WIRELESS ENGINE MONITORING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED ENGINE WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK

• US 20130332011A1
• Filed: 06/06/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: ZIARNO, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,152,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A plurality of wireless engine sensors each includes a sensing circuit that senses an engine parameter as engine data. A radio transceiver receives and transmits the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameters. An engine monitoring module includes a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine. A sensor receiver is mounted within the housing and receives the engine data from the wireless engine sensors. A first wireless transmitter is carried by the housing. A memory is carried by the housing and a processor is carried by the housing and coupled to the memory and the first wireless transmitter and configured to collect and store in the memory engine data related to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors and transmit the engine data via the first wireless transmitter.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for an aircraft engine, comprising:

a plurality of wireless engine sensors associated with the aircraft engine, each wireless engine sensor configured to sense an engine parameter as engine data and transmit wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter;

an engine monitoring module comprising;

a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine,

a sensor receiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive the engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors;

a first wireless transmitter carried by the housing,

a memory carried by the housing,

a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the memory, the sensor receiver, and the first wireless transmitter and configured to;

collect and store in said memory engine data relating to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors; and

transmit the engine data via the first wireless transmitter.

2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of wireless engine sensors are configured to form an engine wireless sensor network.

3. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein a wireless engine sensor is configured to sense fuel flow, temperature, pressure, level, acceleration or vibration.

4. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said first wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the engine data and a data address linked to an identifier of the aircraft engine.

5. The monitoring system according to claim 1, and further comprising a wireless receiver located within the aircraft and configured to receive the engine data transmitted from the first wireless transmitter and a second wireless transmitter located within the aircraft and operatively connected to the wireless receiver and configured to transmit the engine data.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said second wireless transmitter comprises a UHF transmitter configured to transmit the engine data over an air-to-ground communications signal.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said second wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the engine data over a satellite communications link.

8. The system according to claim 5, and further comprising a wireless local area network (LAN) formed within the aircraft to which the wireless receiver and second wireless transmitter are connected.

9. A monitoring system for an aircraft engine, comprising:

a plurality of wireless engine sensors associated with the aircraft engine, each wireless engine sensor configured to sense an engine parameter as engine data and transmit wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter;

an engine monitoring module comprising;

a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine,

a sensor receiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive the engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors;

a first wireless transmitter carried by the housing,

a memory carried by the housing,

a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the memory, the sensor receiver, and the first wireless transmitter and configured to;

collect and store in said memory engine data relating to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors and transmit the engine data via the first wireless transmitter; and

a wireless receiver located within the aircraft and configured to receive the engine data transmitted from the first wireless transmitter, and further comprising a second processor at the aircraft and configured to receive the engine data during flight of the aircraft and process the engine data and determine engine operating parameters.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of wireless engine sensors are configured to form an engine wireless sensor network.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein a wireless engine sensor is configured to sense fuel flow, temperature, pressure, level, acceleration or vibration.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said second processor at the aircraft is configured to determine engine operating parameters based on the sensed engine data.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said second processor at the aircraft is configured to determine if an engine should be shut down during flight of the aircraft.

14. The system according to claim 9, and further comprising a second wireless transmitter located within the aircraft and operatively connected to the wireless receiver and configured to transmit the engine data.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said second wireless transmitter comprises a UHF transmitter configured to transmit the engine data over an air-to-ground communications signal.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said second wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the engine data over a satellite communications link.

17. The system according to claim 14, and further comprising a wireless local area network (LAN) formed within the aircraft to which the wireless receiver and second wireless transmitter are connected.

18. The monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein said first wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the engine data and a data address linked to an identifier of the aircraft engine.

19. A method of monitoring an aircraft engine, comprising:

mounting a plurality of wireless engine sensors at the aircraft engine, each wireless engine sensor configured to sense an engine parameter as engine data and transmit the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter; and

mounting an engine monitoring module at the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module comprising a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine, a sensor receiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors, a first wireless transmitter carried by the housing, a memory carried by the housing, a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the memory, the sensor receiver, and the first wireless transmitter;

collecting and storing in said memory engine data relating to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors; and

transmitting the engine data via the first wireless transmitter.

20. The method according to claim 19, and further comprising forming the plurality of wireless engine sensors as an engine wireless sensor network.

21. The method according to claim 19, and further comprising sensing at a wireless engine sensor fuel flow, temperature, pressure, level, acceleration or vibration.

22. The method according to claim 19, and further comprising receiving the engine data within wireless receiver located within the aircraft and transmitting the received engine data via a second wireless transmitter located within the aircraft.

23. The method according to claim 22, and further comprising transmitting the engine data via the second wireless transmitter over a satellite communications link.

24. The method according to claim 22, and further comprising transmitting the engine data over an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) communications signal as an air-to-ground communications signal.

25. The method according to claim 22, and further comprising receiving the engine data at a wireless local area network (LAN) in the aircraft to which the second wireless transmitter and wireless receiver are connected.

26. The method according to claim 19, and further comprising assigning a data address to the engine monitoring module and linking the data address to an engine serial number for tracking the aircraft engine.

27. The method according to claim 19, and further comprising receiving the engine data within wireless receiver located within the aircraft and processing the received engine data during flight of the aircraft and determining engine operating parameters.

28. The method according to claim 27, and further comprising determining engine operating parameters based on sensed engine data.

29. The method according to claim 27, and further comprising shutting down an engine during flight of the aircraft based on the determined engine operating parameters.