Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method for monitoring a reliability status of an actuator, said method comprising:measuring various load factor parameters acting on a structural system component operably connected to and controlled by the actuator;determining a virtual actuator load value (VALV) based on the various load factor parameters acting on the structural system component controlled by the actuator;measuring various actuator operational control values that occur in response to a torque command to the actuator during operation of the actuator;determining a virtual output force value (VOFV) based on the various actuator operational control valuescomparing the VALV with the VOFV to calculate a virtual torque efficiency (VTE) of the actuator; andstoring the VTE in a computer readable database for future access, analysis and determination of a reliability status of the actuator. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the VALV comprises obtaining the load factor parameters from a main control and monitoring system of the structural system absent actual load values from the actuator. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining the load factor parameters comprises obtaining at least one of an amount of gravitational force on structural system component, a surface deflection of the component and a speed at which the structural system is moving. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the structural system is an aircraft and the structural system component comprises an aircraft control surface, and wherein obtaining the load factor parameters comprises obtaining at least one of an amount of an angle of attack, a surface deflection of the control surface and a speed at which the aircraft is moving. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the VOFV comprises obtaining actuator operational control values from an actuator control and monitoring system. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining the actuator operation parameters comprises obtaining at least one of a pulse width modulation (PWM) command to an actuator drive motor, a rotational speed of the drive motor and an applied voltage to the drive motor. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the VTE comprises dividing the VALV by the VOFV. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the VTE comprises dividing the VALV by the VOFV and filtering the quotient to compensate for at least one of aiding loads and resisting loads on the structural system component. 9. A method for monitoring the reliability status of a mobile platform actuator that controls movement of a control surface of the mobile platform, said method comprising:acquiring various measured load factor parameters acting on a mobile platform including a control surface operably connected to the actuator, the measured load factor parameters acquired from a mobile platform main control and monitoring system (MCMS) absent measured load values acting on the actuator;acquiring various measured actuator operational control values from an actuator control and monitoring system, the operational control values occurring in response to a torque command transmitted from the mobile platform MCMS to the actuator during operation of the actuator;determining a virtual actuator load value (VALV) based on the various measured load factor parameters;determining a virtual output force value (VOFV) based on the various measured actuator operational control values; andcalculating a virtual torque efficiency (VTE) of the actuator by comparing the VALV and the VOFV; andstoring the VTE in a computer readable database for future access, analysis and determination of a reliability status of the actuator. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining the load factor parameters comprises obtaining at least one of an amount of gravitational force on the control surface, an amount of deflection of the control surface and a speed at which the mobile platform is moving. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile platform is an aircraft and obtaining the load factor parameters comprises obtaining at least one of an amount of an angle of attack, a surface deflection of the control surface and a speed at which the aircraft is moving. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein obtaining the actuator operation parameters comprises obtaining at least one of a pulse width modulation (PWM) command to an actuator drive motor, a rotational speed of the drive motor and an applied voltage to the drive motor. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein calculating the VTE comprises dividing the VALV by the VOFV. 14. The method of claim 9, wherein calculating the VTE comprises dividing the VALV by the VOFV and filtering the quotient to compensate for at least one of aiding loads and resisting loads on the structural system component. 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:acquiring a plurality of VTE data by periodically calculating the VTE as the measured load factor parameters and the measured actuator operational control values change during operation of the mobile platform;storing and analyzing the VTE data to monitor the reliability status of the actuator. 16. A system for monitoring the reliability status of a mobile platform actuator that controls movement of a control surface of the mobile platform, said system comprising:a mobile platform main control and monitoring system (MCMS); andan actuator efficiency monitor module operable in cooperation with the MCMS, the actuator efficiency monitor module adapted to:acquire various measured load factor parameters acting on a mobile platform including a control surface operably connected to the actuator, the measured load factor parameters acquired from the MCMS absent measured load values acting on the actuator;acquire various measured actuator operational control values from an actuator control and monitoring system, the operational control values occurring in response to a torque command transmitted from the mobile platform MCMS to the actuator during operation of the actuator;determine a virtual actuator load value (VALV) based on the various measured load factor parameters;determine a virtual output force value (VOFV) based on the various measured actuator operational control values;calculate a virtual torque efficiency (VTE) of the actuator by dividing the VALV by the VOFV;acquire a plurality of VTE data by periodically calculating the VTE as the measured load factor parameters and the measured actuator operational control values change during operation of the mobile platform; andstore the VTE data for monitoring the reliability status of the actuator. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the load factor parameters comprise at least one of an amount of gravitational force on the control surface, an amount of deflection of the control surface and a speed at which the mobile platform is moving. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the mobile platform is an aircraft and the load factor parameters comprise at least one of an amount of an angle of attack, a surface deflection of the control surface and a speed at which the aircraft is moving. 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the actuator operation parameters comprise at least one of a pulse width modulation (PWM) command to an actuator drive motor, a rotational speed of the drive motor and an applied voltage to the drive motor. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein the actuator efficiency monitor module is further adapted to filter the quotient of the VALV divided by the VOFV to compensate for at least one of aiding loads and resisting loads on the structural system component.