# US 11,905,898 B2 · Efficient engine start > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,905,898 B2 - Document ID: US11905898B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/721,820 - Filed: 2019-12-19 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-19 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Jeffrey S. Siegmeth; David William Foutch; Bruce Van Deventer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905898B2 ## CPC - B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments - B64D 27/16: of jet type - B64D 31/02: Initiating means - B64D 31/06: actuated automatically - F02C 7/26: Starting; Ignition - F02C 9/28: Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) - F02D 29/02: peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers - G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft - G08G 5/52: for take-off - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/727: {from a ground station} - B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract A method of automated timing of engine startup for an aircraft is provided. The method comprises receiving data inputs regarding a number of factors influencing a time to departure for the aircraft and receiving data inputs regarding a number of factors influencing time to start and set takeoff power for a number of engines on the aircraft. An engine startup countdown is calculated based on a comparison of a nominal time to departure with a nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power for the engines, wherein the nominal time to departure is based on the first data inputs and the nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power is based on the second data inputs. Upon completion of the countdown an engine start signal is sent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of starting a turbofan engine, the method comprising: receiving, by a processor in a computer system, first data inputs regarding factors influencing a time to departure for an aircraft; receiving, by the processor, second data inputs regarding factors influencing time to start and set takeoff power for at least one turbofan engine on the aircraft, wherein the second data inputs include engine temperature, temperature and pressures at a compressor exit, and temperature and pressures at a compressor entrance; calculating, by the processor, an engine startup countdown, wherein the engine startup countdown is based on a comparison of a nominal time to departure with a nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power for the turbofan engine, and wherein the nominal time to departure is based on the first data inputs and the nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power is based on the second data inputs; upon completion of the engine startup countdown, sending, by the processor, an engine start signal to an automated engine controller; initiating, by the automated engine controller, engine start of the turbofan engine in response to the start signal; and indicating a maximum allowed throttle position that can be set while the engines warm up to a temperature associated with set takeoff power. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to completion of the countdown, iteratively: updating, by the processor, the nominal time to departure according to new first data inputs; updating, by the processor, the nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power according to new second data inputs; and revising, by the processor, the engine startup countdown according to the new first and second data inputs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a set takeoff power signal to the automated engine controller when the engines reach a specified operating temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein factors influencing the time to departure comprise at least one of: GPS position of the aircraft; taxiing speed of the aircraft; runway selection assigned to the aircraft; scheduled departure of the aircraft; current weather conditions; known takeoff priority of the aircraft; or position and speed data of other taxiing aircraft received via automatic dependent surveillance broadcast. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the factors influencing engine startup and time to set takeoff power further comprise at least one of: model of the engines on the aircraft; type of start; or current weather conditions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating, by the processor, a confidence margin for nominal time to departure and/or the nominal minimum time to start the engines and set takeoff power. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of: showing the maximum allowed throttle position on a display; automatically limiting throttle motion to the maximum allowed throttle position; or providing mechanical resistance to resist movement of a throttle lever, by a crew member, as feedback to indicate that the engines are not ready for an acceleration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of: the nominal time to departure is calculated by correlating the first data inputs to historical data; or the nominal minimum time to start the engines and set takeoff power is calculated by correlating the second data inputs to historical data. ### Claim 9 A system for starting a turbofan engine, the system comprising: a bus system; a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device stores program instructions; and a processor connected to the bus system, wherein the processor executes the program instructions to: receive first data inputs regarding factors influencing a time to departure for an aircraft; receive second data inputs regarding factors influencing time to start and set takeoff power for at least one turbofan engine on the aircraft, wherein the second data inputs include engine temperature, temperature and pressures at a compressor exit, and temperature and pressures at a compressor entrance; calculate an engine startup countdown, wherein the countdown is based on a comparison of a nominal time to departure with a nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power for the turbofan engine, and wherein the nominal time to departure is based on the first data inputs and the nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power is based on the second data inputs; upon completion of the engine startup countdown, send an engine start signal to an automated engine controller; initiate, by the automated engine controller, engine start of the turbofan engine in response to the start signal; and indicate a maximum allowed throttle position that can be set while the engines warm up to a temperature associated with set takeoff power. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein, prior to completion of the countdown, the processor further executes instructions to iteratively: update the nominal time to departure according to new first data inputs; update the nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power according to new second data inputs; and revise the engine startup countdown according to the new first and second data inputs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the processors further execute instructions to send a set takeoff power signal to the automated engine controller when the engines reach a specified operating temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein factors influencing time to departure comprise at least one of: GPS position of the aircraft; taxiing speed of the aircraft; runway selection assigned to the aircraft; scheduled departure of the aircraft; current weather conditions; known takeoff priority of the aircraft; or position and speed data of other taxiing aircraft received via automatic dependent surveillance broadcast. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the factors influencing engine startup and time to set takeoff power further comprise at least one of: model of the engines on the aircraft; type of start; or current weather conditions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the processor further executes instructions to calculate a confidence margin for nominal time to departure and/or the nominal minimum time to start the engines and set takeoff power. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the processor further executes instructions to at least one of: show the maximum allowed throttle position on a display; automatically limit throttle motion to the maximum allowed throttle position; or provide mechanical resistance to resist movement of a throttle lever, by a crew member, as feedback to indicate that the engines are not ready for an acceleration. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of: the nominal time to departure is calculated by correlating the first data inputs to historical data; or the nominal minimum time to start the engines and set takeoff power is calculated by correlating the second data inputs to historical data. ### Claim 17 A method, comprising: performing a partial taxi of an aircraft to a point of departure with an engine on the aircraft turned off, sending, by a processor, an engine start signal to an automated engine controller at a specified time before a nominal time of departure, wherein the specified time provides a minimum interval before departure to start and set takeoff power for the engine, wherein the nominal time of departure is based on first data inputs regarding factors influencing a time to departure for the aircraft, wherein a nominal minimum time to start and set takeoff power is based on second data inputs influencing time to start and set takeoff power for at least one engine on the aircraft, and wherein the second data inputs include engine temperature, temperature and pressures at a compressor exit, and temperature and pressures at a compressor entrance; starting, by the automated engine controller, the engine in response to the engine start signal; and indicating a maximum allowed throttle position that can be set while the engines warm up to a temperature associated with set takeoff power. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving a set takeoff power signal when the engine reaches a specified operating temperature; and setting takeoff power for the engine in response to the set takeoff power signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the historical data includes operational histories of similar model engines. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the operational histories of similar model engines are correlated with recent history of the turbofan engine being started. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the historical data includes operational histories of similar model engines. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the operational histories of similar model engines are correlated with recent history of the turbofan engine being started. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein factors influencing time to departure comprise at least one of: GPS position of the aircraft; taxiing speed of the aircraft; runway selection assigned to the aircraft; scheduled departure of the aircraft; current weather conditions; known takeoff priority of the aircraft; or position and speed data of other taxiing aircraft received via automatic dependent surveillance broadcast. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the factors influencing engine startup and time to set takeoff power further comprise at least one of: model of the engines on the aircraft; type of start; or current weather conditions.