Data acquisition node and method of operating same

• US 9,872,250 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2014
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Nicks, Eric Lee, Followell, David Allan, Cortez, Javier
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwar, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKMAN, ANGEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/477,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20160073346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A data acquisition node for coupling to a system of a vehicle includes a processor coupled to a communication interface. The processor is configured to transition from a sleep mode to a start-up detect mode after an imminent-event message is received at the communication interface. The communication interface is substantially deactivated while in the start-up detect mode. The processor also is configured to monitor sensor data from at least one sensor while in the start-up detect mode. The at least one sensor is operable to generate a signal that is representative of a physical characteristic of the system.

Claims

1. A data acquisition node for coupling to a system of a vehicle, said data acquisition node operable in each of a sleep mode wherein sensor data is not monitored, a start-up detect mode wherein sensor data is monitored, and a normal mode wherein sensor data is transmitted, wherein said data acquisition node comprises:

a communication interface operable to communicate with at least one remote device;

a memory device capable of storing a trigger profile associated with a physical characteristic of the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to said communication interface and said memory device, said processor configured to;

activate said communication interface intermittently while in the sleep mode to check for an imminent-event message from the at least one remote device;

transition from the sleep mode to the start-up detect mode after the imminent-event message is received by said communication interface, wherein said communication interface is substantially deactivated while in the start-up detect mode such that said communication interface is not operable to communicate with the remote device;

monitor sensor data from at least one sensor while in the start-up detect mode, wherein the monitored sensor data is representative of the physical characteristic of the vehicle;

determine whether the monitored sensor data satisfies the trigger profile;

transition to the normal mode after determining that the monitored sensor data satisfies the trigger profile, wherein monitoring of sensor data continues in the normal mode, and wherein said communication interface is activated in the normal mode and transmits the monitored sensor data; and

transition to the sleep mode after determining that the monitored sensor data does not satisfy the trigger profile after a trigger timeout period of time.

2. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, further comprising an input interface operable to receive input from the at least one sensor, wherein said processor is further configured to deactivate said input interface while in the sleep mode and to activate said input interface after the imminent-event message is received.

3. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to:

determine whether a normal mode termination condition is satisfied; and

return to the sleep mode after the normal mode termination condition is satisfied.

4. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein said communication interface is a wireless communication interface.

5. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein the imminent event message indicates that a system event is imminent, and said processor is further configured to monitor sensor data associated with the system event while in the startup detect mode.

6. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein the imminent event message indicates that a system event is imminent, and said processor is further configured to:

monitor the sensor data while in the startup detect mode for a predetermined quantity of time; and

transition from the startup detect mode to the sleep mode after the monitored sensor data fails to satisfy the trigger profile and the predetermined quantity of time has elapsed.

7. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein the imminent event message indicates that a system event is imminent, and said processor is further configured to:

buffer sensor data acquired during the system event while in the startup detect mode; and

transmit the buffered sensor data via said communication interface while in the normal mode.

8. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein said processor is powered solely from a power source installed within said data acquisition node.

9. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein the trigger profile is associated with at least one of a pressure, a temperature, a force, an acceleration, a noise level, a strain, a displacement, a switch state, and a control state of the vehicle, and the monitored sensor data is representative of the at least one of the pressure, the temperature, the force, the acceleration, the noise level, the strain, the displacement, the switch state, and the control state of the vehicle.

10. The data acquisition node according to claim 1, wherein the trigger profile is associated with at least one of an environmental control system, a landing gear system, and a control located in one of a cockpit and a cabin of the vehicle, and the monitored sensor data is representative of the at least one of the environmental control system, the landing gear system, and the control.

11. A method of operating a data acquisition node coupled to a system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

operating the data acquisition node in a sleep mode, wherein a sensor input interface of the data acquisition node is deactivated such that the sensor input interface is inoperable to acquire data, and wherein a communication interface of the data acquisition node is activated from a low power mode only intermittently to enable communication with a remote device;

transitioning the data acquisition node from the sleep mode to a start-up detect mode, wherein the communication interface is in the low power mode such that the communication interface is not operable to communicate with the remote device, and wherein the sensor input interface is operable to acquire data representative of a physical characteristic of the vehicle;

transitioning the data acquisition node from the start-up detect mode to a normal mode in response to the data acquired by the sensor input interface in the start-up detect mode satisfying a trigger profile associated with the physical characteristic of the vehicle, wherein the communication interface in the normal mode is operable to transmit sensor data from at least one sensor and the sensor input interface is operable to acquire data; and

transitioning the data acquisition node from the start-up detect mode to the sleep mode in response to the data acquired by the sensor input interface in the start-up detect mode not satisfying the trigger profile associated with the physical characteristic of the vehicle after a trigger timeout period of time.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein activating the communication interface intermittently while in the sleep mode comprises activating the communication interface from the low power mode intermittently to check for an imminent-event message.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein transitioning to the start-up mode comprises activating the input interface after the imminent-event message is received, such that the input interface is operable to receive input from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is operable to generate a signal that is representative of the physical characteristic of the system.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether a normal mode termination condition is satisfied; and

returning to the sleep mode after the normal mode termination condition is satisfied.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising wirelessly transmitting selected sensor data representative of the physical characteristic of the vehicle from the communication interface while in the normal mode.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by a data acquisition node comprising a communication interface, the computer-executable instructions cause the data acquisition node to:

operate in a sleep mode, wherein a sensor input interface of the data acquisition node is deactivated such that the sensor input interface is inoperable to acquire data, and wherein a communication interface of the data acquisition node is activated from a low power mode only intermittently to enable communication with a remote device;

transition from the sleep mode to a start-up detect mode, wherein the communication interface is in the low power mode such that the communication interface is not operable to communicate with the remote device, and wherein the sensor input interface is operable to acquire data representative of a physical characteristic of a vehicle;

transition from the start-up detect mode to a normal mode in response to the data acquired by the sensor input interface in the start-up detect mode satisfying a trigger profile associated with the physical characteristic of the vehicle, wherein the communication interface in the normal mode is operable to transmit sensor data from at least one sensor and the sensor input interface is operable to acquire data; and

transition from the start-up detect mode to the sleep mode in response to the data acquired by the sensor input interface in the start-up detect mode not satisfying the trigger profile associated with the physical characteristic of the vehicle after a trigger timeout period of time.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the data acquisition node to activate the communication interface from the low power mode intermittently while in the sleep mode to check for an imminent-event message.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the data acquisition node to transition to the start-up mode by activating the input interface after the imminent-event message is received, wherein the input interface is operable to receive input from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is operable to generate a signal that is representative of the physical characteristic of the system.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, herein the computer-executable instructions further cause the data acquisition node to:

determine whether a normal mode termination condition is satisfied; and

return to the sleep mode after the normal mode termination condition is satisfied.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the data acquisition node to wirelessly transmit selected sensor data representative of the physical characteristic of the vehicle from the communication interface while in the normal mode.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the data acquisition node to return to the sleep mode after a trigger timeout elapses in the start-up detect mode.