Abstract:
Methods, systems, and apparatus for tracking aircraft engines are provided, wherein an engine has an engine log book associated therewith. Disclosed methods comprise receiving from at least one device attached to the log book one or more signals representative of a location of the log book; using the signal representative of the location of the log book to determine a location of the engine and storing in memory readable by the same or another data processor signals representative of the location of the engine.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosure relates generally to the tracking of engines, for maintenance and other purposes, and more particularly to the tracking of an aircraft engine via a log book associated with the engine. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
       [0002]    Aircraft engines are assets which may be leased to customers for powering their aircraft. It is desirable to track such engines, for example, to determine their locations. Manual tracking of engines is time consuming, and prone to error. Electronic tracking, such as by attaching automatically trackable devices to the engines is problematic, since such devices may cause electromagnetic interference which interfere with the engine or aircraft operation. Further, the operational conditions associated with such aircraft engines, such as vibration, heat, etc, make typical electronic tracking devices unsuitable for the implementation of a robust tracking system. 
         [0003]    Room for improvement therefore exists. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The disclosure herein describes methods, systems, and apparatus, including suitably-configured computer programming devices, for tracking aircraft engines using associated log books. 
         [0005]    For example, in various embodiments the invention provides such methods, comprising receiving from at least one device attached to a log book associated with an aircraft engine one or more signals representative of a location of the log book; using the signal representative of the location of the log book, determining a location of the engine; and storing in memory readable by the same or another data processor signals representative of the location of the engine. Data so stored can further be used for other processes, including for example to identify an operator of the engine, to determine whether the engine is mounted on an aircraft, to identify an aircraft upon which such an engine is mounted, and/or to schedule or otherwise control maintenance of the engine. 
         [0006]    Further details of these and other aspects of the subject matter of this application will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings included below. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a log book assembly comprising a tracking device according to one embodiment; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of the tracking device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart representation of a method of tracking an engine using the log book assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Various aspects of the present approach are described through reference to the drawings and the following description. 
         [0012]    It is well understood that airworthiness regulations, such as those administered by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), Transport Canada and other national and regional authorities, require engine operation and maintenance activity to be recorded as a condition of the continued airworthiness of the aircraft engine. See, for example, the Federal Aviation Regulations (e.g. 14 CFR 91-417) and the Canadian Aviation Regulations (e.g. s.605.92 and TP 14182), both of which are incorporated herein, by reference, in their entireties. Among the ways in which the mandated technical records are maintained, one of the more popular is to record the required information in a multi-paged book (typically hard-covered), known variously as an engine log or log book, engine maintenance log, engine technical log book, etc. (referred to hereinafter in the description and claims as a “log book”). Example commercially-available log books are the Aviation Supplies &amp; Academics, Inc. (ASA) Engine Logs, #ASA-SE-1 and #ASA-SE-2. Typically, an engine&#39;s log book accompanies the engine wherever the engine goes—that is, when the engine is mounted on the aircraft, the log book is onboard the aircraft, and when the engine is in a shipping container (e.g. when originally shipped from the manufacturer, or when removed from the aircraft to shipping to an overhaul shop or to be temporarily stored, etc.) the log book is also placed in the shipping container with the engine. 
         [0013]    According to an aspect of the present method and system, the inventors have found that the engine location may be automatically tracked by automatically tracking the location engine log book rather than the engine itself, as will now be further described. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates a log book assembly  10  used to provide usage, maintenance, and/or other records associated with a particular aircraft engine (not shown). Log book assembly  10  comprises log book  12  associated with the engine and tracking device  14 . Log book  12  may be of any type suitable for use in implementing the disclosure herein, including any otherwise conventional type used for recording operational information of an aircraft engine. For example, operational information recorded in log book  12  may include the configuration of the engine, number of hours in operation, number of cycles, and details of any maintenance performed or scheduled to be performed on the engine. 
         [0015]    Tracking device  14  may be attached to or otherwise selectively fixedly disposed proximate to log book  12 , so that the transmitted location of tracking device  14  is representative of the location of log book  12 . Tracking device  14  may be attached to log book  12  in any manner compatible with the purposes disclosed herein, including for example any currently known conventional manners, including for example gluing or otherwise mechanically affixing to, or embedding within, any portion of cover  16  or other portion of the log book  12 , including any page(s) thereof. 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  schematically illustrates various components, any one or more of which may be included in various embodiments of tracking device  14 . For example, tracking device  14  may comprise global positioning system (GPS) unit  18 ; global system for mobile communications (GSM) unit  20 ; battery, solar chip, or other power supply  22 ; and memory(ies)  26 , any or all of which may comprise any necessary or desired processors, communications subsystems, data buses or other components or supporting hardware or firmware. GPS unit  18  may for example comprise a conventional GPS receiver configured to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites (not shown) and determine its geographic location according to conventional methods. GSM unit  20  may also be of conventional type and may be operatively connected to GPS unit  18  via link  24 . GSM unit  20  may be configured to wirelessly transmit a signal representative of the geographic location determined by GPS unit  18 . GSM unit  20  may also be configured to receive data wirelessly. 
         [0017]    Memory(ies)  26  may comprise any suitable volatile or persistent memory devices, including for example one or more memory cards  26 . One or more such memories  26  may be integrated as part of tracking device  14 . Memory card  26  may operate as an information storage device and may be operatively coupled to GPS unit  18  and GSM unit  20  via links  30 . GSM unit  20  and memory card  26  may be configured so that GSM unit  20  is able to transmit information stored on memory card  26  and so that GSM unit  20  is also able to receive information and have the information stored on memory card  26 . It is understood that other components such as a processor connected to GPS unit  18  and GSM unit  20  and circuitry not shown or described here may be included in tracking device  14 . Battery  22  may be configured to serve as a suitable power source for the operation of GPS unit  18 , GSM unit  20  and memory card  26  via links  32 . 
         [0018]    Log book assembly  10  may be used to indirectly track an engine associated with log book assembly  10 . Unlike conventional asset tracking methods, the tracking of the engine may be conducted via log book assembly  10  without requiring tracking device  14  to be installed directly to the engine. The engine may be an aircraft or other engine such as a gas turbine engine (not shown) which may be in operation and mounted to an aircraft or other vehicle (not shown). Alternatively, the engine may be in storage, being transported, or be removed from the aircraft for other reasons such as maintenance for example. For gas turbine engines used in aircraft applications, the use of a log book is typically considered critical for maintenance and compliance with regulatory requirements, and the engine often cannot be sold, operated, maintained or reduced to spare parts without the presence and proper upkeep of a log book for traceability purposes. When the engine is not mounted to the aircraft, log book assembly may be kept together with the engine most or all of the time. For the case of an aircraft engine in storage, log book assembly  10  may be kept in the engine cradle together with the engine. 
         [0019]    When the engine is in use or otherwise mounted to an aircraft, log book assembly  10  may or may not be kept together with the engine due to installation restrictions, regulations, and/or other requirements. For an aircraft engine, it may not be practical to keep log book assembly  10  with the engine during use due to potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or challenges associated with isolating log book assembly  10  from vibrations, temperature variations and weather. Other concerns may also include added weight and certification requirements of the engine. Accordingly, when the engine is mounted to an aircraft, log book assembly may be located at an operator&#39;s maintenance or other facility. The operator may be an airline company for example. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  schematically illustrates an exemplary method which may be used to track an engine using log book assembly  10 . Such a method may be implemented using suitably-configured data processing equipment operated by, for example, a manufacturer, a retailer, lessor, operator, and/or contract maintenance service of the engine who may be interested in tracking the engine for the purpose of obtaining the geographic location of the engine, establishing or consulting a maintenance schedule for the engine or obtaining other information related to the operation of the engine. For example, a networked computer system operated by an authorized and interested party using conventional signal processing equipment (not shown) may receive a signal representative of the geographic location of log book assembly  10  transmitted via tracking device  14 . For example, a global position determined using GPS  18  may be wirelessly transmitted via GSM unit  20  at an airport terminal or apron to a receiver associated with an operator computer terminal. 
         [0021]    Further information associated with the engine and stored in memory(ies)  26  may also be provided to and/or received the operator of the computer system. Such information can, for example, include an operational status, a maintenance schedule, flight and/or other operating use information, and can be processed by the networked computer system before and/or after storage on the memory(ies)  26 . Information can also be stored in memory(ies)  26  by personnel using the log book at time of maintenance, etc., using suitably-adapted input/output components interfaced with device  14 . The provision of suitable input/output components will not trouble those skilled in the relevant arts, once they have been made familiar with this disclosure. 
         [0022]    An example of a use of the geographic location of a log book assembly  10  to identify an operator, contractor, or other party in custody or control of an engine would be the geographic correlation of the locations of the engine and the party in such custody or control. With the identity of such operator, the operator may be contacted to determine whether the engine is mounted to a vehicle. If the engine is mounted to a vehicle, the operator may provide the identity of the vehicle onto which the engine is mounted. For example, an airline company may provide the interested party with the registration number of the aircraft of interest. The geographic location of the aircraft engine may then be obtained indirectly based on the mission registry of the aircraft of interest. The information required from the operator of the engine may be obtained automatically and electronically from a database using conventional data sharing and user authentication methods through a web portal for example. 
         [0023]    In some applications, it may not be necessary to obtain the exact geographic location of the engine. For example, it may be sufficient to simply determine whether the engine is mounted to a vehicle or if the engine is in storage. 
         [0024]    Memory card  26  may be used by an operator, contractor, or other party to store information relating to the operation and maintenance of the engine. For example, information stored on memory card may include information of the same type that would normally be recorded in log book  12 . Also, since GSM unit  20  may be configured to transmit and receive information, information may be transmitted to and retrieved from memory card  26  wirelessly via GSM unit  20 . 
         [0025]    In addition to or instead of tracking the geographic location of an engine via log book assembly  10 , tracking of the engine may include receiving information relating to the operation and maintenance of the engine. Such information may be used for the purpose of determining and/or implementing a maintenance schedule for the engine. In some cases the exact, geographic location of the engine may not be required. However, in some cases, it may be useful to additionally obtain or track the geographic location of the engine via its mission registry to determine the climate in which the engine was exposed and forecast a maintenance schedule accordingly. 
         [0026]    The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. For example, log book assembly  10  may contain sensors which may be used to put constraints on the operability of log book assembly  10 . For example, sensors may be configured to detect tampering with the log book and send a suitable signal upon such detection. Also, it is apparent that another type of wireless communication unit such as, for example, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) could also be used instead of or in addition to GSM unit  20 . Any suitable automatic tracking system may be used, and the skilled reader will recognize that the present approach is not limited to the specific example technologies presented in the exemplary embodiments presented herein. Still other modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.