System and method for diagnosing aircraft components for maintenance purposes

• US 20030083794A1
• Filed: 10/28/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Halm, Juergen, Hechtenberg, Kurt-Volker, Kolander, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 7,050,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Aircraft maintenance and repair work is facilitated, especially for a commercial aircraft, by a diagnostic system and method, wherein an aircraft component or assembly of components is monitored by at least one sensor which produces and preferably also stores component status information. Respective status information signals are transmitted, preferably in a wireless manner, from a transmitter of the sensor to a receiver of a signal processing unit which provides status information on a display screen. The status information signals are preferably processed and evaluated with reference to rated maintenance and repair reference information to provide instructions as to what needs to be done where and when for a maintenance or repair. The sensor or sensors may operate during flight and the respective stored information is then processed and used on the ground.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) a sensor unit including at least one sensor positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component to which said at least one sensor is allocated to provide status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component,

(b) a first transmitter and a first receiver for transmitting said status information signals and for receiving interrogation signals,

(c) a signal processing unit including a second transmitter and a second receiver for transmitting said interrogation signals and for receiving said status information signals for processing by said signal processing unit to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) a display operatively connected to said signal processing unit for displaying said maintenance and repair information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor unit comprises in addition to said at least one sensor, a signal processing module for a preliminary processing of said status information signals to provide transmittable signals to said first transmitter in response to said interrogation signals from said second transmitter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor unit comprises its own power source for operating independently of any aircraft power source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor unit and said signal processing unit are separate, wherein said first transmitter and first receiver are part of said separate sensor unit, and wherein said second transmitter and said second receiver are part of said separate signal processing unit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said first and second transmitter-receivers are respectively wireless transmitters and wireless receivers.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said first and second transmitter-receivers are respectively infrared transmitters and infrared receivers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal processing unit comprises means for determining, on the basis of said status information signals, the presence or absence of a fault in said aircraft component, said means including rated reference information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor unit comprises a sensor memory for storing said status information signals sensed during flight for evaluation by said signal processing unit on the ground.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal processing unit comprises a memory having stored therein rated maintenance and repair reference information for evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said display comprises a display screen for displaying said maintenance and repair information and for pinpointing any particular aircraft component to be diagnosed.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal processing unit and said display together form a handset (6).

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is positioned for sensing wear and tear of a wing flap actuator and for providing a respective actuator status information signal.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is positioned in a bottom area of a hydraulic container in said aircraft for sensing a quality of a hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic container.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is positioned in an aircraft fuel tank in an area of a water drainage valve for sensing a water concentration or content in said fuel tank.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising a further transmission link between said sensor unit and said signal processing unit, including a transceiver in said signal processing unit and a passive transponder in said sensor unit.

16. A method for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said method comprising the following steps:

(a) sensing in or on said aircraft an operational status of at least one aircraft component for providing component status information signals relevant to said at least one aircraft component,

(b) transmitting said status information signals to a signal processing unit for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(c) displaying said maintenance and repair information on a display screen.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of preliminarily processing said status information signals in a signal processing module in a sensor unit for data reduction and for producing intermediate signals that represent said status information signals.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising performing said transmitting step in a wireless manner.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising storing in a memory of said signal processing unit rated maintenance and repair reference information, and evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing said status information signals in a memory prior to said processing.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising performing said sensing and storing step during flight and then performing said transmitting, processing evaluating and displaying while said aircraft is on the ground.