US 12,228,946 B2
Distributed flight control system
Mark Johnson Cutler, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Todd Reichert, Mountain View, CA (US); and James Jackson, Provo, UT (US)
Assigned to Kitty Hawk Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by Kitty Hawk Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/125,025.
Application 18/125,025 is a continuation of application No. 17/126,871, filed on Dec. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,829,160.
Application 17/126,871 is a continuation of application No. 15/955,454, filed on Apr. 17, 2018, granted, now 10,901,434, issued on Jan. 26, 2021.
Application 15/955,454 is a continuation of application No. 15/388,627, filed on Dec. 22, 2016, granted, now 9,977,432, issued on May 22, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0384799 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2024.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01)
CPC G05D 1/0833 (2013.01) [G05D 1/08 (2013.01); G05D 1/0808 (2013.01); G05D 1/0816 (2013.01); G05D 1/085 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flight control system, comprising:
a processor configured to:
produce a set of commands for each of a plurality of actuators to alter an aircraft's state responsive to one or more inputs; and
provide the set of commands to fewer than all actuators comprising the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuators are configured to enable flight in the aircraft in the event zero or one actuators of the plurality of actuators are inactive, wherein:
the processor is able to switch between an automatic mode and a pilot control mode;
the processor receives inputs from a higher level processor in the automatic mode and receives inputs from pilot controls in pilot control mode; and
in the event that an irregularity is detected or a malfunction in the higher level processor is detected, the processor switches from the automatic mode to the pilot control mode.