Systems and method for managing sensors in a vehicle

• US 8,849,475 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sudolsky, Michael D., Keller, Kirby, Mitchell, Bradley J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US13/439,162
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/2, 701/29.4, 702/188, 244/129.5
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 18/00 Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

A system and method for sensor management is provided. The system includes a plurality of sensors, and a sensor controller node communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, said sensor controller node configured to dynamically task data collections and communications with at least one of the plurality of sensors.

Claims

1. A vehicle health management system for sensor management comprising:

a plurality of sensors; and

a sensor controller node communicatively coupled to said plurality of sensors, said sensor controller node configured to identify a sensor status associated with at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors, determine an acquisition strategy for obtaining sensor information based on the sensor status, and command the at least one of sensor to acquire data based on the acquisition strategy.

2. A vehicle health management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors are wireless sensors, and are communicatively coupled to the sensor controller node wirelessly.

3. A vehicle health management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on energy limitations associated with at least one of said plurality of sensors.

4. A vehicle health management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on a diagnostic strategy associated with said system.

5. A vehicle health management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on at least one of a flight regime, an in-flight event, and a pre-determined event associated with a platform on which said system is deployed.

6. A vehicle health management system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on management of usage of said node and said plurality of sensors based on energy limitations of an energy harvesting system associated with said system.

7. A vehicle health management system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

at least one area sensor; and

an area sensor node, said area sensor node in communication with said at least one area sensor and said sensor controller node.

8. An aircraft comprising:

a vehicle health management system comprising;

a plurality of sensors; and

a sensor controller node communicatively coupled to said plurality of sensors, said sensor controller node configured to identify a sensor status associated with at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors, determine an acquisition strategy for obtaining sensor information based on the sensor status, and command the at least one of sensor to acquire data based on the acquisition strategy.

9. An aircraft in accordance with claim 8, wherein said plurality of sensors are wireless sensors, and are communicatively coupled to the sensor controller node wirelessly.

10. An aircraft in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on energy limitations associated with at least one of said plurality of sensors.

11. An aircraft in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on a diagnostic strategy associated with said system.

12. An aircraft in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on at least one of a flight regime, an in-flight event, and a pre-determined event associated with a platform on which said system is deployed.

13. An aircraft in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensor controller node is further configured to determine the acquisition strategy based on management of usage of said node and said plurality of sensors based on energy limitations of an energy harvesting system associated with said system.

14. An aircraft in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

at least one area sensor; and

an area sensor node, said area sensor node in communication with said at least one area sensor and said sensor controller node.

15. A method for sensor management of a vehicle using a vehicle health management system, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of sensors;

communicatively coupling a sensor controller node to the plurality of sensors;

identifying a sensor status associated with at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors;

determining an acquisition strategy for obtaining sensor information based on the sensor status; and

commanding the at least one sensor to acquire data based on the acquisition strategy.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein determining an acquisition strategy further comprises determining the acquisition strategy based on energy limitations associated with at least one sensor.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein determining an acquisition strategy further comprises determining the acquisition strategy based on a diagnostic strategy associated with the health management system.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein determining an acquisition strategy further comprises determining the acquisition strategy based on at least one of a flight regime, an in-flight event, and a pre-determined event associated with a platform on which the health management system is deployed.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein determining an acquisition strategy further comprises determining the acquisition strategy based on management of usage of the sensor controller node and the plurality of sensors based on energy limitations of an energy harvesting system associated with the health management system.

20. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein providing a plurality of sensors further comprises providing a plurality of wireless sensors.