# US 12,002,298 B2 · System for verifying turbojet engine parts using radio frequency identification, comprising an integrated antenna

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- Number: US 12,002,298 B2
- Document ID: US12002298B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/264,074
- Filed: 2019-07-24
- Published: 2021-12-02
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-31
- Assignees: Safran Aircraft Engines
- Applicants: Safran Aircraft Engines
- Inventors: Tony Alain Roger Joel Lhommeau; Guillaume Philippe Camille Bastard; Hervé Jean Albert Mouton; Philippe Roger Jacques Canteau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002298B2

## CPC

- G06K 7/10316: {using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers (antennas in general H01Q1/22)}
- G07C 5/006: {Indicating maintenance}
- B64C 7/02: Nacelles
- B64D 29/00: Power-plant nacelles, fairings or cowlings
- B64F 5/60: Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
- F01D 21/003: {Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H)}
- F01D 21/14: responsive to other specific conditions
- G06K 7/10158: {methods and means used by the interrogation device for reliably powering the wireless record carriers using an electromagnetic interrogation field}
- G06K 7/10346: {the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles}
- G06K 7/10386: {the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader}
- G06K 17/0022: {arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L)}
- G08G 5/20: Arrangements for acquiring, generating, sharing or displaying traffic information (arrangements for monitoring traffic G08G5/72)
- F05D 2230/72: Maintenance
- F05D 2260/80: Diagnostics
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- 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})
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A system for aircraft maintenance is disclosed, such as for monitoring parts mounted in a turbojet engine, the turbojet engine being accommodated in a nacelle compartment delimited by a nacelle wall. The system can verify parts, each of the parts being equipped with an RFID tag. The verification system includes an inner antenna accommodated in the nacelle compartment, the inner antenna being arranged to allow the exchange of radio frequency signals with each RFID tag, an interface device including an access point located outside the nacelle compartment, the interface device being arranged to be able to be connected to an interrogator device arranged to communicate with the RFID tag, and a transmission line connecting the interface device to the inner antenna.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A verification system for verifying turbojet engine parts in a turbojet engine accommodated in a nacelle compartment delimited by a nacelle wall and including at least one part equipped with an RFID tag, the verification system comprising:
an inner antenna accommodated in the nacelle compartment, the inner antenna being arranged to allow the exchange of radiofrequency signals with the RFID tag,
an interface device including an access point located outside the nacelle compartment, the interface device being arranged to be able to be connected to an interrogator device arranged to communicate with the RFID tag, and
a transmission line connecting the interface device to the inner antenna so that an interrogator signal from the interrogator device that is processed by the interface device is re-emitted by the inner antenna to the RFID tag, and a response signal sent by the RFID tag receiving the interrogator signal is received by the inner antenna and re-emitted by the interface device to the interrogator device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1, wherein the access point of the interface device comprises a coaxial connector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1, wherein the access point of the interface device comprises an outer antenna.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The verification system according to claim 3, wherein the interface device further comprises a conversion unit connected between the outer antenna and the inner antenna and arranged to convert a signal in a first communication protocol into a signal in a second communication protocol, and conversely, the first communication protocol being compatible with the interrogator device and the second communication protocol being compatible with the RFID tag.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The verification system according to claim 3, further comprising a relay antenna installed on a ground, arranged to transmit radiofrequency signals originating from an interrogator device to the outer antenna of the interface device, and reciprocally.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1, wherein the interface device further includes a bidirectional repeater amplifier connected between the outer antenna and the inner antenna.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1, wherein the interface device further includes an authorisation module arranged to receive engine status information regarding a switched on or a switched off state of the turbojet engine and prevent or authorise the emission of a radiofrequency interrogation signal by the inner antenna according to said engine status information.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1, wherein the RFID tag contains at least one of information regarding an identification of the part that the RFID tag equips, information regarding a lifetime of said part, and information regarding a presence of a predetermined substance in said part.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1 wherein the nacelle wall includes a fan cowl and a core cowl, and the access point of the interface device is mounted on the fan cowl or the core cowl.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The verification system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of inner antennas accommodated in the nacelle compartment and a plurality of transmission lines, the transmission lines connecting the interface device to each inner antenna.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

An assembly for verifying turbojet engine parts comprising:
a verification system according to claim 1,
an RFID tag able to equip a part of a turbojet engine, and
an interrogator device arranged to communicate with the RFID tag via the verification system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An aircraft turbojet engine arranged to be accommodated in a nacelle compartment delimited by a nacelle wall, the turbojet engine comprising:
a verification system according to claim 1, and
an RFID tag equipping a turbojet engine part.