Engine-mounted microserver

• US 20040206818A1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Macchia, Enzo, Loda, David C., Stickling, Bjorn, Qadri, Samad
• Application Number:
  US10/832,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20040206818A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/424
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

An integrated system for monitoring a deployed product on a movable platform, gathering data about the deployed product, and disseminating the data about the deployed product is disclosed. The system includes a server located on the movable platform capable of communication with the server from a remote location. The server communicates with a source of data about the deployed communicates with a source of data about the deployed product. The system further includes a portal onto which data gathered by the server may be downloaded and with which one can upload information to the server. The server may be mounted onto a housing of the deployed product and be electronically connected to a controller for the deployed product.

Claims

1. A system for communicating with a deployed product, comprising:

an electronic controller capable of communication with the deployed product;

a microserver communicably coupled to the electronic control box, the microserver receiving data about the deployed product from the electronic controller and hosting a web page through which the received data is accessible, the web page having an IP address available for a plurality of Internet protocols; and

a computing device remote from the deployed product, the computing device adapted to wirelessly access the microserver web page.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft engine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver is communicably coupled to sensors installed on the deployed product.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the microserver wirelessly communicates with the sensors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device accesses the microserver web page by way of a local area network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device accesses the microserver web page by way of a cellular network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device accesses the microserver web page by way of satellite.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is selected from the group of computing devices consisting of desktop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, laptop computers, and wireless PC tablets.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the microserver is a server for all computing devices on board the aircraft and a client to the Internet.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver performs as a client to the Internet.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver performs as a server to the computing device remote from the deployed product.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver generates a local wireless intranet in and around the deployed product, the local wireless intranet adapted to operate in conjunction with the Internet, the local wireless intranet also being adapted to operate independently of the Internet.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver is a coordinating server in communication with other computing devices, servers, and systems onboard the deployed product.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver hosts software tools for data analysis.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the software tools for data analysis are accessible from the computing device remote from the deployed product.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver hosts technical publications about the deployed product.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the technical publications about the deployed product are accessible from the computing device remove from the deployed product.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver may be temporarily coupled to the electronic controller to enable the electronic controller to enable maintenance personnel to temporarily access the electronic controller.

20. A communications system for a deployed product, comprising:

an electronic controller box for communicating with the deployed product, and

a microserver communicably coupled to the electronic controller, the microserver hosting a web page and generating a wireless system around the deployed product, the web page having an IP address available for a plurality of Internet protocols.

21. The communications system as recited in claim 20, further comprising a housing.

22. The deployed product of claim 20, wherein the housing is an aircraft engine and the electronic controller is an engine controller.

23. The deployed product of claim 20, further including a plurality of sensors operatively associated with the deployed product, the microserver receiving signals from the sensors.

24. The deployed product of claim 23, wherein the microserver receives the signals wirelessly from the sensors.

25. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a compressor section;

a combustion section downstream of the compressor section;

a turbine section downstream of the combustion section;

a casing surrounding at least one of the compressor section, combustion section and turbine section;

an electronic controller mounted to the engine casing, the electronic control box controlling and monitoring operation of the engine; and

a microserver mounted to the engine casing and communicably coupled to the electronic control box.

26. The gas turbine engine of claim 25, wherein the microserver hosts a web page, the web page having an IP address available for a plurality of Internet protocols.

27. The gas turbine engine of claim 25, wherein the microserver generates a wireless system surrounding the engine and adapted to connect to the Internet.

28. The gas turbine engine of claim 25, wherein the microserver is communicably coupled to sensors installed on the engine.

29. The gas turbine engine of claim 28, wherein the microserver is hard-wired to the sensors.

30. The gas turbine engine of claim 28, wherein the microserver communicates with the sensors wirelessly.

31. The gas turbine engine of claim 30, wherein the microserver communicates by way of radio frequency identification tags.

32. The gas turbine engine of claim 25, wherein the microserver connects to the Internet by way of a local area network.

33. The gas turbine engine of claim 25, wherein the microserver connects to the Internet by way of a cellular network.

34. The gas turbine engine of claim 25, wherein the microserver connects to the Internet by way of satellite.

35. A method of communicating with a deployed product, comprising:

installing a microserver on the deployed product;

connecting the microserver to an electronic controller also mounted on the deployed product;

hosting a web page on the microserver, the web page having an IP address available for a plurality of Internet protocols; and

accessing the web page wirelessly over the Internet.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the microserver and electronic control box are mounted on a housing as an aircraft engine.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the web page serves as a portal through which passengers on board the aircraft can access the Internet and computing devices remote from the aircraft can communicate with the aircraft.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the web page is accessed using a computing device selected from the group of computing devices consisting of desktop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, laptop computers, and wireless PC tablets.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the web page is accessed over a local area network.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the web page is accessed over a cellular network.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the web page is accessed by way of satellite.

43. The method of claim 35, further including computing signals from sensors installed on the deployed product to the microserver.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the signals are communicated wirelessly.

45. A retrofit kit for a deployed product having an electronic controller comprising a microserver directly connected to the electronic controller, wherein the microserver hosts a web page and generates a wireless system around the deployed product, the web page having an IP address available for a plurality of Internet protocols.

46. The retrofit kit as recited in claim 45, wherein the microserver is connected to the electronic controller using a communications port of the electronic controller.