OBJECT LOCATION AND REPORTING SYSTEM FOR HARSH RF ENVIRONMENTS
First Claim
1. A system for locating and reporting at least one condition of each of a plurality of objects within a harsh radio frequency environment, comprising:
- a portable, ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse signal generator movable to the location of each of the objects and operative for transmitting UWB pulse signals reporting a condition of the object at the location;
a group of UWB radios within the harsh environment for receiving the transmitted UWB pulse signals from the pulse signal generator and for generating measurements related to the position of the pulse signal generator based on the received UWB pulse signals;
a processor for calculating the three-dimensional position of the pulse signal generator using the measurements generated by the UWB radios; and
,a system for displaying an image of the object whose condition is being reported by the pulse signal generator, and for displaying the reported condition of the object.
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Abstract
A system verifies torquing of pressure fittings in an aircraft wheel well. A strain gauge and an ultra-wide band (UWB) pulse signal generator are placed on a wrench used to torque the fittings. The strain senses the torque applied by the wrench, and the pulse signal generator generates UWB pulse signals indicating the location of the fitting and the torque applied to the fitting. The pulse signals are received by UWB radios within the wheel well, which generate location measurements based on the received pulse signals. A processor automatically calculates the location of the fitting being torqued based on the location measurements, and a display produces a 3-dimensional image of the fittings and their torque status.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for locating and reporting at least one condition of each of a plurality of objects within a harsh radio frequency environment, comprising:
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a portable, ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse signal generator movable to the location of each of the objects and operative for transmitting UWB pulse signals reporting a condition of the object at the location; a group of UWB radios within the harsh environment for receiving the transmitted UWB pulse signals from the pulse signal generator and for generating measurements related to the position of the pulse signal generator based on the received UWB pulse signals; a processor for calculating the three-dimensional position of the pulse signal generator using the measurements generated by the UWB radios; and
,a system for displaying an image of the object whose condition is being reported by the pulse signal generator, and for displaying the reported condition of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for monitoring the use of a tool to complete an operation on each of a plurality of subassemblies in a harsh radio frequency (RF) environment within an aircraft, comprising:
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means on the tool for sensing the completion of the operation on a subassembly; an ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse signal generator coupled with the sensing means for transmitting UWB pulse signals reporting the completion of the operation; a group of UWB radios within the aircraft for receiving the transmitted UWB pulse signals from the pulse signal generator and for generating measurements related to the position of the pulse signal generator; means coupled with the group of UWB radios for calculating the three-dimensional position of the tool using the measurements generated by the UWB radios; and
,display means for displaying an image of the subassembly on which the operation has been completed by the tool. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A method of monitoring the use of a tool to complete an operation on subassemblies in a harsh radio frequency (RF) environment within an aircraft, comprising:
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transmitting ultra-wide band (UWB) pulse signals from the location of a subassembly indicating an operation has been performed on the subassembly; receiving the pulse signals at ultra-wide band (UWB) radios within the harsh RF environment; using the pulsed signals to generate location measurements related to the location of the subassembly from which the pulsed signals are transmitted; using the location measurements to determine the location of the subassembly from which the pulsed signals are transmitted in a coordinate system of the harsh RF environment; and
,displaying the subassembly from which the pulsed signals are transmitted within a 3-dimensional image of the harsh RF environment. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of verifying torquing of pressure fittings in an aircraft wheel well, comprising:
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placing a strain gauge and an ultra-wide band (UWB) pulse signal generator on a wrench; using the wrench to torque the fittings; using the strain gauge to sense the torque applied by the wrench to the fittings; using the pulse signal generator to generate UWB pulse signals indicating the location of the fitting and the torque applied to the fitting; receiving the pulse signals at multiple UWB radios within the wheel well; generating location measurements using the received pulse signals; automatically calculating the location of the fitting based on the location measurements; and
,displaying a 3-dimensional image of the fittings and the torque status of the fittings.
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25. A system for verifying torquing of pressure fittings within a wheel well of an aircraft, comprising:
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a wrench; a sensor on the wrench for sensing torque applied to a fitting by the wrench; an ultra-wide band (UWB) pulse signal generator on the wrench and operative for transmitting pulse signals related to the sensed torque; a plurality of ultra-wide band (UWB) radios within the wheel well, the UWB radios being positioned such that each of the fittings is generally within the line-of-sight of at least two of UWB radios and operative for producing location measurements related to the location of the wrench; a processor for calculating the position of the wrench within a 3-dimensional coordinate system of the wheel well using the location measurements; a program used by the processor to generate an image of the fittings including the status of the torquing of the fittings; and
,a display for displaying the image.
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Specification