METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR COST-BASED CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT HEALTH DATA REPORTING

• US 20130066515A1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: Jeanne C. Maggiore
• Inventors: Maggiore, Jeanne C., Sudolsky, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,324,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/32.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A method for reporting aircraft data is described that includes receiving, at a processing device, data relating to a condition experienced during operation of the aircraft, determining a cost relevance for the data, comparing, with the processing device, the cost relevance for the data to a threshold, transmitting the data to an end user system if the cost relevance exceeds the threshold, and storing the data in a memory if the cost relevance does not exceed the threshold.

Claims

1. A method for reporting aircraft data, said method comprising:

receiving, at a processing device, data relating to a condition experienced during operation of the aircraft;

determining a cost relevance for the data;

comparing, with the processing device, the cost relevance for the data to a threshold;

transmitting the data to an end user system if the cost relevance exceeds the threshold; and

storing the data in a memory if the cost relevance does not exceed the threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein comparing the cost relevance for the data to a threshold comprises calculating a cost of transmission of the data.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining a cost relevance for the data comprises determining a priority of the condition experienced during operation of the aircraft.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining a cost relevance for the data comprises calculating a maintenance time adjustment that would result from not transmitting the data.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising transmitting any stored data from the memory to the end user system if at any point during a flight, at least one of a priority of the condition experienced during operation of the aircraft and a maintenance time adjustment that would result from not transmitting the data have a cost relevance that exceeds the threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data relating to a condition experienced during operation of the aircraft includes an aircraft health maintenance report.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein determining a cost relevance for the data comprises adjusting the cost relevance for the data based on a number of remaining flights for the aircraft until data stored in the memory is accessed.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising adjusting the threshold based on a change to costs of transmission.

9. A vehicle monitoring system comprising:

at least one processing device;

a memory communicatively coupled to said processing device; and

at least one communications interface communicatively coupled to said processing device, said system programmed to;

receive, via said at least one communications interface, data relating to a condition experienced during operation of the vehicle;

determine a cost relevance for the data;

compare the cost relevance for the data to a threshold stored in said memory;

transmit the data, via said at least one communications interface, to an external system if the cost relevance exceeds the threshold; and

store the data in said memory if the cost relevance does not exceed the threshold.

10. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein to compare the cost relevance for the data to a threshold, said system is programmed to calculating a cost of transmitting the data to the external system.

11. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein said memory comprises a priority level table, and wherein to determine a cost relevance for the data, said system is programmed to determine a priority of the condition experienced during operation of the vehicle based on said priority level table, said priority level table comprising the threshold.

12. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 11 wherein the threshold comprises a modifiable constant within said memory.

13. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein to determine a cost relevance for the data, said system is programmed to calculate a maintenance time adjustment that would result from not transmitting the data.

14. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein the threshold may be modified during operation of the vehicles based on at least one factor, said system is programmed to periodically determine if the priority of the condition experienced during operation of the vehicle and a maintenance time adjustment that would result from not transmitting the data have a cost relevance that exceeds the modified threshold.

15. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and the data relating to a condition experienced during operation of the vehicle includes an aircraft health maintenance report.

16. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft and said system is programmed to adjust the cost relevance for the data based on a number of remaining flights for the aircraft until data stored in said memory is accessed.

17. The vehicle monitoring system according to claim 11 wherein said system is programmed to adjust the threshold based on a change in a cost of transmission.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

determine a cost relevance for received data relating to an aircraft condition, the cost relevance based on a priority associated with the data and a cost of transmitting the data to an external system;

transmit the received data to the external system if the cost relevance exceeds a threshold; and

store the data in a memory if the cost relevance does not exceed the threshold.

19. One or more computer-readable storage media according to claim 18, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to modify the threshold based on at least one of the number of flights remaining for an aircraft prior to maintenance accessing the data stored in the memory, a change in the cost of transmission to the external system, a maintenance time adjustment for the aircraft that would result from not transmitting the data, and a verification that an operating base has a capability to address the condition that resulted in the data being received.