Wireless engine monitoring system and associated engine wireless sensor network
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 and receive engine operating data to change an operating parameter of the aircraft engine during flight;
an engine monitoring module comprising;
a housing 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 parametersfrom 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, the wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver, and the first wireless transceiver andconfigured to;
collect and store in said memory the engine data; and
transmit the engine data via the first wireless transceiver over a wireless communications 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;
a second wireless transceiver configured to receive the engine data from the wireless LAN and transmit the engine data from the aircraft during flight and receive engine operating data and transmit the engine operating data to the aircraft engine via the wireless LAN and engine monitoring module; and
a ground based flight control center comprising a transceiver and controller that receives the engine data transmitted wirelessly from the aircraft and processes the data to determine if an operating parameter of the aircraft engine should be changed and generate engine operating data and transmit back to the aircraft during flight the engine operating data to change an operating parameter of the aircraft engine during flight.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of wireless engine sensors each includes a sensing circuit that senses an engine parameter as engine data. A radio transceiver receives and transmits the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameters. An engine monitoring module includes a housing configured to be mounted at the aircraft engine. A sensor receiver is mounted within the housing and receives the engine data from the wireless engine sensors. A first wireless transmitter is carried by the housing. A memory is carried by the housing and a processor is carried by the housing and coupled to the memory and the first wireless transmitter and configured to collect and store in the memory engine data related 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 transmitter.
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Citations
33 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 and receive engine operating data to change an operating parameter of the aircraft engine during flight; an engine monitoring module comprising; a housing 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, the wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver, and the first wireless transceiver and configured to; collect and store in said memory the engine data; and transmit the engine data via the first wireless transceiver over a wireless communications 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; a second wireless transceiver configured to receive the engine data from the wireless LAN and transmit the engine data from the aircraft during flight and receive engine operating data and transmit the engine operating data to the aircraft engine via the wireless LAN and engine monitoring module; and a ground based flight control center comprising a transceiver and controller that receives the engine data transmitted wirelessly from the aircraft and processes the data to determine if an operating parameter of the aircraft engine should be changed and generate engine operating data and transmit back to the aircraft during flight the engine operating data to change an operating parameter of the aircraft engine during flight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. 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 and receive engine operating data to change operation and fuel consumption of the aircraft engine during flight; an engine monitoring module comprising; a housing mounted at the aircraft engine, a wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive the engine data 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, the wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver, and the first wireless transceiver and configured to; collect and store in said memory the engine data; and transmit the engine data via the first wireless transceiver over a wireless communications 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; a second wireless transceiver configured to receive the engine data from the wireless LAN and transmit the engine data from the aircraft during flight and receive engine operating data and transmit the engine operating data to the aircraft engine via the wireless LAN and engine monitoring module; and a ground based flight control center comprising a transceiver and controller that receives the engine data transmitted wirelessly from the aircraft and processes the data to generate a fuel consumption report regarding fuel performance of the aircraft engine during flight and generate engine operating data and transmit back to the aircraft during flight the engine operating data to change operation and fuel consumption of the aircraft engine. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. 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 the engine data regarding the sensed engine parameter and receive engine operating data to change an operating parameter of an aircraft engine during flight; mounting an engine monitoring module at the aircraft engine, said engine monitoring module comprising a housing mounted at the aircraft engine, a wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver mounted within the housing and configured to receive the engine data 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, the wireless sensor processor and wireless sensor transceiver, and the first wireless transceiver; forming a wireless local area network (LAN) within the aircraft having a wireless LAN communications unit comprising a wireless access point; collecting and storing in said memory the engine data; transmitting the engine data via the first wireless transceiver and wireless LAN to a second wireless transceiver located within the aircraft; transmitting the engine data from the second wireless transceiver from the aircraft during flight to a ground based flight control center comprising a transceiver and controller that receives and processes the engine data to determine if an operating parameter of the aircraft engine should be changed and generates engine operating data and transmits back to the aircraft during flight the engine operating data to change an operating parameter of the aircraft engine during flight. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification