Air Data Reasoner for Trusted Selection of Dissimilar Sensors

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft sensors often provide redundant data that can be cumbersome and lead to confusion or erroneous selection, as existing systems lack a reliable method to determine the most accurate source of data among multiple sensors.

Innovation Solution

An air data reasoner system that evaluates sensor data using performance models based on flight conditions, environmental conditions, and sensor health to determine the most accurate and redundant sources, providing a list of trusted data to consuming systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple redundant aircraft sensors are used to measure the same parameters, then data reliability and availability are improved, but data organization complexity and pilot confusion increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoiddata organization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air data reasoner acts as an intermediary system between multiple aircraft sensors and consuming systems. It receives data from multiple redundant sensors, evaluates their accuracy using performance models, and provides a single trusted source of data to consuming systems, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing complexity for end users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring sensor performance and accuracy values, dynamically selecting the most accurate sensor based on current flight conditions and environmental factors, and providing this selection information back to consuming systems to ensure they receive data from the most reliable source

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple similar sensors of the same type are mounted on the aircraft, then redundancy is improved, but data evaluation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveredundancyVSAvoiddata evaluation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The air data reasoner performs self-service by automatically evaluating the accuracy of multiple sensors using performance models and flight conditions, selecting the most accurate sensor without requiring pilot intervention or manual evaluation, thereby maintaining redundancy while simplifying operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by dynamically adjusting sensor selection based on accuracy values derived from performance models and current flight conditions, allowing the most appropriate sensor to be selected for each operating condition rather than using a fixed selection method

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If dissimilar sensors measuring the same parameter are used, then system versatility is improved, but determining the most accurate source becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem versatilityVSAvoidaccuracy determination difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The air data reasoner implements universality by developing performance models that can evaluate multiple types of dissimilar sensors (pneumatic, laser, acoustic, synthetic) using a common framework, allowing the system to handle diverse sensor types with a single multi-functional evaluation mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual or mechanical sensor selection methods with computational performance models that automatically evaluate sensor accuracy based on flight conditions and environmental factors, substituting automated algorithmic evaluation for traditional manual selection processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If redundant sensor data is provided to consuming systems, then data availability is improved, but confusion and erroneous selection increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidpilot decision-making ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The air data reasoner extracts the essential function of providing trusted data by selectively outputting data from the most accurate sensor to consuming systems, removing the burden of evaluating multiple redundant sources from the pilot while maintaining data availability through the evaluation process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20250206460A1Performance-based air data reasoner with dissimilar sensors

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 ROSEMOUNT AEROSPACE INC

AI summary

An air data reasoner system for evaluating aircraft sensor data obtained from aircraft sensors performs the following steps to generate organized outputs of aircraft sensor data. The system receives aircraft parameter values for various aircraft parameters from the plurality of aircraft sensors. The system selects applicable performance models for the aircraft parameter values from the repository of performance models. The system executes the applicable performance models to generate accuracy values corresponding to each of the aircraft parameter values. The system determines the most accurate parameter values and corresponding source aircraft sensor. The system compiles a list of available redundant source aircraft sensors. The system generates a threshold table with operating thresholds for each parameter. The system outputs the most accurate parameter values, the corresponding source aircraft sensors, the list of available redundant source aircraft sensors, and the threshold table to consuming systems.