Aviation protocol conversion

• US 10,200,110 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Reiffer, Jr., Richard John, Scholten, Michael Clay, Winter, Mitchell Alan, Isler, Thomas Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/632,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20180006708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]

Abstract

Systems and methods for recording and communicating engine data are provided. One example aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for encapsulating data. The method includes receiving, by one or more computing devices, a message via an aviation messaging protocol. The method includes encapsulating, by the one or more computing devices, the message in a packet, wherein the packet comprises a User Datagram Protocol format. The method includes transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the packet via an Ethernet connection.

Claims

1. A wireless communication unit (WCU) comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

(i) receive a message via an aviation messaging protocol;

(ii) encapsulate the message in a packet, wherein the packet comprises a User Datagram Protocol format; and

(iii) transmit the packet via an Ethernet connection;

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to;

(iv) receive a second message via the aviation messaging protocol;

(v) encapsulate the second message in a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises the User Datagram Protocol format; and

(vi) multiplex the first message and the second message into a stream.

2. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the aviation messaging protocol is a Telecommunications Industry Association TIA-485 interface.

3. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein transmitting the packet via an Ethernet connection further comprises transmitting the stream comprising the first and second messages via the Ethernet connection.

4. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more processors comprises one or more field-programmable gate arrays.

5. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is associated with an engine.

6. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is associated with an aerial vehicle.

7. The wireless communication unit of claim 5, wherein the one or more memory devices comprise structures for storing information relating to continuous engine performance, the information including at least one of thrust levels, vibration, flameout, anti-icing capability, and fuel valve state data.

8. The wireless communication unit of claim 6, wherein the WCU is further configured to communicate vehicle operational data upon occurrence of one or more trigger conditions indicating when the aerial vehicle is near the ground.

9. A method for encapsulating data comprising:

(i) receiving, by one or more computing devices, a message via an aviation messaging protocol;

(ii) encapsulating, by the one or more computing devices, the message in a packet,

wherein the packet comprises a User Datagram Protocol format; and

(iii) transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the packet via an Ethernet connection;

and further comprising;

(iv) receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a second message, via the aviation messaging protocol;

(v) encapsulating, by the one or more computing devices, the second message in a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises the User Datagram Protocol format; and

(vi) multiplexing, by the one or more computing devices, the first message and the second message into a stream.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the aviation messaging protocol is a Telecommunications Industry Association TIA-485 interface.

11. A The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the packet via an Ethernet connection further comprises transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the stream comprising the first and second messages via the Ethernet connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices comprise a field-programmable gate array.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a wireless communication unit comprises the one or more computing devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication unit is associated with an engine.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication unit is associated with an aerial vehicle.

16. A system for encapsulating data comprising:

a wireless communication unit (WCU) comprising;

(a) one or more memory devices; and

,

(b) one or more processors configured to;

(i) receive a message via an aviation messaging protocol;

(ii) encapsulate the message in a packet,

wherein the packet comprises a User Datagram Protocol format; and

(iii) transmit the packet via an Ethernet connection;

wherein the one or more processors are further configured to;

(iv) receive a second message via the aviation messaging protocol;

(v) encapsulate the second message in a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises the User Datagram Protocol format; and

(vi) multiplex the first message and the second message into a stream.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the aviation messaging protocol is a Telecommunications Industry Association TIA-485 interface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein transmitting the packet via an Ethernet connection further comprises transmitting the stream comprising the first and second messages via the Ethernet connection.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the one or more processors comprises one or more field- programmable gate arrays.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the WCU further comprises an interface for two-way communication with a portable maintenance access terminal which can be used, for example, to calibrate, troubleshoot, initiate and test the WCU.