Patent Description:
A control system of a gas turbine engine uses multiple configuration control items, such as control software, engine bill of materials (BOM) configuration data, trim updatable values, and the like to control the operation of the gas turbine engine and monitor the performance of the gas turbine engine. Once a gas turbine engine is deployed in the field, it can be difficult to access data captured and/or computed by the control system and to make updates to the configuration control items. A gas turbine engine can be deployed in the field for extended service life, such as a period of decades. Computer system technology and communication technology can evolve at a rapid pace adding to the challenges of interfacing with offboard systems as the offboard technology continues to advance during the lifespan of the engine.

<CIT> discloses a method and system for routing data to distributed modules in an aircraft. A control unit is configured to communicate with ground support equipment via an Ethernet connection and with each of the distributed modules via an engine control bus. A distributed module may transmit data to the control unit, which may translate protocols for the engine control bus to the Ethernet protocols.

According to a first aspect, a method includes receiving engine data from a sensor associated with the engine. The method further includes associating a header with the engine data to generate packaged engine data. The method further includes transmitting the packaged engine data to an aircraft communication unit, wherein the header provides for the aircraft communication unit to transmit the packaged engine data to a ground station communication unit via a communication protocol. The header includes a source system identifier, a delivery destination identifier, and a report identifier. The report identifier defines a type of report to which the engine data relates. The type of report is based on a segment of a flight plan.

Optionally, the aircraft communication unit is a terminal wireless local area network (LAN) unit (TWLU), and the ground station communication unit is a ground station wireless terminal.

Optionally, the communication protocol is a cellular communication protocol.

Optionally, the communication protocol is a WiFi communication protocol.

Optionally, the communication protocol is a satellite communication protocol.

Optionally, the header provides for the ground station communication unit to transmit the packaged engine data to a delivery destination system.

According to another aspect, a gas turbine engine includes a fan section comprising a fan case and an engine control mounted on the fan case, the engine control configured to monitor and control operation of the gas turbine engine in real-time. The engine control includes processing circuity. The processing circuity receives engine data about the gas turbine engine from a sensor associated with the gas turbine engine. The processing circuity associates a header with the engine data to generate packaged engine data. The processing circuitry transmits the packaged engine data to an aircraft communication unit, wherein the header provides for the aircraft communication unit to transmit the packaged engine data to a ground station communication unit via a communication protocol. The header includes a source system identifier, a delivery destination identifier, and a report identifier. The report identifier defines a type of report to which the engine data relates. The type of report is based on a segment of a flight plan.

According to another aspect, an aircraft includes the gas turbine engine and the communication unit. The communication unit includes second processing circuitry. The second processing circuitry receives the packaged engine data from the engine control and transmits the packaged engine data to a ground station communication unit via a communication protocol based at least in part on the header.

A technical effect of one or more of these embodiments is achieved by incorporating communication features to securely interface an engine control system with offboard systems as described herein.

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus, system, and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

The geared architecture <NUM> may be an epicycle gear train, such as a planetary gear system or other gear system, with a gear reduction ratio of greater than about <NUM>: <NUM>. It should be understood, however, that the above parameters are only exemplary of one embodiment of a geared architecture engine and that the present disclosure is applicable to other gas turbine engines including direct drive turbofans.

Referring now to the drawings, <FIG> illustrates a system <NUM> supporting wireless communication between a communication unit <NUM> (i.e., an aircraft wireless gateway) of a gas turbine engine <NUM> and a plurality of offboard systems <NUM>. The gas turbine engine <NUM> can be coupled to an aircraft <NUM>, where the aircraft <NUM> can include multiple instances of the gas turbine engine <NUM>. The gas turbine engine <NUM> can include a fan section <NUM>, a compressor section <NUM>, a combustor section <NUM>, and a turbine section <NUM>. The fan section <NUM> drives air along a bypass flow path, while the compressor section <NUM> drives air along a core flow path for compression and communication into the combustor section <NUM> then expansion through the turbine section <NUM>. A fan case <NUM> of the fan section <NUM> can be covered by a cowling <NUM> and may provide an installation surface that is cooler than other sections <NUM>-<NUM> of the gas turbine engine <NUM>.

An engine control <NUM> can be mounted on the fan case <NUM> and covered by the cowling <NUM>. The engine control <NUM> is configured to monitor and control the operation of the gas turbine engine <NUM> in real-time. To transfer configuration items, such as programs and data to and from the engine control <NUM>, contemporary systems typically require that the cowling <NUM> is opened and multiple cables of bundled wires are coupled to the engine control <NUM>. Such a process can ensure deliberate actions are taken in extracting data and performing updates to the engine control <NUM>; however, the process can be slow and require large lengths of customized cables. In embodiments, the communication unit <NUM>, also referred to as an aircraft wireless gateway and/or an aircraft terminal wireless local area network (LAN) unit (TWLU). The communication unit <NUM> provides for communication between the aircraft <NUM> and the ground station <NUM>, also referred to as a ground station TWLU or ground station wireless terminal. Particularly, the communication unit <NUM> provides for engine data about the gas turbine engine <NUM> to be sent from the engine control <NUM> to the ground station <NUM>; the communication unit <NUM> also provides for data (e.g., a software update) to be sent from the ground station <NUM> to the engine control <NUM>. Similar to the engine control <NUM>, the communication unit <NUM> can be mounted on the fan case <NUM> and covered by the cowling <NUM> of the gas turbine engine <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> performs data management functions, such as receiving engine data from the engine control <NUM>, packaging the data for retransmission by associating the engine data with a unique identifier (i.e., a header), and transmitting the data to the ground station <NUM> via the aircraft communication unit <NUM> using the header. Wireless communication can alleviate the need for customized cables or physically opening the cowling <NUM> to establish communication with the offboard systems <NUM>.

In examples, the engine data includes full flight data, fault data, event reports, etc. Data can also be uploaded to the engine control <NUM>, for example, to load software, trims, configuration information to support upgrades of the gas turbine engine <NUM> (and/or its sub-systems/components).

The offboard systems <NUM> can include, for example, a ground station <NUM> (e.g., a ground station TWLU), a near-wing maintenance computer <NUM>, an access portal <NUM>, and/or other devices (not depicted) that may establish one-way or two-way wireless communication with the communication unit <NUM>. For example, a global positioning system (GPS) can provide one-way wireless signaling to the communication unit <NUM> to assist in confirming a geographic location of the gas turbine engine <NUM> while the communication unit <NUM> is coupled to the gas turbine engine <NUM>. Wireless communication performed by the communication unit <NUM> can be through a variety of technologies with different ranges supported. As one example, the aircraft TWLU can support Wi-Fi (e.g., radio wireless local area networking based on IEEE <NUM> or other applicable standards), GPS, cellular networks, satellite communication, and/or other wireless communication technologies known in the art. Wireless communication between the aircraft communication unit <NUM> and the offboard systems <NUM> can be direct or indirect. For instance, wireless communication between the communication unit <NUM> and ground station <NUM> may pass through one or more network interface components <NUM>, such as a repeater, while wireless communication between the communication unit <NUM> and the near-wing maintenance computer <NUM> may be direct wireless communication without any router components.

The ground station <NUM> can provide for communication with a variety of support systems, such as an access portal <NUM> that provides for authorized users to access data, initiate tests, configure software, and perform other actions with respect to the engine control <NUM>, where the communication unit <NUM> acts as a secure gateway to limit access and interactions with the engine control <NUM>. As another example, the ground station <NUM> can communicate with a notification system <NUM>, which may trigger alerts, text messages, e-mails, and the like to authorized recipients regarding the operational status of the gas turbine engine <NUM>. The near-wing maintenance computer <NUM> may provide an authorized user with limited authority a capability to query the engine control <NUM> for fault data, test parameters, and other such information. In some embodiments, the near-wing maintenance computer <NUM> can be authorized with limited authority to make updates to select configuration parameters or data collection parameters of the engine control <NUM>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating further details of the system <NUM> of <FIG>, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The engine control <NUM> can control effectors <NUM> of the gas turbine engine <NUM> by generating one or more effector commands <NUM>. Examples of effectors <NUM> can include one or more motors, solenoids, valves, relays, pumps, heaters, and/or other such actuation control components. A plurality of sensors <NUM> can capture state data associated with the gas turbine engine <NUM> and provide sensed values <NUM> as feedback to the engine control <NUM> to provide for closed-loop control of the gas turbine engine <NUM> according to one or more control laws. Examples of the sensors <NUM> can include one or more temperature sensors, pressure sensors, strain gauges, speed sensors, accelerometers, lube sensors, and the like.

The engine control <NUM> can be a full authority digital engine control that includes processing circuitry <NUM> and a memory system <NUM> configured to store a plurality of configuration items, where at least one of the configuration items includes a sequence of the computer executable instructions for execution by the processing circuitry <NUM>. Other types of configuration items can include data, such as trim constants, configurable data, and/or fault data. Examples of computer executable instructions can include boot software, operating system software, and/or application software. The executable instructions may be stored or organized in any manner and at any level of abstraction, such as in connection with controlling and/or monitoring operation of the gas turbine engine <NUM>. The processing circuitry <NUM> can be any type or combination of central processing unit (CPU), including one or more of a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like. Also, in embodiments, the memory system <NUM> may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile memory, such as Flash memory, read only memory (ROM), and/or other electronic, optical, magnetic, or any other computer readable medium onto which is stored data and algorithms in a non-transitory form.

The engine control <NUM> can also include one or more of an input/output interface <NUM>, a communication interface <NUM>, and/or other elements (not depicted). The input/output interface <NUM> can include support circuitry for interfacing with the effectors <NUM> and sensors <NUM>, such as filters, amplifiers, digital-to-analog converters, analog-to-digital converters, and other such circuits to support digital and/or analog interfaces. Further, the input/output interface <NUM> can receive or output signals to/from other sources. The communication interface <NUM> can be communicatively coupled to the communication unit <NUM>. The communication interface <NUM> may also communicate with an aircraft bus <NUM> of the aircraft <NUM> of <FIG>. The aircraft bus <NUM> may provide aircraft-level parameters and commands that are used by the engine control <NUM> to control the gas turbine engine <NUM> in real-time.

The engine control <NUM> implements data management functionality, such as receiving engine data from one or more sensors associated with the gas turbine engine <NUM>, packaging the engine data into packaged engine data by associating a header with engine data, encrypting the data to secure the data, and providing for the packaged data to be transmitted to the communication unit <NUM>. According to one or more embodiments, the communication unit <NUM> acts as a gateway to route data between the engine control <NUM> and the offboard systems <NUM>. In such an embodiment, the engine control <NUM> connects to the offboard systems <NUM> and the communication unit <NUM> handles the data transfer between the engine control <NUM> and the offboard systems <NUM>. In one or more other embodiments, the communication unit <NUM> acts as a relay. In such an example, the communication unit <NUM> receives the data from one of the engine control <NUM> or the ground systems <NUM> and transfers it to the other of the ground systems <NUM> or the engine control <NUM>.

Similar to the engine control <NUM>, the communication unit <NUM> (i.e., an aircraft TWLU) can include processing circuitry <NUM>, a memory system <NUM>, an input/output interface <NUM>, and a communication interface <NUM>. The processing circuitry <NUM> can be any type or combination of central processing unit (CPU), including one or more of: a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like. Also, in embodiments, the memory system <NUM> may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and non-volatile memory, such as Flash memory, read only memory (ROM), and/or other electronic, optical, magnetic, or any other computer readable medium onto which is stored data and algorithms in a non-transitory form. According to one or more embodiments described herein, the communication unit <NUM> can also include an internal sensor system <NUM>. The internal sensor system <NUM> can include, for example, one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, a magnetometer (e.g., a compass), and other such sensors. Further, the communication unit <NUM> can include other devices, such as a GPS <NUM>. The input/output interface <NUM> can process data collected from the internal sensor system <NUM> and condition the data in a format usable by the processing circuitry <NUM>. The communication interface <NUM> can interface with one or more antennas <NUM>, which may be integrated with the communication unit <NUM> or located remotely from the communication unit <NUM>, e.g., a shark-fin antenna mounted on the aircraft fuselage or an antenna in the aircraft or under the engine cowling <NUM> of <FIG>.

The communication unit <NUM> can act as a communication router between the engine control <NUM> and the the offboard systems <NUM>. For example, after the engine control <NUM> is connected to the offboad systems <NUM>, the offboard systems <NUM> can request to load new/updated configuration items to the memory system <NUM> of the engine control <NUM> through the communication unit <NUM>. The communication interface <NUM> of the engine control <NUM> can interface to the communication interface <NUM> of the communication unit <NUM> through a wired, wireless, optical, or magnetic coupling. The communication interface <NUM> can communicate wirelessly through one or more antennas <NUM> to the offboard systems <NUM> (e.g., the ground station TWLU). The communication interface <NUM> may also have access to receive data directly from the aircraft bus <NUM> in some embodiments. In alternate embodiments, the communication unit <NUM> can route engine data (e.g., the sensed values <NUM>) from the engine control <NUM> to the offboard systems <NUM> to make the engine data available remotely from the aircraft <NUM> (e.g., to an airline, to an engine original equipment manufacturer, to an airframer, etc.). According to one or more embodiments described herein, the communication interface <NUM> and the communication interface <NUM> communicate using a trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP), although other suitable protocols can be used.

According to one or more embodiments described herein, the communication unit <NUM> is used to form a wireless local area network (LAN) connection between an aircraft LAN associated with the aircraft <NUM> and a ground-based LAN associated with the offboard systems <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> bridges these two LANs using, for example, ground based wireless standards such as the IEEE <NUM> family of standards and cellular communication as well as airborne wireless standards such as Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) or Satcom. The communication unit <NUM> operates independent of LAN protocols and supports representative functionality, such as file server access from aircraft terminals, terminal emulation sessions to a ground-based host, file transfers, Internet access, and Internet routing functions.

The communication unit <NUM> and/or the engine control <NUM> can manage credentials and user authentication to limit access to the memory system <NUM> of the engine control <NUM>. User authentication can be defined for particular users or classes of users, such as equipment-owner users, maintenance technicians, engineering users, and the like. For example, a maintenance technician may have the authority to adjust trimmable constants or reprogram certain regions of the memory system <NUM>. An engineering user may have authority to reprogram an operating system, boot program code, or application software in the memory system <NUM>, in addition to having permissions of the maintenance technician and the equipment-owner user. If user authentication fails, for instance, by user credentials not being recognized with respect to user authentication data, then the communication unit <NUM> can block access of the offboard systems <NUM> from reading from or writing to the memory system <NUM>.

Configuration items received for the engine control <NUM> and/or the communication unit <NUM> may be encrypted using various cryptographic methods to further enhance security. For example, the communication unit <NUM> can apply a cryptographic algorithm using one or more parameters received and cryptographic information to decrypt an encrypted configuration item. A combination of transmitted and stored cryptographic information can be used together for decryption based on 'shared secrets' such that not all of the information is sent from the offboard systems <NUM> nor stored completely within the communication unit <NUM>. After decryption, the authenticity of the configuration item can be verified using, for example, a digital signature of the configuration item. The resulting file can be a decrypted and authenticated configuration item, which may be temporarily stored in memory system <NUM> or memory system <NUM> otherwise buffered during authentication and passed to the engine control <NUM> upon authentication. According to one or more embodiments, the engine control can also perform its own decryption and authentication.

Separating the communication unit <NUM> from the engine control <NUM> can provide for the communication unit <NUM> and the engine control <NUM> to have different expected service life durations. For example, to stay compatible with changes in wireless communication technologies used by the offboard systems <NUM>, the communication unit <NUM> may be upgraded at a faster interval than the engine control <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> can have a lower processing and storage capacity than the engine control <NUM> to reduce power requirements, weight, and other costs associated with the communication unit <NUM>. Since the communication unit <NUM> does not actively control the gas turbine engine <NUM>, development cycles may be reduced as compared to implementing flight-critical control algorithms and hardware of the engine control <NUM>.

Further, separating the communication unit <NUM> from the engine control <NUM> provides for the engine control <NUM> to communicate with the offboard systems <NUM> via existing communications infrastructure available on the aircraft <NUM>. For example, the communication unit <NUM> can be an existing communication unit <NUM>, such as used to provide passenger WiFi, infotainment, cockpit maps, avionics software updates, etc., on the aircraft. Thus, the engine control <NUM> can utilize the existing communications infrastructure to transmit engine data to the offboard systems <NUM> and/or to receive software updates, trim updates, etc., from the offboard systems <NUM>. To do this, the engine control <NUM> or the offboard systems <NUM> associates a header with data transmitted between the engine control <NUM> and the offboard systems <NUM>. According to an example, the header is associated with the engine data by creating a packet that includes the engine data and uses the header as a packet header (e.g., the packet header portion of an Internet Protocol (IP) packet). In some cases, depending on the amount/size of engine data, the engine control <NUM> may divide the engine data into multiple packets, each of the multiple packets having the header. The communication unit <NUM> does not process and/or execute a control based on the body of the content of the message.

The header provides a unique identifier that identifies a source of the transmission and a destination for the transmission. That is, the header contains addressing information and other data used to deliver the engine data associated with the header to its intended destination (e.g., the offboard systems <NUM>). The header defines or comprises a source system identifier, a delivery destination identifier, and a report identifier. The source system identifier identifies the source of the transmission (e.g., a unique identifier associated with a particular aircraft system like a particular engine serial number on a particular aircraft with a particular engine control <NUM>). The delivery destination identifier identifies a destination to receive the transmission (e.g., a unique identifier associated with a particular airline system such as the ground station <NUM> or an engine offboard system <NUM>). The report identifier defines a type of report to which the data relate. The type of report is associated with a segment of a flight plan. For example, a report about a takeoff event is identified with a takeoff identifier, a report about a landing event is identified with a landing identifier, a report about a climb event is identified with a climb identifier, etc..

Referring now to <FIG> with continued reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, <FIG> is a flow chart illustrating a method <NUM> for using the communication unit <NUM> and the engine control <NUM> of <FIG> according to one or more embodiments described herein. The method <NUM> may be performed, for example, by the engine control <NUM> of <FIG> and at least one of the offboard systems <NUM> of <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, the engine control <NUM> receives engine data (e.g., one or more of the sensed values <NUM>) from a sensor (e.g., one or more of the sensors <NUM>) associated with the engine (e.g., the gas turbine engine <NUM>).

At block <NUM>, the engine control <NUM> associates a header with the engine data to generate packaged engine data. For example, the header is associated with the engine data by creating a packet that includes the engine data and uses the header as a packet header. The header includes a source system identifier, a delivery destination identifier, and a report identifier. The report identifier defines a type of report to which the engine data relates, for example, and the report type is based on a segment of a flight plan (e.g., take off, climb, cruise, landing, taxi, etc.).

At block <NUM>, the engine control <NUM> transmits the packaged engine data to an aircraft communication unit (e.g., the communication unit <NUM>). The header provides for the aircraft communication unit to transmit the packaged engine data to a ground station communication unit (e.g., the ground stations <NUM>) via a communication protocol. The header also provides for the ground station communication unit to transmit the packaged engine data to a delivery destination system (e.g., to an airline, to an engine original equipment manufacturer, to an airframer, etc.). According to one or more embodiments described herein, the aircraft communication unit is a terminal wireless local area network (LAN) unit (TWLU), and the ground station communication unit is a ground station TWLU. The communication protocol can be a cellular communication protocol, a WiFi communication protocol (for example, as defined by IEEE <NUM>), a satellite communication protocol, or any other suitable wireless communication protocol, including combinations thereof.

<FIG> is a flow chart illustrating a method <NUM> for using the communication unit <NUM> and the engine control <NUM> of <FIG> according to one or more embodiments described herein. The method <NUM> may be performed, for example, by the engine control <NUM> of <FIG> and at least one of the offboard systems <NUM> of <FIG>.

At block <NUM>, data (such as software, trims, configuration information to support upgrades of the gas turbine engine <NUM>) is associated with a header at one or more of the ground systems <NUM> to create packaged data. At block <NUM>, the packaged data is transmitted from the one or more of the ground systems <NUM> to the communication unit <NUM> via a communication protocol as described herein. At block <NUM>, the packaged data from the one or more of the ground systems <NUM> is received at the communication unit <NUM>. At block <NUM>, the communication unit <NUM> transmits the packaged data to the engine control <NUM>.

An advantage of the techniques described herein includes uploading data to the engine control <NUM> to load software, trims, configuration information to support upgrades of the gas turbine engine <NUM>, etc. Another advantage is that the present techniques support local maintenance work at the gas turbine engine <NUM> to support real-time troubleshooting, engine ground power assurance tests, and functional checkout of engine component changes. A further advantage is that using the engine control <NUM> using the communication unit <NUM> of the aircraft <NUM> eliminates the need for having wireless communication on the gas turbine engine <NUM> and leverages existing communication infrastructure on the aircraft <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
receiving engine data (<NUM>) from a sensor (<NUM>) associated with the engine (<NUM>);
associating a header with the engine data to generate packaged engine data; and
transmitting the packaged engine data to an aircraft communication unit (<NUM>), wherein the header provides for the aircraft communication unit to transmit the packaged engine data to a ground station communication unit (<NUM>) via a communication protocol;
wherein the header comprises a source system identifier, a delivery destination identifier, and a report identifier;
the method characterized in that the report identifier defines a type of report to which the engine data (<NUM>) relates;
wherein the type of report is based on a segment of a flight plan.