Methods and apparatus for wireless upload and download of aircraft data

• US 7,908,042 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Timothy M, Brinkley, Roger R, Price, Jerry L, Lee, David R
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US11/187,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/3, 701/120, 455/66, 455/98, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/419, 455/426.2, 455/431, 455/899, 342/29, 342/33, 342/36
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A method for wirelessly communicating data between a plurality of avionics units on an aircraft and a data communication apparatus. The method includes wirelessly communicating download data for one avionics unit from the data communication apparatus to an aircraft data services link in the aircraft; automatically switching a communication path from the aircraft data services link to the avionics unit responsive to the download data; and electronically communicating the download data from the data communication apparatus to the avionics unit via the automatically switched communication path.

Claims

1. A method for wirelessly communicating data between a plurality of avionics units on an aircraft and a data communication apparatus, said method comprising:

wirelessly communicating download data for a selected one of said avionics units from the data communication apparatus to an aircraft data services link in the aircraft, without adding any additional identifying information to said download data;

using a processor in communication with the aircraft data services link to determine, from said download data, that said download data is to be received by said selected avionics unit; and

using the processor to automatically control a switch to select one of a plurality of communication paths to different, independent avionics units, in response to said download data, that places the aircraft data services link in communication with said selected avionics unit in response to said download data; and

electronically communicating said download data from said data communication apparatus, through said selected communication path established by said switch, to said selected avionics unit.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said wirelessly communicating download data comprises wirelessly communicating said download data via a wireless spread spectrum link.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising electronically communicating fault information pertaining to said download data from said selected avionics unit to said aircraft data services link via the switch and an automatically selected one of said communication paths, and wirelessly communicating said fault information from said aircraft data services link to said data communication apparatus.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

electronically communicating aircraft performance data from an aircraft condition monitoring system on said aircraft to said aircraft data services link;

wirelessly transmitting said aircraft performance data from said aircraft data services link to said data communication apparatus; and

said aircraft condition monitoring system obtaining said aircraft performance data via an electronic communication from at least one member of the group consisting of;

an aircraft communication and reporting system on said aircraft,

a maintenance control display unit on said aircraft, and

a digital flight data acquisition unit on the aircraft.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communication paths comprise an aircraft industry standard bus.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said download data comprises flight operations quality assurance data.

7. A method for wirelessly communicating data between a plurality of avionics units on an aircraft and a data communication apparatus, said method comprising:

wirelessly communicating download data for a first selected one of said avionics units on the aircraft from the data communication apparatus to an aircraft data services link in the aircraft, without adding any additional identifying information to said download data;

using a processor carried on the aircraft and in communication with the aircraft data services link to determine, from said download data, that said download data is to be received by said selected first one of said avionics units;

using the processor to automatically control a switch to select a first communications path from a plurality of available communications paths to place the first selected one of said avionics units in communication with the aircraft data services link;

transmitting said download data over the first communications path to said first one of said avionics units;

further automatically controlling the switch to establish a second communications path from a selected second one of said avionics units to the aircraft data services link in the aircraft when an upload of data to said data communication apparatus is to be performed;

electronically communicating said data from said selected one of said avionics units over said second communications path to said aircraft data services link; and

wirelessly communicating said data from said aircraft data services link to said data communication apparatus.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein said first and second communications paths comprise an aircraft industry standard bus.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising electronically communicating aircraft performance data from at least one member of a group consisting of:

an aircraft condition monitoring system on said aircraft,

a maintenance control display unit on said aircraft, and

a digital flight data acquisition unit,

to said aircraft data services link, and wirelessly transmitting said aircraft performance data from said aircraft data services link to said data communication apparatus.