data may be subdivided, shared, or otherwise dealt with using iteration, recursion, and/or parallel processing.
Referring now to FIG. 4, an exemplary embodiment of a machine-learning module 400 that may perform one or more machine-learning processes as described in this disclosure is illustrated. Machine-learning module may perform determinations, classification, and/or analysis steps, methods, processes, or the like as described in this disclosure using machine learning processes. A “machine learning process,” as used in this disclosure, is a process that automatedly uses training data 404 to generate an algorithm that will be performed by a computing device/module to produce outputs 408 given data provided as inputs 412; this is in contrast to a non-machine learning software program where the commands to be executed are determined in advance by a user and written in a programming language.
Still referring to FIG. 4, “training data,” as used herein, is data containing correlations that a machine-learning process may use to model relationships between two or more categories of data elements. For instance, and without limitation, training data 404 may include a plurality of data entries, each entry representing a set of data elements that were recorded, received, and/or generated together; data elements may be correlated by shared existence in a given data entry, by proximity in a given data entry, or the like. Multiple data entries in training data 404 may evince one or more trends in correlations between categories of data elements; for instance, and without limitation, a higher value of a first data element belonging to a first category of data element may tend to correlate to a higher value of a second data element belonging to a second category of data element, indicating a possible proportional or other mathematical relationship linking values belonging to the two categories. Multiple categories of data elements may be related in training data 404 according to various correlations; correlations may indicate causative and/or predictive links between categories of data elements, which may be modeled as relationships such as mathematical relationships by machine-learning processes as described in further detail below. Training data 404 may be formatted and/or organized by categories of data elements, for instance by associating data elements with one or more descriptors corresponding to categories of data elements. As a non-limiting example, training data 404 may include data entered in standardized forms by persons or processes, such that entry of a given data element in a given field in a form may be mapped to one or more descriptors of categories. Elements in training data 404 may be linked to descriptors of categories by tags, tokens, or other data elements; for instance, and without limitation, training data 404 may be provided in fixed-length formats, formats linking positions of data to categories such as comma-separated value (CSV) formats and/or self-describing formats such as extensible markup language (XML), JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), or the like, enabling processes or devices to detect categories of data.
Alternatively or additionally, and continuing to refer to FIG. 4, training data 404 may include one or more elements that are not categorized; that is, training data 404 may not be formatted or contain descriptors for some elements of data. Machine-learning algorithms and/or other processes may sort training data 404 according to one or more categorizations using, for instance, natural language processing algorithms, tokenization, detection of correlated values in raw data and the like; categories may be generated using correlation and/or other processing algorithms. As a non-limiting example, in a corpus of text, phrases making up a number “n” of compound words, such as nouns modified by other nouns, may be identified according to a statistically significant prevalence of n-grams containing such words in a particular order; such an n-gram may be categorized as an element of language such as a “word” to be tracked similarly to single words, generating a new category as a result of statistical analysis. Similarly, in a data entry including some textual data, a person's name may be identified by reference to a list, dictionary, or other compendium of terms, permitting ad-hoc categorization by machine-learning algorithms, and/or automated association of data in the data entry with descriptors or into a given format. The ability to categorize data entries automatedly may enable the same training data 404 to be made applicable for two or more distinct machine-learning algorithms as described in further detail below. Training data 404 used by machine-learning module 400 may correlate any input data as described in this disclosure to any output data as described in this disclosure. As a non-limiting illustrative example flight elements and/or pilot signals may be inputs, wherein an output may be an autonomous function.
Further referring to FIG. 4, training data may be filtered, sorted, and/or selected using one or more supervised and/or unsupervised machine-learning processes and/or models as described in further detail below; such models may include without limitation a training data classifier 416. Training data classifier 416 may include a “classifier,” which as used in this disclosure is a machine-learning model as defined below, such as a mathematical model, neural net, or program generated by a machine learning algorithm known as a “classification algorithm,” as described in further detail below, that sorts inputs into categories or bins of data, outputting the categories or bins of data and/or labels associated therewith. A classifier may be configured to output at least a datum that labels or otherwise identifies a set of data that are clustered together, found to be close under a distance metric as described below, or the like. Machine-learning module 400 may generate a classifier using a classification algorithm, defined as a processes whereby a computing device and/or any module and/or component operating thereon derives a classifier from training data 404. Classification may be performed using, without limitation, linear classifiers such as without limitation logistic regression and/or naive Bayes classifiers, nearest neighbor classifiers such as k-nearest neighbors classifiers, support vector machines, least squares support vector machines, fisher's linear discriminant, quadratic classifiers, decision trees, boosted trees, random forest classifiers, learning vector quantization, and/or neural network-based classifiers. As a non-limiting example, training data classifier 416 may classify elements of training data to sub-categories of flight elements such as torques, forces, thrusts, directions, and the like thereof.
Still referring to FIG. 4, machine-learning module 400 may be configured to perform a lazy-learning process 420 and/or protocol, which may alternatively be referred to as a “lazy loading” or “call-when-needed” process and/or protocol, may be a process whereby machine learning is conducted upon receipt of an input to be converted to an output, by combining the input and training set to derive the algorithm to be used to produce the output on demand. For instance, an initial set of simulations may be performed to cover an initial heuristic and/or “first guess” at an output and/or relationship. As a non-limiting example, an initial heuristic may include a ranking of associations between inputs and elements of training data 404. Heuristic may include selecting some number of highest-ranking associations and/or training data 404 elements. Lazy learning may implement any suitable lazy learning algorithm, including without limitation a K-nearest neighbors algorithm, a lazy naive Bayes algorithm, or the like; persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various lazy-learning algorithms that may be applied to generate outputs as described in this disclosure, including without limitation lazy learning applications of machine-learning algorithms as described in further detail below.
Alternatively or additionally, and with continued reference to FIG. 4, machine-learning processes as described in this disclosure may be used to generate machine-learning models 424. A “machine-learning model,” as used in this disclosure, is a mathematical and/or algorithmic representation of a relationship between inputs and outputs, as generated using any machine-learning process including without limitation any process as described above, and stored in memory; an input is submitted to a machine-learning model 424 once created, which generates an output based on the relationship that was derived. For instance, and without limitation, a linear regression model, generated using a linear regression algorithm, may compute a linear combination of input data using coefficients derived during machine-learning processes to calculate an output datum. As a further non-limiting example, a machine-learning model 424 may be generated by creating an artificial neural network, such as a convolutional neural network comprising an input layer of nodes, one or more intermediate layers, and an output layer of nodes. Connections between nodes may be created via the process of “training” the network, in which elements from a training data 404 set are applied to the input nodes, a suitable training algorithm (such as Levenberg-Marquardt, conjugate gradient, simulated annealing, or other algorithms) is then used to adjust the connections and weights between nodes in adjacent layers of the neural network to produce the desired values at the output nodes. This process is sometimes referred to as deep learning.
Still referring to FIG. 4, machine-learning algorithms may include at least a supervised machine-learning process 428. At least a supervised machine-learning process 428, as defined herein, include algorithms that receive a training set relating a number of inputs to a number of outputs, and seek to find one or more mathematical relations relating inputs to outputs, where each of the one or more mathematical relations is optimal according to some criterion specified to the algorithm using some scoring function. For instance, a supervised learning algorithm may include flight elements and/or pilot signals as described above as inputs, autonomous functions as outputs, and a scoring function representing a desired form of relationship to be detected between inputs and outputs; scoring function may, for instance, seek to maximize the probability that a given input and/or combination of elements inputs is associated with a given output to minimize the probability that a given input is not associated with a given output. Scoring function may be expressed as a risk function representing an “expected loss” of an algorithm relating inputs to outputs, where loss is computed as an error function representing a degree to which a prediction generated by the relation is incorrect when compared to a given input-output pair provided in training data 404. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various possible variations of at least a supervised machine-learning process 428 that may be used to determine relation between inputs and outputs. Supervised machine-learning processes may include classification algorithms as defined above.
Further referring to FIG. 4, machine learning processes may include at least an unsupervised machine-learning processes 432. An unsupervised machine-learning process, as used herein, is a process that derives inferences in datasets without regard to labels; as a result, an unsupervised machine-learning process may be free to discover any structure, relationship, and/or correlation provided in the data. Unsupervised processes may not require a response variable; unsupervised processes may be used to find interesting patterns and/or inferences between variables, to determine a degree of correlation between two or more variables, or the like.
Still referring to FIG. 4, machine-learning module 400 may be designed and configured to create a machine-learning model 424 using techniques for development of linear regression models. Linear regression models may include ordinary least squares regression, which aims to minimize the square of the difference between predicted outcomes and actual outcomes according to an appropriate norm for measuring such a difference (e.g. a vector-space distance norm); coefficients of the resulting linear equation may be modified to improve minimization. Linear regression models may include ridge regression methods, where the function to be minimized includes the least-squares function plus term multiplying the square of each coefficient by a scalar amount to penalize large coefficients. Linear regression models may include least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) models, in which ridge regression is combined with multiplying the least-squares term by a factor of 1 divided by double the number of samples. Linear regression models may include a multi-task lasso model wherein the norm applied in the least-squares term of the lasso model is the Frobenius norm amounting to the square root of the sum of squares of all terms. Linear regression models may include the elastic net model, a multi-task elastic net model, a least angle regression model, a LARS lasso model, an orthogonal matching pursuit model, a Bayesian regression model, a logistic regression model, a stochastic gradient descent model, a perceptron model, a passive aggressive algorithm, a robustness regression model, a Huber regression model, or any other suitable model that may occur to persons skilled in the art upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure. Linear regression models may be generalized in an embodiment to polynomial regression models, whereby a polynomial equation (e.g. a quadratic, cubic or higher-order equation) providing a best predicted output/actual output fit is sought; similar methods to those described above may be applied to minimize error functions, as will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure. Continuing to refer to FIG. 4, machine-learning algorithms may include, without limitation, linear discriminant analysis. Machine-learning algorithm may include quadratic discriminate analysis. Machine-learning algorithms may include kernel ridge regression. Machine-learning algorithms may include support vector machines, including without limitation support vector classification-based regression processes. Machine-learning algorithms may include stochastic gradient descent algorithms, including classification and regression algorithms based on stochastic gradient descent. Machine-learning algorithms may include nearest neighbors algorithms. Machine-learning algorithms may include Gaussian processes such as Gaussian Process Regression. Machine-learning algorithms may include cross-decomposition algorithms, including partial least squares and/or canonical correlation analysis. Machine-learning algorithms may include naive Bayes methods. Machine-learning algorithms may include algorithms based on decision trees, such as decision tree classification or regression algorithms. Machine-learning algorithms may include ensemble methods such as bagging meta-estimator, forest of randomized tress, AdaBoost, gradient tree boosting, and/or voting classifier methods. Machine-learning algorithms may include neural net algorithms, including convolutional neural net processes.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a method 500 of monitoring health of an electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is illustrated. At step 505, a first sensor senses a first characteristic associated with at least a flight component. First sensor may include any sensor described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. First characteristic may include any characteristic described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. At least a flight component may include any flight component described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. In some embodiments, at least a flight component may include a propulsor. In some embodiments, at least a flight component may include an emergency power unit. In some embodiments, at least a flight component comprises an actuator. In some embodiments, at least a flight component comprises a pilot input. At step 510, first sensor transmits first characteristic. First sensor may transmit first characteristic according to any communication method described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. In some embodiments, first sensor may include an inertial measurement unit and first characteristic may include an inertial measurement. In some embodiments, first sensor may include a temperature sensor and first characteristic may include a temperature.
Continuing in reference to FIG. 5, at step 515, a computing device receives first characteristic. Computing device may include any computing device described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6. Computing device may receive first characteristic according to any communication method described in this disclosure. At step 520, computing device analyzes first characteristic. Computing device may analyze first characteristic according to any analysis methods described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. In some embodiments, analyzing the first characteristic may additionally include performing a time-frequency transform of the first characteristic. At step 525, computing device determines a condition of at least a flight component as a function of first characteristic. Condition may include any condition described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. Computing device may determine condition using any methods described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4.
Continuing in reference to FIG. 5, at step 530, pilot display receives first characteristic and condition of at least a flight component. Pilot display may include any pilot display described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. Pilot display may receive first characteristic and condition using any communication method described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4. At step 535, pilot device displays first characteristic and condition of at least a flight component. Pilot display may display first characteristic and condition according to any display methods described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4.
Still referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, method 500 may additionally include logging steps. In some cases, method may include a memory component receiving first characteristic and condition and logging first characteristic and the condition. Memory component may include any memory or memory component described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6.
Still referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, method 500 may additionally utilize a second sensor. In some cases, method may include a second sensor sensing a second characteristic associated with at least a flight component and transmitting the second characteristic. Method may also include computing device receiving second characteristic, analyzing the second characteristic, and determining a condition of at least a flight component as a function of first characteristic and the second characteristic. Method may also include pilot display receiving second characteristic and displaying the second characteristic. Second characteristic may include any characteristic described in this disclosure, for instance in reference to FIGS. 1-4.
It is to be noted that any one or more of the aspects and embodiments described herein may be conveniently implemented using one or more machines (e.g., one or more computing devices that are utilized as a user computing device for an electronic document, one or more server devices, such as a document server, etc.) programmed according to the teachings of the present specification, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the computer art. Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the software art. Aspects and implementations discussed above employing software and/or software modules may also include appropriate hardware for assisting in the implementation of the machine executable instructions of the software and/or software module.
Such software may be a computer program product that employs a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage medium may be any medium that is capable of storing and/or encoding a sequence of instructions for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing device) and that causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologies and/or embodiments described herein. Examples of a machine-readable storage medium include, but are not limited to, a magnetic disk, an optical disc (e.g., CD, CD-R, DVD, DVD-R, etc.), a magneto-optical disk, a read-only memory “ROM” device, a random-access memory “RAM” device, a magnetic card, an optical card, a solid-state memory device, an EPROM, an EEPROM, and any combinations thereof. A machine-readable medium, as used herein, is intended to include a single medium as well as a collection of physically separate media, such as, for example, a collection of compact discs or one or more hard disk drives in combination with a computer memory. As used herein, a machine-readable storage medium does not include transitory forms of signal transmission.
Such software may also include information (e.g., data) carried as a data signal on a data carrier, such as a carrier wave. For example, machine-executable information may be included as a data-carrying signal embodied in a data carrier in which the signal encodes a sequence of instruction, or portion thereof, for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing device) and any related information (e.g., data structures and data) that causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologies and/or embodiments described herein.
Examples of a computing device include, but are not limited to, an electronic book reading device, a computer workstation, a terminal computer, a server computer, a handheld device (e.g., a tablet computer, a smartphone, etc.), a web appliance, a network router, a network switch, a network bridge, any machine capable of executing a sequence of instructions that specify an action to be taken by that machine, and any combinations thereof. In one example, a computing device may include and/or be included in a kiosk.
FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a computing device in the exemplary form of a computer system 600 within which a set of instructions for causing a control system to perform any one or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure may be executed. It is also contemplated that multiple computing devices may be utilized to implement a specially configured set of instructions for causing one or more of the devices to perform any one or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure. Computer system 600 includes a processor 604 and a memory 608 that communicate with each other, and with other components, via a bus 612. Bus 612 may include any of several types of bus structures including, but not limited to, a memory bus, a memory controller, a peripheral bus, a local bus, and any combinations thereof, using any of a variety of bus architectures.
Processor 604 may include any suitable processor, such as without limitation a processor incorporating logical circuitry for performing arithmetic and logical operations, such as an arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), which may be regulated with a state machine and directed by operational inputs from memory and/or sensors; processor 604 may be organized according to Von Neumann and/or Harvard architecture as a non-limiting example. Processor 604 may include, incorporate, and/or be incorporated in, without limitation, a microcontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), Graphical Processing Unit (GPU), general purpose GPU, Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), analog or mixed signal processor, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a floating-point unit (FPU), and/or system on a chip (SoC).
Memory 608 may include various components (e.g., machine-readable media) including, but not limited to, a random-access memory component, a read only component, and any combinations thereof. In one example, a basic input/output system 616 (BIOS), including basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer system 600, such as during start-up, may be stored in memory 608. Memory 608 may also include (e.g., stored on one or more machine-readable media) instructions (e.g., software) 620 embodying any one or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure. In another example, memory 608 may further include any number of program modules including, but not limited to, an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, program data, and any combinations thereof.
Computer system 600 may also include a storage device 624. Examples of a storage device (e.g., storage device 624) include, but are not limited to, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disc drive in combination with an optical medium, a solid-state memory device, and any combinations thereof. Storage device 624 may be connected to bus 612 by an appropriate interface (not shown). Example interfaces include, but are not limited to, SCSI, advanced technology attachment (ATA), serial ATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (FIREWIRE), and any combinations thereof. In one example, storage device 624 (or one or more components thereof) may be removably interfaced with computer system 600 (e.g., via an external port connector (not shown)). Particularly, storage device 624 and an associated machine-readable medium 628 may provide nonvolatile and/or volatile storage of machine-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and/or other data for computer system 600. In one example, software 620 may reside, completely or partially, within machine-readable medium 628. In another example, software 620 may reside, completely or partially, within processor 604.
Computer system 600 may also include an input device 632. In one example, a user of computer system 600 may enter commands and/or other information into computer system 600 via input device 632. Examples of an input device 632 include, but are not limited to, an alpha-numeric input device (e.g., a keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, a gamepad, an audio input device (e.g., a microphone, a voice response system, etc.), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, an optical scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a video camera), a touchscreen, and any combinations thereof. Input device 632 may be interfaced to bus 612 via any of a variety of interfaces (not shown) including, but not limited to, a serial interface, a parallel interface, a game port, a USB interface, a FIREWIRE interface, a direct interface to bus 612, and any combinations thereof. Input device 632 may include a touch screen interface that may be a part of or separate from display 636, discussed further below. Input device 632 may be utilized as a user selection device for selecting one or more graphical representations in a graphical interface as described above.
A user may also input commands and/or other information to computer system 600 via storage device 624 (e.g., a removable disk drive, a flash drive, etc.) and/or network interface device 640. A network interface device, such as network interface device 640, may be utilized for connecting computer system 600 to one or more of a variety of networks, such as network 644, and one or more remote devices 648 connected thereto. Examples of a network interface device include, but are not limited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of a network include, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., the Internet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a network associated with an office, a building, a campus or other relatively small geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associated with a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications provider data and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computing devices, and any combinations thereof. A network, such as network 644, may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication. In general, any network topology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software 620, etc.) may be communicated to and/or from computer system 600 via network interface device 640.
Computer system 600 may further include a video display adapter 652 for communicating a displayable image to a display device, such as display device 636. Examples of a display device include, but are not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasma display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, and any combinations thereof. Display adapter 652 and display device 636 may be utilized in combination with processor 604 to provide graphical representations of aspects of the present disclosure. In addition to a display device, computer system 600 may include one or more other peripheral output devices including, but not limited to, an audio speaker, a printer, and any combinations thereof. Such peripheral output devices may be connected to bus 612 via a peripheral interface 656. Examples of a peripheral interface include, but are not limited to, a serial port, a USB connection, a FIREWIRE connection, a parallel connection, and any combinations thereof.
The foregoing has been a detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the invention. Various modifications and additions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Features of each of the various embodiments described above may be combined with features of other described embodiments as appropriate in order to provide a multiplicity of feature combinations in associated new embodiments. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number of separate embodiments, what has been described herein is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Additionally, although particular methods herein may be illustrated and/or described as being performed in a specific order, the ordering is highly variable within ordinary skill to achieve methods, systems, and software according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, this description is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not to otherwise limit the scope of this invention.
Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, omissions and additions may be made to that which is specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Patent Application
20220363404
