Systems And Methods For Distributed Control Computing For A High Altitude Long Endurance Aircraft

{
  "publication_number": "US2022122385A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Systems And Methods For Distributed Control Computing For A High Altitude Long Endurance Aircraft",
  "abstract": "Systems, devices, and methods including a first flight control computer (FCC) of two or more FCCs; a second FCC of the two or more FCCs; at least one selector in communication with the first FCC; and at least one watchdog window in communication with the at least one selector, where the at least one watchdog window monitors a performance of the first FCC based on an electrical pulse emitted by the FCC; where the at least one watchdog window is configured to detect a fault pulse of the electrical pulse emitted by the first FCC; and where the selector is configured to toggle to the second FCC based on the detected fault pulse emitted by the first FCC.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system comprising: a first flight control computer (FCC) of two or more FCCs; a second FCC of the two or more FCCs; at least one selector in communication with the first FCC; and at least one watchdog window in communication with the at least one selector, wherein the at least one watchdog window monitors a performance of the first FCC based on an electrical pulse emitted by the FCC; wherein the at least one watchdog window is configured to detect a fault pulse of the electrical pulse emitted by the first FCC; and wherein the selector is configured to toggle to the second FCC based on the detected fault pulse emitted by the first FCC. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected fault pulse is a pulse that is outside a preferred range. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected fault pulse is a pulse that skips a beat. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected fault pulse is a pulse that has a frequency and amplitude outside of a preferred range of a baseline pulse. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selector is further configured to reset power to the first FCC. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the selector is configured to toggle to the first FCC after power has been reset to the first FCC. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one watchdog window is further configured to monitor the performance of the first FCC after the first FCC is toggled by the selector. 8. A method comprising: monitoring, via a watchdog window, a performance of a first flight control computer (FCC) of two or more FCCs, wherein the performance is based on an electrical pulse emitted by the first FCC; detecting, via the watchdog window, a fault pulse of the electrical pulse emitted by the first FCC; and toggling, by a selector in communication with the watchdog window, to a second FCC based on the detected fault pulse emitted by the first FCC. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected fault pulse is a pulse that is outside a preferred range. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected fault pulse is a pulse that skips a beat. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein the detected fault pulse is a pulse that has a frequency and amplitude outside of a preferred range of a baseline pulse. 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising: resetting, via the selector, power to the first FCC. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: toggling, by the selector, to the first FCC after power has been reset to the first FCC. 14. The system of claim 13, further comprising: monitoring, via the watchdog window, the performance of the first flight control computer (FCC) after the first FCC is toggled by the selector. 15. A flight control computer comprising: a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a flight control computer (FCC) processor in communication with the FPGA via an FCC bus; a plurality of serial ports in communication with the FPGA and FCC processor; and a controller chip in communication with the plurality of serial ports, wherein the controller chip is configured to transform a parallel output of the FCC bus into a serial form for transmission though a serial port of the plurality of serial ports."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "G07C 5/0808",
    "B64D 43/00",
    "G05B 19/0428",
    "G05B 9/03",
    "G06F 11/0739",
    "G06F 11/0754",
    "G06F 11/0793",
    "G06F 11/2038",
    "G06F 11/3013"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "AEROVIRONMENT INC"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-04-23",
  "publication_date": "2022-04-21",
  "priority_date": "2019-04-25",
  "application_number": "US-202017605716-A",
  "family_id": "72940924",
  "citations": [
    "US2005034015A1",
    "US2007168711A1",
    "US2009037770A1",
    "US2009044050A1",
    "US2010049268A1",
    "US2012072058A1",
    "US2012110374A1",
    "US2013135030A1",
    "US2015314741A1",
    "US2015336671A1",
    "US2016202701A1",
    "US2016244152A1",
    "US2017069145A1",
    "US2017334559A1",
    "US2019377021A1",
    "US2019378419A1",
    "US2019389602A1",
    "US2020092052A1",
    "US2020307780A1",
    "US2021061027A1",
    "US4589066A",
    "US4916612A",
    "US5313625A",
    "US5349654A",
    "US5552985A",
    "US5903717A",
    "US6550018B1",
    "US6684275B1",
    "US6697973B1",
    "US8577519B1",
    "US8948960B2",
    "US9959773B2"
  ]
}