Wireless landing gear monitoring system

• US 7,490,793 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mackness, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/273,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 244/100.R, 340/960, 324/207.2
• US Class Current: 244/100.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2200/02 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/042 cooperating with wheel hub mounted speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0483 Wireless routers between wheel mounted transmitters and chassis mounted receivers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/36 Arrangements or adaptations of wheels, tyres or axles in general
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/0005 Devices specially adapted to indicate the position of a movable element of the aircraft, e.g. landing gear
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/488 delivered by variable reluctance detectors

Abstract

A wireless landing gear monitoring system for an aircraft. The monitoring system includes a radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceiver powered by a rechargeable battery combined with a super-capacitor, all mounted to an inside surface of a wheel hubcap of the aircraft. Additionally, the system includes a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted to the inside surface of the hubcap that charges the battery when the wheel is rotating. The hubcap transceiver communicates with at least one distant, or remote, transceiver inside the aircraft, a tire pressure sensor mounted to a wheel rim, and a Hall-effect wheel speed transducer mounted to the hubcap. The tire pressure sensor uses an extremely low power RF transmitter to communicate with the hubcap transceiver, which then sends wheel speed and tire pressure data to the distant transceiver.

Claims

1. A wireless aircraft landing gear monitoring system for monitoring the operational status of landing gear systems, said monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceivers, one of said hubcap transceivers mounted to each hubcap of each of a plurality of nose landing gear wheels and each hubcap of each of a plurality of main landing gear wheels included in a landing gear;

a plurality of distant transceivers, each said distant transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with said hubcap transceiver to;

acquire and store mapping data and identity markers used to identify in which of the nose and main landing gears each said hubcap transceiver is located and a positional location of each said hubcap transceiver relative to the other wheels within the respective landing gear; and

transmit a copy of the mapping data and the identity markers to at least one of the other distant transceivers;

a wheel speed sensor mounted to the hubcap adapted to provide data pertaining to the rotational speed of the landing gear wheel; and

a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted to the hubcap adapted to utilize rotation of the landing gear wheel to generate current used to provide power for said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power supply mounted to the hubcap and adapted to utilize the current generated by said PMG and provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said power supply comprises:

a super-capacitor;

a voltage regulator adapted to receive a voltage output by said super-capacitor;

a battery charger adapted to receive a regulated voltage output by said voltage regulator; and

a battery adapted to receive a voltage output by said battery charger and to output a voltage to said voltage regulator.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said power supply is further adapted to provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor utilizing a voltage stored in said super-capacitor.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said power supply is further adapted to provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor utilizing a voltage stored in said battery.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said system further comprises a tire pressure sensor mounted to the landing gear wheel, said tire pressure sensor adapted to communicate tire pressure data to said hubcap transceiver.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said tire pressure sensor utilizes a low power RF transmitter to communicate with said hubcap transceiver and utilizes a carrier wave transmitted by said hubcap transceiver as an energy source.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said tire pressure sensor utilizes a low power RF transmitter to communicate with said hubcap transceiver and utilizes power from a battery included in said tire pressure sensor as an energy source.

9. An aircraft landing gear system comprising:

a nose landing gear having a plurality of wheels and main landing gear having a plurality of wheels;

a plurality of hubcaps, each hubcap coupled to an independent one of said wheels; and

a wireless landing gear monitoring system comprising a plurality of monitoring system wheel assembly component sets, a first distant transceiver and a second distant transceiver, each component set mounted to an independent one of said hubcaps, said monitoring system adapted to provide mapping data and identity markers for each wheel from each component set to the first distant transceiver that provides a copy of the mapping data and identity markers to the second distant transceiver, the mapping data and identity markers utilized to identify in which of the nose and main landing gears each said component set is located and a positional location of each said component set relative to the other component sets within the respective landing gear.

10. The landing gear of claim 9, wherein said wheel assembly components comprise:

a radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceiver mounted to said hubcap and adapted to use RF signals to communicate with a distant transceiver coupled to the aircraft;

a wheel speed sensor mounted to said hubcap and adapted to monitor wheel rotational speed;

a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted to said hubcap and adapted to utilize rotation of the wheel to generate current; and

a power supply mounted to said hubcap and adapted to utilize the current generated by said PMG and provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

11. The landing gear of claim 10, wherein said power supply is adapted to provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor utilizing a voltage stored in at least one super-capacitor included in said power supply and a battery included in said power supply.

12. The landing gear of claim 10, wherein said wheel assembly components further comprise a tire pressure sensor mounted on said wheel adapted to monitor air pressure in a tire mounted on said wheel.

13. The landing gear of claim 12, wherein said tire pressure sensor utilizes as a power source at least one of a carrier wave transmitted by said hubcap transceiver and a battery included in said tire pressure sensor.

14. The landing gear of claim 9, wherein said wireless landing gear monitoring system is further adapted to provide mapping data to the distant transceiver, the mapping data pertaining to a positional location of said hubcap transceiver on the landing gear.

15. A wireless monitoring system for monitoring an operational parameter of a wheel assembly on a mobile platform, said system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceivers supported on a plurality of hubcaps, each hubcap attached to a different one of a plurality of wheels included in said wheel assembly;

a first RF distant transceiver and a second RF distant transceiver, the first distant transceiver adapted to;

wirelessly communicate with said hubcap transceivers to acquire and store mapping data and identity markers used to identify a positional location of each said hubcap transceiver relative to the other wheels within the wheel assembly; and

wirelessly communicate a copy of said mapping data and identity markers to the second distant transceiver;

a wheel sensor supported on said hubcap, said wheel sensor for sensing an operational parameter of said wheel assembly; and

a permanent magnet generator (PMG) supported on said hubcap and adapted to utilize rotation of said wheel to generate current, said current being used to power at least one of said RF wireless transceiver and said wheel sensor.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said sensor comprises a wheel speed sensor.