DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANAGING EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

• US 20080129459A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Albouy, Christian, BAILLY, Carine, Fournier, Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,149,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a device for managing equipment maintenance. It relates to a device for managing maintenance of a number N of items of equipment EQi built into a system, i designating an index identifying the item of equipment EQi and lying between 1 and N, the system furthermore comprising a main computer RC, the equipment EQ_i exchanging data with the main computer RC through a communication network, the equipment EQ_i being capable of being built into the system or of being removed from the system, each item of equipment EQ_i being protected by a protective housing BP_i, the communication node N_j occupying a position internal to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data with the radio tag ET_i, the radio tag ET_i being fixed securely to the housing BP_i and being devised to deliver data through a contactless link.

Claims

1. A device for managing maintenance of a number N of items of equipment EQi built into a system, i designating an index identifying the item of equipment EQi and lying between 1 and N, the system furthermore comprising a main computer RC, the equipment EQ_i exchanging data with the main computer RC through a communication network, the equipment EQ_i being capable of being built into the system or of being removed from the system, each item of equipment EQ_i being protected by a protective housing BP_i, the communication node N_j occupying a position internal to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data with the radio tag ET_i, the radio tag ET_i being fixed securely to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data through a contactless link,

wherein the housing BP_i comprises:

means of electromagnetic isolation of the communication node N_i which protect the item of equipment EQ_i from electromagnetic emissions produced by the communication node N_i;

removable plugging means which mask the radio tag ET_i with respect to the exterior of the housing BP_i, the plugging means being in a closed state or in an open state;

wherein the communication node N_i and the tag ET_i are inside a cavity formed by the means of electromagnetic isolation and the removable plugging means, the cavity is sealed when the removable plugging means are in a closed state.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, when the removable plugging means are in the closed state, the removeable plugging means prevent the radio tag ET_i from delivering data outside the housing BP_i.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the removable plugging means comprise a tiltable flap V_i and in that the open state corresponds to a position of the flap in which the radio tag ET_i is visible from outside the housing, and that the closed state corresponds to a position of the flap in which the radio tag ET_i is invisible from outside the housing.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the removable plugging means comprise a sliding drawer T_i and in that the open state corresponds to a position of the drawer in which the radio tag ET_i is visible from outside the housing and that the closed state corresponds to a position of the drawer in which the radio tag ET_i is invisible from outside the housing.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the radio tag ET_i comprises:

a receiver RE_i of data delivered by a communication node N_j (12, 22, 32);

a memory ME_j for storing data;

an emitter EE_j for delivering data to a communication node N_j (12, 22, 32), on request.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the exchange of data between the radio tag ET_i and the communication node N_j is carried out by means of a contactless link.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein the communication node N_i comprises:

a receiver, RN_i of data delivered by a radio tag;

an emitter EN_i for delivering data to a radio tag.

8. The device according to claim 1, the manufacturer of the system communicating a first information cue regarding applicable configuration of the system and a second information cue regarding identification of the system to the main computer during shipment of the system, wherein the main computer RC comprises means for transmitting, via the communication nodes N_i, the first information cue and the second information cue to all the radio tags ET_i, on each interruption of the system power supply.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main computer RC comprises means for detecting an incompatibility between a configuration information cue relating to an item of equipment EQ_i and the first configuration information cue.

10. The device according to claim 1 wherein data stored on the radio tag ET_i are accessible when the item of equipment EQ_i is not supplied with power or when the item of equipment EQ_i is not built into the system.

11. The device according to claim 1 wherein the main computer RC transmits to the tag ET_i, on each interruption of the system power supply, via the communication nodes N_j, third information cues regarding a duration of operation of the item of equipment EQ_i and fourth information cues regarding a duration of power supply of the item of equipment EQ_i, and in that the third information cues and the fourth information cues are stored in a memory of the tag ET_i.

12. The device according to claim 1, the equipment EQ_i comprising a built-in test device BITE_i, the device BITE_i producing results of operational tests of the item of equipment EQ_i and delivering test results messages summarizing information cues regarding an operating state of the item of equipment EQ_i destined for a main computer RC via a communication network of the system, wherein, while the system is operational, the device BITE_i delivers, via the communication node N_i, the entirety of the results of operational tests of the item of equipment EQ_i to the radio tag ET_i via the communication node N_i and in that the main computer RC transmits test results messages summarizing information cues regarding an operating state of the equipment EQ_i of the system.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the exchange of data between the radio tag ET_i and the node N_j is carried out by means of a wire-based link and in that the means of electromagnetic isolation consist of walls of the protective housing BP_i.

14. A method of managing maintenance of a number N of items of equipment EQ_i built into a system, i designating an index identifying the item of equipment EQ_i and lying between 1 and N, the item of equipment EQ_i comprising a built-in test device BITE_i, the device BITE_i delivering test results messages to a main computer RC of the system, via a communication network of the system, each item of equipment EQ_i comprising a communication node N_i and a tag ET_i and being protected by a protective housing BP_i, the communication node N_j occupying a position internal to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data with the radio tag ET_i, the radio tag ET_i being fixed securely to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data through a contactless link, the said method being implemented by a device according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps:

transmission by the device BITE_i to the tag ET_i, via the communication nodes N_j, of the test results;

storage of the test results in a memory of the tag ET_i.

15. A device for managing maintenance of a number N of items of equipment EQ_i built into a system, i designating an index identifying the item of equipment EQ_i and lying between 1 and N, the system furthermore comprising a main computer RC, the equipment EQ_i exchanging data with the main computer RC through a communication network, the equipment EQ_i being capable of being built into the system or of being removed from the system, each item of equipment EQ_i being protected by a protective housing BP_i, the communication node N_j occupying a position internal to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data with the radio tag ET_i, the radio tag ET_i being fixed securely to the housing BP_i and being devised to exchange data through a contactless link, means of electromagnetic isolation of the communication node N_i which protect the item of equipment EQ_i from electromagnetic emissions produced by the communication node N_i;

removable plugging means which mask the radio tag ET_i with respect to the exterior of the housing BP_i, the plugging means being in a closed state or in an open state;

wherein the communication node N_i and the tag ET_i are inside a cavity formed by the means of electromagnetic isolation and the removable plugging means, the cavity is sealed when the removable plugging means are in a closed state.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein, when the removable plugging means are in the closed state, the removeable plugging means prevent the radio tag ET_i from delivering data outside the housing BP_i.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the removable plugging means comprise a tiltable flap V_i and in that the open state corresponds to a position of the flap in which the radio tag ET_i is visible from outside the housing, and that the closed state corresponds to a position of the flap in which the radio tag ET_i is invisible from outside the housing.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the removable plugging means comprise a sliding drawer T_i and in that the open state corresponds to a position of the drawer in which the radio tag ET_i is visible from outside the housing and that the closed state corresponds to a position of the drawer in which the radio tag ET_i is invisible from outside the housing.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the radio tag ET_i comprises:

a receiver RE_i of data delivered by a communication node N_j (12, 22, 32);

a memory ME_j for storing data;

an emitter EE_j for delivering data to a communication node N_j (12, 22, 32), on request.

20. The device according to claim 15, wherein the exchange of data between the radio tag ET_i and the communication node N_j is carried out by means of a contactless link.