Gas Turbine Communication Gateway With Internal Sensor Data Correlation

Solution Overview

Problem

Gas turbine engines deployed in the field face challenges in accessing and updating configuration data due to rapid advancements in computer and communication technologies, requiring cumbersome and slow processes involving physical access and customized cables for interfacing with offboard systems.

Innovation Solution

A communication adapter with internal sensors, processing circuitry, and wireless communication capabilities is integrated into the gas turbine engine, allowing for the correlation and transmission of time series data with internal sensor data to offboard systems, eliminating the need for physical access and customized cables through wireless communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical access and customized cables are used to interface with offboard systems, then secure data transmission is achieved, but maintenance time and operational complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transmission securityVSAvoidmaintenance time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical connection system (physical cables and connectors) with a wireless communication system. The communication adapter uses wireless transceivers to transmit data between the engine control system and offboard systems, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining data transmission security through encrypted wireless protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication adapter serves as an intermediary device between the engine control system and offboard systems. It provides secure data transmission through wireless communication while incorporating authentication and encryption mechanisms to maintain security without requiring physical access to the engine control unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If physical access and customized cables are used to interface with offboard systems, then direct control is achieved, but device complexity and procedural difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface accessibilityVSAvoidconnection system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical connection system (physical cables and connectors) with a wireless communication system. The communication adapter uses wireless transceivers to transmit data between the engine control system and offboard systems, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining data transmission security through encrypted wireless protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication adapter provides universal wireless communication capabilities that can interface with various offboard systems without requiring customized cables for each specific application. It supports multiple communication protocols and can adapt to different data transmission requirements, simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If configuration updates are performed using traditional methods, then system security is maintained, but update speed and efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem securityVSAvoidupdate speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical connection system (physical cables and connectors) with a wireless communication system. The communication adapter uses wireless transceivers to transmit data between the engine control system and offboard systems, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining data transmission security through encrypted wireless protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication adapter implements feedback mechanisms including authentication verification and data integrity checking to maintain system security during wireless configuration updates. It confirms successful updates and provides status information to offboard systems, ensuring secure and efficient configuration management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11743338B2Gas turbine engine communication gateway with internal sensors

Publication Date: 2023.08.29 RTX CORP

AI summary

A method of operating a communication adapter of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes receiving a plurality of time series data at the communication adapter from an engine control of the gas turbine engine. The method also includes recording a plurality of internal sensor data of an internal sensor system of the communication adapter. The method further includes correlating the time series data with the internal sensor data based on an alignment in time to form an enhanced data set and transmitting the enhanced data set from the communication adapter to an offboard system.