Dual-architecture microserver card

• US 7,251,554 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rateze Remote Mgmt. L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Loda, David C., Cormier, Timothy A., Kennedy, Campbell, Presper, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/707,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• Field of Search: 701/100, 701/3, 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 701/14, 701/16, 235/379, 235/380, 709/40.R, 709/223, 726/16
• US Class Current: 701/100
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/11 to prolong engine life
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/44 active, predictive, or anticipative
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/54 by electronic means, e.g. electronic tubes, transistors or IC's within an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/708 with comparison tables
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

An integrated system for monitoring a deployed product on a movable platform, gathering data about the deployed product, and disseminating the data about the deployed product is disclosed. The system includes a server located on the movable platform capable of communication with the server from a remote location. The server communicates with a source of data about the deployed product. The system further includes a portal onto which data gathered by the server may be downloaded and with which one can upload information to the server. The system includes a dual architecture card which may be mounted in an electronic controller of the deployed product. The dual architecture card may include a closed architecture section executing proprietary software, and an open architecture receiving processed data from the closed architecture section through a secured connection. One or both of the closed architecture section and closed architecture section may include a microserver.

Claims

1. A dual-architecture card for use in a deployed product, comprising:

a closed architecture section;

an open architecture section, the open architecture section including a microserver, the microserver generating a wireless system adapted to connect to the Internet; and

a security connection between the closed architecture section and the open architecture section, the security connection ensuring proprietary software and data in the closed architecture section is not communicated to the open architecture section.

2. The dual-architecture card of claim 1, wherein the closed architecture section includes a smart signal conditioner.

3. The dual-architecture card of claim 2, wherein the deployed product is an aircraft engine.

4. An electronic controller for an engine, comprising:

a closed architecture section for controlling and monitoring the engine;

an open architecture section including a microserver for generating a wireless system adapted to connect to the Internet; and

a security connection between the closed architecture section and the open architecture section.

5. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the engine is a gas turbine engine.

6. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the microserver hosts a webpage having an IP address available for a plurality of Internet protocols.

7. The electronic controller of claim 4 wherein the closed architectural section includes a smart signal conditioner.

8. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the closed architecture section includes a microserver.

9. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the closed side executes proprietary, protected software.

10. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the open side executes unprotected software.

11. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the microserver performs as a client to the Internet.

12. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the microserver generates a local wireless intranet in and around the engine capable of operating in conjunction with the Internet, the local wireless intranet also being capable of operating independently of the Internet.

13. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the microserver acts as a coordinating server in communication with other computing devices, servers and systems on board the engine.

14. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the microserver hosts software tools for data analysis.

15. The electronic controller of claim 4, wherein the microserver hosts technical publications about the engine.