US 4,943,919 AGranted

Central maintenance computer system and fault data handling method

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsMatthew J. Aslin, Gary J. Patton

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Abstract

The present invention is directed towards an onboard central maintenance computer system integrated into an aircraft system and a system for collecting and analyzing complete maintenance information. The central maintenance computer system (CMCS) collects, consolidates, and reports LRU faults data in order to aid flight crew and maintenance personnel in maintenance procedures. An aircraft system in which the CMCS is used includes a plurality of line replaceable units (LRU), a communication system through which the LRUs can transmit LRU fault data and receiver test initiation commands, and an operator interface device for receiving input commands, displaying data, and communicating with other systems. The central maintenance computer system includes a data transfer system, an input/output processor, a memory device, and a control processing system. During flight, the control processing system controls the collection of complete LRU fault data; generates an isolated fault from the LRU fault data; associates the isolated fault with one of the maintenance messages stored in the memory device; and causes the associated maintenance message to be stored as an active maintenance message in fault history.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An onboard central maintenance computer system for an aircraft system, the aircraft system including:

(a) a plurality of LRUs;
(b) communication means through which the LRUs can transmit LRU fault data and receive test initiation commands;
and (c) an operator interface device including (i) presentation means for presenting maintenance information generated by the central maintenance computer system, (ii) input means for receiving input commands, and (iii) interface communication means for transmitting the input commands and receiving the maintenance information, the central maintenance computer system comprising:
(a) data transfer means for transferring data within said central maintenance computer system;
(b) input/output means coupled to the data transfer means, and coupled to the communication means and to the interface communication means for receiving and transmitting data therebetween;
(c) memory means coupled to said data transfer means for storing data including a plurality of preestablished maintenance messages;
and,
(d) control processing means coupled to said data transfer means for controlling the transfer and processing of data within said central maintenance computer system and for controlling the operations of said input/output means and said memory means, said control processing means including:
a collection module for causing said input/output means to collect the LRU fault data via the communication means;
and
a consolidation module for generating an active maintenance message from the LRU fault data by screening out cascaded faults and consolidating multiple faults to produce an isolated fault, associating said isolated fault with one of said maintenance messages, termed active maintenance message, in said memory means, and causing said active maintenance message to be identified in said memory means.

8 more elements

A method for centralized fault handling in an aircraft system, the aircraft system including:

(a) a plurality of LRUs;
(b) communication means through which the LRUs can transmit LRU fault data and receive test initiation commands;
(c) an operator interface device including (i) presentation means for presenting maintenance information generated by the central maintenance computer system, (ii) input means for receiving input commands, and (iii) interface communication means for transmitting the input commands and receiving the maintenancee information;
and (d) a central maintenance computer system including:
(i) input/output means for receiving and transmitting data between the central maintenance computer system and other aircraft system components;
(ii) memory means for storing data including a plurality of preestablished maintenance messages;
(iii) control processing means for controlling the transfer and processing of data within said central maintenance computer system and for controlling the operations of said input/output means and said memory means, said method comprising:
(a) collecting a complete set of LRU fault data at the input/output means via the communication means;
and
(b) generating, in response to the LRU fault data and the preestablished maintenance messages, an active maintenance message by screening out cascaded faults and consolidating multiple faults to produce an isolated fault, associating said isolated fault with one of the preestablished maintenance messages, termed active maintenance message, and causing said active maintenance message to be identified in said memory means.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.