Patent ID: 8606543

Claim:
A method for detecting angle sensor performance degradation in a flow angle measurement device, comprising the steps of: inputting current platform data and determining if said current platform data is within predetermined limits; if current platform data is within predetermined limits, then a current vane angle on the angle sensor is detected and stored in a Vane Angle Array; calculating averages of the current platform environment, which include at least one of the following parameters, airspeed, altitude or temperature, to obtain a Velocity Data Array, looking up corresponding values for Angle Filter Coefficients and a Dither Threshold based on the calculated averages of the current platform data and using Angle Filter Coefficients to filter the Vane Angle Array to calculate a Dither Array; calculating a noise level value of the Dither Array, where the noise level value is a characteristic of vane output dither amplitude and frequency; determining if the current vane operation exceeds the Dither Threshold based on the calculated noise level of the Dither Array; reporting by a processor a failing output if it is determined that the current vane operation exceeds the Dither Threshold; and reporting by a processor a passing output if it is determined that the current vane operation does not exceed the Dither Threshold.