Patent ID: 8152109

Claim:
A system for controlling fluid flow in relation to a body, comprising: a flow control means for controlling flow with one or more channels that have one or more inlet ports and one or more stationary outlet ports defined at least partially in the body through which at least some of the fluid may flow, the one or more inlet ports being defined adjacent to a leading region of the body and the one or more outlet ports being located in another region of the body; and a differential vectoring means for providing a mass flow rate through and across the body to provide a resultant force that creates a turning moment upon the body, the turning moment being able to be used to create, inhibit or enhance the body's roll, pitch or yaw behavior; wherein the differential vectoring means includes a control module in communication with a valve mechanism positioned upstream of the one or more outlet ports, the control module having a sensor input that communicates to the control module a sensing signal (S 1 ) indicative of a flow state, the control module processing the sensing signal (S 1 ) and communicating an activation signal (S 2 ) to the valve mechanism for influencing fluid flow to at least one of the one or more outlet ports.