Protocol for communicating engine data to wireless communication unit

• US 10,681,132 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• 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: Scholten, Michael Clay, Reiffer, Jr., Richard John, Wiseman, Matthew William, Furlong-Petsch, Kevin Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/635,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20180007136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 701 14, 701 344, 701 99, 455431
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for recording and communicating engine data are provided. One example embodiment is directed to a method for communicating engine data to a ground system. The method includes receiving a request to store first data in a first memory location in one or more memory devices. The method includes receiving the first data, wherein the first data is associated with identification of an engine, and wherein the first data includes parameterized data. The method includes storing the first data in the first memory location. The method includes receiving a request to store second data in a second memory location in the one or more memory devices, wherein the second memory location is reserved for data to be transmitted to the ground system. The method includes receiving the second data. The method includes storing the second data in the second memory location.

Claims

1. A wireless communication unit for communicating engine data to a ground system, the wireless communication unit comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive a request from an engine controller to store first data in a first memory location in the one or more memory devices;

receive the first data, wherein the first data is associated with identification of an engine, and wherein the first data comprises parameterized data;

store the first data in the first memory location;

receive a request from the engine controller to store second data in a second memory location in the one or more memory devices, wherein the second memory location is reserved for data to be transmitted to the ground system;

receive the second data; and

store the second data in the second memory location.

2. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit third data to an electronic engine controller.

3. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the first data identifies an electronic engine controller associated with the engine.

4. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises a safe to transfer indication.

5. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises a flight mode.

6. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the second data is engine data.

7. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the second data is streamed data.

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

in response to the request to store the first data in the first memory location in the one or more memory devices, transmit an acknowledgement to the engine controller, and

wherein in response to the acknowledgement, the one or more processors receive the first data.

9. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein the first request and the second request are implicit as part of a protocol for communicating data to the wireless communication unit.

10. The wireless communication unit of claim 1, wherein a first set of bits associated with one or more data packets indicate that the data is parameterized data for storage at the first memory location and a second set of bits associated with one or more another data packets indicate that the data is streamed data for storage in the second memory location.

11. A method for communicating engine data to a ground system, the method comprising:

receiving, at one or more computing devices, a request from an engine controller to store first data in a first memory location in one or more memory devices;

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, the first data, wherein the first data is associated with identification of an engine, and wherein the first data comprises parameterized data;

storing, at the one or more computing devices, the first data in the first memory location;

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, a request from the engine controller to store second data in a second memory location in the one or more memory devices, wherein the second memory location is reserved for data to be transmitted to the ground system;

receiving, at the one or more computing devices, the second data; and

storing, at the one or more computing devices, the second data in the second memory location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, third data to the engine controller.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data identifies the engine controller associated with the engine.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data comprises a safe to transfer indication.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data comprises a flight mode.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second data is engine data.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second data is streamed data.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first data and the second data are received from the engine controller via a Telecommunications Industry Association TIA-485 interface.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first request and the second request are implicit as part of a protocol for communicating data to a wireless communication unit.

20. A system for communicating engine data to a ground system, the system comprising:

one or more memory devices; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive a request from an engine controller to store first data in a first memory location in the one or more memory devices;

receive the first data, wherein the first data is associated with identification of an engine, and wherein the first data comprises parameterized data;

store the first data in the first memory location;

receive a request from the engine controller to store second data in a second memory location in the one or more memory devices, wherein the second memory location is reserved for data to be transmitted to the ground system;

receive the second data; and

store the second data in the second memory location.