WIRELESS AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOG

• US 20090243854A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Beacham, William H., Scheid, Paul Raymond, Ouzounov, Alexey Sergeev
• Application Number:
  US12/055,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20090243854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/30 Transportation; Communications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A method of aircraft maintenance involves storing part information relating to an aircraft part on the aircraft part. The part information is wirelessly transmitting from the aircraft part to a receiver. A note of a change relating to the aircraft part is made. The part information with the note of the change relating to the aircraft part is electronically stored at a location remote from the aircraft part.

Claims

1. A method of aircraft maintenance, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing part information relating to an aircraft part on the aircraft part;

(b) wirelessly transmitting the part information from the aircraft part to a receiver;

(c) making a note of a change relating to the aircraft part; and

(d) electronically storing the part information with the note of the change relating to the aircraft part at a location remote from the aircraft part.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(e) wirelessly transmitting the part information with the note of the change relating to the aircraft part to the location remote from the aircraft part.

3. The method of claim 2 including the step of:

(f) formatting the part information and the note of the change relating to the aircraft part into an electronic document for transmission to the location remote from the aircraft part.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the part information relates to at least one of a revision history of the aircraft part, a service history of the part, a part configuration of the aircraft part, a part number of the part, and a serial number of the part.

5. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(g) storing an identification of a maintenance technician serving the aircraft part;

(h) wirelessly transmitting the stored identification to the receiver; and

(i) electronically storing the wirelessly transmitted identification at the location remote from the aircraft part.

6. The method of claim 5 including the step of:

(j) verifying the identification of the maintenance technician servicing the aircraft part.

7. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(k) replacing the aircraft part with a replacement aircraft part, the replacement aircraft part storing replacement part information;

(l) wirelessly transmitting the stored replacement part information from the replacement part to the receiver; and

(m) electronically storing the wirelessly transmitted replacement part information at the location remote from the aircraft part.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the location remote from the aircraft part is on an aircraft computer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the location remote from the aircraft part is a server remote from an aircraft.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the location remote from the aircraft part is on a portable device having a memory unit and processor.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the receiver is on the portable device.

12. The method of claim 1 including the step of:

(p) storing an aircraft identification of an aircraft receiving the aircraft part;

(q) wirelessly transmitting the stored aircraft identification to the receiver; and

(r) electronically storing the wirelessly transmitted aircraft identification at the location remote from the aircraft part.

13. A method of aircraft maintenance, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing part information relating to an aircraft part on the aircraft part;

(b) replacing the aircraft part with a replacement aircraft part, the replacement aircraft part storing replacement part information;

(c) storing an identification of a maintenance technician servicing the aircraft part;

(d) wirelessly transmitting the stored part information, the stored identification, and the stored replacement part information to a receiver on a portable device having a memory unit and processor;

(e) formatting the wirelessly transmitted part information, the replacement part information and the identification into an electronic document; and

(f) wirelessly transmitting the electronic document to a server.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the part information relates to at least one of a revision history of the aircraft part, a service history of the part, a part configuration of the aircraft part, a part number of the part, and a serial number of the part.

15. The method of claim 13 including the step of:

(g) verifying the identification of the maintenance technician servicing the aircraft part prior to electronically storing the transmitted electronic document.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the server is on an aircraft serviced by the maintenance technician.

17. The method of claim 16 including the step of:

(h) relaying the electronic document from the server on the aircraft to another server located remotely from the aircraft.

18. The method of claim 13 including the step of:

(i) storing an aircraft identification of an aircraft receiving the aircraft part;

(j) wirelessly transmitting the stored aircraft identification to the receiver; and

(k) formatting the transmitted aircraft identification as part of the electronic document.

19. An aircraft part assembly, comprising:

an aircraft part for use on an aircraft;

a writeable memory unit storing part information;

a processor for processing the part information;

a wireless transmitter in communication with the writeable memory unit for transmitting the part information upon receiving a signal; and

a wireless receiver for receiving the signal.

20. The aircraft part assembly of claim 19 wherein the part information relates to at least one of a revision history of the aircraft part, a service history of the part, a part configuration of the aircraft part, a part number of the part, and a serial number of the part.