Method and apparatus for controlling altitude

Claim 1

An apparatus for maintaining an object at a predetermined altitude by generating an altitude control signal from a first signal representing a first ambient condition and from a second signal representing a second ambient condition, said apparatus comprising: means, responsive to said first signal, for providing a vertical velocity output; integration means for integrating said second signal, thereby providing an integration output; summing means for summing said vertical velocity output with said integration output, thereby providing a summed output; comparison means for comparing said summed output with a predetermined reference signal representing an altitude to be maintained whereby said output of comparison means provides said altitude control signal, when said summed output differs from said predetermined reference signal and altitude control means responsive to said altitude control signal for maintaining said object at said predetermined altitude.

Claim 2

An apparatus for maintaining an object at a predetermined altitude by generating an altitude control signal from a first signal representing a first ambient condition and from a second signal representing a second ambient condition, said apparatus comprising: means, responsive to said first signal, for providing a vertical velocity output; integration means for integrating said second signal, thereby providing an integration output; summing means for summing said vertical velocity output with said integration output, thereby providing a summed output; comparison means for comparing said summed output with a predetermined reference signal representing an altitude to be maintained whereby said output of comparison means provides said altitude control signal, when said summed output differs from said predetermined reference signal and altitude control means responsive to said altitude control signal for maintaining said object at said predetermined altitude.

Claim 4

An apparatus for controlling the altitude of an object above a terrain, said apparatus comprising: first sensor means for sensing a first ambient condition and for generating a first electrical signal in response thereto; second sensor means for sensing a second ambient condition and for generating a second electrical signal in response thereto; means, responsive to said first electrical signal, for providing a vertical velocity output; integration means for integrating said second electrical signal, thereby providing an integration output; summing means for summing said vertical velocity output and said integration output; altitude set point means for providing a signal representing a predetermined altitude at which said object is to be maintained above said terrain; comparison means, responsive to said summing means and said altitude set point means, for generating an altitude control signal when the output from said summing means differs from said predetermined altitude; and altitude control means responsive to said altitude control signal for controlling the altitude of said object above said terrain.

Claim 5

An apparatus for controlling the altitude of an object above a terrain, said apparatus comprising: first sensor means for sensing a first ambient condition and for generating a first electrical signal in response thereto; second sensor means for sensing a second ambient condition and for generating a second electrical signal in response thereto; means, responsive to said first electrical signal, for providing a vertical velocity output; integration means for integrating said second electrical signal, thereby providing an integration output; summing means for summing said vertical velocity output and said integration output; altitude set point means for providing a signal representing a predetermined altitude at which said object is to be maintained above said terrain; comparison means, responsive to said summing means and said altitude set point means, for generating an altitude control signal when the output from said summing means differs from said predetermined altitude; and altitude control means responsive to said altitude control signal for controlling the altitude of said object above said terrain.

Claim 13

A method of controlling the altitude of an object above a terrain, comprising the steps of: detecting a first ambient altitude condition; detecting a second ambient altitude condition; providing a vertical velocity output from the detected first ambient altitude condition; providing an integration output from the detected second ambient altitude condition; summing the vertical velocity output and the integration output; and comparing the summed vertical velocity and integration outputs with an altitude reference output; and generating an output control signal when the summed output differs from said altitude reference output, and, controlling the altitude of said object using said generated output control signal.

Claim 14

A method of controlling the altitude of an object above a terrain, comprising the steps of: detecting a first ambient altitude condition; detecting a second ambient altitude condition; providing a vertical velocity output from the detected first ambient altitude condition; providing an integration output from the detected second ambient altitude condition; summing the vertical velocity output and the integration output; and comparing the summed vertical velocity and integration outputs with an altitude reference output; and generating an output control signal when the summed output differs from said altitude reference output, and, controlling the altitude of said object using said generated output control signal.

Claim 16

A method of controlling the altitude of a submersible vehicle above the bottom of a body of liquid, comprising the steps of: detecting the depth at which said submersible vehicle is in said body of liquid and generating a first electrical signal proportional thereto; detecting the altitude at which said submersible vehicle is above the bottom of said body of liquid and generating a second electrical signal proportional thereto; differentiating the first electrical signal, thereby providing a time derivative output; integrating the second electrical signal, thereby providing an integration output; summing said time derivative output and said integration output; generating a third electrical signal representing a predetermined altitude at which said submersible vehicle is to be maintained above the bottom of said body of liquid; comparing the summed time derivative and integration outputs with said third electrical signal, thereby providing an altitude control signal to said submersible vehicle when the summed output differs from said third electrical signal; and controlling the altitude of said submersible vehicle using said altitude control signal.

Claim 17

A method of controlling the altitude of a submersible vehicle above the bottom of a body of liquid, comprising the steps of: detecting the depth at which said submersible vehicle is in said body of liquid and generating a first electrical signal proportional thereto; detecting the altitude at which said submersible vehicle is above the bottom of said body of liquid and generating a second electrical signal proportional thereto; differentiating the first electrical signal, thereby providing a time derivative output; integrating the second electrical signal, thereby providing an integration output; summing said time derivative output and said integration output; generating a third electrical signal representing a predetermined altitude at which said submersible vehicle is to be maintained above the bottom of said body of liquid; comparing the summed time derivative and integration outputs with said third electrical signal, thereby providing an altitude control signal to said submersible vehicle when the summed output differs from said third electrical signal; and controlling the altitude of said submersible vehicle using said altitude control signal.