Wireless engine monitoring system and configurable wireless engine sensors
First Claim
1. A monitoring system for an aircraft engine, comprising:
- a plurality of wireless engine sensors associated with the aircraft engine, each wireless engine sensor configured to sense an engine parameter as engine data, and transmit wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter and receive data regarding a sampling rate;
an engine monitoring module comprising;
a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine,a wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive the engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors,a first wireless transceiver carried by the housing,a memory carried by the housing,a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the memory, wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver and the first wireless transceiver and configured to;
collect and store in said memory engine data relating to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors and transmit the engine data via the first wireless transceiver over a wireless communication signal into the aircraft;
a wireless local area network (LAN) communications unit located within the aircraft and forming a wireless access point and wireless LAN within the aircraft, the wireless LAN communications unit including a wireless communications unit that receives the engine data transmitted from the first wireless transceiver, and further comprising an aircraft processor located within the aircraft and associated with the wireless communications unit that receives and processes the engine data from the communications unit during the flight of the aircraft and determines engine operating parameters and engine sensor operation of at least one engine sensor and transmits back to the engine monitoring module data regarding engine parameter sensing;
wherein said wireless sensor processor and wireless engine transceiver receives and processes the data regarding engine parameter sensing and transmits a wireless signal from the wireless sensor transceiver to the selected wireless engine sensor to change its data sampling rate.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of wireless engine sensors each sense an engine parameter as engine data and transmits wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameters and receives data regarding a sampling rate. An engine monitoring module is mounted at the aircraft engine and a wireless sensor transceiver is configured to receive the engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors. A first wireless transmitter is carried by the housing. A memory is carried by the housing. A processor is coupled to the memory, sensor transceiver and the first wireless transmitter and collects and stores in the memory engine data relating to engine parameters and transmits the engine data via the first wireless transmitter.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A monitoring system for an aircraft engine, comprising:
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a plurality of wireless engine sensors associated with the aircraft engine, each wireless engine sensor configured to sense an engine parameter as engine data, and transmit wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter and receive data regarding a sampling rate; an engine monitoring module comprising; a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine, a wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive the engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors, a first wireless transceiver carried by the housing, a memory carried by the housing, a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the memory, wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver and the first wireless transceiver and configured to; collect and store in said memory engine data relating to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors and transmit the engine data via the first wireless transceiver over a wireless communication signal into the aircraft; a wireless local area network (LAN) communications unit located within the aircraft and forming a wireless access point and wireless LAN within the aircraft, the wireless LAN communications unit including a wireless communications unit that receives the engine data transmitted from the first wireless transceiver, and further comprising an aircraft processor located within the aircraft and associated with the wireless communications unit that receives and processes the engine data from the communications unit during the flight of the aircraft and determines engine operating parameters and engine sensor operation of at least one engine sensor and transmits back to the engine monitoring module data regarding engine parameter sensing; wherein said wireless sensor processor and wireless engine transceiver receives and processes the data regarding engine parameter sensing and transmits a wireless signal from the wireless sensor transceiver to the selected wireless engine sensor to change its data sampling rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of monitoring an aircraft engine, comprising:
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mounting a plurality of wireless engine sensors at the aircraft engine, each wireless engine sensor configured to sense an engine parameter as engine data and transmit wirelessly the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter and receive data regarding a sampling rate; mounting an engine monitoring module at the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module comprising a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine, a wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive engine data regarding sensed engine parameters from the wireless engine sensors, a first wireless transceiver carried by the housing, a memory carried by the housing, a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the memory, wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver; forming a wireless local area network (LAN) within the aircraft by locating a wireless local area network (LAN) communications unit comprising a wireless access point and wireless communications unit within the aircraft; collecting and storing in said memory engine data relating to engine parameters sensed during operation of the aircraft engine by the plurality of wireless engine sensors; transmitting the engine data via the first wireless transceiver via the wireless LAN to the wireless communications unit; processing the engine data within a processor associated with the wireless LAN during flight of the aircraft; determining engine operating parameters and engine sensor operation of at least one engine sensor and transmitting back to the engine monitoring module data regarding engine parameter sensing; and receiving and processing the data regarding engine parameter sensing within the wireless sensor processor and transmitting a wireless signal from the wireless sensor transceiver to the selected wireless engine sensor to change its data sampling rate. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification