Global product management of a vehicle and a fleet of vehicles

• US 8,078,354 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Loda, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US11/605,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/4, 701/7, 701/11, 701/14, 701/15, 701/16, 701/24, 701/29, 701/31, 701/33, 701/35, 701/36, 701/99, 701/120
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for global product management includes an onboard microserver located on a vehicle, a plurality of subsystem microservers, and a ground mirror database configured to be located remote of the vehicle. The onboard microserver includes a computer processor, memory storage, and a web-based server enabling local and remote communications to and from the onboard microserver using standard internet protocols. The plurality of subsystem microservers are configured to communicate with the onboard microserver and each other. The ground mirror database includes a replica of data contained on the onboard microserver and the subsystem microservers, and the database and the onboard microserver are configured for two-way communications and data transfers. The ground mirror database operates as a gatekeeper for all information sent to and from the onboard microserver by monitoring, authorizing and controlling a dissemination of data to and from the onboard microserver.

Claims

1. A system for global product management, the system comprising:

an onboard microserver located on a vehicle, wherein the onboard microserver comprises;

a computer processor for collecting and processing data for the vehicle;

memory for storing data for the vehicle; and

a web-based server enabling local and remote communications to and from the onboard microserver using standard internet protocols;

a plurality of subsystem microservers configured to communicate with the onboard microserver and each other, wherein at least one of the subsystem microservers is connected to a subsystem controller on the vehicle and the subsystem controller is selected from a group consisting of an engine controller, an auxiliary power unit controller, an environmental control unit controller, and an electrical distribution system controller; and

a database configured to be located remote of the vehicle and include a replica of data contained on the onboard microserver and the subsystem microservers, wherein the database and the onboard microserver are configured for two-way communications and two-way data transfers, and wherein the plurality of subsystem microservers are configured to communicate with the database only through the onboard microserver.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein data on the database is accessible by a plurality of users.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the database grants access to specific portions of data on the database to designated users.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the database includes security protocols designed to limit access to the database to designated users.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the data is accessible relative to the vehicle locally through the onboard microserver and remotely through the database.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the database is configured to send and receive communications to and from the users locally or remotely.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the database is configured to enable the users to have two-way communications and two-way data transfers with the onboard microserver through the database.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the subsystem microservers is attached to a subsystem controller on the vehicle and the database is configured to enable a user to control operation of the subsystem controller through the database.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the database and the onboard microserver are configured to communicate with each other remotely.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein two-way communications and two-way data transfers between the database and the onboard microserver includes a synchronization of the database and the onboard microserver.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the synchronization is performed by communication means selected from a group consisting of radio frequency, optical, wired, wireless, satellite and cellular.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a program for determining when the synchronization is performed.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the onboard microserver further comprises at least one of embedded algorithms and intelligent agent technology.

15. A method of managing a vehicle, the method comprising:

integrating an onboard microserver system on the vehicle for collecting, storing and processing information for the vehicle, wherein the onboard microserver system includes a primary onboard microserver and at least one subsystem microserver connected to a subsystem controller on the vehicle, wherein the subsystem controller is selected from a group consisting of an engine controller, an auxiliary power unit controller, an environmental control unit controller, and an electrical distribution system controller;

creating a ground database configured to be located remotely from the vehicle and include a replica of information contained within the onboard microserver system; and

enabling two-way communication between the onboard microserver system and the ground database, wherein the at least one subsystem microserver communicates with the ground database only through the onboard microserver.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

enabling a plurality of users to access information stored on the ground database and send information to the ground database.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein information sent to the ground-database by one or more of the plurality of users is communicated by the ground database to the onboard micro server system.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of users is selected from a group consisting of equipment manufacturers, maintenance personnel, airline operators, government entities, and regulatory entities.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one subsystem microserver is connected to at least one subsystem controller, and the method further comprises enabling at least one user to control operation of the at least one subsystem controller through the ground database.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein enabling two-way communication between the onboard microserver system and the ground database includes a two-way synchronization of information between the onboard microserver system and the ground database.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the synchronization is performed by communication means selected from a group consisting of radio frequency, optical, wired, wireless, satellite, and cellular.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the synchronization is performed as a function of time lapsed since a prior synchronization.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the synchronization is performed if there is an urgent communication or an emergency event.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one subsystem microserver connected to a subsystem controller is configured to store and process information for the subsystem controller.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein the onboard microserver system further comprises at least one of embedded algorithms and intelligent agent technology.

27. A method of managing a fleet of vehicles, the method comprising:

configuring an onboard microserver system on each vehicle, wherein the microserver system includes an onboard microserver configured to collect, process and store data about the vehicle, and enable remote and local communications with the vehicle, and a plurality of subsystem microservers configured to communicate with the onboard microserver and with one another, each of the plurality of subsystem microservers connected to a subsystem controller on the vehicle wherein the subsystem controller is selected from a group consisting of an engine controller, an auxiliary power unit controller, an environmental control unit controller, and an electrical distribution system controller;

utilizing a portal to store a duplicate copy of data on the onboard microserver system;

enabling access to the data on the portal to a plurality of users; and

enabling a two-way data gateway between the portal and the onboard microserver system wherein the plurality of subsystem microservers are configured to communicate with the portal only through the onboard microserver.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein enabling a two-way data gateway between the portal and the onboard microserver system includes a synchronization of data on the microserver system and the portal.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein enabling a two-way data gateway includes wireless communication between the onboard microserver system and the portal.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein communication between the onboard microserver system and the portal includes communication means selected from a group consisting of radio frequency, optical, wired, wireless, satellite, and cellular.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein enabling access to the data on the portal to a plurality of users includes security measures for restricting access to the portal to designated users.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein enabling access to the data on the portal to a plurality of users includes designating portions of the data to specific users.

33. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

enabling a plurality of users to communicate with the onboard microserver system by routing communications through the portal.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein enabling a two-way data gateway between the portal and the onboard microserver system includes enabling a user to control operation of a subsystem on a vehicle by communicating through the portal with an onboard microserver system for that vehicle.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein the fleet of vehicles is a fleet of aircraft.