Airbus Operations Gmbh

Airbus Operations (s.a.s.)

Kayvon Barad

Alessio Cipullo

Anand Pavaskar

Juan Lopez

Christopher Neil Wood

Emilie Claudel

Sylvain Sauvant

Romain Desautard

Andrew D Stewart

Osama Al-Tayawe

Geoff Ward

Andrew Ramshaw

Till Gundlach

Christopher Lewis

Chris Wood

Christopher Wood

An assembly having a bearing with an axis of rotation, and a fibre-based sensor for sensing strain or temperature of the bearing is disclosed. The sensor extends in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. An aircraft system is disclosed including a wheel supported on an axle by a first bearing and a second bearing. The system further includes a first fibre optic sensor for sensing a strain or temperature of the first bearing, a second fibre optic sensor for sensing a strain or temperature of the second bearing, and an interrogator to analyse optical signals from the sensors to determine differences in the strains or temperatures of the first bearing and the second bearing.

Sensor assembly

An aircraft control system including transducers connected by interface units to an avionics network, such as an AFDX network. Each transducer is directly connected to an interface unit local to the transducer. Each interface unit is a configurable unit and has a signal processing module converting data to a format suitable for transmission over the network. Each interface unit may be configurable, via software commands, to operate in an application session mode, a data-loading mode, or a maintenance mode. Each interface unit may be directly associated with one of the software applications of the aircraft control system. The network may include a lower bandwidth part where data communication is conducted over sampling ports only. Interface units may be configured or installed using a plug and play method.

Avionics networks

An avionics system including a first node and a second node wherein the first node is arranged to transmit a data message having: a data identifier, dynamic metadata associated with the data identifier and data content to the second node; wherein the second node is arranged to receive the data message from the first node and to: locate and read the data identifier within the data message; locate and read the dynamic metadata associated with the read data identifier; and retrieve data content from the determined position in the data message, wherein the data message contains multiple data identifiers, each with associated dynamic metadata and associated data content, and the second node is arranged only to locate and read the data identifier and dynamic metadata and retrieve data content in relation to a subset of the plurality of data identifiers.

Data centric messaging

An optical sensor system with two or more optical sensors; two or more receivers; and an optical de-multiplexing system. Each optical sensor includes a fibre grating with a different wavelength characteristic. Each receiver includes a slope filter and a light detector and is associated with a respective one of the optical sensors. The optical de-multiplexing system is arranged to route light from each of the optical sensors to its associated receiver based on a wavelength of the light.

Optical sensor system

An optical network including an input to receive from an optical network light comprising plural wavelength components. An optical wavelength selective filter, optically connected to the input, extracts a first wavelength component of the plural wavelength components from the light, thereby providing a first optical signal including the first wavelength component and a second optical signal including a remainder of the plural wavelength components a light emitter to provide a modulated broadband optical signal. A first output, optically connected to the optical wavelength selective filter, receives a first portion of the second optical signal for transmission to a light detector and a second output, optically connected to optical wavelength selective filter, receives a second portion of the second optical signal for transmission to the optical network.

Node for an optical network

A system installed on an aircraft. The system includes a memory storing static information in one or more optical fibre gratings; and an interrogator. The interrogator includes a light source configured to transmit interrogation light to the memory, a receiver configured to receive return light from the memory, and an analyser configured to analyse the return light to obtain the static information.

Avionics system for an aircraft

An actuator includes a brushless DC motor, an output device, a reduction system coupled between the brushless DC motor and the output device, and a contactless position sensor configured to sense a position of the output device.

Actuator with brushless DC motor

A fiber-optic communication system for an aircraft including: a light source operable to generate light; a transceiver in optical communication with the light source, the transceiver including a control input and a reflector; an optical fiber in optical communication with the transceiver; and a light detector in optical communication with the optical fiber. The transceiver is operable to generate an amplitude modulated light signal by selectively reflecting the light received from the light source into the optical fiber using the reflector according to information received at the control input. The light detector is operable to receive the amplitude modulated light signal from the optical fiber and to detect an amplitude of the amplitude modulated light signal to extract the information.

Fibre-optic communication system and an aircraft

An avionics unit for an avionics network is disclosed having a light emitter to provide a modulated broadband optical signal. The avionics unit also includes a first optical interface and a second optical interface. The first optical interface is optically connected to the light emitter and is to receive a removable wavelength selective filter to extract a modulated narrowband optical signal from the modulated broadband optical signal. The second optical interface is optically connected to the first optical interface and is to output the modulated narrowband optical signal.

Avionics unit

A communication apparatus for a fiber-optic communication system for an aircraft that includes: an optical coupler; an input port optically coupled to the optical coupler via a first waveguide, the input port arranged to receive light; a modulator optically coupled to the optical coupler via a second waveguide, the modulator having a logic input and a fiber having a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) receiving light from the input port via the optical coupler, the modulator operable to vary a strain force applied to the fiber according to a logic signal received at the logic input to modulate a wavelength of a modulated light signal reflected by the FBG back to the optical coupler; and an output port optically coupled to the optical coupler via a third waveguide to receive the modulated light signal therefrom, the output port being operable to output the modulated light signal.

Fibre-optic communication system, a communication apparatus for the same, and a vehicle

A communication apparatus includes an optical fiber along which radiation can be transmitted; an optical fiber grating formed within the optical fiber, the optical fiber grating having a structure, and configured to reflect radiation at a particular wavelength; and an instrument coupled to the grating and configured to controllably modify the structure of the grating, thereby changing the wavelength at which the grating reflects radiation. A communication system including the communication apparatus is also described, along with a method of communicating a signal.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Kayvon Barad