Wireless engine monitoring system

• US 9,367,970 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ziarno, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US14/953,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20160086392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/963, 340/971, 701/14, 701/35, 701/3, 701/9, 701/34, 701/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 29/00 Power-plant nacelles, fairings, or cowlings nacelles not otherwise provided for B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/13 Plc programming
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A wireless engine monitoring system (WEMS) includes an engine monitoring module that is mounted directly on an aircraft engine and records, stores, encrypts and transmits full flight engine data. The system preferably interfaces to the Full Authority Digital Engine Controller/Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU) and can record hundreds of engine parameters with a preferred sampling frequency of about one second. The engine monitoring module is preferably formed as a miniaturized module directly mounted on the aircraft engine within its cowling and has a conformal antenna. The engine monitoring module can also upload data for onboard processing.

Claims

1. A wireless engine monitoring system, comprising:

an aircraft engine;

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine and comprising a processor configured to receive engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module further comprising an engine monitoring transceiver coupled to the processor for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal, wherein the engine data includes a data address assigned to the engine monitoring module and linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine; and

a ground based transceiver that receives the transmitted engine data and transmits data files back to the engine monitoring module over a wireless communications signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the engine monitoring and ground based transceivers each comprises a spread spectrum transceiver for transmitting and receiving the engine data and data files over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, comprising a conformal antenna mounted on the engine monitoring module through which the wireless communications signals are transmitted and received.

4. The system according to claim 1, comprising an Internet for transferring engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver.

5. The system according to claim 1, comprising a public switched telephone network for transferring the engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver.

6. The system according to claim 1, comprising a cellular network for transferring the engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data address comprises an internet address.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor of the engine monitoring module is configured to receive and process the engine data when it matches a known data address for the engine monitoring module.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the engine monitoring transceiver is operative to transmit the engine data during initial take-off.

10. A wireless engine monitoring system, comprising:

an aircraft engine;

an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine and comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor and configured to collect and store engine data relating to operation of the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module further comprising an engine monitoring transceiver coupled to the processor for transmitting the engine data over a wireless communications signal, wherein the engine data includes a data address assigned to the engine monitoring module and linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine; and

a ground based transceiver that receives the transmitted engine data and transmits data files back to the engine monitoring module over a wireless communications signal.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the engine monitoring and ground based transceivers each comprises a spread spectrum transceiver for transmitting and receiving the engine data and data files over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

12. The system according to claim 10, comprising a conformal antenna mounted on the engine monitoring module through which the wireless communications signals are transmitted and received.

13. The system according to claim 10, comprising an internet for transferring engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver.

14. The system according to claim 10, comprising a public switched telephone network for transferring the engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver.

15. The system according to claim 10, comprising a cellular network for transferring the engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein the data address comprises an Internet address.

17. The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor at the engine monitoring module is configured to receive and process the aircraft data when it matches a known data address for the engine monitoring module.

18. The system according to claim 10, wherein the engine monitoring transceiver is operative to transmit the engine data during initial take-off.

19. The system according to claim 10, comprising a FADEC/ECU operative with the aircraft engine for collecting engine data from the aircraft engine, wherein said engine monitoring module is operative with said FADEC/ECU for collecting engine data therefrom.

20. A method of monitoring an aircraft engine, comprising:

receiving aircraft engine data within a processor of an engine monitoring module mounted on the aircraft engine data;

transmitting the engine data from an engine monitoring transceiver over a wireless communications signal to a ground based transceiver that receives the transmitted engine data, wherein the engine data includes a data address assigned to the engine monitoring module and linked to a serial number of the aircraft engine; and

transmitting data files back to the engine monitoring module from the ground based transceiver over a wireless communications signal.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the engine monitoring and ground based transceivers each comprises a spread spectrum transceiver for transmitting and receiving the engine data and data files over a wideband spread spectrum communications signal.

22. The method according to claim 20, comprising mounting a conformal antenna on the engine monitoring module through which the wireless communications signals are transmitted and received.

23. The method according to claim 20, comprising transferring engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver using an Internet.

24. The method according to claim 20, comprising transferring the engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver using a public switched telephone network.

25. The method according to claim 20, comprising transferring the engine data and data files to and from the ground based transceiver using a cellular network.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the data address comprises an Internet address.

27. The method according to claim 20, wherein the processor of the engine monitoring module is configured to receive and process the engine data when it matches a known data address for the engine monitoring module.

28. The method according to claim 20, comprising transmitting the engine data during initial take-off.