Aircraft Air Gateway Aggregating Non-Flight Sensor Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft sensor data management systems are inadequate in aggregating diverse sensor types and securely transmitting non-flight performance-related data via wireless networks for comprehensive aircraft management, including passenger comfort, regulatory compliance, and security monitoring.
Innovation Solution
An air gateway device integrates various aircraft sensors to aggregate non-flight performance-related data and securely transmit it via a wireless network, such as a cellular network, to a cloud-based system, where an aircraft management server analyzes this data to provide recommendations to flight crew members for enhanced aircraft operations and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If point-to-point systems (ACARS) are used to transmit sensor data, then data transmission capability is provided, but the system cannot aggregate diverse sensor types and lacks comprehensive monitoring capability
Solution Approach 1:
The air gateway is designed as a universal platform that can aggregate data from multiple diverse sensor types (flight performance sensors, non-flight performance sensors, environmental sensors, security sensors) through a single interface, enabling one system to perform multiple data collection functions that previously required separate dedicated systems
Solution Approach 2:
The air gateway serves as an intermediary device between the aircraft's diverse sensor network and the ground-based cloud system. It collects, aggregates, and pre-processes data from multiple sensor sources before transmission, acting as a mediator that enables comprehensive data collection without requiring direct connections from each sensor to the ground system
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional flight data recording systems are used, then flight performance data is recorded, but non-flight performance related data (passenger comfort, security, compliance) is not monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The system extends traditional flight data recording functionality to include non-flight performance monitoring (passenger comfort, security, regulatory compliance) using the same air gateway and cloud infrastructure, allowing a single system to perform both traditional flight data recording and new monitoring functions
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is segmented into modular components: flight performance sensors, non-flight performance sensors, the air gateway for data aggregation, and cloud-based analysis. This segmentation allows the system to handle diverse data types through standardized interfaces while maintaining manageable complexity through clear separation of functions
3Productivity
If diverse sensor data is collected and transmitted via wireless networks, then comprehensive aircraft management is enabled, but data security and transmission reliability challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air gateway acts as a secure intermediary that pre-processes and validates data before wireless transmission to the cloud. This intermediate processing layer filters, aggregates, and prepares data in a controlled environment, reducing the security surface area and ensuring data integrity before exposure to external networks
Solution Approach 2:
Data aggregation, validation, and preliminary processing are performed on the aircraft before wireless transmission to the cloud. This preliminary action ensures data quality and security requirements are met at the source, reducing the need for complex security measures during transmission and improving overall system reliability
Data Source
AI summary
An example device includes a processor and a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations for processing non-flight performance related sensor data from a sensor of an aircraft. The operations may include receiving non-flight performance related sensor data from a sensor of an aircraft, determining a condition based upon the non-flight performance related sensor data, selecting a recommended action based upon the condition that is determined based upon the non-flight performance related sensor data, and sending the recommended action to a device of a flight crew member of the aircraft.