MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF AN INSTALLATION OF A VEHICLE

• US 20120290170A1
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EADS Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: EADS Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: YAGÜE MARTÍN, Ignacio, HERNÁNDEZ SÁNCHEZ, Luis Miguel
• Application Number:
  US13/419,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33.2
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A maintenance system of an installation of a vehicle, such as a vision installation of a tanker aircraft, including maintenance equipment having a performing device performing maintenance activities by way of an interactive communication between the maintenance equipment and the installation, in which the installation uses a first communication interface and is provided with an I/O connector; the maintenance equipment is provided with a wireless connector using a second communication interface; and the system also includes a converter device for the first and second communication interfaces connected to the I/O connector. The invention also refers to a method for performing the maintenance of the installation.

Claims

1. A method for performing maintenance of an installation of a vehicle, the installation being provided with a first communication interface and having an I/O communication connector, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing an operative connection between said installation and maintenance equipment provided with wireless connection means using a second communication interface in the following sub-steps;

connecting a converter device for said first and second communication interfaces to said I/O communication connector;

activating said maintenance equipment;

performing maintenance activities in an interactive communication between said maintenance equipment and said installation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said maintenance equipment is a mobile device having means for performing said maintenance activities;

said second communication interface is an interface for exchanging data over distances up to at least 100 meters using short-range radio-links.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said maintenance equipment comprises a first device having means for performing said maintenance activities and a second device having wireless connection means using the second communication interface, both devices having Internet communication means for communicating between them through the Internet;

said second communication interface is an interface for exchanging data over distances up to at least 100 meters using short-range radio-links.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said second communication interface uses a Bluetooth communication method.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a tanker aircraft, said installation is an installation that provides a remote vision of a refueling scenario and said first communication interface is one of the following:

ARINC429, MIL1553, RS232, RS422, RS485.

6. A maintenance system of an installation of a vehicle, the installation being provided with a first communication interface and having an I/O communication connector, the maintenance system comprising:

maintenance equipment being provided with wireless connection means using a second communication interface and having means for performing maintenance activities in an interactive communication between said maintenance equipment and said installation; and

a converter device for said first and second communication interfaces connectable to said to said I/O communication connector.

7. A maintenance system according to claim 6, wherein:

said maintenance equipment is a mobile device having means for performing said maintenance activities;

said second communication interface is an interface for exchanging data over distances up to at least 100 meters using short-range radio-links.

8. A maintenance system according to claim 7, wherein said second communication interface uses a Bluetooth communication method.

9. A maintenance system according to claim 7, wherein said mobile device is one of the following:

a mobile phone, a PDA, a tablet computer.

10. A maintenance system according to claim 6, wherein:

said maintenance equipment comprises a first device having means for performing said maintenance activities and a second device having wireless connection means using the second communication interface, both devices having Internet communication means for communicating between them through the Internet;

said second communication interface is an interface for exchanging data over distances up to at least 100 meters using short-range radio-links.

11. A maintenance system according to claim 10, wherein said second communication interface uses a Bluetooth communication method.

12. A maintenance system according to claim 10, wherein said first device is one of the following:

a laptop, a PDA, a tablet computer.

13. A maintenance system according to claim 10, wherein said second device is one of the following:

a mobile phone, a PDA, a tablet computer.

14. A maintenance system according to claim 6, wherein said vehicle is an aircraft and said first communication interface is one of the following:

ARINC429, MIL1553, RS232, RS422, RS485.

15. A maintenance system according to claim 14, wherein:

said vehicle is a tanker aircraft and said installation is an installation that provides a remote vision of a refueling scenario;

said converter device includes an individual power source with a controlled switch for assuring that said maintenance activities can be only performed when the aircraft is grounded.