Remote data loading for configuring wireless communication unit for communicating engine data

• US 10,529,150 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2017
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Aviation Systems LLC
• Inventors: Scholten, Michael Clay, Reiffer, Jr., Richard John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US15/629,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20190012853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/42 for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

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 maintaining a wireless communication unit. The method includes transmitting, by one or more computing devices, an identification file to one or more second computing devices associated with a ground system. The method includes automatically retrieving, by the one or more computing devices, a loadable software aircraft part for data load from the one or more second computing devices associated with the ground system. The method includes performing, by the one or more computing devices, a data load using the loadable software aircraft part. The method includes determining, by the one or more computing devices, if the data load was successful. The method includes transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the determination to the one or more computing devices associated with the ground system.

Claims

1. A wireless communication unit configured to be located in a nacelle associated with an engine of an aerial vehicle comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

transmit an identification file to one or more computing devices associated with a ground system;

automatically retrieve a loadable software aircraft part for data load from the one or more computing devices;

perform a data load using the loadable software aircraft part to update software loaded on the one or more memory devices of the wireless communication unit;

determine if the data load was successful; and

transmit the determination to the one or more computing devices associated with the ground system.

2. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in the wireless communication unit.

16. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a notification from the one or more computing devices associated with the ground system, the notification indicating that the loadable software aircraft part for data load has been updated, and

wherein, in response to the notification, the one or more processors automatically retrieve the updated loadable software aircraft part for data load from the one or more computing devices.

17. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

query, at a regular interval, the one or more computing devices associated with the ground system to determine whether a loadable software aircraft part is available for data load, and

wherein, in response to querying the one or more computing devices, the one or more processors automatically retrieve the available loadable software aircraft part for data load from the one or more computing devices.

18. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit is a line replaceable unit.

19. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

perform an integrity check on the retrieved loadable software aircraft part, and

wherein if the retrieved loadable software aircraft part passes the integrity check, the one or more processors perform the data load using the loadable software aircraft part.

20. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein after the one or more processors perform the data load using the loadable software aircraft part, the one or more processors are further configured to:

transfer a configuration status file to the one or more computing devices, the configuration status file indicative of a present configuration of the wireless communication unit.

3. A method for maintaining a wireless communication unit comprising:

transmitting, by one or more computing devices, an identification file to one or more second computing devices associated with a ground system;

automatically retrieving, by the one or more computing devices, a loadable software aircraft part for data load from the one or more second computing devices associated with the ground system;

performing, by the one or more computing devices, a data load using the loadable software aircraft part to update or configure the wireless communication unit;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, if the data load was successful; and

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, the determination to the one or more second computing devices associated with the ground system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in the wireless communication unit.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in a component.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in an electronic engine controller.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising comparing the determination with Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated standards.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the identification file identifies the wireless communication unit.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the identification file identifies an engine associated with the wireless communication unit.

10. A system for maintaining a wireless communication unit comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

transmit an identification file to one or more computing devices associated with a ground system;

automatically retrieve a loadable software aircraft part for data load from the one or more computing devices;

perform a data load using the loadable software aircraft part to update or configure the wireless communication unit;

determine if the data load was successful; and

transmit the determination to the one or more computing devices associated with the ground system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in the wireless communication unit.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in a component.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein performing a data load using the loadable software aircraft part comprises loading data in an electronic engine controller.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to compare the determination with Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated standards.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the identification file identifies the wireless communication unit.