Back to results
US 11,498,694 B2Granted
Active infrared prediction utilizing fiber optic network
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsJordan Alex Kaye, Alexander Quinn Weintraub, Jeffrey K. Parkhurst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft and method of operating an aircraft. The aircraft includes a temperature sensor and a processor. The temperature sensor that obtains an optical signal indicative of a temperature at a selected location of an outer surface of the aircraft. The processor is configured to determine the temperature at the selected location from the optical signal, and operate the aircraft based on the temperature at the selected location.
Claims14
A method of operating an aircraft, comprising:
- obtaining an optical signal from a fiber optic link of a temperature sensing system affixed on the outer surface of the aircraft, wherein the temperature sensing system comprises a mesh affixed to at least a portion of the outer surface of the aircraft, wherein the mesh comprises the fiber optic link disposed at a selected location, wherein the mesh further comprises a plurality of interconnected support beams, wherein each support beam of the plurality of interconnected support beams comprises a corresponding fiber optic link of the plurality of fiber optic links;
- determining, based at least in part on a change in a parameter of the optical signal, the temperature at the selected location;
- and
- operating the aircraft based at least in part on the temperature at the selected location.
1 more element
An aircraft, comprising:
- an temperature sensing system affixed on the outer surface of the aircraft, the temperature sensing system comprising:
- a mesh affixed to at least a portion of the outer surface of the aircraft, the mesh comprising a plurality of fiber optic links, wherein each fiber optic link is associated with a selected location on the outer surface of the aircraft, wherein the mesh further comprises a plurality of interconnected support beams, wherein each support beam of the plurality of interconnected support beams comprises a corresponding fiber optic link of the plurality of fiber optic links and an optical interrogator configured to transmit an optical signal through each of the plurality of fiber optic links and determine a change in a parameter of the optical signal due to a temperature at the selected location associated with the corresponding fiber optic link;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- determine, based at least in part on the change in the parameter of the optical signal determined for each of the fiber optic links, the temperature of at least one of the selected locations;
- and
- operate the aircraft based at least in part on the temperature of at the at least one of the selected locations.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.