System and method for diagnosing aircraft components for maintenance purposes

• US 6,941,204 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Halm, Juergen, Hechtenberg, Kurt-Volker, Kolander, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/712,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/34, 701/35, 701/3, 340/539.11, 340/539.24
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Aircraft maintenance and repair work is facilitated, especially for a commercial aircraft, by a diagnostic system and method, wherein an aircraft component or assembly of components is monitored by at least one sensor which produces and preferably also stores component status information. Respective status information signals are transmitted, preferably in a wireless manner, from a transmitter of the sensor to a receiver of a signal processing unit which provides status information on a display screen. The status information signals are preferably processed and evaluated with reference to rated maintenance and repair reference information to provide instructions as to what needs to be done where and when for a maintenance or repair. The sensor or sensors may operate during flight and the respective stored information is then processed and used on the ground.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) means positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component and for providing status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component,

(b) first means for transmitting said status information signals and first means for receiving interrogation signals,

(c) means for processing including second means for transmitting said interrogation signals and second means for receiving said status information signals for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) means for displaying said maintenance and repair information,

wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for storing said status information signals sensed during flight for evaluation by said means for processing on the ground.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for generating energy for said means for monitoring, wherein said means for generating energy comprises means for converting energy taken from surroundings of said means for generating energy.

3. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) means positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component and for providing status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component,

(b) means for generating energy for said means for monitoring, wherein said means for generating energy comprises means for converting energy taken from surroundings of said means for generating energy,

(c) first means for transmitting said status information signals and first means for receiving interrogation signals,

(d) means for processing including second means for transmitting said interrogation signals and second means for receiving said status information signals for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(e) means for displaying said maintenance and repair information,

wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for storing said status information signals sensed during flight for evaluation by said means for processing on the round.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for preliminary processing of said status information signals to provide transmittable signals to said first means for transmitting in response to said interrogation signals from said second means for transmitting.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring comprises its own means for operating independently of any aircraft power source.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring and said means for processing are separate, wherein said first means for transmitting and first means for receiving are part of said separate means for monitoring, and wherein said second means for transmitting and said second means for receiving are part of said separate means for processing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said first and second means for transmitting and receiving are respectively wireless transmitters and wireless receivers.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said first and second means for transmitting and receiving are respectively infrared transmitters and infrared receivers.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for processing comprises means for determining, on the basis of said status information signals, the presence or absence of a fault in said aircraft component, said means including rated reference information.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for display displays said maintenance and repair information and for pinpointing any particular aircraft component to be diagnosed.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for processing and said means for displaying together form a handset.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring is positioned for sensing wear and tear of a wing flap actuator and for providing a respective actuator status information signal.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring is positioned in a bottom area of a hydraulic container in said aircraft for sensing a quality of a hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic container.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for monitoring is positioned in an aircraft fuel tank in an area of a water drainage valve for sensing a water concentration or content in said fuel tank.

15. The system of claim 3, further comprising means for linking transmission between said means for monitoring and said means for processing.

16. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for generating energy comprises solar energy converters.

17. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for generating energy comprises means for converting vibrations occurring in said aircraft.

18. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) means positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring an aircraft component and for providing status information signals regarding the status of said aircraft component,

(b) first means for transmitting said status information signals and first means for receiving interrogation signals,

(c) means for processing including second means for transmitting said interrogation signals and second means for receiving said status information signals for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) means for displaying said maintenance and repair information,

wherein said means for processing comprises means for storing therein rated maintenance and repair reference information for evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for generating energy for said means for monitoring, wherein said means for generating energy comprises means for converting energy taken from surroundings of said means for generating energy.

20. A method for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said method comprising:

(a) generating energy during flight by converting energy taken from surrounding of a sensor,

(b) using said energy, a step of sensing with said sensor on said aircraft an operational status of at least one aircraft component during flight for providing component status information signals relevant to said at least one aircraft component,

(c) transmitting an interrogation signal to request said component status information signals generated in said sensing (b),

(d) transmitting said status information signals to a signal processing unit for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(e) displaying said maintenance and repair information on a display screen.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising preliminarily processing said status information signals in a signal processing module in a sensor unit for data reduction and for producing intermediate signals that represent said status information signals.

22. The method of claim 20, comprising performing said transmitting in a wireless manner.

23. The method of claim 20, comprising storing in a memory of said signal processing unit rated maintenance and repair reference information, and evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising said sensing and sorting during flight and then performing said transmitting, processing, evaluating, and displaying while said aircraft is on the ground.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising storing said status information signals in a memory prior to said processing.

26. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) means positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring a wing flap component and for providing status information signals regarding the status of said wing flap component,

(b) first means for transmitting said status information signals and first means for receiving interrogation signals,

(c) means for processing including second means for transmitting said interrogation signals and second means for receiving said status information signals for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) means for displaying said maintenance and repair information,

wherein said means for processing comprises means for storing therein rated maintenance and repair reference information for evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for preliminary processing of said status information signals to provide transmittable signals to said first means for transmitting in response to said interrogation signals from said second means for transmitting.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for monitoring comprises its own means for operating independently of any aircraft power source.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for monitoring and said means for processing are separate, wherein said first means for transmitting and first means for receiving are part of said separate means for monitoring, and wherein said second means for transmitting and said second means for receiving are part of said separate means for processing.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said first and second means for transmitting and receiving are respectively wireless transmitters and wireless receivers.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said first and second means for transmitting and receiving are respectively infrared transmitters and infrared receivers.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for processing comprises means for determining, on the basis of said status information signals, the presence or absence of a fault in said wing flap component, said means including rated reference information.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for display displays said maintenance and repair information and for pinpointing any particular wing flap component to be diagnosed.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for processing and said means for displaying together form a handset.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein said means for monitoring is positioned for sensing wear and tear of a wing flap actuator and for providing a respective actuator status information signal.

36. The system of claim 26, further comprising means for linking transmission between said means for monitoring and said means for processing.

37. A system for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) means positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring a wing flap component and for providing status information signals regarding the status of said wing flap component,

(b) first means for transmitting said status information signals and first means for receiving interrogation signals,

(c) means for processing including second means for transmitting said interrogation signals and second means for receiving said status information signals for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) means for displaying said maintenance and repair information,

wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for storing said status information signals sensed during flight for evaluation by said means for processing on the ground.

38. A method for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said method comprising:

(a) a step of sensing in or on said aircraft an operational status of at least one wing flap component for providing component status information signals relevant to said at least one wing flap component,

(b) transmitting an interrogation signal to request said component status information signals generated in said sensing (a),

(c) transmitting said status information signals to a signal processing unit for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) displaying said maintenance and repair information on a display screen,

further comprising performing said sensing whether said aircraft is on the around or in flight and performing said transmitting, processing, and displaying while said aircraft is on the ground.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising preliminarily processing said status information signals in a signal processing module in a sensor unit for data reduction and for producing intermediate signals that represent said status information signals.

40. The method of claim 38, comprising performing said transmitting in a wireless manner.

41. The method of claim 38, comprising storing in a memory of said signal processing unit rated maintenance and repair reference information, and evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising storing said status information signals in a memory prior to said processing.

43. A system for diagnosing aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said system comprising:

(a) means positioned in or on said aircraft for monitoring a hydraulic component and for providing status information signals regarding the status of said hydraulic component,

(b) first means for transmitting said status information signals and first means for receiving interrogation signals,

(c) means for processing including second means for transmitting said interrogation signals and second means for receiving said status information signals for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) means for displaying said maintenance and repair information.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for preliminary processing of said status information signals to provide transmittable signals to said first means for transmitting in response to said interrogation signals from said second means for transmitting.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for monitoring comprises its own means for operating independently of any aircraft power source.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for monitoring and said means for processing are separate, wherein said first means for transmitting and first means for receiving are part of said separate means for monitoring, and wherein said second means for transmitting and said second means for receiving are part of said separate means for processing.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said first and second means for transmitting and receiving are respectively wireless transmitters and wireless receivers.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein said first and second means for transmitting and receiving are respectively infrared transmitters and infrared receivers.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for processing comprises means for determining, on the basis of said status information signals, the presence or absence of a fault in said hydraulic component, said means including rated reference information.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for monitoring comprises means for storing said status information signals sensed during flight for evaluation by said means for processing on the ground.

51. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for processing comprises means for storing therein rated maintenance and repair reference information for evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

52. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for display displays said maintenance and repair information and for pinpointing any particular hydraulic component to be diagnosed.

53. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for processing and said means for displaying together form a handset.

54. The system of claim 43, wherein said means for monitoring is positioned in a bottom area of a hydraulic container in said aircraft for sensing a quality of a hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic container.

55. The system of claim 43, further comprising means for linking transmission between said means for monitoring and said means for processing.

56. A method for diagnosing an aircraft component or component assembly for maintenance and repair purposes, said method comprising:

(a) a step of sensing in or on said aircraft an operational status of at least one hydraulic component for providing component status information signals relevant to said at least one hydraulic component,

(b) transmitting an interrogation signal to request said component status information signals generated in said sensing (a),

(c) transmitting said status information signals to a signal processing unit for processing to provide maintenance and repair information, and

(d) displaying said maintenance and repair information on a display screen.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising preliminarily processing said status information signals in a signal processing module in a sensor unit for data reduction and for producing intermediate signals that represent said status information signals.

58. The method of claim 56, comprising performing said transmitting in a wireless manner.

59. The method of claim 56, comprising storing in a memory of said signal processing unit rated maintenance and repair reference information, and evaluating said status information signals with reference to said rated maintenance and repair reference information.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising performing said sensing whether said aircraft is on the ground or in flight and performing said transmitting, processing, evaluating, and displaying while said aircraft is on the ground.

61. The method of claim 56, further comprising storing said status information signals in a memory prior to said processing.