Wireless engine monitoring system

• US 7,595,739 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ziarno, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/206,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/963, 340/971, 701/3, 701/9, 701/14
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/00 Power-plant nacelles, fairings, or cowlings nacelles not otherwise provided for B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• 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: G05B 2219/13 Plc programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• 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: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A wireless engine monitoring system (WEMS) includes an engine monitoring module that is mounted directly on an aircraft engine and records, stores, encrypts and transmits full flight engine data. The system preferably interfaces to the Full Authority Digital Engine Controller/Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU) and can record hundreds of engine parameters with a preferred sampling frequency of about one second. The engine monitoring module is preferably formed as a miniaturized module directly mounted on the aircraft engine within its cowling and has a conformal antenna. The engine monitoring module can also upload data for onboard processing.

Claims

1. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine for collecting engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine, the engine monitoring module having an address linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine for tracking the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal to a ground-based receiver using a cellular infrastructure.

2. A system according to claim 1, and further comprising a Full Authority Digital Engine Controller/Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU) operative with said aircraft engine for collecting engine data, wherein said engine monitoring module is electrically connected to said FADEC/ECU for collecting engine data.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter comprises a spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the engine data over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said engine monitoring module further comprises an archival data store for recording and storing full flight engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said transmitter transmits the full flight engine data stored within said archival data store.

6. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine for collecting engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine, the engine monitoring module having an address linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine for tracking the aircraft engine; and

a transmitter electrically coupled to said engine monitoring module for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal to a ground-based receiver using a cellular network.

7. A system according to claim 6, and further comprising a Full Authority Digital Engine Controller/Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU) operative with said aircraft engine for collecting engine data, wherein said engine monitoring module is electrically connected to said FADEC/ECU for collecting engine data.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein said transmitter comprises a spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the engine data over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

9. A system according to claim 6, wherein said engine monitoring module further comprises an archival data store for recording and storing full flight engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said transmitter transmits the full flight engine data stored within said archival data store.

11. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine for collecting engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine, the engine monitoring module having an address linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine for tracking the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal; and

a ground-based receiver for receiving the transmitted engine data directly from the transmitter of the engine monitoring module using a cellular network.

12. A system according to claim 11, and further comprising a Full Authority Digital Engine Controller/Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU) operative with said aircraft engine for collecting engine data, wherein said engine monitoring module is electrically connected to said FADEC/ECU for collecting engine data.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein said transmitter comprises a spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the engine data over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein said engine monitoring module further comprises an archival data store for recording and storing full flight engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said transmitter transmits the full flight engine data stored within said archival data store.

16. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine for collecting engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine, the engine monitoring module having an address linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine for tracking the aircraft engine,

a transmitter electrically coupled to said engine monitoring module for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal; and

a ground-based receiver for receiving the transmitted engine data directly from the transmitter using a cellular communications link.

17. A system according to claim 16, and further comprising a Full Authority Digital Engine Controller/Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU) operative with said aircraft engine for collecting engine data, wherein said engine monitoring module is electrically connected to said FADEC/ECU for collecting engine data.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein said transmitter comprises a spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting the engine data over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein said engine monitoring module further comprises an archival data store for recording and storing full flight engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said transmitter transmits the full flight engine data stored within said archival data store.

21. A system for providing a record of the performance of an aircraft engine comprising:

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine for collecting engine data relating to full flight operation of the aircraft engine, the engine monitoring module having an address linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine for tracking the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module comprising;

a processing unit coupled to said engine monitoring module and comprising a microprocessor for receiving a compressing said engine data;

an archival data store memory coupled to said processing unit and storing said engine data received from said processing unit; and

a buffer memory coupled to said processing unit; and

a transceiver electrically coupled to said engine monitoring module for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal to a ground-based receiver using a cellular network.