Microserver test port retrofit kit

• US 20050027826A1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Paquet, Michel D., Qadri, Samad, Dolan, William J., Poisson, Richard A., Macchia, Enzo, Loda, David C., Stickling, Bjorn, Kennedy, Campbell
• Application Number:
  US10/832,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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: H04M 3/301 Circuit arrangements at the subscriber's side of the line
• 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 connected to an existing PC test port of a controller pre-existing onboard the deployed product to easily retrofit existing machines to be web-enabled.

Claims

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

an electronic controller capable of communicating with the deployed product, the electronic controller including a test port;

a microserver connected to the test port, the microserver receiving data about the deployed product through the test port 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.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the electronic controller is an APDMC for the aircraft.

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

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the electronic controller is a FADEC/EEC for the aircraft engine.

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

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

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

9. 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.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the microserver is a server for all computing devices on 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 capable of operating in conjunction with the Internet, the local wireless intranet also being capable of operating independently of the Internet.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver acts as 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 are accessible from the computing device remote from the deployed product.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver connected to the PC test port is temporary ground-support equipment.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the microserver employs anti-hacking security protocols.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver is communicably coupled to sensors installed on the engine.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver is hard-wired to the sensors.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver communicates with the sensors wirelessly.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver communicates by way of radio frequency identification tags.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver connects to the Internet by way of a local area network.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver connects to the Internet by way of a cellular network.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the microserver connects to the Internet by way of satellite.

28. A communication system for deployed product, comprising:

an electronic controller, operatively associated with the deployed product, the electronic control box including a test port; and

a microserver connected to the test port, 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.

29. The deployed product of claim 28, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft.

30. The deployed product of claim 28, wherein the electronic control box is an APDMC of the aircraft.

31. The deployed product of claim 28, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft engine.

32. The deployed product of claim 31, wherein the electronic control box is a FADEC/EEC of the aircraft engine.

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

connecting a microserver to a test port of an electronic controller of the deployed product;

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

accessing the web page wirelessly over the Internet.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft engine.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the electronic control box is selected from the group of electronic control boxes consisting of APDMCs, EECs, FADECs, DMUs and EDUs.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the microserver serves as a portal through which passengers onboard the aircraft can access the Internet and computing devices remote from the aircraft can communicate with the aircraft.

38. The method of claim 33, 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.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the web page is accessed over a local area network.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the web page is accessed over a cellular network.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the web page is accessed by satellite.

42. A retrofit kit for a deployed product having an electronic controller with a test port, comprising a microserver connected to the test port, 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.