US 12,434,859 B2
Aircraft control system
George Howell, Bristol (GB); and Louis Emmanuel Romana, Toulouse (FR)
Assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB); and AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.), Toulouse (FR)
Filed by AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol (GB); and AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.), Toulouse (FR)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/669,011.
Claims priority of application No. 2101929 (GB), filed on Feb. 11, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0250769 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. B64F 5/60 (2017.01); B64D 43/00 (2006.01); B64D 45/04 (2006.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)
CPC B64F 5/60 (2017.01) [B64D 43/00 (2013.01); B64D 45/04 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft control system on an operational aircraft, the aircraft control system comprising:
an aircraft control module on the aircraft and comprising a memory storing a machine learning model adapted, based on received live aircraft operating inputs, to generate live aircraft control outputs, to perform aircraft control; and
a test module on the aircraft and comprising:
a memory storing input data representing test aircraft operating inputs and storing respective output data representing expected aircraft control outputs that are expected to be generated by the aircraft control module in response to an input of the respective test aircraft operating inputs, and
a monitor configured to monitor an operating status of the aircraft control module;
wherein, the test module is adapted, while the aircraft control module is not performing aircraft control and while the aircraft is operational, to:
determine, using the monitor, when the aircraft control module is not controlling the aircraft;
when the determination is that the aircraft control module is not controlling the aircraft, retrieve from the memory data indicative of a plurality of the test aircraft operating inputs and respective expected aircraft control outputs corresponding to the plurality of the test aircraft operating inputs,
write the plurality of the test aircraft operating inputs to the aircraft control module;
read test aircraft control outputs of the aircraft control module generated based on the plurality of the test aircraft operating inputs; and
selectively remove an authority of the aircraft control module to perform aircraft control if the test aircraft control outputs do not conform to the respective expected aircraft control outputs.