Remote aircraft manufacturing, monitoring, maintenance and management system

• US 7,636,568 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stovner, Steve R., Gould, Todd W., Reuter, Richard J., Parker, James M., Engdahl, Stanely W., Kesterson, Bryan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer; Temica M
• Application Number:
  US10/307,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20040106404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,577 Days
• Field of Search: 455/430, 455/431, 455/423
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

An aircraft wireless data communication system includes an aircraft computer/server in communication with a plurality of aircraft systems. Access to the aircraft systems via the computer/server is available in real-time via wireless communication with a ground-based computer system. The ground-based computer system includes a computer that can be accessed from one or more networks of computers. Each authorized computer user on an airline, manufacturer, or supplier network has remote real-time access to the aircraft computer/server. Properly authorized remote users can: perform comparisons between the aircraft actual configuration identity and an aircraft authorized configuration identity; perform system diagnostic testing; view system status and parameters; collaborate with users from local and remote organizations using real-time aircraft data; and upload and download software and data to and from aircraft systems.

Claims

1. An aircraft wireless data communication system comprising:

an aircraft having a plurality of aircraft systems;

each of said aircraft systems having a system actual configuration identity;

each said system actual configuration identity being transferable as a system actual configuration identity file;

a computer and server being adaptable to electronically communicate with each of said plurality of aircraft systems;

an aircraft data load system carried on said aircraft for determining when a condition exists during which modifications may be made to a selected one or more of said aircraft systems;

each said system actual configuration identity file being combinable in said computer and server to form an aircraft actual configuration identity;

said aircraft actual configuration identity being transferable as an aircraft actual configuration identity file; and

said computer and server being in wireless communication with at least one ground-based network of computers, and further being in communication with said aircraft data load system;

wherein any one of said ground-based network of computers is operable to one of;

receive a real-time status of each of said aircraft systems; and

send a data set to said computer and server;

wherein said data set includes an authorized aircraft configuration identity transferable as an authorized aircraft configuration identity file;

wherein said computer and server further comprises a configuration management subsystem, said configuration management subsystem being in communication with said aircraft systems and adaptable to retrievably obtain and report said actual aircraft configuration identity file;

wherein said configuration management subsystem is adaptable to receive said authorized aircraft configuration identity file from said ground-based network of computers along one of a wireless signal path and a direct signal path; and

the system further comprising an aircraft data load system wherein a difference determinable by said configuration management subsystem between said authorized aircraft configuration identity file and said actual aircraft configuration identity file is reportable to said aircraft data load system and to said ground-based network of computers.

2. A wireless communication system for communicating data between an aircraft and a ground-based computer network comprising:

said aircraft having a plurality of aircraft systems, and a computer and server adapted to communicate with each of said plurality of aircraft systems;

an aircraft data load system carried on said aircraft for determining when a condition exists during which modifications may be made to one or more of said aircraft systems;

each of said aircraft systems having a system actual configuration identity;

each said system actual configuration identity being collectively grouped to form an aircraft actual configuration identity;

said computer and server being in wireless communication with at least one ground-based network of computers, and in communication with said aircraft data load system, and including at least an aircraft manufacturer network, an airline network, and a parts supplier network;

each said network having a central linking computer electronically connectable with each of a plurality of individual computers;

wherein each of said independent computers operates to receive a real-time status of said aircraft actual configuration identity;

wherein said plurality of individual computers of said aircraft manufacturer network further comprises;

at least one of an engineering group, a manufacturing group and a flight test group;

a combined communication link between said engineering group, said manufacturing group and said flight test group; and

an aircraft manufacturer communication link joining said combined communication link to said parts supplier network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of individual computers of said airline network further comprises at least one of an operations group and a maintenance group.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of individual computers of said airline network further comprises:

a combined communications link between said operations group and said maintenance group; and

an airline organization communication link joining said combined communication link to said parts supplier network and said aircraft manufacturer network.

5. A method to communicate in real-time with an aircraft comprising the steps of:

disposing a computer and server on said aircraft;

connecting said computer and server with a plurality of aircraft systems of said aircraft;

collecting a plurality of real-time system data from each of said plurality of systems in said computer and server;

wirelessly communicating said plurality of real-time system data from said computer and server to a ground-based computer system;

linking said ground-based computer system with a plurality of user computers;

enabling each of said plurality of user computers to perform at least one of;

reading said system data via said ground-based computer system;

transmitting each of data and commands in real-time from each of said user computers via said ground-based computer system to said aircraft; and

using an aircraft data load system carried on said aircraft to determine when a condition exists on said aircraft during which a selected one or more of said aircraft systems may be updated with data provided by one of said users,

disposing a configuration management subsystem in said computer and server, and in each of said user computers;

storing an authorized configuration identity files accessible by authorized ones of said user computers;

transferring to said computer and server an undated authorized configuration identity file of said aircraft from one of said authorized user computers;

identifying a difference between said aircraft actual configuration identity and said undated authorized aircraft configuration identity; and

reporting said difference to both said ground-based computer system and to said aircraft data load system.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising automatically loading new software parts from said data load system to said aircraft systems when permitted by loading interlocks.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising manually loading new software parts from said data load system to said aircraft systems when permitted by loading interlocks.

8. A method for managing an aircraft configuration comprising the steps of:

electronically identifying a set of aircraft parts, said parts including at least one of an electronic systems hardware configuration identity, an electronic systems software configuration identity, and an aircraft hardware configuration identity;

combining said set of aircraft parts into an aircraft actual configuration identity report;

wirelessly linking said aircraft actual configuration identity report to at least one ground-based computer;

comparing said aircraft actual configuration identity report to an authorized aircraft configuration identity in said ground-based computer;

identifying a difference between said aircraft actual configuration identity report and said authorized aircraft configuration identity;

wirelessly transmitting software including said difference from said ground-based computer to an aircraft mounted computer and server; and

initiating said software loading from authorized ones of said ground-based computers; and

monitoring said software loading from said authorized ground-based computers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying each of a plurality of aircraft hardware components having configuration identity data; and

disposing an electronic identification placard on each of said aircraft hardware components to electronically identify said configuration identity data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

building a configuration report from said configuration identity data of each said electronic identification placard; and

transmitting said configuration report to said ground-based computer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising disposing an electronic firewall between each of a plurality of aircraft systems and said computer and server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising securing said software, including a plurality of data items, before said transmitting step to said computer and server.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising wirelessly performing a quality control comparison between the authorized aircraft configuration identity and the actual aircraft configuration identity report following the step of transmitting said software and said plurality of data items.

14. A wireless communication system for communicating data between an aircraft and a ground-based computer network comprising:

said aircraft having a plurality of aircraft systems, and a computer and server adapted to communicate with each of said plurality of aircraft systems;

an aircraft data load system carried on said aircraft for determining when a condition exists during which modifications may be made to one or more of said aircraft systems;

each of said aircraft systems having a system actual configuration identity;

each said system actual configuration identity being collectively grouped to form an aircraft actual configuration identity;

said computer and server being in wireless communication with at least one ground-based network of computers, and in communication with said aircraft data load system, and including at least an aircraft manufacturer network, an airline network, and a parts supplier network;

each said network having a central linking computer electronically connectable with each of a plurality of individual computers;

wherein each of said independent computers operates to receive a real-time status of said aircraft actual configuration identity; and

wherein an Internet communication link connectably joins said parts supplier network to said ground-based network of computers.