Embedded Component RUL Estimation With Onboard Health Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing condition monitoring systems for components in critical systems, such as aircraft, are often complex, costly, and inefficient, failing to provide accurate and timely estimates of remaining useful life (RUL), which can lead to unscheduled interruptions and reduced safety.
Innovation Solution
An embedded processing system with sensors and a microcontroller that collects and filters health indicator values to determine the RUL of components, using alpha-beta and alpha-beta-gamma filters, and an onboard control unit that processes data from multiple data buses to calculate condition indicators and RUL, reducing the need for remote monitoring and complex installations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex monitoring systems are used to determine RUL, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into distributed embedded sensors and microcontrollers embedded within individual components, rather than using a centralized complex monitoring system. Each component has its own embedded system that independently determines RUL, dividing the overall complexity into manageable modular units while maintaining high measurement precision through localized data collection and processing
Solution Approach 2:
Components perform self-monitoring and self-diagnosis through embedded sensors and microcontrollers that continuously assess their own health status and calculate RUL without requiring external complex monitoring infrastructure. This self-service approach reduces overall system complexity while maintaining accurate RUL estimation through localized intelligent processing
2Measurement precision
If complex monitoring systems are installed, then RUL estimation accuracy is improved, but installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Components are equipped with self-monitoring capabilities through embedded sensors and microcontrollers that autonomously collect data, process information, and determine RUL without requiring expensive external monitoring infrastructure. This reduces installation costs while maintaining high RUL estimation accuracy through localized intelligent processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inexpensive embedded sensors and microcontrollers within each component rather than expensive centralized monitoring equipment. These simple, cost-effective embedded systems provide accurate RUL estimation at a fraction of the cost of complex traditional monitoring systems, making the technology economically viable
3Measurement precision
If complex monitoring systems are used, then RUL estimation accuracy is improved, but system weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring functionality is segmented into lightweight embedded sensors and microcontrollers distributed within individual components, eliminating the need for heavy centralized monitoring equipment. This distributed architecture achieves high RUL estimation accuracy while minimizing overall system weight through localized processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical and electronic monitoring infrastructure with lightweight embedded electronic systems consisting of sensors and microcontrollers. This substitution of traditional heavy monitoring equipment with modern embedded technology reduces system weight while maintaining or improving RUL estimation accuracy
4Loss of time
If continuous monitoring is performed, then RUL estimation timeliness is improved, but processing power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The embedded microcontrollers continuously collect and pre-process sensor data in real-time, maintaining up-to-date component health assessments without requiring heavy computational processing. This preliminary action at the edge enables timely RUL estimation while minimizing the processing power needed by central systems
Solution Approach 2:
Components perform self-monitoring with embedded microcontrollers that handle local data processing and RUL calculation autonomously. This distributed self-service approach enables continuous monitoring and timely RUL updates without concentrating heavy processing requirements in a central system, balancing timeliness with processing power efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A system for determining a remaining useful life of a component is provided that includes an onboard control unit including a processor, a plurality of sensors to detect a plurality of signals from the component, and a data bus connecting the sensors to the onboard control unit. The processor receives data from the plurality of sensors and determines a plurality of condition indicators for the component, a health indicator from the plurality of condition indicators, and a remaining useful life for the component. An alert or warning may be given if the remaining useful life reaches a certain value provided that certain automated reporting conditions are also met.