Wireless spread spectrum ground link-based aircraft data communication system for engine event reporting
First Claim
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1. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:
- a plurality of sensors positioned on the aircraft for sensing engine conditions and generating engine data relating to operation of the engine;
a ground data link unit positioned within the aircraft and operatively connected to said plurality of sensors for receiving said engine data, said ground data link unit comprising;
a) a data store operative to accumulate and store the engine data, and b) a wideband spread spectrum transceiver coupled to said data store, and comprising a transmitter that is operative to download said engine data that has been accumulated and stored by said data store over a wideband spread spectrum communication signal; and
a ground based spread spectrum transceiver for receiving the wideband spectrum communication signal from the aircraft and demodulating the wideband spread spectrum communication signal to obtain the engine data.
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Abstract
The system and method of the present invention provides a record of the performance of an aircraft engine. A plurality of sensors sense engine conditions and generate engine data. A ground data link unit is positioned within the aircraft and receives the engine data. A wideband spread spectrum transmitter that can be part of a transceiver downloads the engine data to a ground based spread spectrum receiver that can be part of a transceiver, and receives the wideband spread spectrum communication signal from the aircraft. It demodulates the wideband spread spectrum communication signal to obtain the engine data.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:
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a plurality of sensors positioned on the aircraft for sensing engine conditions and generating engine data relating to operation of the engine;
a ground data link unit positioned within the aircraft and operatively connected to said plurality of sensors for receiving said engine data, said ground data link unit comprising;
a) a data store operative to accumulate and store the engine data, and b) a wideband spread spectrum transceiver coupled to said data store, and comprising a transmitter that is operative to download said engine data that has been accumulated and stored by said data store over a wideband spread spectrum communication signal; and
a ground based spread spectrum transceiver for receiving the wideband spectrum communication signal from the aircraft and demodulating the wideband spread spectrum communication signal to obtain the engine data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:
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collecting engine data within a ground data link unit during at least initial take-off of an aircraft from an airport;
processing the engine data within a central processing unit of the ground data link unit to determine engine problems;
upon initial take-off, downloading the engine data that has been collected during initial take-off over a wideband spread spectrum communication signal to a ground based spread spectrum receiver; and
demodulating within the ground based spread spectrum receiver the wideband spread spectrum communication signal to obtain the engine data for further processing. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:
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collecting engine data within a ground data link unit during engine operation;
downloading the engine data that has been collected over a wideband spread spectrum communication signal to a ground based spread spectrum receiver; and
demodulating within the ground based spread spectrum receiver the wideband spread spectrum communications signal to obtain the engine data for further processing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification