Shared Aircraft Sensor Grid for Flexible IoT Data Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft network systems lack flexibility and efficiency in integrating diverse IoT use cases, requiring high standardization and flexibility in system design while maintaining adaptability to different scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A pre-designed sensor grid with a central signaling backbone and distributed sensor nodes, allowing flexible implementation of various use cases by sharing sensor capabilities and data output among network devices, utilizing Ethernet and wireless protocols, and incorporating AI elements for pattern recognition and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pre-designed sensor grid with shared access is implemented, then adaptability to different IoT use cases is improved, but device complexity increases due to network integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into independent sensor nodes that can be individually configured and accessed by different network devices. Each sensor node operates autonomously on the network, allowing flexible integration without requiring complex centralized control for each use case scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor grid implements a universal communication interface and data format that allows the same physical sensors to serve multiple different IoT use cases. Network devices can subscribe to sensor data streams and interpret them according to their specific application needs, eliminating the need for dedicated sensor systems for each use case.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple network devices share sensor data over a common backbone, then cost and weight are reduced, but data transmission efficiency deteriorates due to network traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a hierarchical data structure where sensor measurement values are organized in nested formats that allow efficient subscription and filtering. Network devices can subscribe to specific data types or time ranges, receiving only the relevant portions of sensor data streams, thereby reducing unnecessary network traffic while maintaining shared access benefits.
3Loss of information
If sensor measurement values are continuously transmitted to all network devices, then data availability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic data transmission with configurable intervals instead of continuous streaming. Sensor nodes transmit measurement values at defined periods, and network devices can request specific update frequencies based on their application requirements. This periodic approach maintains data availability while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
Network devices autonomously manage their data reception by subscribing to specific sensor nodes and data types according to their needs. The sensor nodes automatically adjust their transmission behavior based on subscription requests, eliminating the need for centralized control and reducing overall system energy consumption through demand-driven data delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A network, a particularly on board of an aircraft, such as a cabin network or a cargo bay network, comprises at least one central signaling backbone, a plurality of distributed sensor nodes connected to the central signaling backbone, and a plurality of network devices connected to the central signaling backbone. Each of the plurality of distributed sensor nodes includes one or more sensors configured to gather sensor measurement values and to route the gathered sensor measurement values over the central signaling backbone. Each of the plurality of network devices is configured to send a sensor control signal to one or more of the plurality of distributed sensor nodes, the sensor control signal triggering the receiving sensor node to send selected sensor measurement values over the central signaling backbone to the sending network devices based on the content of the sent sensor control signal.