Wireless aircraft sensor network

• US 8,022,843 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Lim, Edwin C., Mitchell, Bradley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US12/059,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20090243895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/971, 340/973
• US Class Current: 340/973
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/288 Satellite antennas
• 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 apparatus in a sensor network in an aircraft for collecting data about the aircraft. The sensor network in the aircraft collects the data about the aircraft. The sensor network comprises a set of wireless sensors attached to a first set of locations for the aircraft, a set of wireless routers attached to a second set of locations for the aircraft, and a set of gateways connected to an aircraft data processing system. The set of wireless routers is capable of receiving the data in wireless signals transmitted by the set of wireless sensors. The set of gateways is capable of receiving data in the wireless signals from the set of wireless routers to form received data and is capable of transmitting the received data into the aircraft data processing system.

Claims

1. An aircraft for collecting data about the aircraft, the aircraft comprising:

a set of wireless sensors attached to a first set of locations of the aircraft, wherein the set of wireless sensors are configured to collect data about the aircraft and wirelessly transmit the data as wireless signals;

a set of wireless routers attached to a second set of locations of the aircraft, wherein the set of wireless routers is configured to receive the data in wireless signals transmitted by the set of wireless sensors, wherein the set of wireless routers comprises a first wireless router, a second wireless router, and a third wireless router;

a window plug attached to the aircraft, the window plug comprising a first pane of material configured to pass the wireless signals and a second pane of material configured to substantially block the wireless signals;

wherein the first wireless router is located on the aircraft in a first location such that the first wireless router is configured to receive the wireless signals directly from at least some of the set of wireless sensors through the first pane of material;

wherein the second wireless router is located on the aircraft in a second location from which the second wireless router is configured to receive the wireless signals from the first wireless router;

wherein the third wireless router is located on the aircraft in a third location that is on an opposite side of the second pane of material from the first wireless router from which the third wireless router is configured to receive the wireless signals from the second wireless router, and wherein the third wireless router is further located on the aircraft such that the second pane substantially blocks the wireless signals from being transmitted directly from the set of sensors to the third wireless router; and

wherein the third wireless router is configured to route the wireless signals to a data processing system of the aircraft, wherein the data processing system is located on the aircraft in a location from which the second pane substantially blocks the wireless signals from being transmitted directly from the set of sensors to the data processing system.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the first pane is attached to a fuselage of the aircraft and the second pane is connected to a sidewall within the aircraft, a gap is present between the first pane and the second pane, a seal is present between edges of the first pane and the second pane, and the first wireless router is coupled to the seal.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein a wireless sensor in the set of wireless sensors comprises:

a sensor;

a processor connected to the sensor;

a transmitter connected to the processor; and

a power source capable of providing power to the sensor, processor, and transmitter.

4. The aircraft of claim 3, wherein the power source is selecting from one of a battery, a capacitor, and an energy harvesting device.

5. The aircraft of claim 4, wherein the energy harvesting device is selected from one of a photovoltaic device, a vibration harvesting device, and a thermoelectric device.

6. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the set of wireless routers is located outside of the aircraft and a second portion of the set of wireless routers is located inside the aircraft.

7. The aircraft of claim 1 further comprising:

a set of gateways on the aircraft, and wherein the set of gateways are configured to receive the wireless signals from the third wireless router and communicate the wireless signals to the data processing system.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 wherein the data processing system is selected from one of a line replaceable unit, an in flight entertainment system, and an environmental control system.

9. A method for detecting data in an aircraft, the method comprising:

detecting the data using a set of wireless sensors attached to a first set of locations of the aircraft to form detected data;

sending the detected data in wireless signals from the set of wireless sensors to a set of wireless routers attached to a second set of locations of the aircraft, wherein the set of wireless routers receives the data in the wireless signals transmitted by the set of wireless sensors, wherein sending comprises

sending the wireless signals to a first wireless router in the set of wireless routers through a first pane of material of a window plug that is configured to pass the wireless signals;

sending the wireless signals from the first wireless router to a second wireless router in the set of wireless routers; and

sending the wireless signals from the second wireless router to a third wireless router in the set of wireless routers that is on an opposite side of a second pane of the window plug from the first wireless router, wherein the second pane substantially blocks the wireless signals;

routing the detected data through the set of wireless routers to a set of gateways connected to an aircraft data processing system to form routed data; and

transmitting the routed data from the set of gateways into the aircraft data processing system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the aircraft includes a first level and a second level separated by a floor wherein the routing step comprises:

transmitting the detected data from a first level of the aircraft to a second level of the aircraft a using a fourth wireless router in the set of wireless routers located in a position allowing the fourth wireless router to receive a wireless signal through a transparent section in a cabin sidewall to form a received wireless signal and allowing the fourth wireless router to transmit the received wireless signal to a fifth wireless router in the set of wireless routers on the second level.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the set of wireless sensors are located on and outside of the aircraft.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the set of wireless sensors are located inside the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a first portion of the set of wireless sensors are located inside the aircraft, and wherein a second portion of the set of wireless sensors are located outside the aircraft.