Integrated avionic safety module

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety module used in civil and military aircraft, in which the control of power layers is carried out via a safety analysis algorithm on an internal programmable digital logic circuit, where the temperature, current, and voltage values of the hardware are monitored with a contactless and integrated sensor in order to detect situations of overheating, excessive power consumption, overvoltage, spark, and gas – smoke emission.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] INTEGRATED AVIONIC SAFETY MODULE

[0003] Technical Field

[0004] The invention relates to a safety module used in civil and military aircraft, in which the control of power layers is carried out via a safety analysis algorithm on an internal programmable digital logic circuit, where the temperature, current, and voltage values of the hardware are monitored with a contactless and integrated sensor in order to detect situations of overheating, excessive power consumption, overvoltage, spark, and gas - smoke emission.

[0005] Prior Art

[0006] In current applications, high temperature conditions are measured using contactbased temperature sensors. However, there are difficulties in positioning them on surfaces where the CPU or power unit is located. Measurements made in this way are problematic in terms of both stable measurement and sensitivity. Measurements made using this method depend on the point where the sensor is located and the condition of the surface. For this reason, the measurement data may be unreliable. On the other hand, the calibration and deviations of the measurement data increase the level of difficulty. In addition, in current applications, situations that pose a higher safety risk such as spark, smoke, and gas emission cannot be detected.

[0007] High current and high voltage monitoring are carried out using discrete sensors. Current and voltage sensors also involve similar measurement deviations and difficulties.

[0008] Additionally, the measurements of current and voltage sensors require separate data integration and correlation with temperature sensors. CN221225374U discloses a method which voltages and temperatures of aircraft electronic equipment are measured and monitored.

[0009] CN115513498A discloses a system which temperature monitoring is performed using a temperature sensor and a temperature control algorithm.

[0010] When examining the applications in the prior art, a need has arisen to implement a module in which temperature sensors are used in a contactless manner, and temperature, voltage, and current measurements are performed through a single module.

[0011] Objectives of the Invention

[0012] The object of this invention is to develop an integrated avionic safety module in which temperature sensors are used in a contactless manner.

[0013] Another object of this invention is to develop a safety module in which temperature, voltage, and current measurements are performed through a single module.

[0014] Deatiled Description of the Invention

[0015] The integrated safety module developed to achieve the purpose of this invention is shown in the attached figures.

[0016] Figures;

[0017] Figure 1: A schematic view of the inventive safety module.

[0018] Figure 2: A schematic view of the first layer of the contactless temperature sensor to be used in the inventive safety module. Figure 3: A schematic view of the second layer of the contactless temperature sensor to be used in the inventive safety module.

[0019] Figure 4: A schematic view of the third layer of the contactless temperature sensor to be used in the inventive safety module. The parts shown in the figures are numbered individually, and the corresponding numbers are given below.

[0020] 100. Integrated avionic safety module

[0021] 110. Contactless temperature sensor

[0022] 120. Power control unit 130. Voltage measurement unit

[0023] 140. Current measurement unit

[0024] 150. Programmable digital logic circuit

[0025] 210. Bismuth

[0026] 220. Antimony 230. Voltage difference

[0027] 300. Second layer

[0028] 310. Cold section

[0029] 320. Hot section

[0030] 400. Third layer 410. Mask

[0031] The integrated avionic safety module (100) subject to the invention comprises;

[0032] - a contactless temperature sensor (110) that enables the measurement of the temperature data of the avionic device,

[0033] - a current measurement unit (140) that enables the measurement of the current data of the avionic device,

[0034] - a voltage measurement unit (130) that enables the measurement of the voltage data of the avionic device,

[0035] - a programmable digital logic circuit (150) that processes data coming from the contactless temperature sensor (110), current measurement unit (140), and voltage measurement unit (130), and generates a warning or error code when the data exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

[0036] The integrated avionic safety module (100) subject to the invention comprises, in the contactless temperature sensor (110): a measurement unit consisting of two U-shaped elements connected end- to-end, one inverted and one upright, where half of each U-shape is made of bismuth (210) and the other half is made of antimony (220) metal, and the voltage difference between the open ends at the farthest point is measured, a cold section (310) located at the upper part of the U-shape and a hot section (320) located at the lower part, when the upright U-shape is taken as reference, a mask (410) covering the upper part of the hot section (320) located at the lower part. The integrated avionic safety module (100) subject to the invention includes a power control unit (120) that, after transmitting an unsafe condition signal, cuts off the device’s power by shutting down the outputs of the alternating current and direct current power layers.

[0037] The integrated avionic safety module (100) is schematically shown in Figure 1. It has been developed to meet safety requirements in civil and military aviation equipment. In the integrated avionic safety module (100), temperature, current, and voltage measurements are performed through a single module. The temperature measurement is carried out contactlessly by the contactless temperature sensor (110).

[0038] Thanks to the temperature measurement being performed using the contactless temperature sensor (110), measurement errors and unstable measurement results are prevented. Additionally, measurement errors caused by the distance or position relative to internal heat sources of the device are also avoided. The fusion of temperature measurement data, current measurement unit (140) data, and voltage measurement unit (130) data is performed on the programmable digital logic circuit (150). The safety analysis algorithm on the programmable digital logic circuit (150) makes decisions based on the evaluation of these three parameters. Decisions are made based on the evaluation of real-time data obtained at a frequency of 100 MHz, by assessing the average results obtained in 5 ms periods and comparing them with threshold values. Anomaly conditions within the device can be detected with higher reliability on the programmable digital logic circuit (150). It reduces false alarms and erroneous power shutdowns. For detecting unsafe conditions, the algorithm generally triggers an alarm if the values obtained in 5 ms periods give the same result after 10 cycles. The device issues an alarm and detects an unsafe condition if, during 10 measurement cycles, all of the following occur simultaneously: an increase or decrease of more than 10% in the voltage measurement unit (130), an increase or decrease of more than 10% in the current measurement unit (140), and measurements above the nominal temperature value in the contactless temperature sensor (110). Since the nominal temperature value is unique for each device and CPU and / or power module, this value will be set during the design phase. In 5 ms measurement cycles, an increase or decrease of 10% or more in voltage measurement, an increase or decrease of 10% or more in current measurement, and exceeding the threshold value in temperature measurement must persist for 10 measurement cycles, i.e., 50 ms. Situations outside of this are defined as instantaneous errors or false measurements.

[0039] In current applications, there are no designs inside avionic devices that detect sparks, smoke, and gas. By using the data output spectrum of the contactless temperature sensor (110) together with the capabilities of the safety analysis algorithm on the developed programmable digital logic circuit (150), unsafe conditions such as sparks, smoke, and gas emissions can be detected.

[0040] The contactless temperature sensor (110) is fundamentally based on the thermopile sensor structure. With innovative additions made to the thermopile sensor array, the sensitivity level has been increased, and stability has also been improved by filtering reflected rays through the application of a dielectric deposition mask (410). The thermopile sensor array is an array obtained from two different metal elements and is a sensor model formed by the sequential arrangement of metals such as bismuth (210) and antimony (220) as an example. Temperature measurement is performed by the change in the voltage difference (230) generated between the two poles of the array with the temperature change. This model contains the known part of the technology. In order to distinguish the hot section (320) and cold sections (310) on the array and to increase the difference, the second layer (300) shown schematically in Figure 3 has been applied. Reflective aluminum applied over the junction points of the cold section (310), created by a coating method similar to deposition as an example, completely insulates the relevant areas from IR radiation exposure and ensures that IR rays are reflected and removed. Similarly, an IR-absorbing dielectric layer has been placed over the junction points of the hot section (320) using a coating method similar to deposition as an example. This allows more IR radiation to be transmitted to the relevant points and enables the sensor to detect more heat. Stability has also been increased with the third layer (400), shown schematically in Figure 4. In the application of the third layer (400), the area around the junction points of the hot section (320) is again arranged with a dielectric mask (410) approximately 750 micrometers deep, created by deposition or another coating method as an example. This mask (410) filters indirect IR rays that originate from heat-generating components inside the device but are reflected from the device's inner walls or the surfaces of other electronic boards. Thus, a more stable contactless temperature measurement has been realized.

[0041] In the event of detecting an unsafe condition, primarily, the programmable digital logic circuit (150) generates an unsafe condition detection signal via the Built In Test (Digital Data) interface. Thus, the aircraft’s BIT control system will be able to record which hardware, at what time, and with what type of problem the unsafe condition occurred. The unsafe condition signal is also stored in the non-volatile memory unit located on the programmable digital logic circuit (150). This record will be used in case it cannot be recorded on the aircraft’s BIT system and for device maintenance statistics.

[0042] After the transmission of the unsafe condition signal, the power control unit (120) cuts off the device’s power by shutting down the outputs of the alternating current and direct current power layers. Thus, the operation of the hardware is stopped. As a result of this action, the effects of events such as excessive temperature, power imbalance, gas or smoke emission on external elements will be prevented. It is a safety device that prevents effects on other systems on the aircraft, the crew, and passengers that could result in death and / or injury.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A safety module for detecting conditions of overheating, excessive power consumption, overvoltage, sparking, and gas-smoke emission in civil and military aircraft, wherein temperature, current, and voltage values of hardware components are monitored by a contactless and integrated sensor, and power layers are controlled via a safety analysis algorithm on an internal programmable digital logic circuit. a contactless temperature sensor (110) that enables the measurement of the temperature data of the avionic device, a current measurement unit (140) that enables the measurement of the current data of the avionic device, a voltage measurement unit (130) that enables the measurement of the voltage data of the avionic device, a programmable digital logic circuit (150) that processes data coming from the contactless temperature sensor (110), current measurement unit (140), and voltage measurement unit (130), and generates a warning or error code when the data exceeds a predetermined threshold value, characterized in that it further comprises, in the contactless temperature sensor (HO), a measurement unit consisting of two U-shaped elements connected end- to-end, one inverted and one upright, where half of each U-shape is made of bismuth (210) and the other half is made of antimony (220) metal, and the voltage difference between the open ends at the farthest point is measured,a cold section (310) located at the upper part of the U-shape and a hot section (320) located at the lower part, when the upright U-shape is taken as reference, a mask (410) covering the upper part of the hot section (320) located at the lower part.

2. A safety module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a power control unit (120) that cuts off the device's power by shutting down the outputs of the alternating current and direct current power layers after transmitting an unsafe condition signal.

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