Patent ID: 8342445

Claim:
A method for controlling control surfaces, the method comprising: identifying a position limit for movement of a control surface based on a load limit set for the control surface and a number of vehicle current operation parameters to form an identified position limit, further in that identifying also includes computing a current position limit to the control surface based on the load limit set for the control surface and the number of vehicle current operation parameters to form an identified current position limit, further in that identifying also includes multiplying the current position limit with a speed based limit for the control surface to form the identified position limit, and further in that computing also includes: calculating a first current position limit to the control surface based on the load limit set for the control surface and the number of vehicle current operation parameters for a load caused by a number of moments associated with the control surface; and calculating a second current position limit to the control surface based on the load limit set for the control surface and the number of vehicle current operation parameters for the load caused by a number of shears associated with the control surface, wherein one of the first current position limit and the second current position limit form the identified current position limit; and responsive to receiving a command to move the control surface on a vehicle to a new position, commanding the control surface to move to a position using the identified position limit.