AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20100131149A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus
• Original Assignee: Airbus
• Inventors: Fremont, Christian, Saugnac, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the maintenance of an aircraft including an avionics system comprising a set of operating units. The invention is characterised in that the avionics system is connected to a ground-based infrastructure via at least one communication medium. The inventive method comprises: at least a step in which maintenance data stored in the ground-based infrastructure and relating to the malfunction of at least one operating unit are obtained via the at least one communication medium, and a step in which said at least one operating unit is repaired on the basis of the maintenance data obtained.

Claims

1. Method for maintenance in an aircraft, the aircraft comprising an avionic system, the avionic system comprising a set of functional entities, characterizing in that, since the avionic system is connected to an infrastructure on the ground according to at least one communication medium, the method comprises:

a step of consulting, via the said at least one communication medium, maintenance data stored in the infrastructure on the ground relating to the malfunction of at least one functional entity,

at least one step of obtaining the said data relating to the malfunction of at least one functional entity, and

a step of repairing the at least one functional entity based on the maintenance data obtained.

2. Method for maintenance according to claim 1, characterized in that the method comprises a step of sending out at least one information item concerning malfunction of at least one functional entity to the infrastructure on the ground.

3. Method for maintenance according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a preliminary step of diagnosis of malfunction of at least one functional entity.

4. Method for maintenance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises a step of isolation of the said malfunction based on the maintenance data obtained.

5. Method for maintenance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the avionic system communicates with the infrastructure on the ground according to a synchronous communication mode.

6. Method for maintenance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises a step of receiving a command for testing of at least one functional entity via the said at least one communication medium and a step of executing the said command on the said at least one functional entity.

10. Computer program comprising instructions adapted for the implementation of each of the steps of the method for maintenance according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

7. Device for maintenance in an aircraft, the aircraft comprising an avionic system, the avionic system comprising a set of functional entities, characterized in that, since the avionic system is connected to an infrastructure on the ground according to at least one communication medium, the device comprises:

means for consulting, via the said at least one communication support, maintenance data stored in the infrastructure on the ground relating to the malfunction of at least one functional entity,

means for obtaining the said data relating to the malfunction of at least one functional entity, and

means for repairing the said at least one functional entity based on the maintenance data obtained.

8. Device for maintenance according to claim 7 characterized in that the device comprises means for sending out at least one information item concerning malfunction of at least one functional entity to the infrastructure on the ground.

9. Device for maintenance according to any one of claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the device comprises means for receiving a command for testing of at least one functional entity via the said at least one communication medium and means for executing the said command on the said at least one functional entity.