SENSORS FOR AN AIRCRAFT FOR LOCATING DEVICES

• US 20110300880A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Müller, Jan, Glaser, Daniel, Schwark, Uwe
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor network for determining the position of devices and gear in an aircraft. The sensor network exhibits several sensor nodes, which have an autonomous power supply. The sensor nodes can communicate wirelessly with each other and with a central processing unit. The position of each individual sensor node can be determined by evaluating high-frequency signal parameters.

Claims

1. A sensor node for a sensor network in an aircraft, wherein the sensor node (100) comprises:

a sensor unit (101) for acquiring a parameter, based upon which the position of the sensor node within the sensor network can be determined;

a communications unit (102) for transmitting data based on the acquired parameter to a central processing unit (105).

2. The sensor node of claim 1,

wherein the parameter is a high-frequency signal parameter.

3. The sensor node of claim 1 or 2,

wherein the sensor unit (101) is further designed for acquiring a measured value selected from the group comprised of temperature, vibration, acceleration, expansion and pressure.

4. The sensor node of one of the preceding claims, further comprising:

a power supply unit (103) for supplying the sensor node with electrical energy;

wherein the power supply unit (103) is configured to autonomously supply power to the sensor node (100) through energy conversion.

5. The sensor node of claim 4,

wherein the power supply unit (103) comprises a vibration generator, a thermoelectric converter, an antenna for receiving electromagnetic energy, or a photovoltaic unit for converting light into electrical energy for providing the sensor node (100) with a decentralized power supply.

6. A sensor network for determining a local arrangement of several sensor nodes, wherein the sensor network (200) comprises:

a sensor node (100) of one of the preceding claims

a central processing unit (105) for receiving the data transmitted by the sensor node and determining the position of the sensor node (100) based on the transmitted data.

7. The sensor network of claim 6,

wherein the position of the sensor node is determined based on a correlation of data received from several sensor nodes.

8. The sensor network of claim 6 or 7,

designed to determine the positions of seats in a cabin of the aircraft.

9. The sensor network of one of claims 6 to 8,

wherein the central processing unit (105) is designed to determine the positions of the seats and subsequent transmission of corresponding position information, whereupon the seats are automatically configured.

10. The sensor network of one of claims 6 to 9, further comprising:

a permanently installed sensor node (100) whose absolute position in the aircraft is known, so that it can serve as a fixed reference point.

11. An aircraft (500) with a sensor network (200) of one of claims 6 to 10.

12. A method for determining a local arrangement of several sensor nodes in an aircraft, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

Acquiring a parameter based upon which the position of the sensor node within a sensor network can be determined;

Transmitting data based on the acquired parameter to a central processing unit (105);

Determining the position of the sensor node (100) based on the transmitted data.