Systems and methods of recording events onboard a vehicle

• US 20050148327A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Righi, Luigi P., Talbot, Mark A., Perez, Ralph S., Sunio, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications

Abstract

A system is provided that comprises a vehicle (e.g., aircraft) including a plurality of modules (e.g., line-replaceable units—LRU'"'"'s) capable of communicating over a plurality of buses (e.g., Mil-Std-1553 buses). The system also includes an advanced wireless open data controller (AWOC) capable of receiving data output onto the buses of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, such as during flight of an aircraft. The AWOC is also capable of comparing the output data to a database of known events of the modules. Then, when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, the AWOC is capable of identifying an event. The AWOC can package event data including the identified event. A data unit, also included within the system, is capable of transmitting the packaged event data external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle including a plurality of modules capable of communicating over a plurality of buses; and

an advanced wireless open data controller (AWOC) capable of receiving data output by the modules onto the buses of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, wherein the AWOC is also capable of comparing the output data to a database of known events of the modules, and when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, identifying an event, and packaging event data including the identified event for the at least one module, and wherein

the vehicle includes a module comprising a data unit capable of transmitting the packaged event data to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft including a plurality of line-replaceable units (LRU'"'"'s) capable of communicating over a plurality of Mil-Std-1553 buses, and wherein the AWOC is capable of receiving data output onto the buses of the aircraft during a flight of the aircraft.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the AWOC is capable of packaging event data by at least one of compressing event data and removing at least one extraneous data field of the event data based upon a format of the event data.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the AWOC is further capable of recording the output data after receiving the output data.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the AWOC is capable of identifying an event when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, and the output data is independent of an induced event.

8. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a user processor capable of receiving the packaged event data, unpackaging the packaged event data, and presenting the unpackaged event data, wherein the user processor is capable of receiving the packaged event data, unpackaging the packaged event data and presenting the unpackaged event data during operation of the vehicle.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the AWOC is capable of packaging event data further including data output by the respective at least one module for a given time period before and after the identified event.

5. A system comprising:

a plurality of vehicles each including a plurality of modules capable of communicating over a plurality of buses;

a plurality of advanced wireless open data controllers (AWOC'"'"'s) wherein each AWOC is associated with a vehicle and is capable of receiving and recording data output onto the buses of the associated vehicle, wherein each AWOC is also capable of comparing the respective output data to a database of known events of the modules of the respective vehicle, and when the output data matches a known event for at least one respective module, identifying an event and packaging event data including the identified event for the at least one respective module,

wherein each vehicle includes a module comprising a data unit capable of transmitting the packaged event data at least partially over a wireless communication link; and

a user processor located external to the vehicles, wherein the user processor is capable of receiving at least one of the output data and the event data from each of the AWOC'"'"'s.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the user processor is also capable of sending, to at least one AWOC, at least one of the output data and the event data from at least one other AWOC.

10. A method of recording events onboard a vehicle comprising:

receiving data output from a plurality of modules of the vehicle the data being output onto a plurality of buses during operation of the vehicle;

comparing the output data to a database of known events of the modules; and

when the output data matches a known event for at least one module,

identifying an event;

packaging event data including the identified event for the at least one module; and

transmitting the packaged event data to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein receiving data comprises receiving data output onto a plurality of Mil-Std-1553 buses from a plurality of line-replaceable units (LRU'"'"'s) of an aircraft during a flight of the aircraft.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein packaging event data comprises at least one of compressing event data and removing at least one extraneous data field of the event data based upon a format of the event data.

13. A method according to claim 10 further comprising recording the output data after receiving the output data.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein identifying an event comprises identifying an event when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, and the output data is independent of an induced event.

17. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the packaged event data;

unpackaging the packaged event data; and

presenting the unpackaged event data,

wherein receiving the packaged event data, unpackaging the packaged event data and presenting the unpackaged event data occur during operation of the vehicle.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein packaging event data comprises packaging event data further including data output by the respective at least one module for a given time period before and after the identified event.

14. A method of recording events onboard a plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

transmitting packaged event data from the vehicles, wherein transmitting packaged event data from each vehicle comprises;

receiving data output from a plurality of modules of the vehicle, the data being output onto a plurality of buses during operation of the vehicle;

comparing the output data to a database of known events of the modules; and

when the output data matches a known event for at least one module,

identifying an event;

packaging event data including the identified event for the at least one module; and

transmitting the packaged event data to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link; and

receiving at least one of the output data recorded and the event data packaged for each of the plurality of vehicles.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising sending to at least one vehicle at least one of the output data recorded and the event data packaged for at least one other vehicle.

19. An advanced wireless open data controller (AWOC) for recording events onboard a vehicle comprising:

a memory capable of storing a database of known events of a plurality of modules of the vehicle; and

a processor capable of receiving data output onto a plurality of buses from the modules of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, wherein the processor is also capable of comparing the output data to the database of known events of the modules, and when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, identifying an event, and packaging event data including the identified event for the at least one module such that the packaged event data can be transmitted to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

20. An AWOC according to claim 19, wherein the memory is capable of storing a database of known events of a plurality of line-replaceable units (LRU'"'"'s) of an aircraft, and wherein the processor is capable of receiving data output onto a plurality of Mil-Std-1553 buses from the LRU'"'"'s during a flight of the aircraft.

21. An AWOC according to claim 19, wherein the processor is capable of packaging event data by at least one of compressing event data and removing at least one extraneous data field of the event data based upon a format of the event data.

22. An AWOC according to claim 19, wherein the processor is further capable of recording, and the memory capable of storing, the output data after the processor receives the output data.

23. An AWOC according to claim 19, wherein the processor is capable of identifying an event when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, and the output data is independent of an induced event.

24. An AWOC according to claim 19, wherein the processor is capable of packaging event data such that the event data can be further received, unpackaged and presented during operation of the vehicle.

25. An AWOC according to claim 19, wherein the processor is capable of packaging event data further including data output by the respective at least one module for a given time period before and after the identified event.

26. A monitoring controller for recording faults onboard a vehicle comprising:

a processor capable of identifying a fault of at least one module of the vehicle based upon data output onto a plurality of buses from a plurality of modules of the vehicle, and further based upon a database of known faults of a plurality of modules of the vehicle, wherein the processor is capable of packaging event data including the identified fault such that the packaged event data can be transmitted to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

27. A monitoring controller according to claim 26, wherein the processor is capable of receiving data output onto a plurality of Mil-Std-1553 buses from a plurality of line-replaceable units (LRU'"'"'s) of an aircraft.

28. A monitoring controller according to claim 26, wherein the processor is capable of identifying a fault when the output data matches a known fault for at least one module, and the output data is independent of an induced fault.

29. A monitoring controller according to claim 26, wherein the processor is capable of packaging event data further including data output by the respective at least one module for a given time period before and after the identified fault.

30. A method of recording events onboard a vehicle comprising:

receiving data output from a plurality of modules of the vehicle, the data being output onto a plurality of buses during operation of the vehicle;

selectively recording at least a portion of the data output from at least one module;

packaging the recorded data; and

transmitting the packaged data to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

31. A method according to claim 30 further comprising identifying an event of at least one module when the output data matches a known event for the respective at least one module, and the output data is independent of an induced event.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein packaging the recorded data further comprises packaging event data including an identified event of at least one module and data output by the respective at least one module for a given time period before and after the identified event.

33. A monitoring controller for recording events onboard a vehicle comprising:

a processor capable of receiving data output onto a plurality of buses from a plurality of modules of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, wherein the processor is also capable of selectively recording at least a portion of the data output from at least one module, and packaging the recorded data such that the packaged data can be transmitted to a destination external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link; and

a memory capable of storing the output data after the processor receives the output data.

34. A monitoring controller according to claim 33, wherein the processor is capable of packaging event data further including data output by the respective at least one module for a given time period before and after the identified event.

35. A monitoring controller according to claim 33, wherein the processor is capable of identifying an event when the output data matches a known event for at least one module, and the output data is independent of an induced event.

36. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of buses capable of transporting data;

a plurality of modules capable of communicating over the buses; and

a monitoring controller capable of identifying an event of at least one of the modules based upon data output by the modules onto the buses, and transmitting packaged data at least partially over a wireless communication link, wherein the packaged data comprises at least one of event data including the identified event, and at least a portion of the output data, and

wherein the monitoring controller is capable of transmitting the packaged data such that a centralized user processor located external to the vehicle is capable of receiving the packaged data, and such that the user processor is capable of facilitating coordination of operation of the vehicle and at least one other vehicle at least partially based upon the packaged data.

37. A method of recording events onboard a vehicle, the method comprising:

identifying an event of at least one of a plurality of modules of the vehicle, the event being identified based upon data output by the modules onto buses of the vehicle; and

transmitting packaged data at least partially over a wireless communication link, wherein the packaged data comprises at least one of event data including the identified event, and at least a portion of the output data, and

wherein transmitting packaged data comprises transmitting packaged data such that a centralized user processor located external to the vehicles is capable of receiving the packaged data, and such that the user processor is capable of facilitating coordination of operation of the vehicle and at least one other vehicle at least partially based upon the packaged data.

38. A user processor comprising:

a ground-based reasoner including a knowledge-based system, wherein the knowledge-based system is capable of receiving data from a vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link, the vehicle having identified an event of at least one of a plurality of modules of the vehicle based upon data output by the modules onto buses of the vehicle, and transmitted data comprising at least one of event data including the identified event, and at least a portion of the output data, and wherein the knowledge-based system is capable of isolating an event in at least one of the modules of the vehicle based upon the packaged data.