Embedded engine diagnostic system

• US 6,292,723 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Brogan, Christopher J., Matchett, Steven J., Pursell, Bryson M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/410,238
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/31, 701/32, 701/34, 701/35, 731/16, 731/174
• US Class Current: 701/29
• 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: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is an engine diagnostic system including a plurality of sensors. One of the plurality of sensors includes a speed sensor generating a speed value indicative of aircraft speed. A processor is coupled to the sensors and stores prior mission data and current mission data in a data memory when the speed value is within a predetermined velocity range. A fault indicator is provided which is visible from the exterior of the aircraft. The processor detects a presence or absence of a fault in response to the prior mission data and current mission data and activates the fault indicator in response to the presence of a fault. Another exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for detecting faults in an aircraft. The method includes determining when aircraft speed is within a predetermined velocity range and obtaining current mission data in response to the aircraft speed being within the velocity range. The presence or absence of a fault is detected in response to the prior mission data and current mission data. A fault indicator is activated in response to said presence of the fault.

Claims

1. An engine diagnostic system comprising:

a plurality of sensors, one of said plurality of sensors including a speed sensor generating a speed value indicative of aircraft speed;

a data memory;

a processor coupled to said sensors, said processor storing current mission data in said data memory when said speed value is within a predetermined velocity range; and

,

a fault indicator visible from the exterior of the aircraft;

said processor detecting a presence or absence of a fault in response to said current mission data and activating said fault indicator in response to said presence of a fault.

2. The engine diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein:

said current mission data includes values for parameters and baseline differential values for said parameters.

3. The engine diagnostic system of claim 2 wherein:

said parameters include aircraft parameters and engine parameters.

4. The engine diagnostic system of claim 2 wherein:

said values include average values.

5. The engine diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein:

said data memory includes prior mission data; and

said processor detects the presence or absence of a fault in response to said current mission data and said prior mission data.

6. The engine diagnostic system of claim 2 wherein:

said processor validates said values prior to detecting the presence or absence of a fault.

7. The engine diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein:

said fault indicator includes a visual indicator visible to a pilot.

8. The engine diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein:

said velocity range is about Mach 0.22 to about Mach 0.33.

9. A method for detecting faults in an aircraft comprising the steps of:

determining when aircraft speed is within a predetermined velocity range;

obtaining current mission data in response to the aircraft speed being within said velocity range;

detecting a presence or absence of a fault in response to current mission data; and

activating a fault indicator in response to said presence of a fault.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

said current mission data includes values for parameters and baseline differential values for said parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

said parameters include aircraft parameters and engine parameters.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein:

said values include average values.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

storing prior mission data;

wherein said detecting the presence or absence of a fault is in response to said current mission data and said prior mission data.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

validating said values prior to detecting the presence or absence of a fault.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein:

said fault indicator is visible from the exterior of the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein:

said fault indicator includes a visual indicator visible to a pilot.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein:

said velocity range is about Mach 0.22 to about Mach 0.33.

18. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for detecting faults in an aircraft, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement:

determining when aircraft speed is within a predetermined velocity range;

obtaining a plurality of values indicative of parameters in response to the aircraft speed being within said velocity range;

detecting a presence or absence of a fault in response to said plurality of values; and

activating a fault indicator in response to said presence of a fault.

19. The storage medium of claim 18 wherein:

said plurality of values include values for parameters and baseline differential values for said parameters.

20. The storage medium of claim 19 wherein:

said parameters include aircraft parameters and engine parameters.

21. The storage medium of claim 19 wherein:

said values include average values.

22. The storage medium of claim 18 further comprising program code for causing the computer to implement:

storing prior mission data;

wherein said detecting a presence or absence of a fault is in response to said current mission data and said prior mission data.

23. The storage medium of claim 19 further comprising program code for causing the computer to implement:

validating said values prior to detecting a presence or absence of a fault.

24. The storage medium of claim 18 wherein:

said velocity range is about Mach 0.22 to about Mach 0.33.