US 12,297,927 B2
Method of operating a vehicle
Spiro P. Karatsinides, Grand Rapids, MI (US); and Gregory A. Stark, Wayland, MI (US)
Assigned to GE Aviation Systems LLC, Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed by GE Aviation Systems LLC, Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/971,184.
Application 17/971,184 is a continuation of application No. 16/459,848, filed on Jul. 2, 2019, granted, now 11,480,260.
Prior Publication US 2023/0056276 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16K 31/00 (2006.01); F02N 9/04 (2006.01); F16K 1/12 (2006.01); F16K 15/02 (2006.01); F16K 15/18 (2006.01); F16K 31/06 (2006.01); F16K 31/08 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 31/0655 (2013.01) [F02N 9/04 (2013.01); F16K 1/12 (2013.01); F16K 15/028 (2013.01); F16K 15/18 (2013.01); F16K 31/0658 (2013.01); F16K 31/082 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft, comprising:
at least one source collecting a set of navigational parameters of the aircraft, the at least one source obtaining flight data for the aircraft and comprising at least one of a global positioning system, an inertial reference system, or a sensor;
a flight control computer communicatively coupled to the source and comprising a first processor and a first memory having a machine-readable medium; and
a flight management system communicatively coupled to the flight control computer and comprising a second processor and a second memory having a machine-readable medium;
wherein at least one of the first processor or the second processor is configured to:
collect the set of navigation parameters of the aircraft from the at least one source;
apply a correction to each navigational parameter in the set of navigational parameters to determine a corresponding set of preliminary navigational solutions;
determine a statistical uncertainty corresponding to each preliminary navigational solution in the set of preliminary navigational solutions to define a set of statistical uncertainties;
associate a statistical weight to each navigational parameter in the set of navigational parameters, based on the set of statistical uncertainties, to define a set of statistical weights;
blend the set of preliminary navigational solutions, based on the set of statistical weights, to determine a single navigational solution for the aircraft; and
operating the aircraft in accordance with the single navigational solution.