Vehicle mission capability prediction system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9726577-B2
Application number	US-201414294440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2014
Priority date	Jun 3, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A system method for predicting vehicle mission capability for a vehicle that is propelled by an engine includes collecting engine degradation data for the engine. Location independent engine degradation data are generated from the collected engine degradation data. The location independent engine degradation data are representative of engine degradation that is independent of locations associated with the mission. Predictions of location dependent engine degradation are calculated from the collected engine degradation data and the location independent engine degradation data. The location dependent engine degradation is representative of engine degradation due to movement through locations associated with the mission.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining engine degradation for a vehicle that is propelled by an engine, the method comprising the steps of:
collecting engine degradation data for the engine, the engine degradation data comprising calculations of engine degradation associated with a mission the vehicle has completed;
generating, from the collected engine degradation data, location independent engine degradation data, the location independent engine degradation data representative of engine degradation that is independent of locations associated with the mission;
calculating, from the collected engine degradation data and the location independent engine degradation data, predictions of location dependent engine degradation, the predictions of location dependent engine degradation representative of engine degradation due to movement through locations associated with the mission;
conducting a continuous performance analysis for the engine; and
generating the engine degradation data from the mission data and the continuous performance analysis;
wherein the step of collecting engine degradation data comprises collecting mission data, the mission data including at least vehicle position data, and vehicle load data during the mission.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dividing the mission into a plurality of discrete portions; and
calculating the predictions of location dependent engine degradation for each discrete portion.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a probability that the vehicle can complete a new mission based in part on the calculated predictions of location dependent engine degradation.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
conducting a continuous performance analysis for the engine.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
generating the engine degradation data based in part on the continuous performance analysis.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of calculating the probability that the vehicle can complete a new mission is based additionally on the continuous performance analysis.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing the collected engine degradation data in a database; and
selectively retrieving the collected engine degradation data from the database.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mission data further includes weather data and avionics data.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle is an aircraft;
the engine is a gas turbine engine; and
the locations associated with the mission are each voxels.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating the probability that the vehicle can complete a new mission for a plurality of flight paths to provide the probability of success, flight duration, fuel use, and one or more other factors to determine an optimal path.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating from the collected engine degradation data, a probability that a fleet of vehicles, each with their own unique engine conditions, can complete a proposed set of missions is based in part on the calculated predictions of location dependent and independent engine degradations.

12. A vehicle mission capability prediction system, comprising:
a mission data processor adapted to selectively receive engine degradation data associated with a vehicle that is propelled by an engine, the engine degradation data comprising a calculation of engine degradation associated with a mission the vehicle has completed, the mission data processor configured, upon retrieval of the engine degradation data, to:
generate, from the collected engine degradation data, location independent engine degradation data, the location independent engine degradation data representative of engine degradation that is independent of locations associated with the mission;
calculate, from the collected engine degradation data and the location independent engine degradation data, predictions of location dependent engine degradation, the predictions of location dependent engine degradation representative of engine degradation due to movement through locations associated with the mission; and

a vehicle processor in operable communication with the mission data processor, the vehicle processor configured to:
collect mission data, the mission data including at least vehicle position data, and vehicle load data during the mission;
conduct a continuous performance analysis for the engine; and
generate the engine degradation data from the mission data and the continuous performance analysis.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the mission data processor is further configured to:
calculate a probability that a vehicle can complete a new mission based on the calculated predictions of location dependent engine degradation.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the mission data processor is further configured to:
divide the mission into a plurality of discrete portions; and
calculate the predictions of location dependent engine degradation for each discrete portion.

15. A vehicle mission capability prediction system, comprising:
a database coupled to receive and store location independent engine degradation data and location dependent engine degradation data, the location independent engine degradation data representative of engine degradation that is independent of locations associated with a mission the vehicle has completed, the location dependent engine degradation representative of predictions of engine degradation due to movement through locations associated with the mission;
a vehicle processor configured to (i) collect mission data, the mission data including at least vehicle position data, vehicle load data during the mission, weather data, and avionics data, (ii) conduct a continuous performance analysis for the engine, and (iii) generate engine degradation data from the mission data and the continuous performance analysis; and
a mission data processor in operable communication with the database and the vehicle processor, the mission data processor configured to selectively receive the mission data and the engine degradation data and, upon receipt of the mission data and the engine degradation data, to:
generate, from the engine degradation data, the location independent engine degradation data,
calculate, from the collected engine degradation data and the location independent engine degradation data, the predictions of location dependent engine degradation, and
calculate a probability that a vehicle can complete a new mission based on the calculated predictions of location dependent engine degradation and the continuous performance analysis.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the mission data processor is further configured to:
divide the mission into a plurality of discrete portions; and
calculate the predictions of location dependent engine degradation for each discrete portion.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the mission data processor is further configured to calculate the probability that the vehicle can complete a new mission for a plurality of flight paths to provide the probability of success, flight duration, fuel use, and one or more other factors to determine an optimal path.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the mission data processor is further configured to calculate from the collected engine degradation data, a probability that a fleet of vehicles, each with their own unique engine conditions, can complete a proposed set of missions is based in part on the calculated predictions of loca

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc
• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Gordon Grant
• Ling Richard
• James Michael
• Moeckly Kevin

Classifications

• G01M15/14 Primary

  Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines · CPC title