Aircraft LRU data collection and reliability prediction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969508-B2
Application number	US-201615378601-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A remote computing system is described that includes at least one processor and at least one module. The at least one module is operable by the at least one processor to receive first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit of a first aircraft during flight operations of the first aircraft, and receive second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit of at least one second aircraft during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft. The at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to predict, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft, and output, based on the impending failure condition, an indication of the predicted failure condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining failure conditions associated with aircraft installed line-replaceable-units, the method comprising:
receiving, by a remote computing system, first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit of a first aircraft during flight operations of the first aircraft;
receiving, by the remote computing system, second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit of at least one second aircraft during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft;
predicting, by the remote computing system, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft; and
outputting, by the remote computing system, an indication of the failure condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the remote computing system, a preventative action associated with the first line-replaceable-unit for preventing the failure condition; and
outputting, by the remote computing system, an indication of the preventative action.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operational data is received wirelessly via a communication link established directly with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first operational data is received wirelessly via a communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft and the remote computing system after the first aircraft has landed.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first operational data is received wirelessly via a communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft and a ground station of the remote computing system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operational data comprises one or more operational parameters being monitored by a built-in-test module of the first line-replaceable-unit.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting the failure condition comprises:
identifying, by the remote computing system, one or more trends in the second operational data that caused an operational failure of the second line-replaceable-unit; and
comparing, by the remote computing system, the first operational data to the one or more trends to determine whether the failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit is likely to occur.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operational data includes information associated with one or more single event upsets detected by the first line-replaceable unit during the flight operations of the first aircraft, and wherein the second operational data includes information associated with one or more single event upsets detected by the second line-replaceable unit during the flight operations of the second aircraft.

9. A remote computing system for determining failure conditions associated with aircraft installed line-replaceable-units, the remote computing system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one module operable by the at least one processor to:
receive first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit, installed onboard a first aircraft, during flight operations of the first aircraft;
receive second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit, installed onboard at least one second aircraft, during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft;
predict, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit; and
output, an indication of the failure condition.

10. The remote computing system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to:
determine a preventative action associated with the first line-replaceable-unit for preventing the failure condition; and
output an indication of the preventative action.

11. The remote computing system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one module is further operable by the at least one processor to receive the first operational data collected by the first line-replaceable-unit during flight via a wireless communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit, the remote computing system, and an airport network.

12. The remote computing system of claim 9 , wherein the remote computing device comprises a ground station configured to send the first and second operational data for analysis by a remote fault detection system, wherein at least one module operable by the at least one processor to predict the failure condition by at least receiving information from the remote fault detection system that is indicative of the failure condition.

13. The remote computing system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one module operable by the at least one processor to output the indication of the failure condition for display at a graphical user interface associated with the remote computing system.

14. The remote computing system of claim 9 , wherein the first operational data includes information associated with one or more single event upsets detected by the first line-replaceable unit during the flight operations of the first aircraft, and wherein the second operational data includes information associated with one or more single event upsets detected by the second line-replaceable unit during the flight operations of the second aircraft.

15. A remote computing system for determining failure conditions associated with aircraft installed line-replaceable-units, the remote computing system comprising:
means for receiving first operational data collected by a first line-replaceable-unit of a first aircraft during flight operations of the first aircraft, the first operational data including information associated with one or more single event upsets detected by the first line-replaceable unit during the flight operations of the first aircraft;
means for receiving second operational data collected by at least one second line-replaceable-unit of at least one second aircraft during flight operations of the at least one second aircraft, the second operational data including information associated with one or more single event upsets detected by the second line-replaceable unit during the flight operations of the second aircraft;
means for predicting, based at least in part on the first operational data and the second operational data, a failure condition associated with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft; and
means for outputting an indication of the failure condition.

16. The remote computing system of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for determining a preventative action associated with the first line-replaceable-unit for preventing the failure condition; and
means for outputting an indication of the preventative action.

17. The remote computing system of claim 15 , wherein the means for receiving the first operational data comprises means for receiving the first operational data wirelessly via a communication link established directly with the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft.

18. The remote computing system of claim 17 , wherein the means for receiving the first operational data comprises means for receiving the first operational data wirelessly via a communication link established between the first line-replaceable-unit of the first aircraft and the remote computing system after the first aircraft has landed.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Szeto Roland

Classifications

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G05B13/026

  using a predictor · CPC title

• B64F5/60 Primary

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• G07C5/006

  Indicating maintenance · CPC title