Wire System Assessment

• US 20110153235A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Call, Camron Ravell, Thomas, Terrance L., Rosman LaFever, Monica C., Chaplin, Carey
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/008 on air- or spacecraft, railway rolling stock or sea-going vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/11 using pulse reflection methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/50 Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58

Abstract

The advantageous embodiments provide a method, a computer program product, and an apparatus for monitoring a wiring system. A number of responses to signals transmitted in a portion of the wiring system are measured to form a measured signature. Design data for the portion of the wiring system is retrieved. A number of expected responses for the signals in the portion of the wiring system are identified using the design data to form a computed signature. The measured signature is compared with the computed signature.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a wiring system, the method comprising:

measuring a number of responses to signals transmitted in a portion of the wiring system to form a measured signature;

retrieving design data for the portion of the wiring system;

identifying a number of expected responses for the signals in the portion of the wiring system using the design data to form a computed signature; and

comparing the measured signature with the computed signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring step comprises:

sending a number of test signals through a number of paths in the portion of the wiring system; and

detecting a number of reflected pulses generated by the portion of the wiring system in response to the number of test signals.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of test signals is a number of spread spectrum test signals, and wherein the sending step comprises:

sending the number of spread spectrum test signals through the number of paths in the portion of the wiring system, wherein the number of spread spectrum test signals is modulated with a pseudo noise code.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of identifying the number of expected responses for the signals in the portion of the wiring system using the design data to form the computed signature further comprises:

generating a number of expected impedance values for the portion of the wiring system using the design data;

performing a simulation of the number of test signals using the number of expected impedance values to identify the number of expected responses for the computed signature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of performing the simulation further comprises:

simulating an effect of a neighboring environment on the number of test signals, wherein the effect of the neighboring environment is selected from a number of adjacent wire runs to the portion of the wiring system and a number of adjacent connector pins to the portion of the wiring system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the wiring system is selected from a number of wires, a number of connectors, a number of wiring harnesses, a number of splices, and terminating lug connections.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing the measured signature with the computed signature further comprises:

plotting the computed signature and the measured signature on a graph; and

identifying a number of areas on the graph where a difference between the computed signature and the measured signature exceeds a specified threshold to form a number of identified areas; and

displaying the graph with the computed signature, the measured signature, and the number of identified areas on a display device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

responsive to identifying the number of areas on the graph where the difference exceeds the specified threshold, initiating an action for the wiring system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the action is selected from presenting an alert requesting an inspection of an identified area in the number of identified areas, sending the measured signature to a wiring system maintainer, and storing the measured signature and the difference in a diagnostic log associated with the wiring system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring the number of responses to signals transmitted in the portion of the wiring system to form the measured signature is performed using time domain reflectometry, sequence time domain reflectometry, standing wave reflectometry, or spread-spectrum time domain reflectometry.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wiring system is located in a platform, wherein the platform is selected from a mobile platform, a stationary platform, a land-based structure, an aquatic-based structure, a space-based structure, an aircraft, a surface ship, a tank, a personnel carrier, a train, a spacecraft, a space station, a satellite, a submarine, an automobile, a power plant, a bridge, a dam, a manufacturing facility, and a building.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for measuring a number of responses to signals transmitted in a portion of the wiring system to form a measured signature;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for retrieving design data for the portion of the wiring system;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for identifying a number of expected responses for the signals in the portion of the wiring system using the design data to form a computed signature; and

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for comparing the measured signature with the computed signature.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for measuring the number of responses to signals transmitted in the portion of the wiring system to form the measured signature further comprises:

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for sending a number of test signals through a number of paths in the portion of the wiring system; and

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for detecting a number of reflected pulses generated by the portion of the wiring system in response to the number of test signals.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the number of test signals is a number of spread spectrum test signals, and wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for sending the number of test signals through the number of paths in the portion of the wiring system further comprises:

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for sending the number of spread spectrum test signals through the number of paths in the portion of the wiring system, wherein the number of spread spectrum test signals is modulated with a pseudo noise code.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program code, stored on the computer usable storage medium, for identifying the number of expected responses for the signals in the portion of the wiring system using the design data to form the computed signature further comprises:

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for generating a number of expected impedance values for the portion of the wiring system using the design data; and

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for performing a simulation of the number of test signals using the number of expected impedance values to identify the number of expected responses for the computed signature.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for performing the simulation of the number of test signals using the number of expected impedance values to identify the number of expected responses for the computed signature further comprises:

simulating an effect of a neighboring environment on the number of test signals, wherein the effect of the neighboring environment are selected from a number of adjacent wire runs to the portion of the wiring system and a number of adjacent connector pins to the portion of the wiring system.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the portion of the wiring system is selected from a number of wires, a number of connectors, a number of wiring harnesses, a number of splices, and number of terminating lug connections.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for comparing the measured signature with the computed signature further comprises:

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for plotting the computed signature and the measured signature on a graph;

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for identifying a number of areas on the graph where a difference between the computed signature and the measured signature exceeds a specified threshold to form a number of identified areas; and

program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for displaying the graph with the computed signature, the measured signature, and the number of identified areas on a display device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

responsive to identifying the number of areas on the graph where the difference exceeds the specified threshold, initiating an action for the wiring system.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the action is selected from presenting an alert requesting an inspection of an identified area in the number of identified areas, sending the measured signature to a wiring system maintainer, and storing the measured signature and the difference in a diagnostic log associated with the wiring system.

21. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for measuring the number of responses to signals transmitted in the portion of the wiring system to form the measured signature further comprises program code for using time domain reflectometry, sequence time domain reflectometry, standing wave reflectometry, or spread-spectrum time domain reflectometry.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a bus;

a memory connected to the bus; and

a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit is configured to measure a number of responses to signals transmitted in a portion of the wiring system to form a measured signature, retrieve design data for the portion of the wiring system, identify a number of expected responses for the signals in the portion of the wiring system using the design data to form a computed signature, and compare the measured signature with the computed signature.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor unit is further configured to:

send a number of test signals through a number of paths in the portion of the wiring system, and detect a number of reflected pulses generated by the portion of the wiring system in response to the number of test signals.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the number of test signals is a number of spread spectrum test signals, and wherein the processor unit being configured to send a number of test signals through a number of paths in the portion of the wiring system further comprises:

the processor unit being configured to send the number of spread spectrum test signals through the number of paths in the portion of the wiring system, wherein the number of spread spectrum test signals is modulated with a pseudo noise code

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor unit being configured to compare the measured signature with the computed signature further comprises:

the processor unit being configured to plot the computed signature and the measured signature on a graph;

the processor unit being configured to identify a number of areas on the graph where a difference between the measured signature and the computed signature exceeds a specified threshold to form a number of identified areas; and

the processor unit being configured to display the graph with the computed signature, the measured signature, and the number of identified areas on a display device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor unit is further configured to:

initiate an action for the wiring system responsive to identifying the number of areas on the graph where the difference exceeds the specified threshold.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the action is selected from presenting an alert requesting an inspection of an identified area in the number of identified areas, sending the measured signature to a wiring system maintainer, and storing the measured signature and the difference in a diagnostic log associated with the wiring system.