Method and system for monitoring of the temperature of the surface of an aircraft

• US 8,115,655 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Wohlers, Wolfgang, Pautsch, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/340,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 340/959, 340/962, 340/963, 340/964, 340/971, 340/945
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0003 for sensing the radiant heat transfer of samples, e.g. emittance meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring the temperature of an aircraft, in which at least one camera connected to a first processing unit, for imaging detection of at least one region of the substantially upwardly-pointing outer surface of the aircraft, detects an images once, several times, or at regular intervals and transmits this to the first processing unit, wherein the light spectrum which may be detected by the camera lies substantially in the infrared range and the first processing unit determines the temperatures of substantially all the pictorially detected locations or has these determined by a downstream signal-processing device, in each case compares the temperature for individual locations with a predetermined maximum design temperature for the relevant location, and if the maximum design temperature is exceeded, generates a warning signal. The warning signal may be used to prevent takeoff of the aircraft, wherein the determined exceeding of the temperature may be checked by checking the measurements by means of a thermographic image of the surface of the aircraft in the cockpit of the aircraft and the prevention of takeoff may be deactivated if necessary.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the temperature of the outer skin of an aircraft, in which a camera connected to a first processing unit for imaging detection of at least one region of the outer surface of the aircraft, records an image once, several times, or at regular intervals and transmits this to the first processing unit, wherein the light spectrum which may be detected by the camera lies in the infrared range and the first processing unit determines the temperatures of pictorially detected locations or has these determined by a downstream signal-processing device, characterized in

that the camera is disposed on the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft,

that the camera measures at least one area of the upwardly pointing outer surface of the airplane,

that the method is performed before the start of the airplane,

that the first processing unit compares the temperature for individual locations with a predetermined maximum design temperature for the relevant location, and, if the maximum design temperature is exceeded, generates a warning signal, wherein simultaneously the recorded image is displayed on a display device disposed in the cockpit of the aircraft, wherein the display device, the first or a second processing unit, or another signal-processing device changes the colors of the recorded image displayed on the display device such that each temperature on the surface is allocated a different color.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface area measured by the camera is transmitted to the first processing unit by the camera as analogue colored image of the surroundings showing a perspective view of the surface.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the region of the surface which is sensed by the camera is transmitted by the camera as a plurality of color values to the first processing unit which are assigned a set of two-dimensional image coordinates of the image made by the camera.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination of temperature values for predetermined locations of the surface area is defined by the following inputs before the determination of temperature values:

the number and the definition of the subarea of the region of the surface to be monitored and/or

the numbers of locations or places of the subarea at which the temperature is to be determined and/or

the arrangement of the locations or places of the subarea at which the temperature is to be determined and/or

the sequence in which the subareas are monitored for determination of the temperatures of the complete surface to be monitored.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the inputs are fed from an external equipment into the first processing unit, the second processing unit or a downstream signal-processing device for the definition of the determination of the temperature.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that this camera is designed and controlled such that the camera generates the image of the surface caused by trigger signals from a processing unit or another signal generating component and that this image is transmitted by the camera to the first processing unit or the second processing unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera records images of the surface continuously in a predetermined rhythm and can be switched on or off from the outside.

8. The method according claim 1, characterized in that before the monitoring of the temperature of the airplane a calibration of the camera is performed on the basis of a reference measurement on the surface to be monitored in which the temperature at predetermined locations of the surface to be monitored is measured and the temperature according to the image recorded by the camera is calibrated with regard to the respective sensed temperature or the distribution of the temperature.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that for the calibration a dedicated location to be sensed is heated in a controlled manner.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the warning signal for outputting a warning is transmitted to an output device connected to the first processing unit, a second processing unit, or another signal-processing device.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that on receipt of the warning signal, the output device signals that the design temperature is exceeded by a sound output device and/or an optical signal output device in the cockpit of the aircraft.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording of the image is triggered by a signal of the first processing unit, the second processing unit, or another signal-generating device.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the imaging detection of the surface of the aircraft is only carried out when the aircraft is located on the ground.

14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the exceeding of the temperature prevents takeoff of the aircraft by generating an error signal and transmitting it to a controller of the aircraft.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the prevention of takeoff may be deactivated by a crew member by actuating an input mechanism.

16. A system for monitoring the temperature of the outer skin of an aircraft, comprising at least one camera for imaging detection of at least one region of the substantially upwardly-pointing outer surface of the aircraft, and a first processing unit, wherein the camera is connected to the first processing unit for transmitting recorded images, the light spectrum which may be detected by the camera lies in the infrared range, and the first processing unit is configured to determine the temperatures of substantially all the pictorially detected locations from the transmitted image or to have these determined by a downstream signal-processing device, characterized in that

the camera is disposed on the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft,

the first processing unit comprises a function, with which for each location the temperature is compared with a predetermined maximum design temperature for the relevant location, and if the maximum design temperature is exceeded, generates a warning signal,

the display device is disposed in the cockpit of the aircraft,

wherein that the display unit, and the first or a second processing unit or another signal-processing device are designed to change the colors of the recorded image displayed on the display device such that each temperature on the surface is allocated a different color.

17. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that the first processing unit is configured to transmit the warning signal for outputting a warning to an output device connected to the first processing unit, the second processing unit, or another signal-processing device.

18. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that the output device comprises a sound output device and/or an optical signal output device and is configured, on receipt of the warning signal, to trigger by the sound output device an acoustic signaling and/or by the optical signal output device, a visual signaling in the cockpit of the aircraft that the design temperature is exceeded.

19. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that the first or second processing unit or another signal-generating device triggers the recording of the image by the camera.

20. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that the imaging detection of the surface of the aircraft is only carries out when the aircraft is located on the ground.

21. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that in the event of the maximum design temperature being exceeded, prevents the aircraft from taking off by generating an error signal and transmitting this to a controller of the aircraft.

22. The system according to claim 21, characterized in that the system comprises an input mechanism which may be actuated by a crew member of the aircraft for disenabling the prevention of takeoff.

23. A method for monitoring the temperature of the outer skin of an aircraft using a camera disposed on a vertical stabilizer of the aircraft and arranged to measure at least one area of an upwardly pointing outer surface of the aircraft, comprising, prior to a starting of the aircraft:

detecting an image of at least one region of the upwardly pointing outer surface of the aircraft with the camera connected to a first processing unit;

recording an image once, several times, or at regular intervals;

transmitting the recorded image to the first processing unit, wherein the light spectrum which may be detected by the camera lies in the infrared range;

one of the first processing unit and a downstream signal-processing device determining the temperatures of pictorially detected locations; and

the first processing unit comparing the temperature for individual locations with a predetermined maximum design temperature for the relevant location, and, if the maximum design temperature is exceeded, generating a warning signal, wherein simultaneously the recorded image is displayed on a display device disposed in the cockpit of the aircraft,

wherein at least one of the display device, the first or a second processing unit or another signal-processing device is operable to change the colors of the recorded image displayed on the display device such that each temperature on the surface is allocated a different color.