System, Methodology, and Process for Wireless Transmission of Sensor Data Onboard an Aircraft to a Portable Electronic Device

• US 20150339241A1
• Filed: 07/24/2014
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Flight Data Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: North Flight Data Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Warner, Jeffery N., Rucker, George Donald II
• Granted Patent: US 9,563,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/20 for access to input/output bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Monitoring and reporting methods and apparatus include the acquisition of detailed aircraft state and systems data, analysis of the collected data, and transmission of the collected data and/or analysis of the collected data to a destination automatically via a portable electronic device which is carried onto and off of the aircraft by the pilot or another crew member. More particularly, monitoring and reporting methods and apparatus include collecting analog or digital sensor data onboard an aircraft, analyzing the data in real-time, and automatically transmitting the data and/or analysis of the data to a destination including a portable storage device such as a portable computer, electronic flight bag (EFB), or smart phone, by means such as wireless transmission, for automatic transfer to another destination when the portable computer, electronic flight bag (EFB), or smart phone is off of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) means for receiving data;

b) means for recording data;

c) at least one of a Quick Access Recorder (QAR) Board and a Multi Function Data Acquisition Unit (MFDAU);

d) and a means of automatic transmission of data from the QAR board or the MFDAU to a removable device in an aircraft which can retransmit the data automatically when removed from the aircraft.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means of transmission is wireless transmission.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the wireless transmission is accomplished through a wireless router with the IEEE 802.11ac standard.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the wireless router provides access for between the QAR or MFDAU and an electronic flight bag (EFB), portable computer, and/or smart phone.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the QAR or MFDAU transmits a composite data stream of multiple external component data through the wireless router and to an EFB or portable computer.

17. A method for acquiring data, analyzing said data, and transmitting the data and/or analysis of the data to a destination by using the apparatus of claim 1.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said data is data derived from internal and external sensors of an aircraft.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the data comprises:

a) data acquired from a CV2R Ethernet feed;

b) data from an Ethernet Vibration feed;

c) data a MFDAU Data Feed; and

d) aircraft flight data.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the data analysis is conducted in real-time.

2-10. -10. (canceled)

15-16. -16. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

22-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method of automatically transmitting QAR or MFDAU data from an aircraft, comprising:

automatically transmitting the QAR or MFDAU data to a portable electronic device which a crew member brings with him onto the aircraft and which will leave the aircraft with the crew member when he leaves the aircraft;

automatically transmitting the QAR or MFDAU data from the portable electronic device when the electronic device is off of the aircraft and connects to a network.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data is wirelessly transmitted to the portable electronic device in the aircraft.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the data is encrypted before transmission to the portable electronic device.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the portable electronic device has software that analyzes the data and can send messages to remote locations or simply let those in the aircraft know that there is an issue.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the software detects some issues that normal flight equipment does not.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the data is transmitted substantially continuously while the portable electronic device is in the aircraft.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the data is transmitted substantially continuously while the aircraft is in flight or taxiing.

83. The method of claim 35, wherein QAR data is transmitted.

42. An apparatus for use in an aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a) means for receiving data from one or more sensors in the aircraft;

b) means for recording the data;

c) a means of automatic wireless transmission of the data to a removable electronic device in an aircraft which automatically retransmits the data automatically after the removable electronic device is removed from the aircraft and after the removable electronic device connects to a network outside of the aircraft.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for receiving data includes inputs, and the means for recording data includes a slot, and further comprising:

a) a battery;

b) a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Adapter to Hard Memory;

c) a means for receiving power from an outside power source; and

d) a door providing access to the slot.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for receiving data includes inputs, and wherein the inputs receive data from at least one of the following:

a Cockpit Voice Recorder (CV2R) Ethernet Feed, an Ethernet Vibration Feed, a QAR, and a Multi Function Data Acquisition Unit (MFDAU) Data Feed.

45-82. -82. (canceled)