Method and system for automatically exchanging information concerning an amount of water by wireless communication between a vehicle and an information center

• US 7,746,248 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE), Airbus SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Alke, Marko, Cavarero, Paolo, Uenlue, Murat, Leroy, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US11/893,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/426.15, 340/426.16, 340/502, 340/505, 340/539.1, 340/573.6
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A method and a system for automatically exchanging information by wireless communication, particularly between a vehicle such as an aircraft and an information center, is proposed. The information to be exchanged concerns an amount of water for the vehicle. The amount of water on board of the vehicle is automatically measured by a device for determining the amount of water. The transmitter of a device for exchanging information at the vehicle automatically and wirelessly transmits the information concerning the current amount of water to a receiver of a device for exchanging information at an information center. New information parameters are wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter of the device for exchanging information at the information center to the receiver of the device for exchanging information at the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging information between a vehicle and an information center, the information concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, the method comprising:

determining the amount of water; and

automatically exchanging information about the determined amount of water via wireless communication;

wherein the automatic exchange of information comprises submitting information indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water from the information center to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of information further comprises:

requesting a status report by the information center from the vehicle, the status report indicating current parameters concerning the determined amount of water;

sending the status report by the vehicle to the information center.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the new parameters are determined based on the information only available at the information center.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of information further comprises:

acknowledging received information by sending a validation signal from the vehicle to the information center.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of information further comprises:

activating of received information by a separate command submitted by the information center to the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of information further comprises:

sending a final confirmation from the vehicle to the information center.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the exchanged information to a data output device located at the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is exchanged using at least one of HF signal transmission, VHF signal transmission and satellite signal communication.

9. A system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an information center, the information concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, the system comprising:

a device for determining the amount of water;

a device for automatically exchanging information about the determined amount of water via wireless communication; and

a receiver adapted for receiving submitted information from the information center, wherein the information is indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically exchanging information further comprises:

a transmitter adapted for sending the status report to the information center;

wherein the receiver is further adapted for receiving a request for a status report from the information center, the status report indicating current parameters concerning the determined amount of water.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically exchanging information comprises a transmitter adapted for acknowledging the received information by sending back a valid value to the information center.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically exchanging information comprises a receiver is adapted for activating received information by receiving a separate command submitted by the information center.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically exchanging information comprises a transmitter adapted for sending a final confirmation to the information center.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a data output device located at the vehicle.

15. An aircraft comprising a system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an information center, the information concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, the system comprising:

a device for determining the amount of water;

a device for automatically exchanging information about the determined amount of water via wireless communication; and

a receiver adapted for receiving submitted information from the information center, wherein the information is indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water.

16. A system for exchanging information concerning an amount of water for a vehicle between the vehicle and an information center, comprising a processor programmed with a set of instructions for:

determining the amount of water; and

automatically exchanging information about the determined amount of water via wireless communication;

wherein the automatic exchange of information comprises submitting information indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water from the information center to the vehicle.

17. In a system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an information center, concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, a computer readable medium storing instructions for causing a processor to:

determine the amount of water; and

automatically exchange information about the determined amount of water via wireless communication;

wherein the automatic exchange of information comprises submitting information indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water from the information center to the vehicle.

18. An aircraft comprising a system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an information center, the information concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, the system comprising:

means for determining the amount of water;

means for automatically exchanging information about the determined amount of water via wireless communication; and

a receiver adapted for receiving submitted information from the information center, wherein the information is indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water.