APPARATUS FOR DETECTING INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF A SYSTEM

• US 20120053777A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Meisels, David Benjamin, Boyd, Peter Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance

Abstract

Apparatus 10 for detecting inadequate maintenance of a system 12 of an aircraft or other vehicle is provided. The apparatus comprises: computer readable medium or media 14 configured to store data 18 relating to operation or non-operation of the system 12 over a period of time; and a data processing unit 16 configured to evaluate the data to identify at least one event indicative of the inadequate maintenance of the system.

Claims

1. A method for detecting inadequate maintenance performed on an aircraft system, the method performed by a data processing system and comprising:

using signals representing data generated by one or more sensors associated with at least one system of an aircraft, the data representing one or more operating parameters associated with the at least one aircraft system, generating data representing one or more operational events associated with the at least one aircraft system;

accessing data representing one or more scheduled maintenance events associated with the at least one aircraft system;

using a comparison of the generated data representing one or more operational events associated with the at least one aircraft system with the accessed data representing one or more scheduled maintenance events, determining that an inadequate maintenance condition exists;

generating one or more signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition; and

storing the one or more signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition in computer-readable memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition comprise signals representing at least one instruction associated with corrective maintenance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises a wash of a gas turbine engine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises starting a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises turning over a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises dry motoring a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

7. A medium or media comprising machine-readable instructions executable by a data processor, the machine-readable instructions, when executed, causing the processor to:

using signals representing data generated by one or more sensors associated with at least one system of an aircraft, the data representing one or more operating parameters associated with the at least one aircraft system, generate data representing one or more operational events associated with the at least one aircraft system;

access data representing one or more scheduled maintenance events associated with the at least one aircraft system;

based at least partly on a comparison of the generated data representing one or more operational events associated with the at least one aircraft system with the accessed data representing one or more scheduled maintenance events, determine that an inadequate maintenance condition exists;

generate one or more signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition; and

store the one or more signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition in computer-readable memory.

8. The medium or media of claim 7, wherein the signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition comprise signals representing at least one instruction associated with corrective maintenance.

9. The medium or media of claim 7, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises a wash of a gas turbine engine.

10. The medium or media of claim 7, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises starting a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

11. The medium or media of claim 7, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises turning over a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

12. The medium or media of claim 7, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises dry motoring a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

13. A system useful for detecting inadequate maintenance performed on an aircraft system, the system comprising at least one data processor configured to execute machine-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

using signals representing data generated by one or more sensors associated with at least one system of an aircraft, the data representing one or more operating parameters associated with the at least one aircraft system, generate data representing one or more operational events associated with the at least one aircraft system;

access data representing one or more scheduled maintenance events associated with the at least one aircraft system;

based at least partly on a comparison of the generated data representing one or more operational events associated with the at least one aircraft system with the accessed data representing one or more scheduled maintenance events, determine that an inadequate maintenance condition exists;

generate one or more signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition; and

store the one or more signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition in computer-readable memory.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the signals indicative of the inadequate maintenance condition comprise signals representing at least one instruction associated with corrective maintenance.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises a wash of a gas turbine engine.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises starting a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises turning over a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the recommended maintenance procedure comprises dry motoring a gas turbine engine during a period of inactivity.