Guided lift system

Systems and methods provide for a guided lift system utilized for maneuvering payloads. According to aspects of the disclosure, a guided lift system may include a lift unit attached to a payload, at least two control tethers attached to the lift unit, and at least two control units fixed in positions and capable of adjusting the lengths of the control tethers. Coordinated length adjustments of the control tethers pulls the lift unit and payload in a desired direction to a desired delivery location.

BACKGROUND

Unmanned aerial vehicles may be used for lifting and transporting payloads from one location to another. These remotely piloted lift vehicles require an operator to skillfully control the lift vehicle to precisely maneuver and place the payload, often in areas with limited operating space for the lift vehicle, or with limited visibility for the operator. Additionally, remotely piloted lift vehicles often require a large or complex sensor suite that is utilized to determine, monitor, and correct altitude, attitude, airspeed, and any other type of necessary or desired parameters associated with the vehicle, the environment, or the payload. These sensors increase the cost, reliability, and weight of the vehicles.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods described herein provide for a guided lift system for maneuvering a payload. According to one aspect, a guided lift system may include a lift unit attached to the payload and two control tethers attached to the lift unit. Two control units are attached to the control tethers and are operative to adjust the lengths of the control tethers to control movement of the lift unit and payload between the positions of the control units.

According to another aspect, a guided lift system may include a lift unit, including a lift vehicle and payload tether attached to the payload. The guided lift system may also include two control tethers attached to the lift unit. Two motorized winch assemblies are attached to the control tethers and are operative to adjust the lengths of the control tethers to control movement of the lift unit and payload between the positions of the motorized winch assemblies. A controller is coupled to motorized winch assemblies and is operative to coordinate length adjustments of the control tethers to move the lift unit and payload.

According to yet another aspect, a method for maneuvering a payload may include lifting a payload attached to a lift unit comprising a lift vehicle and a payload tether. At a first control unit at a first position, a first control tether attached to the lift unit is lengthened. At a second control unit at a second position, a second control tether attached to the lift unit is shortened at a rate corresponding to the lengthening of the first control tether to pull the lift unit between the first and second positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is directed to a guided lift system and method that utilizes aerodynamic lift generated by a lift vehicle to lift a payload, while utilizing tethers and fixed control units to precisely control the positioning of the lift vehicle and corresponding payload. As discussed above, traditional lifting operations may involve unmanned aerial vehicles used for lifting and transporting payloads from one location to another. Maneuvering a lift vehicle remotely often relies on the skill of an operator to control the lift vehicle when precisely maneuvering and delivering the payload, often in areas with limited operating space for the lift vehicle, or with limited visibility for the operator. Additionally, as discussed above, remotely piloted lift vehicles utilize complex sensor suites to determine, monitor, and correct altitude, attitude, airspeed, and any other type of necessary or desired parameters associated with the vehicle, the environment, or the payload. Whenever sensors and corresponding processing capability are added to a system, the cost, weight, and reliability of the vehicles and overall system are negatively impacted.

Utilizing the concepts and technologies described herein, a guided lift system and corresponding method for maneuvering a payload includes a lift vehicle and an attached control system. According to various embodiments, the lift vehicle is used for providing a quantity of aerodynamic lift that exceeds the weight of the attached payload, while the attached control system is used to maneuver the lift vehicle and payload. In other words, the lift vehicle provides a vertical lift component that simply lifts the payload, without relying on flying the payload from one position to another, or controlling flight along a flight route using thrust, pitch, roll, and yaw controls.

According to embodiments described herein, the altitude or distance to which the payload is lifted, as well as the two dimensional movement to reposition the payload, may be controlled via the control system. The control system incorporates two or more control tethers attached to the lift vehicle, payload, or the payload tether. The control tethers are anchored to the ground, a vehicle, or a structure (e.g., a building) via control units at positions that allow for manipulation of the control tethers to maneuver the lift vehicle and payload as desired.

According to various embodiments, the control units may include motorized winch assemblies. The payload may be lifted with the lift vehicle to a desired altitude by lengthening each of two control tethers using the motorized winch assemblies. The motorized winch assemblies may be positioned on opposing sides of the origination and destination locations of the payload so that the origination and destination locations are arranged collinearly with the motorized winch assemblies. By coordinating the lengthening and shortening of the control tethers, the lift vehicle and corresponding payload may be pulled and maneuvered to deliver the payload to the destination location. If a third (or more) control tether is used, then the payload may be maneuvered to any position within a space defined between the motorized winch assemblies.

This system and the various embodiments described below provides users with the ability to precisely maneuver a payload using a lift vehicle that does not require an extensive sensor suite, flight control capability, or a skilled remote operator. In addition, the guided lift system described herein increases the safety of payload delivery operations since the lift vehicle and payload is unable to inadvertently fly into undesired areas and cause damage to persons, structures, the payload, or the lift vehicle since it is tethered and guided using control units fixed to specific locations attached to the ground, a vehicle, or a structure. Moreover, the guided lift system described below decreases the setup and delivery time as compared to a traditional lifting operation.

In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration, specific embodiments, or examples. Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements through the several figures, a guided lift system and method for employing the same according to the various embodiments will be described.

FIG. 1shows a perspective view of guided lift system100according to various embodiments. The guided lift system100includes a lift unit102and two control units104A and104B (referred to generally and collectively as “control units104”). The lift unit102includes a lift vehicle108and a payload tether110, which secures the payload112to the lift vehicle108. For the purposes of this disclosure, the lift vehicle108may include any device or mechanism capable of lifting the payload112. According to various embodiments described below and shown in the various figures, the lift vehicle108may include a modular vehicle lift system as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/925,305, entitled “Modular Vehicle Lift System,” filed on Jun. 24, 2013, which is incorporated in its entirety herein. As described below with respect toFIGS. 4A-4C, according to alternative embodiments, the lift vehicle108may include a helicopter, crane, or any other mechanism for lifting the payload112.

The control units104may include any mechanism for adjusting the length of the control tethers106with respect to the distance between each control unit104and the lift unit102. According to one embodiment, one or more of the control units may be a motorized winch assembly. The motorized winch assembly is operative to pull the associated control tether106toward the winch assembly, shortening the distance between the winch assembly and the lift unit102. Each winch assembly is also operative to release the control tether106under tension to allow the lift unit102to rise and/or to be pulled toward another winch assembly that is pulling the lift unit102. One or more of the control units104may alternatively a manual winch assembly or pulley system.

The lift unit102and attached payload112are secured to the control units104at a first position114and a second position116. The first position114and the second position116may correspond to the ground, a vehicle, or a structure. The first position114of the first control unit104A and the second position116of the second control unit104B define the outer boundaries of the potential areas of delivery for the payload112. In other words, the guided lift system100may operate to move the payload112between positions located within the boundaries set by the first control unit104A and the second control unit104B, as well as by the direction of the lift component associated with the lift vehicle108. Further details with respect to defining the payload movement boundaries and how the direction of the lift component of the lift vehicle affects those boundaries will be provided below with respect toFIGS. 5A, 5B, and 6.

While the lift vehicle108operates to lift the payload112in the vertical, or Z direction as indicated by the coordinate system shown inFIG. 1, the control units104and corresponding control tethers106A and106B (referred to generally and collectively as “control tethers106”) are used to move the payload112in the X-Y directions. As discussed above, the movement of the payload112in the X-Y direction is controlled through the coordinated pulling and release of the control tethers106using the control units104to pull the lift unit102and attached payload112to the desired location.

For example, looking atFIG. 1, the control unit104A is located at a first position114. The control unit104A may be fixed to the first position114via an anchor into the ground, attachment to a vehicle, or attachment to a structure, (e.g., a building). Similarly, the control unit104B is located at a second position116. The control unit104A is adjustably coupled to a control tether106A that is attached to the lift unit102, while control unit104B is adjustably coupled to a control tether106B that is also attached to the lift unit102.

For the purposes of this disclosure, “adjustably coupled” means that a control unit104that is fixed to a position is coupled to the control tether106to secure the control tether at that position. However, the control unit104is operative to selectively pull the control tether106toward the control unit104to shorten the length of the control tether106between the control unit104and the lift unit102. Similarly, the control unit104is operative to selectively release the control tether106to allow the lift unit102to rise and/or to be pulled away from the control unit104, which lengthens the distance between the control unit104and the lift unit102. In this manner, each control unit104described herein may be adjustably coupled to a control tether106, which is attached to a lift unit102or payload112at an opposing end of the control tether106.

Returning to the example inFIG. 1, by coordinating the length adjustments of the control tethers106A and106B using control units104A and104B, respectively, the lift unit102and payload112may be moved in the X-Y direction between the first position114and the second position116. For example, to move the payload112to the right toward control unit104B at the second position116, the control unit104B shortens the control tether106B. In an implementation in which the control unit104B is a motorized winch assembly, the winch may operate to wind the control tether106B onto a spool to shorten the control tether106B, or more specifically, to shorten the distance between the control unit104B and the lift unit102. However, in order to move the payload112towards the control unit104B, the control unit104A releases the control tether106A at a coordinated rate with respect to the spooling of the control tether106B to move the lift unit102toward the second position116while controlling the altitude of the lift unit102and payload112as necessary to avoid any obstacles.

The tension in the control tethers106provides stability to the payload112during movement. As previously discussed, the tension is applied using aerodynamic lift from the lift vehicle108that exceeds the weight of the payload112and lift unit102. According to some embodiments, increasing the tension generally improves stability, while conversely, the stability of the payload112decreases as the differential between the lift and weight decreases. According to one non-limiting implementation, the thrust or aerodynamic lift from the lift vehicle108exceeds the weight of the lift unit102and payload112by at least 125%.

To maneuver the payload112in the X and Z directions, the operation of the control units104A and104B will be described in the context of shortening and lengthening the corresponding control tethers106A and106B, respectively. Movement in the X and Z directions may be generally controlled as follows:Movement upward in Z direction while maintaining X position:Lengthen both control tethers106A and106B at similar rates;Movement downward in Z direction while maintaining X position:Shorten both control tethers106A and106B at similar rates;Maintain altitude in Z direction while moving toward the first position114:Shorten control tether106A and lengthen control tether106B at similar rates;Maintain altitude in Z direction while moving toward the second position116:Shorten control tether106B and lengthen control tether106A at similar rates;Movement upward in Z direction while moving toward the first position114:Shorten control tether106A while lengthening control tether106B at a faster rate;Movement upward in Z direction while moving toward the second position116:Shorten control tether106B while lengthening control tether106A at a faster rate;Movement downward in Z direction while moving toward the first position114:Shorten control tether106A while lengthening control tether106B at a slower rate; andMovement downward in Z direction while moving toward the second position116:Shorten control tether106B while lengthening control tether106A at a slower rate.

Turning now toFIGS. 2A-2E, an example will be provided according to one embodiment to illustrate the repositioning of a payload112from an origination location214on the ground to a destination location216on a rooftop of a building.FIG. 2Ashows a guided lift system100in which a lift unit102is attached to the payload112located at the origination location214. In this example, the control unit104A is attached to a vehicle204. It may be advantageous to fix the control unit104A to a truck that is used to transport the guided lift system100, including the lift vehicle108, control tethers106, payload tether110, second control unit104B, as well as any additional control units104. In this example, the control unit104A may be fixed or removably attached to any portion of the vehicle204.

FIG. 2Bshows the guided lift system100after the lift vehicle108has vertically raised the payload112off of the ground in the Z direction. As previously discussed, one advantage of the guided lift system100described herein is that the lift vehicle108may be configured to simply provide a lift vector220that fixed or preset to a quantity that overcomes the weight of the payload112and provides the desired tension in the control tethers106to provide stability to the guided lift system100. The altitude of the lift unit102and payload112may be controlled by adjusting the length of control tethers106A and106B. In this example, the altitude in the Z direction may depend on the height of the building and any obstacles on the rooftop at the destination location216.

FIG. 2Bshows a power symbol222on the control tether106A. The power symbol222shown here is used to indicated that one or both of the control tethers106may include a power and/or data line from a power source (not shown) or controller for the purposes of providing power or command inputs to the lift vehicle108. By removing the power source from the lift vehicle108, the weight, cost, and complexity of the lift vehicle108may be further mitigated. Although the power symbol222is only shown as being associated with the control tether106A inFIG. 2Bfor clarity purposes, it should be understood that any or none of the control tethers206may be utilized for supplying power and/or data according to all embodiments discussed herein. According to one embodiment, the control tethers106A and106B may be used to supply power to the lift vehicle108and/or to the control unit104B from the vehicle204or a power source associated with the control unit104A. It should also be appreciated that the lift vehicle108and control units104may receive power from one or more external or onboard sources without the use of a powered control tether.

FIG. 2Cshows the guided lift system100after the lift vehicle108has moved laterally in the X direction to a position above the destination location216. In this example, to move between the position shown inFIG. 2Bto the position over the destination location216as shown inFIG. 2C, the control unit104B shortens the control tether106B by winding the tether onto a spool. While the control tether106B is being shortened, the control unit104A is lengthening the control tether106A at a rate that enables the lift unit102to maintain altitude while being pulled in the X direction towards the destination location216.

InFIG. 2D, the control unit104B continues to shorten the control tether106B while the control unit104A maintains or shortens the length of the control tether106A, which pulls the lift unit102and corresponding payload112downwards into position at the destination location216on the rooftop of the building. During the final positioning of the payload112, the control units104A and104B may be coordinated to adjust the lengths of the control tethers106A and106B, respectively, to effectuate minor adjustments to the X positioning of the payload while lowering the payload112into the destination location216. As shown inFIG. 2E, after releasing the payload112from the payload tether110, the lift unit102may be pulled back toward origination location214to pick up an additional payload for delivery, or for powering down and stowage.

FIGS. 3A-3Cshow three embodiments for utilizing an attachment point302for the control tethers106. The attachment point302may be located at the lift vehicle108, at the payload tether110, and at the payload112.FIG. 3Ashows one embodiment in which the control tethers106A and106B are attached to the lift unit102at an attachment point302located at the lift vehicle108. While this example shows each control tether106A and106B connected to the lift vehicle108at a single point below the lift vehicle108, it should be appreciated that the control tethers106A and106B may be attached to opposing sides or corners of the lift vehicle108, or to any positions on or proximate to the lift vehicle108.FIG. 3Bshows one embodiment in which the control tethers106A and106B are attached to the lift unit102at an attachment point302located one the payload tether110.FIG. 3Cshows one embodiment in which the control tethers106A and106B are attached to the lift unit102at an attachment point302at the payload112.

The embodiment shown inFIG. 3Ain which the attachment point302is located on or near the lift vehicle108may provide increased control over the payload112than the alternative embodiments shown inFIGS. 3B and 3C, at least with respect to the embodiment shown inFIG. 3B, since control is being applied to the source of the aerodynamic lift. The embodiment shown inFIG. 3Cmay be beneficial in some implementations since movement control is applied directly to the payload, eliminating any disadvantages associated with swinging of the payload112on the payload tether110due to an attachment point302being located on or above the payload tether110. It should also be understood that whileFIGS. 3A-3Cshow the payload112attached to the lift vehicle108via a payload tether110, the payload112may alternatively be attached directly to the lift vehicle108without the use of a payload tether110. In this embodiment, the lift unit102includes the lift vehicle108and any direct attachment hardware for coupling the lift vehicle108directly to the payload112without a payload tether110.

FIGS. 4A-4Cshow various embodiments for the lift vehicle108.FIG. 4Ashows an embodiment in which the lift vehicle108includes a modular vehicle lift system402, as described above. Alternatively,FIG. 4Bshows a lift vehicle108that includes a helicopter404, whileFIG. 4Cshows a lift vehicle108that includes a crane406. In all of these embodiments, the lift vehicle108includes a mechanism for lifting the payload112, while the control units104and corresponding control tethers provide a mechanism for controlling the movement of the payload112. It should be appreciated that the lift vehicle108is not limited to the specific implementations described herein. Rather, the lift vehicle108may include any mechanism that is capable of lifting the payload112.

FIG. 5Ais a top view of a guided lift system100utilizing two control tethers106to maneuver a payload112according to various embodiments presented herein. This is example is similar to the example described above with respect toFIGS. 2A-2E. Utilizing two control tethers106, the lift vehicle108and payload112may be pulled in the X-Y direction to any destination location216positioned linearly between the first position114associated with the first control unit104A and the second position116associated with the second control unit104B. For the purposes of this example, if the destination location216is associated with a rooftop500, the destination location216is defined by a broken line showing the various positions on the rooftop500at which the payload112may be delivered. As can be seen by the broken line inFIG. 5A, the destination location216is limited to those positions that are linearly between the control units104A and104B. In order to deliver the payload112to a location that is outside of the destination location216defined by the broken lines in this example, one or both of the control units104A and104B need to be relocated, unless a non-vertical thrust component is employed as described further below with respect toFIGS. 6A and 6B.

However, as depicted inFIG. 5B, the area defining the destination location216may be significantly expanded when three or more control units104and corresponding control tethers106are used.FIG. 5Bshows a top view of a guided lift system100utilizing three control tethers106to maneuver a payload112according to various embodiments presented herein. Utilizing three control units104A,104B, and104C allows for coordinated adjustments of the corresponding control tethers106A,106B, and106C, respectively, to move the payload to any location in the X-Y direction that is located within an area bounded by the control units104. For illustrative purposes, the possible delivery areas for the payload112on the rooftop500are shown as the delivery location216defined by the broken line. As seen, the delivery location216options in the example ofFIG. 5Butilizing three control units104are significantly greater than the delivery location216options of the example ofFIG. 5A, which only utilizes two control units104.

Looking atFIGS. 6A and 6B, an embodiment utilizing a non-vertical thrust component with the lift vehicle108will now be described.FIG. 6Ashows an example payload delivery scenario in which the guided lift system100is used to deliver solar panels from an origination location214to a destination location216that is not linearly aligned with the origination location214and the first position114of the first control unit104A and the second position of the second control unit104B. This implementation may be applicable in situations in which the vehicles204A and204B associated with the first control unit104A and the second control unit104B, respectively, may not be positioned within or around the desired destination location216of the payload. In the example shown, the trucks204A and204B have access to the front side of the solar panel array, but may not be maneuvered behind the solar panel array.

FIG. 6Bshows a top view of the guided lift system100ofFIG. 6A. In this view, it can be seen that the destination locations216for the solar panels being installed are linearly offset from a line intersecting the first position114of the first control unit104A and the second position of the second control unit104B, which is where the origination locations214of the various solar panels are located. In order to maneuver the payloads112from the origination location214to the destination locations216, the lift vector220may include a non-vertical component. In this example, the lift vehicle108may be configured to provide a fixed thrust that exceeds the weight of the solar panels being delivered. However, the fixed thrust is oriented at an angle that includes a vertical component that exceeds the weight of the payload112and a horizontal or non-vertical component that moves the lift unit102and payload112in the Y direction. The broken line defines the options for the destination locations216in this example.

It should be clear from the examples provided byFIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A, and6B that a payload112may be delivered to destination locations216that are offset from a line intersecting the first position114of a first control unit104A and the second position of a second control unit104B in a least two ways. First, three or more control units104may be used, as shown and described above with respect toFIGS. 5A and 5B. Second, a lift system100may include only two control units104, but the lift vehicle108may be configured with a non-vertical lift component to move the payload in the Y direction, offset from a line intersecting the two control units104.

Turning now toFIG. 7, additional details will be provided regarding embodiments presented herein for maneuvering a payload112utilizing a guided lift system100. It should be appreciated that the logical operations described herein may be implemented (1) as a sequence of computer implemented acts or program modules running on a computing system and/or (2) as interconnected machine logic circuits or circuit modules within the computing system. The implementation is a matter of choice dependent on the performance and other operating parameters of the computing system. Accordingly, the logical operations described herein are referred to variously as operations, structural devices, acts, or modules. These operations, structural devices, acts, and modules may be implemented in software, in firmware, hardware, in special purpose digital logic, and any combination thereof. It should also be appreciated that more or fewer operations may be performed than shown in the figures and described herein. These operations may also be performed in parallel, or in a different order than those described herein.

FIG. 7shows a routine700for maneuvering a payload112utilizing a guided lift system100. The routine700begins at operation702, where the payload112is lifted to apply tension to the control tethers106. The amount of aerodynamic lift provided by the lift vehicle108may be predetermined according to the weight of the payload112and the desired amount of tension in the control tethers106. At operation704, a movement request is received to maneuver the payload112. The movement request may be an adjustment to the tension in one or more of the control tethers106. Alternatively, the guided lift system100may include a controller that is communicatively linked to the control units104and operative to activate and deactivate each control unit104to shorten and lengthen the control tethers106appropriately to maneuver the lift unit102and corresponding payload112. The controller may include a user interface that enables a user to provide a control input such as raise, lower, right, left, forward, and backward. The controller receives the input, or movement request, and provides corresponding control signals to the control units to effectuate the movement. The controller may receive input and provide corresponding control signals via wired or wireless paths, including the use of one or more control tethers106for providing the control signals to the control units104or lift vehicle108.

From operation704, the routine700continues to operation706,710, and/or714depending on the movement request. At operation706, a determination is made as to whether or not the movement request includes a request to lift the payload112. If the movement request includes a request to lift the payload112, then the routine700continues to operation708, where two or more control tethers106are lengthened to raise the lift vehicle108and attached payload112. For example, referring toFIG. 1, in response to a movement request to lift the payload112, the control units104A and104B are activated to simultaneously lengthen both control tethers106A and106B. Because the aerodynamic lift generated by the lift vehicle108is greater than the weight of the payload112, lengthening the control tethers106A and106B raises the payload112. From operation708, the routine700returns to operation704and continues in response to additional movement requests.

Returning to operation706, if the movement request does not include a request to lift the payload112, or if the movement request includes a request to lower the payload112, the routine700proceeds to operation710. At operation710, a determination is made as to whether or not the movement request includes a request to lower the payload112. If the movement request includes a request to lower the payload112, then the routine700continues to operation712, where two or more control tethers106are shortened to lower the lift vehicle108and attached payload112. For example, referring again toFIG. 1, in response to a movement request to lower the payload112, the control units104A and104B are activated to simultaneously shorten both control tethers106A and106B. Shortening the control tethers106A and106B pulls the payload112downward in the Z direction to lower the payload112. From operation710, the routine700returns to operation704and continues in response to additional movement requests.

Returning to operation710, if the movement request does not include a request to lower the payload112, or if the movement request includes a request to move the payload112in the X-Y direction, the routine700proceeds to operation714. At operation714, a determination is made as to whether or not the movement request includes a request to move the payload112in the X-Y direction. If the movement request includes a request to move the payload112in the X-Y direction, then the routine700continues to operation716, where two or more control units104are coordinated to adjust the lengths of the control tethers106to move the lift vehicle108and attached payload112according to the movement request. For example, referring again toFIG. 1, in response to a movement request to move the payload112to the right, the control units104A and104B are activated to simultaneously shorten control tethers106B and lengthen control tether106A. From operation716, the routine700returns to operation704and continues in response to additional movement requests.

FIG. 8shows an illustrative computer architecture800of a controller described above, capable of executing the software components described herein for maneuvering a payload112with a guided lift system100in the manner presented above. The computer architecture800includes a central processing unit802(CPU), a system memory808, including a random access memory814(RAM) and a read-only memory816(ROM), and a system bus804that couples the memory to the CPU802.

The CPU802is a standard programmable processor that performs arithmetic and logical operations necessary for the operation of the computer architecture800. The CPU802may perform the necessary operations by transitioning from one discrete, physical state to the next through the manipulation of switching elements that differentiate between and change these states. Switching elements may generally include electronic circuits that maintain one of two binary states, such as flip-flops, and electronic circuits that provide an output state based on the logical combination of the states of one or more other switching elements, such as logic gates. These basic switching elements may be combined to create more complex logic circuits, including registers, adders-subtractors, arithmetic logic units, floating-point units, and the like.

The computer architecture800also includes a mass storage device810for storing an operating or control system818, as well as specific application modules or other program modules, such as a guided lift system control module812operative to provide control input to the control units104to maneuver the payload112according to the various embodiments described above. The mass storage device810is connected to the CPU802through a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus804. The mass storage device810and its associated computer-readable media provide non-volatile storage for the computer architecture800.

The computer architecture800may store data on the mass storage device810by transforming the physical state of the mass storage device to reflect the information being stored. The specific transformation of physical state may depend on various factors, in different implementations of this description. Examples of such factors may include, but are not limited to, the technology used to implement the mass storage device810, whether the mass storage device is characterized as primary or secondary storage, and the like. For example, the computer architecture800may store information to the mass storage device810by issuing instructions through the storage controller to alter the magnetic characteristics of a particular location within a magnetic disk drive device, the reflective or refractive characteristics of a particular location in an optical storage device, or the electrical characteristics of a particular capacitor, transistor, or other discrete component in a solid-state storage device. Other transformations of physical media are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present description, with the foregoing examples provided only to facilitate this description. The computer architecture800may further read information from the mass storage device810by detecting the physical states or characteristics of one or more particular locations within the mass storage device.

Although the description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer-readable media can be any available computer storage media that can be accessed by the computer architecture800. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. For example, computer-readable media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD), HD-DVD, BLU-RAY, or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer architecture800.

According to various embodiments, the computer architecture800may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to other aircraft systems and remote computers through a network, such as the network820. The computer architecture800may connect to the network820through a network interface unit806connected to the bus804. It should be appreciated that the network interface unit806may also be utilized to connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The computer architecture800may also include an input-output controller822for receiving and processing input from a number of other devices, including a control display unit, an EFIS control panel, a keyboard, mouse, electronic stylus, or touch screen that may be present on a connected aircraft display112. Similarly, the input-output controller822may provide output to the aircraft display112, a printer, or other type of output device. According to embodiments, the aircraft display112may be a map display such as the ND202, or a non-map display, such as a PFD402, a HUD602, a control display unit, an electronic flight bag or other display device in the aircraft.