Telemetry of diagnostic messages from a mobile asset to a remote station

• US 6,262,659 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ross, John Anderson Fergus, Tomlinson, Harold Woodruff, Schings, Bruce Gunther, Hershey, John Erik, Al-Dhahir, Naofal Mohammed Wassel, Korkosz, Richard August, Puckette, Charles McDonald, McKinney, William Robert Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/260,707
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/870.07, 340/870.01, 340/945, 455/66, 455/67.1, 455/54.1, 455/33.1, 701/14, 701/35, 375/200, 375/219, 375/130
• US Class Current: 340/539.24
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/12 the signals being represented by pulse characteristics in transmission link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service

Abstract

A telemeter for telemetry of diagnostic messages from a mobile asset to a remote station comprises a processor coupled to the output of one or more condition sensors. The processor converts the output of the condition sensors to a diagnostic message, and provides the diagnostic message at a processor output. A transmitter is coupled to the processor output. The transmitter is adapted to transmit the diagnostic messages in the Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) frequency band. An exemplary embodiment of a telemetry system of the invention comprises a telemeter adapted to transmit diagnostic messages in the ISM frequency band, and a remote station including a receiver for receiving the diagnostic messages in the ISM band.

Claims

1. A telemeter carried on board a mobile asset such as an aircraft, said aircraft having avionics equipment on board for communicating on VHF or UHF bands, said telemeter comprising:

a processor coupled to the output of one or more condition sensors;

said processor configured to convert the output signal of said one or more condition sensors to a diagnostic message, and to provide said diagnostic message at a processor output; and

a transmitter coupled to said processor output, said transmitter including circuitry for transmitting said diagnostic message via a spread spectrum signal having a spreading factor of at least about 10 in an Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) radio frequency band, said transmitter operable while said aircraft is in flight and adapted to utilizc said avionics equipment to communicate with a relay station when said avionics equipment is not communicating on VHF or UHF bands.

2. A telemetery system according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter transmits in the 5 GHz band.

3. The telemeter of claim 1 further including a memory 152 for storing diagnostic messages.

4. The telemeter of claim 1 further including:

a receiver coupled to said processor, said receiver configured to receive diagnostic messages transmitted in an Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) radio frequency band.

5. The telemeter of claim 4 wherein said receiver is further configured to receive commands transmitted from a ground station in a radio frequency band.

6. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said condition sensor includes an exhaust gas temperature sensor.

7. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said condition sensor is a turbine speed sensor.

8. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said processor includes:

a diagnostic message processor comprising;

a message assembler adapted to receive said digital data from said sensor output, and for converting said digital data into one or more diagnostic messages and for providing said diagnostic messages to an assembler output;

a memory for receiving and storing said diagnostic messages from said assembler output and from said receiver; and

a router for directing said diagnostic messages to designated destinations.

9. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said condition sensor is a core speed sensor.

10. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said telemeter is carried upon an aircraft.

11. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said telemeter is carried upon a locomotive.

12. The telemeter of claim 1 wherein said telemeter is carried upon a ship.

13. A telemetry system according to claim 1 wherein said device adapted to utilize said information is a display.

14. A telemetry system according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter transmits electromagnetic energy in the 3.2 GHz ISM Band.

15. A telemetry system comprising:

a telemeter carried on board a mobile asset, said asset having radio communications equipment on board for communicating on VHF or UHF bands, said telemeter including;

an input coupled to the output of one or more condition sensors of said asset;

an output for providing diagnostic messages containing information related to the sensed performance of said asset;

a transmitter having an input coupled to said output of said telemeter, said transmitter including circuitry for transmitting said diagnostic messages in an ISM frequency band via a spread spectrum signal having a spreading factor of at least about 10; and

a remote station comprising;

a receiver for receiving said transmitted messages;

a processor for processing said transmitted messages; and

an output for providing information related to the performance of said asset to a device adapted to utilize said information;

said transmitter being adapted to utilize said radio communications equipment to communicate with said remote station when said radio communications equipment is not communicating on VHF or UHF bands.

16. The telemetry system of claim 15 including a plurality of said remote stations configured so as to cover a geographical area of interest.

17. The telemetry system of claim 16 wherein said geographical area of interest is the continental United States.