System and method for diagnosing aircraft components for maintenance purposes
First Claim
1. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:
- (a) a sensor unit including its own energy source (84) independent of any aircraft system, at least one sensor positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component or component assembly to which said at least one sensor is allocated to provide status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component, (b) in said sensor unit a first transmitter for transmitting said status information signals and a first receiver for receiving interrogation signals, (c) a signal processing unit including a second transmitter for transmitting said interrogation signals and a second receiver for receiving said status information signals for processing by said signal processing unit to provide maintenance and repair information, and (d) a display including a touch display screen operatively connected to said signal processing unit for displaying said maintenance and repair information, said touch display screen being adapted for pinpointing by a touch any particular aircraft component to be diagnosed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Aircraft maintenance and repair work is facilitated, especially for a commercial aircraft, by a diagnostic system and method, wherein an aircraft component or assembly of components is monitored by at least one sensor which produces and preferably also stores component status information. Respective status information signals are transmitted, preferably in a wireless manner, from a transmitter of the sensor to a receiver of a signal processing unit which provides status information on a display screen. The status information signals are preferably processed and evaluated with reference to rated maintenance and repair reference information to provide instructions as to what needs to be done where and when for a maintenance or repair. The sensor or sensors may operate during flight and the respective stored information is then processed and used on the ground.
77 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:
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(a) a sensor unit including its own energy source (84) independent of any aircraft system, at least one sensor positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component or component assembly to which said at least one sensor is allocated to provide status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component, (b) in said sensor unit a first transmitter for transmitting said status information signals and a first receiver for receiving interrogation signals, (c) a signal processing unit including a second transmitter for transmitting said interrogation signals and a second receiver for receiving said status information signals for processing by said signal processing unit to provide maintenance and repair information, and (d) a display including a touch display screen operatively connected to said signal processing unit for displaying said maintenance and repair information, said touch display screen being adapted for pinpointing by a touch any particular aircraft component to be diagnosed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:
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(a) a sensor unit including at least one sensor positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component to which said at least one sensor is allocated to provide status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component, (b) a first transmitter and a first receiver for transmitting said status information signals and for receiving interrogation signals, (c) a signal processing unit including a second transmitter and a second receiver for transmitting said interrogation signals and for receiving said status information signals for processing by said signal processing unit to provide maintenance and repair information, and (d) a display operatively connected to said signal processing unit for displaying said maintenance and repair information, and (e) a further transmission link between said sensor unit and said signal processing unit, including a transceiver (86) in said signal processing unit and passive transponder (85) in said sensor unit.
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14. A method for diagnosing at least one aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) touching a touch display screen for selecting at least one aircraft component or component assembly and sending an interrogation signal to a sensor positioned for sensing said aircraft component or component assembly;
(b) sensing in response to said interrogation signal in or on said aircraft an operational status of said at least one aircraft component or component assembly for providing component status information signals relevant to said at least one aircraft component or component assembly, (c) transmitting said status information signals directly from said sensor to a signal processing unit for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and (d) displaying said maintenance and repair information on said touch display screen. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification