US 12,288,424 B2
On-component tracking of maintenance, usage, and remaining useful life
Brian Tucker, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed on May 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/321,072.
Application 17/321,072 is a continuation of application No. 15/879,207, filed on Jan. 24, 2018, granted, now 11,049,333.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/558,701, filed on Sep. 14, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0272384 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. G07C 5/00 (2006.01); B64F 5/60 (2017.01); G05B 23/02 (2006.01); G07C 5/08 (2006.01)
CPC G07C 5/006 (2013.01) [B64F 5/60 (2017.01); G05B 23/0283 (2013.01); G07C 5/0841 (2013.01); G05B 2219/23193 (2013.01); G05B 2219/32234 (2013.01); G07C 2205/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a central maintenance computer (“CMC”) installed on a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle component;
a configuration/maintenance module (“CMM”) remote from the CMC and installed on the vehicle component, the CMM including:
a sensor for detecting a condition of the vehicle component and generating data indicative of the detected condition;
a memory device for storing vehicle component information comprising at least one remaining useful life (“RUL”) value for the vehicle component; and
a processor for processing the data generated by the sensor and updating vehicle component information using results of the processing;
an RUL module associated with the vehicle, the RUL module periodically updating the at least one RUL value for the vehicle component based on at least one of the vehicle component information stored in the CMM, current information obtained from sensors associated with the vehicle, and projected future use information, and communicating the updated at least one RUL value to the CMM for storage in the memory device.