Wireless aircraft sensor network

• US 8,344,912 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Bradley J., Lim, Edwin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEE, ANDREW W.
• Application Number:
  US13/093,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20110199976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 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. A sensor network in an aircraft for collecting data about the aircraft, the sensor network comprising:

a set of wireless sensors attached to a first set of locations of the aircraft;

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 data in wireless signals transmitted by the set of wireless sensors;

a set of gateways connected to an aircraft data processing system, wherein the set of gateways is configured to receive the data in the wireless signals from the set of wireless routers to form received data and configured to transmit the received data into the aircraft data processing system;

a window plug incapable of passing a wireless signal containing detected data originating from a selected wireless sensor in the set of wireless sensors through the window plug, wherein the selected wireless sensor is attached to a location in the first set of locations located outside of the aircraft, wherein the window plug further comprises;

a first pane of material that passes wireless signals; and

a second pane of material that blocks the wireless signals;

a wireless router coupled to the window plug, wherein the wireless router is configured to receive the wireless signal containing the detected data to form a received wireless signal and configured to transmit the received wireless signal to another wireless router in the set of wireless routers, 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 wireless router is coupled to the seal.

2. The sensor network of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the set of wireless routers is located in a passenger cabin in the aircraft and a second portion of the set of wireless routers is located in an area below a passenger floor of the aircraft.

3. The sensor network of claim 2, wherein a third portion of the set of wireless routers is located in a crown above the passenger cabin.

4. The sensor network of claim 1 wherein the wireless router is connected to the another wireless router by a wired connection, the wireless router transmits the received wireless signal to the another wireless router as a signal over the wired connection, and the another wireless router transmits the signal to a third wireless router as another wireless signal.

5. The sensor network of claim 4, wherein the wire passes through a wireless signal opaque barrier configured to block passage of wireless signals between areas outside and inside of the aircraft.

6. The sensor network of claim 1, wherein the set of gateways is configured to receive the data through a wireless transmission from a wireless sensor in the set of wireless sensors.

7. The sensor network 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 configured to provide power to the sensor, processor, and transmitter.

8. The sensor network of claim 7, wherein the power source is selecting from one of a battery, a capacitor and an energy harvesting device.

9. The sensor network of claim 8, wherein the energy harvesting device is selected from one of a photovoltaic device, a vibration harvesting device, and a thermoelectric device.

10. The sensor network 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.

11. The sensor network of claim 1, wherein a gateway in the set of gateways is located in a lower lobe of the aircraft.

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