PROBE HEATER REMAINING USEFUL LIFE DETERMINATION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a probe that includes a heater comprising a resistive heating element routed through the probe, wherein an operational voltage is provided to the resistive heating element to provide heating for the probe;
a thermal imager configured to capture thermal images of the probe; and
a control circuit configured to provide the operational voltage and receive the thermal images from the thermal imager, wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor the thermal images over time to determine a thermal response of the resistive heating element, and wherein the control circuit is configured to normalize the thermal response based upon at least one of a temperature of the probe, a shape of the probe and an external emissivity of the probe, and wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a remaining useful life of the probe based upon the normalized thermal response.
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Abstract
A probe system is configured to receive thermal images of the probe system from a thermal imager and includes a heater and a control circuit. The heater includes a resistive heating element routed through the probe. An operational voltage is provided to the resistive heating element to provide heating for the probe. The control circuit is configured to provide the operational voltage and receive the thermal images from the thermal imager. The control circuit is further configured to monitor the thermal images over time and determine a remaining useful life of the probe system based upon the thermal images over time.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
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a probe that includes a heater comprising a resistive heating element routed through the probe, wherein an operational voltage is provided to the resistive heating element to provide heating for the probe; a thermal imager configured to capture thermal images of the probe; and a control circuit configured to provide the operational voltage and receive the thermal images from the thermal imager, wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor the thermal images over time to determine a thermal response of the resistive heating element, and wherein the control circuit is configured to normalize the thermal response based upon at least one of a temperature of the probe, a shape of the probe and an external emissivity of the probe, and wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a remaining useful life of the probe based upon the normalized thermal response. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
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7. (canceled)
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9. A method for determining a remaining useful life of an aircraft probe, the method comprising:
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providing an operational current to a resistive heating element of the aircraft probe; capturing, by a thermal imager, thermal images of the aircraft probe; monitoring, by a control circuit, the thermal images of the aircraft probe to determine a thermal response of the aircraft probe over time; normalizing, by the control circuit, the thermal response based on at least one of a present temperature of the aircraft probe, a shape of the aircraft probe and an external emissivity of the aircraft probe; and determining, by the control circuit, a remaining useful life of the aircraft probe based upon the normalized thermal response. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A probe system configured to receive thermal images of the probe system from a thermal imager, the probe system comprising:
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heater comprising a resistive heating element routed through the probe, wherein an operational voltage is provided to the resistive heating element to provide heating for the probe; and a control circuit configured to provide the operational voltage and receive the thermal images from the thermal imager, wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor the thermal images over time to determine a thermal response of the resistive heating element and determine a remaining useful life of the probe system based upon the thermal response, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to normalize the thermal response based upon at least one of a temperature of the probe, a shape of the probe, and an external emissivity of the probe. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification