AIRCRAFT LRU DATA COLLECTION AND RELIABILITY PREDICTION

• US 20160257429A1
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Szeto, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 9,550,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0232 based on qualitative trend analysis, e.g. system evolution
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0237 based on parallel systems, e.g. comparing signals produced at the same time by same type systems and detect faulty ones by noticing differences among their responses
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• 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 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A remote computing system is described that includes at least one processor and at least one module. The at least one module is operable by the at least one processor to receive first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit of a first aircraft during flight operations of the first aircraft, and receive second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit of at least one second aircraft during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft. The at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to predict, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft, and output, based on the impending failure condition, an indication of the predicted failure condition.

Claims

1. A method for determining failure conditions associated with aircraft installed line-replaceable-units, the method comprising:

receiving, by a remote computing system, first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit of a first aircraft during flight operations of the first aircraft;

receiving, by the remote computing system, second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit of at least one second aircraft during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft;

predicting, by the remote computing system, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft; and

outputting, by the remote computing system, an indication of the failure condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the remote computing system, a preventative action associated with the first line-replaceable-unit for preventing the failure condition; and

outputting, by the remote computing system, an indication of the preventative action.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational data is received wirelessly via a communication link established directly with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first operational data is received wirelessly via a communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft and the remote computing system after the first aircraft has landed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first operational data is received wirelessly via a communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft and a ground station of the remote computing system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational data comprises one or more operational parameters being monitored by a built-in-test module of the first line-replaceable-unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting the failure condition comprises:

identifying, by the remote computing system, one or more trends in the second operational data that caused an operational failure of the second line-replaceable-unit; and

comparing, by the remote computing system, the first operational data to the one or more trends to determine whether the failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit is likely to occur.

8. A remote computing system for determining failure conditions associated with aircraft installed line-replaceable-units, the remote computing system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one module operable by the at least one processor to;

receive first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit, installed onboard a first aircraft, during flight operations of the first aircraft;

receive second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit, installed onboard at least one second aircraft, during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft;

predict, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit; and

output, an indication of the failure condition.

9. The remote computing system of claim 8, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to:

determine a preventative action associated with the first line-replaceable-unit for preventing the failure condition; and

output an indication of the preventative action.

10. The remote computing system of claim 8, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to receive the first operational data collected by the first line-replaceable-unit during flight via a wireless communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit, the remote computing system, and an airport network.

11. The remote computing system of claim 8, wherein the remote computing device comprises a ground station configured to send the first and second operational data for analysis by a remote fault detection system, wherein at least one module operable by the at least one processor to predict the failure condition by at least receiving information from the remote fault detection system that is indicative of the failure condition.

12. The remote computing system of claim 8, wherein the at least one module operable by the at least one processor to output the indication of the failure condition for display at a graphical user interface associated with the remote computing system.

13. A line-replaceable-unit configured for installation in an aircraft comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one module operable by the at least one processor to;

during flight operations of the aircraft, automatically collect operational data associated with the line-replaceable-unit;

responsive to determining that the aircraft has landed, automatically establish a communication session with a ground station; and

automatically output, to a ground station, the operational data via the communication session for subsequent transmission to a remote computing system configured to predict, based on the operational data, one or more failure conditions associated with the line-replaceable-unit.

14. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 13, further comprising a memory, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to:

detect a value of an operational parameter associated with the line-replaceable-unit; and

store, at the memory, as the operational data being collected during flight operations of the aircraft, the value of the operational parameter.

15. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 13, wherein the line-replaceable-unit comprises at least one of a radar system, an onboard computer system, a terrain and traffic collision avoidance system, a communication radio, an engine, an engine controller, a flight management system, a radio altimeter, a navigation system, or a flight warning computer.

16. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 13, wherein the operational data associated with the line-replaceable-unit comprises an indication of at least one of:

voltage or current level information;

temperature information;

motor speed information;

engine thrust information;

acceleration information;

barometric pressure information;

transmission power information;

audio level information;

humidity level information;

or

single event upsets information.

17. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 13, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to automatically collect the operational data by at least:

detecting one or more single event upsets; and

storing, at a memory of the line-replaceable-unit, information associated with the one or more single event upsets.

18. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 17, wherein the information associated with the one or more single event upsets comprises at least one of:

a time of each, or a range of times, of the one or more single event upsets;

a quantity of the one or more single event upsets; and

an indication of whether each, or any, of the one or more single events upsets triggered a recoverable or non-recoverable memory error associated with a memory of the line-replaceable-unit.

19. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 13, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to automatically collect the operational data by at least:

detecting an input voltage or current level associated with the line-replaceable-unit; and

storing as the operational data associated with the line-replaceable-unit, information associated with the input voltage or current level.

20. The line-replaceable-unit of claim 19, wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to detect the input voltage or current level associated with the line-replaceable-unit further by at least:

determining whether the input voltage or current level satisfies a threshold level for an acceptable input voltage or current level; and

responsive to determining that the input voltage or current level does not satisfy the threshold level, storing, at a memory of the line-replaceable-unit, an indication of when and by how much the input voltage or current level deviated from the threshold level.