US7490793B2 — Wireless landing gear monitoring system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 207 words

A wireless aircraft landing gear monitoring system for monitoring the operational status of landing gear systems, said monitoring system comprising: a plurality of radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceivers, one of said hubcap transceivers mounted to each hubcap of each of a plurality of nose landing gear wheels and each hubcap of each of a plurality of main landing gear wheels included in a landing gear; a plurality of distant transceivers, each said distant transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with said hubcap transceiver to: acquire and store mapping data and identity markers used to identify in which of the nose and main landing gears each said hubcap transceiver is located and a positional location of each said hubcap transceiver relative to the other wheels within the respective landing gear; and transmit a copy of the mapping data and the identity markers to at least one of the other distant transceivers; a wheel speed sensor mounted to the hubcap adapted to provide data pertaining to the rotational speed of the landing gear wheel; and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted to the hubcap adapted to utilize rotation of the landing gear wheel to generate current used to provide power for said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 207 words

A wireless aircraft landing gear monitoring system for monitoring the operational status of landing gear systems, said monitoring system comprising: a plurality of radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceivers, one of said hubcap transceivers mounted to each hubcap of each of a plurality of nose landing gear wheels and each hubcap of each of a plurality of main landing gear wheels included in a landing gear; a plurality of distant transceivers, each said distant transceiver adapted to wirelessly communicate with said hubcap transceiver to: acquire and store mapping data and identity markers used to identify in which of the nose and main landing gears each said hubcap transceiver is located and a positional location of each said hubcap transceiver relative to the other wheels within the respective landing gear; and transmit a copy of the mapping data and the identity markers to at least one of the other distant transceivers; a wheel speed sensor mounted to the hubcap adapted to provide data pertaining to the rotational speed of the landing gear wheel; and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted to the hubcap adapted to utilize rotation of the landing gear wheel to generate current used to provide power for said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply mounted to the hubcap and adapted to utilize the current generated by said PMG and provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 61 words

The system of claim 2 , wherein said power supply comprises: a super-capacitor; a voltage regulator adapted to receive a voltage output by said super-capacitor; a battery charger adapted to receive a regulated voltage output by said voltage regulator; and a battery adapted to receive a voltage output by said battery charger and to output a voltage to said voltage regulator.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system of claim 3 , wherein said power supply is further adapted to provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor utilizing a voltage stored in said super-capacitor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system of claim 3 , wherein said power supply is further adapted to provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor utilizing a voltage stored in said battery.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The system of claim 2 , wherein said system further comprises a tire pressure sensor mounted to the landing gear wheel, said tire pressure sensor adapted to communicate tire pressure data to said hubcap transceiver.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system of claim 6 , wherein said tire pressure sensor utilizes a low power RF transmitter to communicate with said hubcap transceiver and utilizes a carrier wave transmitted by said hubcap transceiver as an energy source.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system of claim 6 , wherein said tire pressure sensor utilizes a low power RF transmitter to communicate with said hubcap transceiver and utilizes power from a battery included in said tire pressure sensor as an energy source.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 158 words

An aircraft landing gear system comprising: a nose landing gear having a plurality of wheels and main landing gear having a plurality of wheels; a plurality of hubcaps, each hubcap coupled to an independent one of said wheels; and a wireless landing gear monitoring system comprising a plurality of monitoring system wheel assembly component sets, a first distant transceiver and a second distant transceiver, each component set mounted to an independent one of said hubcaps, said monitoring system adapted to provide mapping data and identity markers for each wheel from each component set to the first distant transceiver that provides a copy of the mapping data and identity markers to the second distant transceiver, the mapping data and identity markers utilized to identify in which of the nose and main landing gears each said component set is located and a positional location of each said component set relative to the other component sets within the respective landing gear.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 158 words

An aircraft landing gear system comprising: a nose landing gear having a plurality of wheels and main landing gear having a plurality of wheels; a plurality of hubcaps, each hubcap coupled to an independent one of said wheels; and a wireless landing gear monitoring system comprising a plurality of monitoring system wheel assembly component sets, a first distant transceiver and a second distant transceiver, each component set mounted to an independent one of said hubcaps, said monitoring system adapted to provide mapping data and identity markers for each wheel from each component set to the first distant transceiver that provides a copy of the mapping data and identity markers to the second distant transceiver, the mapping data and identity markers utilized to identify in which of the nose and main landing gears each said component set is located and a positional location of each said component set relative to the other component sets within the respective landing gear.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 105 words

The landing gear of claim 9 , wherein said wheel assembly components comprise: a radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceiver mounted to said hubcap and adapted to use RF signals to communicate with a distant transceiver coupled to the aircraft; a wheel speed sensor mounted to said hubcap and adapted to monitor wheel rotational speed; a permanent magnet generator (PMG) mounted to said hubcap and adapted to utilize rotation of the wheel to generate current; and a power supply mounted to said hubcap and adapted to utilize the current generated by said PMG and provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 47 words

The landing gear of claim 10 , wherein said power supply is adapted to provide power to said hubcap transceiver and said wheel speed sensor utilizing a voltage stored in at least one super-capacitor included in said power supply and a battery included in said power supply.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The landing gear of claim 10 , wherein said wheel assembly components further comprise a tire pressure sensor mounted on said wheel adapted to monitor air pressure in a tire mounted on said wheel.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 38 words

The landing gear of claim 12 , wherein said tire pressure sensor utilizes as a power source at least one of a carrier wave transmitted by said hubcap transceiver and a battery included in said tire pressure sensor.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The landing gear of claim 9 , wherein said wireless landing gear monitoring system is further adapted to provide mapping data to the distant transceiver, the mapping data pertaining to a positional location of said hubcap transceiver on the landing gear.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 179 words

A wireless monitoring system for monitoring an operational parameter of a wheel assembly on a mobile platform, said system comprising: a plurality of radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceivers supported on a plurality of hubcaps, each hubcap attached to a different one of a plurality of wheels included in said wheel assembly; a first RF distant transceiver and a second RF distant transceiver, the first distant transceiver adapted to: wirelessly communicate with said hubcap transceivers to acquire and store mapping data and identity markers used to identify a positional location of each said hubcap transceiver relative to the other wheels within the wheel assembly; and wirelessly communicate a copy of said mapping data and identity markers to the second distant transceiver; a wheel sensor supported on said hubcap, said wheel sensor for sensing an operational parameter of said wheel assembly; and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) supported on said hubcap and adapted to utilize rotation of said wheel to generate current, said current being used to power at least one of said RF wireless transceiver and said wheel sensor.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 179 words

A wireless monitoring system for monitoring an operational parameter of a wheel assembly on a mobile platform, said system comprising: a plurality of radio frequency (RF) wireless hubcap transceivers supported on a plurality of hubcaps, each hubcap attached to a different one of a plurality of wheels included in said wheel assembly; a first RF distant transceiver and a second RF distant transceiver, the first distant transceiver adapted to: wirelessly communicate with said hubcap transceivers to acquire and store mapping data and identity markers used to identify a positional location of each said hubcap transceiver relative to the other wheels within the wheel assembly; and wirelessly communicate a copy of said mapping data and identity markers to the second distant transceiver; a wheel sensor supported on said hubcap, said wheel sensor for sensing an operational parameter of said wheel assembly; and a permanent magnet generator (PMG) supported on said hubcap and adapted to utilize rotation of said wheel to generate current, said current being used to power at least one of said RF wireless transceiver and said wheel sensor.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 15 , wherein said sensor comprises a wheel speed sensor.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2012-02-17	2012-08-18	2013-02-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2016-02-17	2016-08-18	2017-02-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2020-02-17	2020-08-18	2021-02-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wireless landing gear monitoring system

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag