System and method for environmental control system diagnosis and prognosis

• US 10,139,795 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Nicks, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US14/886,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 700275
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30268 Vehicle interior
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69

Abstract

A method to provide prognosis and diagnosis of environmental control system maintenance. The method including imaging, with at least one imaging unit, in real time at least one portion of an environmental control system in operation, wherein real time images register a dynamic feature of a dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the environmental control system, comparing, with a controller, the real time images of the at least one portion of the environmental control system with stored images of the at least one portion of the environmental control system in operation to identify a change in the dynamic feature of the dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the environmental control system, and determining, with the controller, whether an abnormality exists in the at least one portion of the environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature between the real time images and the stored images of the at least one portion of the environmental control system.

Claims

1. A method to provide prognosis and diagnosis of passenger cabin environmental control system maintenance, the method comprising:

imaging, with at least one imaging unit, in real time at least one portion of a passenger cabin environmental control system in operation, wherein real time images register a dynamic feature of a dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the environmental control system;

comparing, with a controller, the real time images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system with stored images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system in operation to identify a change in the dynamic feature of the dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system; and

determining, with the controller, whether an abnormality exists in the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature between the real time images and the stored images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system includes one or more of a heat exchanger, a fan system, a valve, a refrigerant tubing system and a ducting system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored images include threshold operating parameter images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system that are stored in a memory coupled to the controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether an abnormality exists includes pattern recognition between the real time images and stored images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether an abnormality exists includes identifying a presence of one or more of foreign object debris and external particles on the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system is a fan and determining whether an abnormality exists includes identifying a change in in fan movement relative to a predetermined operational threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system is a valve and determining whether an abnormality exists includes identifying a change in valve position relative to a predetermined valve position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system is a refrigerant tubing system and determining whether an abnormality exists includes identifying a presence of one or more of frost and icing on the refrigerant tubing system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a report including trends of the identified change in the dynamic feature or a deviation of the identified change in the dynamic feature above a predetermined threshold from a predetermined operating condition of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a prognosis or diagnosis for required maintenance of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature.

11. The method claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system is onboard an aircraft.

12. An apparatus to provide prognosis and diagnosis of passenger cabin environmental control system maintenance, the apparatus comprising:

at least one imaging unit configured to capture real time images of at least one portion of a passenger cabin environmental control system in operation, where the real time images register a dynamic feature of a dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system; and

a controller connected to the at least one imaging unit, the controller being configured to

compare the real time images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system with stored images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system in operation to identify a change in the dynamic feature of the dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system, and

determine whether an abnormality exists in the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature between the real time images and the stored images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the passenger cabin environmental control system is an aircraft passenger cabin environmental control system.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to generate a prognosis or diagnosis for required maintenance of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to generate a report including trending of the abnormality.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to generate a report indicating a deviation of the abnormality above a predetermined operational threshold of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.

17. An aircraft passenger cabin environmental control system diagnostic system comprising:

at least one video imaging unit disposed within the aircraft and being configured to capture real time images of at least one portion of a passenger cabin environmental control system, in operation, disposed within the aircraft, where the real time images register a dynamic feature of a dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system;

a memory including stored images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system in operation, the stored images corresponding to predetermined operational conditions of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system; and

a controller connected to the at least one video imaging unit and the memory, the controller being configured to

compare the real time images of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system with the stored images to identify a change in the dynamic feature of the dynamic predetermined characteristic of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system, and

determine whether an abnormality exists in the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature between the real time images and the stored images.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to generate a prognosis or diagnosis for required maintenance of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system based on the identified change in the dynamic feature.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to generate a report including trending of the abnormality.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to generate a report indicating a deviation of the abnormality above a predetermined operational threshold of the at least one portion of the passenger cabin environmental control system.