Method and system for monitoring aircraft cabin door state

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for monitoring the state of an aircraft cabin door. The method comprises the steps that sensor signals are received from a closed position sensor, a latch-up sensor and a locking sensor on the aircraft cabin door respectively; comparing the latch-up sensor signal with an approach threshold and a first departure threshold to determine a latch-up in-place state of the cabin door, wherein the approach threshold is greater than the first departure threshold; the locking sensor signal is compared with an approach threshold value and a first far threshold value to determine the in-place locking state of the cabin door; comparing the closed position sensor signal with an approach threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine a closed in-place state of the cabin door, the dynamic distance threshold switching between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold less than the first distance threshold based on the aircraft flight state signal, when the flight state signal does not meet the preset condition, the dynamic far-away threshold is a first far-away threshold, otherwise, the dynamic far-away threshold is a second far-away threshold; and whether the cabin door is closed and locked or not is determined based on the latch-up in-place state, the locking in-place state and the closing in-place state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aircraft door signaling systems, and more specifically to a method and system for monitoring the status of aircraft doors. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of sensor technology and in accordance with airworthiness requirements, aircraft typically employ door signaling systems, with proximity sensors and controllers as their core components, to monitor the status of the aircraft's pressurized doors. This door status is used for functions such as indication, alarms, and ground pre-pressurization. Many aircraft models have experienced multiple false alarms from their door signaling systems during operation. This means that an alarm appears in the cockpit during flight indicating that a door is not closed or locked; the alarm disappears after a period of time, but the crew confirms that the door is actually closed and locked.

[0003] False alarms in the door signaling system during operation are typically caused by the deformation of the aircraft doors due to pressurization at high altitudes. This deformation increases the displacement between the sensor target and the sensor itself. When this displacement exceeds the sensor's detection range, the door signaling system determines that the door monitored by that sensor is not closed or locked and sends this door status information to the avionics system for cockpit alert. False alarms from the door signaling system create additional psychological burden and increase the workload for the crew. Therefore, reducing the occurrence of false alarms is a primary optimization goal for the door signaling system.

[0004] However, due to limitations in aircraft door manufacturing processes, the problem of door deformation caused by pressure differences between the inside and outside of the cabin at high altitudes remains unresolved. Furthermore, the detection range design of sensors for "approach" and "distance" is closely related to the movement trajectory of the door mechanism. Currently, mainstream door signal designs use sensor status determination based on the most severe scenarios, employing the same severity threshold, without considering the different system operating modes used by the aircraft in different scenarios. This leads to a high likelihood of false alarms from door signals.

[0005] In view of this, it is desirable to provide an improved method and system for monitoring the status of aircraft doors. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify the key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description that follows.

[0007] This invention provides a method for monitoring the status of an aircraft door, comprising: receiving a closed position sensor signal, a latch sensor signal, and a lock sensor signal from a closed position sensor, a latch sensor, and a lock sensor on the aircraft door, respectively; comparing the latch sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latched position of the door, wherein the proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold; comparing the lock sensor signal with the proximity threshold and the first distance threshold to determine the locked position of the door; comparing the closed position sensor signal with the proximity threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the door, wherein the dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal, wherein when the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold, and when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold, wherein the second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold; and determining whether the door is closed and locked based on the latched position, locked position, and closed position states.

[0008] In some embodiments, the closed position sensor, latch sensor, and lock sensor are all inductive sensors, and the proximity threshold, the first distance threshold, and the second distance threshold are all inductive values.

[0009] In some embodiments, comparing the latch sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latched state of the hatch further includes: if the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, determining the latched state as latched; if the latch sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, determining the latched state as latched; and if the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, determining the latched state as the latched state of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the latch sensor.

[0010] In some embodiments, comparing the locking sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the door's locked-in state further includes: if the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, determining the locked-in state as locked in place; if the locking sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, determining the locked-in state as not locked in place; and if the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, determining the locked-in state as the door's locked-in state during the previous sampling period of the locking sensor.

[0011] In some embodiments, comparing the closed position sensor signal with an approach threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the door further includes: if the closed position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the approach threshold, then determining the closed position as closed; if the closed position sensor signal is less than the dynamic distance threshold, then determining the closed position as not closed; and if the closed position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the dynamic distance threshold and less than the approach threshold, then when the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, determining the closed position as the closed position of the door during the previous sampling period of the closed position sensor, and when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, determining the closed position as closed.

[0012] In some embodiments, determining whether the hatch has been closed and locked based on the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state further includes: if the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state indicate that the latch is in place, the lock is in place, and the close-in state is in place, then determining that the hatch has been closed and locked; and if the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state indicate that the latch is not in place, the lock is not in place, or the close-in state is not in place, then determining that the hatch is not closed and locked.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes issuing an alarm when it is determined that the hatch is not closed and locked.

[0014] In some embodiments, the flight status signal indicates the aircraft's flight altitude, with a preset condition that the flight altitude is greater than or equal to an altitude threshold.

[0015] In some embodiments, the altitude threshold is set based on the aircraft's door performance and flight status.

[0016] The present invention also provides a system for monitoring the status of an aircraft door, comprising: a sensor signal acquisition module configured to receive a closed position sensor signal, a latch sensor signal, and a lock sensor signal from a closed position sensor, a latch sensor, and a lock sensor on the aircraft door, respectively; a latch position determination module configured to compare the latch sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latch position of the door, wherein the proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold; and a lock position determination module configured to compare the lock sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the lock position of the door; and a closing position determination module configured to: compare the lock sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the lock position of the door; and a closing position determination module. A door closing state determination module is configured to: compare the closed position sensor signal with an approach threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed state of the door, wherein the dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal; when the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold; when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold, wherein the second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold; and a door state determination module is configured to: determine whether the door is closed and locked based on a latched state, a locked state, and a closed state.

[0017] In some embodiments, the closed position sensor, latch sensor, and lock sensor are all inductive sensors, and the proximity threshold, the first distance threshold, and the second distance threshold are all inductive values.

[0018] In some embodiments, the latching position determination module is further configured to: determine the latching position as latching in place if the latching sensor signal is greater than or equal to a proximity threshold; determine the latching position as latching out of place if the latching sensor signal is less than a first distance threshold; and determine the latching position as the latching position of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the latching sensor if the latching sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold.

[0019] In some embodiments, the lock-in state determination module is further configured to: determine the lock-in state as locked in place if the lock sensor signal is greater than or equal to a proximity threshold; determine the lock-in state as not locked in place if the lock sensor signal is less than a first distance threshold; and determine the lock-in state as the door's locked in place state during the previous sampling period of the lock sensor if the lock sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold.

[0020] In some embodiments, the fully-closed state determination module is further configured to: determine that the fully-closed state is fully closed if the closing position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold; determine that the fully-closed state is not fully closed if the closing position sensor signal is less than the dynamic away threshold; and when the flight state signal does not meet the preset condition, determine that the fully-closed state is the fully-closed state of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the closing position sensor if the closing position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the dynamic away threshold and less than the proximity threshold, and determine that the fully-closed state is fully closed when the flight state signal meets the preset condition.

[0021] In some embodiments, the hatch state determination module is further configured to: determine that the hatch is closed and locked if the latched-in place state, the locked-in place state, and the fully-closed state indicate latched-in place, locked-in place, and fully-closed; and determine that the hatch is not closed and locked if the latched-in place state, the locked-in place state, and the fully-closed state indicate at least one of not latched-in place, not locked-in place, or not fully closed.

[0022] In some embodiments, the system further includes a hatch warning module configured to issue a warning when it is determined that the hatch is not closed and locked.

[0023] In some embodiments, the flight state signal indicates the flight altitude of the aircraft, and the preset condition is that the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold.

[0024] In some embodiments, the altitude threshold is set based on the hatch performance and flight state of the aircraft.

[0025] The present invention also provides a computer-readable medium storing a computer program for monitoring the state of an aircraft hatch, and these computer programs can be executed by a processor to perform the foregoing method for monitoring the state of an aircraft hatch.

[0026] The technical solution of the present invention determines the hatch state by introducing a dynamic threshold, and sets the dynamic threshold according to the flight altitude of the aircraft, effectively solving the problem that the traditional solution using a fixed threshold is easily affected by the environment and causes false alarms, improving the dispatch rate of the aircraft, reducing the burden on pilots, and increasing economic benefits. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] When understanding the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the features, essence, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are always correspondingly identified. Note that the described drawings are illustrative and non-limiting. In the drawings, the sizes of some components may be enlarged and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0028] Figure 1The method for monitoring the status of an aircraft door according to the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 The difference between the door closed-in-place judgment process of the present invention and the traditional judgment process is shown.

[0030] Figure 3 An exemplary process for monitoring the status of an aircraft door according to the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 The system block diagram for monitoring the status of an aircraft door according to the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 5 The equipment block diagram including the system for monitoring the status of an aircraft door according to the present invention is shown. Detailed implementation mode

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer and more understandable, the following further describes the present invention in detail with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, many specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some or all of these specific details may be practiced without these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. At the same time, aspects described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0034] An aircraft door signal system usually sets a door closed position sensor, a latching sensor and a locking sensor to monitor whether the door is in a closed and locked state. Since the closed position sensor and its target are respectively installed on the door frame and the door body of the aircraft door, when the aircraft is at high altitude, due to the pressurization deformation of the door, it is easy to cause the distance between the closed position sensor and the target to become larger, resulting in false alarms in the aircraft door signal system.

[0035] The present invention proposes a method for monitoring the status of an aircraft door to reduce false alarms. By setting different sensor status judgment thresholds and combining the flight altitude of the aircraft, a more appropriate sensor away from the status judgment threshold is selected for sensor signal calculation, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the false alarm rate of the aircraft door signal system.

[0036] Figure 1 The method 100 for monitoring the status of an aircraft door according to the present invention is shown.

[0037] As Figure 1As shown, method 100 begins at step 105. At step 105, a closed position sensor signal, a latched sensor signal, and a locked sensor signal are received from a closed position sensor, a latched sensor, and a locked sensor on an aircraft door, respectively.

[0038] For example, the closed position sensor, the latched sensor, and the locked sensor can collect corresponding sensor signals according to a specific sampling period. Thus, the corresponding sensor signals can be received from the closed position sensor, the latched sensor, and the locked sensor according to this sampling period. In a preferred embodiment, the sampling periods of the closed position sensor, the latched sensor, and the locked sensor can be the same.

[0039] In various embodiments of the present invention, the closed position sensor, the latched sensor, and the locked sensor are all installed on the aircraft door. The closed position sensor is used to monitor whether the door is closed in place. The latched sensor is used to monitor whether the latching mechanism of the door is latched in place, and the locked sensor is used to monitor whether the locking mechanism of the door is locked in place. The structures and installations of the closed position sensor, the latched sensor, and the locked sensor are well known in the art and will not be elaborated here.

[0040] In some examples, one closed position sensor, one latched sensor, and one locked sensor can be installed on each door. In some other examples, multiple closed position sensors, multiple latched sensors, and multiple locked sensors can also be installed on each door, thereby increasing redundancy and improving fault tolerance.

[0041] At step 110, the latched sensor signal is compared with a proximity threshold and a first away threshold to determine the latched-in-place state of the door, where the proximity threshold is greater than the first away threshold.

[0042] Specifically, if the latched sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, the latched-in-place state can be determined as latched in place. If the latched sensor signal is less than the first away threshold, the latched-in-place state can be determined as not latched in place. If the latched sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first away threshold and less than the proximity threshold, the latched-in-place state can be determined as the latched-in-place state of the door during the previous sampling period of the latched sensor. For example, assume that the latched sensor signal obtained during the current sampling period is greater than or equal to the first away threshold and less than the proximity threshold. Then, the current latched-in-place state can be determined according to the latched-in-place state of the door during the previous sampling period. If the latched-in-place state of the door during the previous sampling period was latched in place, the latched-in-place state of the door during this sampling period remains latched in place, and if the latched-in-place state of the door during the previous sampling period of the latched sensor was not latched in place, the latched-in-place state of the door during this sampling period will remain not latched in place.

[0043] In step 115, the lock sensor signal is compared with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the lock position of the hatch.

[0044] Specifically, if the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, the locking status can be determined as fully locked. If the locking sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, the locking status can be determined as partially locked. If the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, the locking status is determined to be the door's locking status during the previous sampling period of the locking sensor.

[0045] In step 120, the closed position sensor signal is compared with an approach threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine the door's closed position. The dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal. When the flight status signal does not meet preset conditions, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold; when the flight status signal meets preset conditions, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold, where the second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold. In various embodiments of the present invention, the aircraft's flight status signal can be obtained from the aircraft's avionics network.

[0046] Specifically, if the closing position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, the closing state can be determined as fully closed. If the closing position sensor signal is less than the dynamic distance threshold, the closing state can be determined as not fully closed. However, if the closing position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the dynamic distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then if the flight status signal does not meet the preset conditions, the closing state can be determined as the door's closed state during the previous sampling period of the closing position sensor; if the flight status signal meets the preset conditions, the closing state can be determined as fully closed.

[0047] In this invention, the flight status signal indicates information related to the real-time flight status of the aircraft. In some embodiments, the flight status signal indicates the aircraft's flight altitude, and a preset condition is that the flight altitude is greater than or equal to an altitude threshold.

[0048] In this invention, an altitude threshold is used to distinguish whether the aircraft is in a high-altitude flight state where false alarms are likely to be triggered by cabin door deformation. The introduction of this threshold stems from an in-depth analysis of the impact of pressure changes on cabin doors during aircraft operation: when the aircraft climbs to a certain altitude, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin increases significantly, and the cabin door structure undergoes slight but sufficient elastic deformation to affect sensor detection, resulting in an increase in the actual distance between the sensor and its target, which may trigger a false alarm.

[0049] In various embodiments of the present invention, the altitude threshold can be set based on the aircraft's door performance and flight status. For example, the door pressure resistance of different aircraft or different models may vary, and even for the same aircraft, the performance and structure of its doors will be affected as the years of service increase. Therefore, the corresponding altitude threshold can be set according to the actual performance of the door. For aircraft with strong door pressure resistance and good maintenance, a relatively large altitude threshold can be set. In other examples, if the aircraft malfunctions (e.g., single engine failure), the aircraft's climb capability will be limited, and the altitude threshold can be adjusted (e.g., reduced).

[0050] It should be noted that although most of the description of this invention uses the example of a flight status signal indicating the aircraft's flight altitude and a preset condition that the flight altitude is greater than or equal to an altitude threshold, the technical solution of this invention is not limited to this. In practice, the flight status signal can also indicate other information about the aircraft (e.g., roll angle), and those skilled in the art can set appropriate preset conditions (e.g., a preset condition that the aircraft's roll angle is greater than or equal to a preset angle) based on the specific information indicated by the flight status signal.

[0051] In various embodiments of the present invention, the closed position sensor, latch sensor, and lock sensor are all inductive sensors, and the proximity threshold, first distance threshold, and second distance threshold are all inductive values. While most of the description of the present invention is based on the assumption that the sensors are inductive and the thresholds are inductive values, it should be noted that the technical solution of the present invention is not limited to this. In specific implementations, those skilled in the art can use other types of sensors according to actual conditions. Correspondingly, the threshold can also be a value corresponding to the sensor type. For example, if the sensor is a capacitive sensor, the threshold can be a capacitance value. In other words, the core innovation of the present invention lies in introducing dynamic judgment conditions when determining whether the cabin door is closed properly based on the closed position sensor signal. Specifically, a stricter judgment condition is used when the flight altitude is less than the altitude threshold, while a more lenient judgment condition is used when the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold. This flexible judgment method considers the influence of the actual flight altitude of the aircraft on the cabin door status, improves the accuracy of detection, and reduces the false alarm rate. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to specific types of sensor signals and thresholds. In practical applications, technicians can select appropriate sensor types (such as inductive, capacitive, etc.) and corresponding thresholds (such as inductance values, capacitance values, etc.) according to specific needs to achieve the best detection results. Furthermore, although a single height threshold is set in the description of this invention, those skilled in the art can set multiple height thresholds in specific implementations. In this way, multiple judgment conditions can be set based on multiple height thresholds, thereby making the determination of whether the hatch is properly closed more accurate.

[0052] In step 125, it is determined whether the hatch has been closed and locked based on the latch position, lock position, and close position.

[0053] Specifically, if the latch-in, lock-in, and closed states indicate that the latch is in place, the lock is in place, and the closed state is in place, then it can be determined that the hatch is closed and locked. If the latch-in, lock-in, and closed states indicate that the latch is not in place, the lock is not in place, or the closed state is not in place, then it can be determined that the hatch is not closed and locked.

[0054] If it is determined that the cabin door is not closed and locked, an alarm can be issued (not shown in the diagram). For example, the information about the unclosed and unlocked door can be sent to the aircraft's avionics system for cockpit alert. In some examples, the alarm message can be displayed as text on a cockpit display screen. In other examples, in addition to displaying a text alarm message, an audible alarm may also be provided. In this way, the crew can be promptly informed of the unclosed and unlocked door situation and take appropriate action.

[0055] As can be seen from method 100, by setting a dynamic distance threshold when judging whether the cabin door is closed in place based on the closed position sensor signal, the threshold can be switched according to the flight altitude. Compared with the traditional judgment process that uses a fixed threshold, it can make a more accurate judgment on whether the cabin door is closed in place, thereby effectively preventing false alarms.

[0056] Table 1 shows the traditional logic for determining whether a hatch is closed in place. As can be seen from Table 1, the traditional logic for determining whether a hatch is closed in place sets a single proximity threshold and a single distance threshold (the first distance threshold in Table 1).

[0057] When the inductance value of the closing position sensor is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, the hatch is determined to be fully closed. When the sensor inductance value is less than the first distance threshold, the hatch is determined to be partially closed. When the sensor inductance value is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold but less than the proximity threshold, the hatch is considered fully closed, consistent with the judgment result of the previous cycle.

[0058] As can be seen, in the traditional logic for determining whether a cabin door is properly closed, the result depends only on the inductance value and the threshold (closeness threshold, first distance threshold), and is independent of the flight altitude. That is, once the relationship between the inductance value and the threshold is determined, the result is the same regardless of whether the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold.

[0059] Table 1. Logic for Determining the Closed Position of Traditional Cabin Doors

[0060] Table 2 illustrates the hatch closing position determination process of the present invention. As can be seen from Table 2, the hatch closing position determination logic of the present invention sets a single proximity threshold and two distance thresholds (the first distance threshold and the second distance threshold in Table 2).

[0061] When the inductance value of the off position sensor is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, the door is determined to be fully closed. When the sensor inductance value is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold but less than the proximity threshold, if the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold, the door is determined to be fully closed; otherwise, if the flight altitude is less than the altitude threshold, the door closure status is determined to be consistent with the previous cycle's determination. When the sensor inductance value is less than the first distance threshold but greater than or equal to the second distance threshold, if the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold, the door is determined to be fully closed; otherwise, if the flight altitude is less than the altitude threshold, the door is determined to be partially closed. When the inductance value of the off position sensor is less than the second distance threshold, the door is determined to be partially closed.

[0062] As can be seen, in the door closing judgment logic of the present invention, the judgment result of whether the door is closed is related not only to the magnitude of the inductance value and the threshold (approach threshold, first distance threshold and second distance threshold), but also to the flight altitude. For example, when the inductance value is greater than or equal to the second distance threshold and less than the first distance threshold, the judgment result may change due to the flight altitude. That is, when the inductance value is in this range (second distance threshold ≤ inductance value < first distance threshold), if the aircraft's flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold, the judgment result is that the door is closed; if the flight altitude is less than the altitude threshold, the judgment result is that the door is not closed.

[0063] Table 2. Door Closure Status Judgment Logic of the Invention

[0064] It is evident that the main difference between the traditional hatch status monitoring method and the hatch status monitoring method of this invention lies in the judgment logic for the intervals of "first distance threshold ≦ inductance value < proximity threshold" and "second distance threshold ≦ inductance value < first distance threshold" when determining whether the hatch is closed properly.

[0065] Within the range of "first distance threshold ≤ inductance value < proximity threshold", traditional door status monitoring methods determine the closed position sensor's position regardless of the aircraft's flight altitude, always judging the door's closed position to be consistent with the previous cycle's. However, for the door status monitoring method of this invention, within this range, when the aircraft is at high altitude (flight altitude ≥ altitude threshold), the door is determined to be in the closed position; when at other flight altitudes (flight altitude < altitude threshold), the closed position is determined to be consistent with the previous cycle's.

[0066] Within the range of "second distance threshold ≤ inductance value < first distance threshold," traditional door status monitoring methods determine the door's position regardless of the aircraft's altitude, consistently classifying it as not fully closed. However, the door status monitoring method of this invention, within this range, determines the door is fully closed when the aircraft is at high altitude (altitude ≥ altitude threshold), and determines it is not fully closed at other altitudes (altitude < altitude threshold). The difference between these two monitoring methods is as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0067] Specifically, Figure 2 The upper left portion 2(a) illustrates the conventional judgment logic for the "first distance threshold ≤ inductance value < proximity threshold" range when determining whether the hatch is closed properly based on the closing position sensor signal. Figure 2 The upper right portion 2(b) shows the present invention's judgment logic for the "first distance threshold ≦ inductance value < proximity threshold" range when determining whether the hatch is closed in place based on the closing position sensor signal. Figure 2 The lower left portion 2(c) illustrates the conventional judgment logic for the interval "second distance threshold ≤ inductance value < first distance threshold" when determining whether the hatch is closed properly based on the closing position sensor signal. Figure 2 The lower right portion 2(d) shows the present invention's judgment logic for the range of "second distance threshold ≦ inductance value < first distance threshold" when determining whether the hatch is closed in place based on the closing position sensor signal.

[0068] from Figure 2As can be seen, in the traditional judgment logic, when the inductance value of the closed position sensor is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, the judgment result is always consistent with the door closed status of the previous cycle. When the inductance value of the closed position sensor is greater than or equal to the second distance threshold and less than the first distance threshold, the judgment result is always that the door is not closed properly. However, in the judgment logic of this invention, for both cases where the inductance value of the closed position sensor is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, and cases where it is greater than or equal to the second distance threshold and less than the first distance threshold, the judgment will continue to determine whether the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold. For cases where the inductance value of the closed position sensor is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, if the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold, the judgment result will be that the door is closed properly; if the flight altitude is less than the altitude threshold, the judgment result will be consistent with the door closed status of the previous cycle. If the inductance value of the closed position sensor is greater than or equal to the second distance threshold and less than the first distance threshold, and the flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold, the result will be that the door is closed in place. If the flight altitude is less than the altitude threshold, the result will be that the door is not closed in place.

[0069] To better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the following is combined with... Figure 3 An exemplary process 300 for monitoring the status of an aircraft door is described in this invention.

[0070] like Figure 3 As shown, after process 300 begins, the proximity threshold, the first distance threshold, and the second distance threshold can be set first (305). The proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold, and the first distance threshold is greater than the second distance threshold. The specific values ​​of each threshold can be set according to the sensor's own performance and actual needs.

[0071] An altitude threshold (310) can then be set. As mentioned earlier, the altitude threshold can be set based on the aircraft's door performance and flight status.

[0072] After completing the above settings, sensor signals (315) can be received. For example, corresponding sensor signals can be received periodically from the closed position sensor, latch sensor, and lock sensor (320) according to the sampling period. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that each sensor is an inductive sensor and each sensor signal indicates the inductance value of the corresponding sensor.

[0073] The sensor signal can then be compared with the corresponding threshold. Specifically, it can be first determined whether the inductance value is greater than or equal to, or close to, the threshold (325).

[0074] If the inductance value is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold (output of 325 is "Y"), sensor proximity status information (330) can be output, and the corresponding position status can be obtained based on this information. For example, if the inductance value is from the closed position sensor, the closed position status (340) of the hatch can be determined as closed. If the inductance value is from the latch sensor, the latch position status (335) of the hatch can be determined as latched. If the inductance value is from the lock sensor, the lock position status (335) of the hatch can be determined as locked.

[0075] If the inductance value is less than the threshold (325 output is "N"), it can be further determined whether the sensor corresponding to the inductance value is the off position sensor (345).

[0076] If the sensor corresponding to the inductance value is not the off position sensor (the output of 345 is "N"), it can be determined whether the inductance value is less than the first distance threshold (350).

[0077] If the inductance value is less than the first distance threshold (output of 350 is "Y"), sensor distance status information (355) can be output, and the corresponding position status (335) can be obtained based on this information. For example, if the inductance value is from the latch sensor, the latch position status of the hatch can be determined as latch not in place based on this information. If the inductance value is from the lock sensor, the lock position status of the hatch can be determined as lock not in place based on this information.

[0078] If the inductance value is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold (output "N" for 350), the sensor state can be kept consistent with the state of the previous cycle (360). For example, assuming the judgment result of the previous cycle was that the latch was in place, the judgment result of this cycle will also be that the latch was in place, and if the judgment result of the previous cycle was that the latch was not in place, the judgment result of this cycle will also be that the latch was not in place.

[0079] If the sensor corresponding to the inductance value is the off position sensor (345 output is "Y"), then it can be further determined whether the aircraft's flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold (365).

[0080] If the aircraft's flight altitude is less than the flight altitude (output of 365 is "N"), the same judgment method can be used as when the position sensor is not turned off. That is, the subsequent judgment process when the output of decision box 365 is "N" is the same as the subsequent judgment process when the output of decision box 345 is "N".

[0081] If the aircraft's flight altitude is greater than or equal to the altitude threshold (output "Y" for 365), it can be further determined whether the inductance value is less than the second distance threshold (370). If the inductance value is less than the second distance threshold (output "Y" for 370), sensor distance status information can be output (375), and based on this information, the corresponding closed-in state (340) is determined to be not closed. If the inductance value is greater than or equal to the second distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold (output "N" for 370), sensor proximity status information can be output (330), and based on this information, the corresponding closed-in state (340) is determined to be closed.

[0082] Through the aforementioned steps, the closed, latched, and locked states of the hatch can be determined.

[0083] Finally, based on the closed, latched, and locked states, the final hatch state (380) can be obtained. That is, if the latched, locked, and closed states indicate that the latch is in place, the lock is in place, and the hatch is closed, it can be determined that the hatch is in a closed and locked state. If the latched, locked, and closed states indicate that the latch is not in place, the lock is not in place, or the hatch is not closed, it can be determined that the hatch is in an open and locked state. If the hatch is in an open and locked state, a corresponding alarm can be issued ( Figure 3 (Not shown in the image).

[0084] It should be noted that, although Figure 3 A specific process 300 for monitoring the status of aircraft doors is shown, but this is merely exemplary. In a concrete implementation, those skilled in the art can employ methods similar to... Figure 3 The process 300 can be implemented in different ways. For example, in some implementations, it can be first determined whether the currently received inductance value comes from the off position sensor, and then compared with the corresponding threshold. That is, step 345 can precede step 325.

[0085] Figure 4 A block diagram of the system 400 of the present invention for monitoring the status of aircraft doors is shown.

[0086] See Figure 4 The system 400 may include a sensor signal acquisition module 402, a latch position determination module 404, a lock position determination module 406, a close position determination module 408, a hatch position determination module 410, and a hatch alarm module 412. Each of these modules may be directly or indirectly connected to or communicate with each other on one or more buses 414.

[0087] In various embodiments of the present invention, the sensor signal acquisition module 402 is configured to receive the closing position sensor signal, the latch sensor signal, and the lock sensor signal from the closing position sensor, the latch sensor, and the lock sensor on the aircraft door, respectively.

[0088] In various embodiments of the present invention, the latching position determination module 404 is configured to compare the latching sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latching position of the hatch, wherein the proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold.

[0089] In some embodiments, the latch position determination module 404 is further configured to: determine the latch position as latch in place if the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to a proximity threshold; determine the latch position as latch out of place if the latch sensor signal is less than a first distance threshold; and determine the latch position as latch out of place if the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to a first distance threshold and less than a proximity threshold.

[0090] In various embodiments of the present invention, the lock-in state determination module 406 is configured to compare the lock-in sensor signal with an approach threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the lock-in state of the hatch.

[0091] In some embodiments, the lock-in state determination module 406 is further configured to: determine the lock-in state as locked in place if the lock sensor signal is greater than or equal to a proximity threshold; determine the lock-in state as not locked in place if the lock sensor signal is less than a first distance threshold; and determine the lock-in state as the door's locked in place state during the previous sampling period of the lock sensor if the lock sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold.

[0092] In various embodiments of the present invention, the closed position determination module 408 is configured to: compare the closed position sensor signal with an approach threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the door, wherein the dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal; when the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold; when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold, wherein the second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold.

[0093] In some embodiments, the closing position determination module 408 is further configured to: determine the closing position as closed if the closing position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold; determine the closing position as not closed if the closing position sensor signal is less than the dynamic distance threshold; and determine the closing position as not closed if the closing position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the dynamic distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, and when the flight status signal does not meet the preset conditions, determine the closing position as the closing position of the door during the previous sampling period of the closing position sensor, and when the flight status signal meets the preset conditions, determine the closing position as closed.

[0094] In various embodiments of the present invention, the hatch state determination module 410 is configured to determine whether the hatch has been closed and locked based on the latch in position, the lock in position, and the closed position.

[0095] In some embodiments, the hatch status determination module 410 is further configured to: determine that the hatch is closed and locked if the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state indicate that the latch is in place, the lock is in place, and the close-in state indicates that the hatch is closed and locked; and determine that the hatch is not closed and locked if the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state indicate that the latch is not in place, the lock is not in place, or the close-in state indicates that the hatch is not closed and locked.

[0096] In various embodiments of the present invention, the hatch alarm module 412 is configured to issue an alarm when it is determined that the hatch is not closed and locked.

[0097] In various embodiments of the present invention, the sensor signal acquisition module 402, the latch position determination module 404, the lock position determination module 406, the close position determination module 408, the hatch position determination module 410, and the hatch alarm module 412 can be implemented in software (e.g., by running corresponding program code to complete their respective functions), in hardware (e.g., by using hardware devices such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to implement the functions of the modules), or in a combination of software and hardware.

[0098] Although Figure 4 Specific modules of system 400 are shown, but it should be understood that these modules are exemplary and not limiting. In different implementations, one or more units of these modules may be combined, split, removed, or additional modules may be added. For example, in some implementations, latch-in-position determination module 404, lock-in-position determination module 406, and close-in-position determination module 408 may be combined into a single module (not shown in the figure). In some implementations, system 400 may also include additional modules.

[0099] Figure 5 A block diagram of an apparatus 500 including the system of the present invention for monitoring the status of an aircraft door is shown.

[0100] This device illustrates a typical hardware environment in which the invention can be applied according to exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0101] Now refer to Figure 5 Device 500 is described as an exemplary embodiment of a hardware device that can be applied to various aspects of the present invention. Device 500 can be any machine configured to perform processing and / or computation, and can be, but is not limited to, a workstation, server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, or any combination thereof. The above-described system can be implemented wholly or at least partially by device 500 or similar devices or systems.

[0102] Device 500 may include components that can be connected to or communicate with bus 512 via one or more interfaces. For example, device 500 may include bus 512, processor 502, memory 504, input device 508, and output device 510, etc.

[0103] Processor 502 can be any type of processor and may include, but is not limited to, general-purpose processors and / or special-purpose processors (e.g., special-purpose chips), intelligent hardware devices (e.g., general-purpose processors, DSPs, CPUs, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs, programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, processor 502 may be configured to use a memory controller to operate a memory array. In other cases, a memory controller (not shown) may be integrated into processor 502. Processor 502 may be responsible for managing the bus and general processing, including executing software stored in memory. Processor 502 may also be configured to perform various functions described herein related to monitoring the status of aircraft doors. For example, processor 502 may be configured to: receive a closed position sensor signal, a latch sensor signal, and a lock sensor signal from a closed position sensor, a latch sensor, and a lock sensor on the aircraft door, respectively; compare the latch sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latched position of the door, wherein the proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold; compare the lock sensor signal with the proximity threshold and the first distance threshold to determine the locked position of the door; compare the closed position sensor signal with the proximity threshold and a dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the door, wherein the dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal, wherein when the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold, and when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold, wherein the second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold; and determine whether the door is closed and locked based on the latched position state, the locked position state, and the closed position state.

[0104] Memory 504 can be any storage device capable of storing data. Memory 504 may include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state storage, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes or any other magnetic media, optical discs or any other optical media, ROM (Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), cache memory and / or any other memory chip or cartridge, and / or any other medium from which a computer can read data, instructions, and / or code. Memory 504 may store computer-executable software 506 including computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the various functions described herein related to monitoring the status of aircraft doors.

[0105] Input device 508 can be any type of device that can be used to input information.

[0106] The output device 510 can be any type of device used for outputting information. In one case, the output device 510 can be any type of output device capable of displaying information.

[0107] The detailed description above, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes examples but does not represent all examples that can be implemented or fall within the scope of the claims. The terms "example" and "exemplary" are used in this specification to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and do not imply "superiority or superiority over other examples."

[0108] Throughout this specification, the terms "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the use of these phrases may refer to more than one embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0109] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will readily be understood by those skilled in the art, and the universal principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be granted the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein references to the singular form of an element, unless specifically stated otherwise, are not intended to mean “one and only one,” but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. All structural and functional equivalents of the various aspects of the invention described throughout are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims.

[0110] It should also be noted that these embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of these operations can be executed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of these operations can be rearranged.

[0111] While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the precise configurations and components described above. Various modifications, substitutions, and improvements that will be apparent to those skilled in the art can be made to the arrangement, operation, and details of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the status of an aircraft door, comprising: The system receives signals from the closed position sensor, latch sensor, and lock sensor on the aircraft door, respectively. The latch sensor signal is compared with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latch position of the hatch, wherein the proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold; The locking sensor signal is compared with the proximity threshold and the first distance threshold to determine the locked position of the hatch. The closed position sensor signal is compared with the proximity threshold and the dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the door. The dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal. When the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold. When the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold. The second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold. as well as The door is determined to be closed and locked based on the latch position, the lock position, and the closed position.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The closed position sensor, the latch sensor, and the lock sensor are all inductive sensors, and the proximity threshold, the first distance threshold, and the second distance threshold are all inductive values.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Comparing the latch sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latch position of the hatch further includes: If the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, then the latch position is determined to be latch in place. If the latch sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, then the latch position is determined to be "latch not in position"; and If the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then the latch position state is determined to be the latch position state of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the latch sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Comparing the locking sensor signal with the proximity threshold and the first distance threshold to determine the locked position of the hatch further includes: If the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, then the locking position is determined to be locked. If the locking sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, then the locking status is determined to be incomplete locking; and If the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then the locked-in state is determined to be the locked-in state of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the locking sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Comparing the closed position sensor signal with the proximity threshold and the dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the hatch further includes: If the closed position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, then the closed position is determined to be closed. If the closed position sensor signal is less than the dynamic distance threshold, then the closed-in state is determined to be incompletely closed; and If the closed position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the dynamic distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then when the flight status signal does not meet the preset condition, the closed position state is determined to be the closed position state of the cabin door during the previous sampling period of the closed position sensor; when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the closed position state is determined to be closed.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining whether the hatch is closed and locked based on the latch position, the lock position, and the closed position further includes: If the latch-in position, the lock-in position, and the close position indicate latch-in, lock-in, and close-in respectively, then it is determined that the hatch is closed and locked; and If the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state indicate that at least one of the latch-out, lock-out, or close-out states is not in place, then the hatch is determined to be not closed and locked.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Further includes: An alarm is issued when it is determined that the hatch is not closed and locked.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flight status signal indicates the aircraft's flight altitude, and the preset condition is that the flight altitude is greater than or equal to an altitude threshold.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The altitude threshold is set based on the aircraft's door performance and flight status.

10. A system for monitoring the status of an aircraft door, comprising: The sensor signal acquisition module is configured to receive the closing position sensor signal, the latch sensor signal, and the lock sensor signal from the closing position sensor, the latch sensor, and the lock sensor on the aircraft door, respectively. A latching position determination module is configured to: compare the latching sensor signal with a proximity threshold and a first distance threshold to determine the latching position of the hatch, wherein the proximity threshold is greater than the first distance threshold; A lock-in state determination module is configured to compare the lock sensor signal with the proximity threshold and the first distance threshold to determine the lock-in state of the hatch. The closed position determination module is configured to: compare the closed position sensor signal with the proximity threshold and the dynamic distance threshold to determine the closed position of the door, wherein the dynamic distance threshold switches between a first distance threshold and a second distance threshold based on the aircraft's flight status signal; when the flight status signal does not meet a preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the first distance threshold; when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the dynamic distance threshold is the second distance threshold, wherein the second distance threshold is less than the first distance threshold. as well as The hatch status determination module is configured to determine whether the hatch is closed and locked based on the latch position, the lock position, and the closed position.

11. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The closed position sensor, the latch sensor, and the lock sensor are all inductive sensors, and the proximity threshold, the first distance threshold, and the second distance threshold are all inductive values.

12. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The latch positioning state determination module is further configured to: If the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, then the latch position is determined to be latch in place. If the latch sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, then the latch position is determined to be not in position. as well as If the latch sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then the latch position state is determined to be the latch position state of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the latch sensor.

13. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The lock-in state determination module is further configured to: If the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, then the locking position is determined to be locked. If the locking sensor signal is less than the first distance threshold, then the locking status is determined to be incomplete locking; and If the locking sensor signal is greater than or equal to the first distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then the locked-in state is determined to be the locked-in state of the hatch during the previous sampling period of the locking sensor.

14. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The module for determining the closed state is further configured to: If the closed position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the proximity threshold, then the closed position is determined to be closed. If the closed position sensor signal is less than the dynamic distance threshold, then the closed position is determined to be incompletely closed. as well as If the closed position sensor signal is greater than or equal to the dynamic distance threshold and less than the proximity threshold, then when the flight status signal does not meet the preset condition, the closed position state is determined to be the closed position state of the cabin door during the previous sampling period of the closed position sensor; when the flight status signal meets the preset condition, the closed position state is determined to be closed.

15. The system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The hatch status determination module is further configured to: If the latch-in position, the lock-in position, and the close position indicate latch-in, lock-in, and close-in respectively, then it is determined that the hatch is closed and locked; and If the latch-in state, the lock-in state, and the close-in state indicate that at least one of the latch-out, lock-out, or close-out states is not in place, then the hatch is determined to be not closed and locked.

16. The system according to claim 15, characterized in that, It further includes a door alarm module, which is configured to: An alarm is issued when it is determined that the hatch is not closed and locked.

17. The system according to the "Where to Go" requirement 10, characterized in that, The flight status signal indicates the aircraft's flight altitude, and the preset condition is that the flight altitude is greater than or equal to an altitude threshold.

18. The system according to claim 17, characterized in that, The altitude threshold is set based on the aircraft's door performance and flight status.

19. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for monitoring the status of an aircraft door, the computer program being executable by a processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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