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US 10,833,774 B2Granted
Embedded fiber optic sensor system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorBrian Dale Laughlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and system for monitoring a vehicle. Optical signals are sent into a fiber optic mesh covering a region of the vehicle. Response optical signals occurring in response to optical signals sent into the fiber optic mesh are detected. Sensor data is generated from the response optical signals detected. A determination is made as to whether a group of nonconformances is present in the vehicle using the sensor data. A group of actions is performed when the group of nonconformances is present.
Claims38
An aircraft monitoring system comprising:
- a fiber optic mesh covering a region of an aircraft, wherein the fiber optic mesh comprises a film and optical fibers associated with the film;
- an optical transmitter system connected to the fiber optic mesh, wherein the optical transmitter system operates to send optical signals into the fiber optic mesh;
- an optical receiver system connected to fiber optic mesh, wherein the optical receiver system operates to detect response optical signals occurring in response to the optical signals sent into the fiber optic mesh by the optical transmitter system and generate sensor data from the response optical signals detected;
- and
- a computer system in communication with the optical transmitter system and the optical receiver system, wherein the computer system controls the optical transmitter system to send the optical signals into the fiber optic mesh;
- receives sensor data from the optical receiver system during operation of the aircraft;
- determines whether a group of nonconformances is present for the aircraft using the sensor data;
- and performs a group of actions when the group of nonconformances is present, wherein the group of actions is selected from at least one of scheduling maintenance for the aircraft, sending the message to a ground station, sending the message to an airline, sending the message to a maintenance facility, generating an entry in an aircraft data log, or generating an alert.
5 more elements
A vehicle monitoring system comprising:
- a fiber optic mesh covering a region of a vehicle, wherein the fiber optic mesh comprises a film and optical fibers associated with the film;
- optical transmitter system connected to the fiber optic mesh, wherein the optical transmitter system operates to send optical signals into the fiber optic mesh;
- optical receiver system connected to fiber optic mesh, wherein the optical receiver system operates to detect response optical signals occurring in response to the optical signals sent into the fiber optic mesh by the optical transmitter system and generates sensor data from the response optical signals detected;
- and
- a mesh controller in communication with the optical transmitter system and the optical receiver system, wherein the mesh controller controls the optical transmitter system to send the optical signals into the fiber optic mesh;
- receives sensor data from the optical receiver system;
- determines whether a group of nonconformances is present for the vehicle using the sensor data;
- and performs a group of actions when the group of nonconformances is present, wherein the group of actions is selected from at least one of scheduling maintenance for the vehicle, sending the message to a ground station, sending the message to an airline, sending the message to a maintenance facility, generating an entry in an aircraft data log, or generating an alert.
5 more elements
A monitoring system comprising:
- a computer system;
- and
- a vehicle manager located in the computer system, wherein the vehicle manager operates to receive sets of sensor data from multiple vehicles in which the vehicles generate the sets of sensor data from response optical signals detected in fiber optic meshes on the vehicles, determine whether a group of nonconformances is present in the vehicles, and perform a group of actions when the group of nonconformances is present, wherein the group of actions is selected from at least one of scheduling maintenance for the vehicle, sending the message to a ground station, sending the message to an airline, sending the message to a maintenance facility, generating an entry in an aircraft data log, or generating an alert.
A method for monitoring a vehicle, the method comprising:
- sending optical signals into a fiber optic mesh covering a region of the vehicle, wherein the fiber optic mesh comprises a film and optical fibers associated with the film;
- detecting response optical signals occurring in response to optical signals sent into the fiber optic mesh;
- determining, by a computer system, whether a group of nonconformances is present in the vehicle using sensor data generated from the response optical signals detected;
- and
- performing a group of actions when the group of nonconformances is present, wherein the group of actions is selected from at least one of scheduling maintenance for the vehicle, sending the message to a ground station, sending the message to an airline, sending the message to a maintenance facility, generating an entry in an aircraft data log, or generating an alert.
2 more elements
A method for monitoring a vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a computer system, sensor data generated from response optical signals detected in a fiber optical mesh covering a region of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle;
- determining, by the computer system, whether a group of nonconformances is present in the vehicle using the sensor data generated from the response optical signals detected;
- and
- performing a group of actions when the group of nonconformances is present, wherein the group of actions is selected from at least one of scheduling maintenance for the vehicle, sending the message to a ground station, sending the message to an airline, sending the message to a maintenance facility, generating an entry in an aircraft data log, or generating an alert.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.