The Boeing Company

Kevin Yong Ung

Arun Ayyagari

David B Blackwell

Anil Kumar

William Phillip Coop

Craig Farris Battles

Winfeng Li

Marc Rollo Matsen

Brian Jay Tillotson

Brian J Smith

James T Farricker

Bradley James Mitchell

Charles Briggs Spinelli

Robert L Avery

Tamaira Emily Ross

Steven Craig Venema

Daniel A Hendricks

Rebecca Shore

Thanh Duc Hoang

Peter E Herley

Brenda K Carlson

Swanee Yourkowski

Richard R Rocks

William David Kelsey

Donald B Farr

Christopher B Kettering

Yucheng Zheng

Gary E Georgeson

Timothy McNally Mitchell

Everett A Westerman

Jason Philip Bommer

William Preston Geren

Michael S Foster

Richard Neil Blair

Sudhakar S Shetty

Donald K Dabelstein

David E Corman

Steven L Arnold

Thomas E Donofrio

Karl Loren Johnson

Edward Li

Lindsey M Caton

Steven J Bates

Kenneth Porad

Michael J Murphy

Rick Blair

Brett Hartman

Samuel C Kwok

Richard M Balza

Steve Kopecki

Jack Fredrickson

Richard N Blair

John Jiang Yu

Kristina A Chinn

Alekzander Hao Xu

Brian James Smith

William Coop

Robert Avery

Steven C Venema

Tamaira E Ross

William P Coop

Embodiments of a sensor network system provide surveillance capabilities in multiple contexts/environments (e.g., military, commercial, scientific, civic, urban, wilderness, etc.). Network nodes may include devices such as sensors, network routers, network controllers, etc. Network sensors may be configured so that power management objectives are maximized. Network sensors (both individually and as a group) may be capable of intelligent and cooperative information gathering, so that the output of the sensor network does not contain high levels of irrelevant information. The network nodes may communicate among one another via one or more communication links, and in some cases, multiple routes between any two network nodes may be available. The sensor network may include aspects of both high data rate and low data rate network features. One or more network controllers may provide various network management capabilities, including management of network routing, information collection, information exportation, network configuration, etc.

Surveillance network system

A method for high density radio frequency identifier (RFID) scanning is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of response signals from a plurality of RFID components. Where each of the plurality of response signals includes a part number and a serial number associated with the RFID component. The method also includes receiving, from a location device, a location of the scanning device. For each of the plurality of RFID components, the method includes determining a component location, the serial number, and the part number based on a corresponding response signal, comparing the component location to an expected location of the RFID component, determining a level of correlation between the serial number associated with the corresponding response signal and a stored serial number associated with the part number, and calculating a confidence score based on the corresponding comparison and the level of correlation.

Methods and systems for high density RFID part scanning

Data is remotely collected from a plurality of fasteners in response to a query signal wirelessly transmitted by a reader. Each of the fasteners includes a sensor for measuring a parameter related to the stress on the fastener. A device adapted to be attached to each of the fasteners receives the query signal, activates the sensor to measure the parameter and wirelessly transmits the data including the parameter to the reader.

Wireless collection of fastener data

A method and apparatus for maintaining a vehicle. Identification information for a part on the vehicle is read from an automated identification technology tag, wherein the automated identification technology tag is on the vehicle and associated with the part. Part information for the part is retrieved from an onboard data processing system on the vehicle using the identification information for the part. The part information retrieved from the onboard data processing system may be displayed to a user. The part information stored onboard the vehicle may be synchronized with an off-board system.

Vehicle maintenance using identification tags and onboard data processing system

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader is provided The RFID reader includes a transmitter/receiver module configured to transmit a radio signal at a plurality of different power levels, and a control module coupled to the transmitter/receiver module and configured to control the power level at which the radio signal is transmitted based on a number of RFID tags detected when transmitting the radio signal at an initial power level.

Systems and methods for RFID inspection

In one or more embodiments, a disclosed method involves transmitting a first transmit signal(s) having a first signal strength and/or a first field of view (FOV), thereby establishing a first radiation region. The method further involves receiving a first receive signal(s) radiated from an EMID tag(s). Also, the method involves transmitting a second transmit signal(s) having a second signal strength and/or a second field of view (FOV), thereby establishing a second radiation region. In addition, the method involves receiving a second receive signal(s) radiated from an EMID tag(s). Additionally, the method involves subtracting the second radiation region from the first radiation region to determine a difference region. Also, the method involves determining which of the EMID tags are located within the difference region by using the first receive signal(s) and the second receive signal(s). Further, the method involves determining a location of the EMID tag(s) located within the difference region.

Locating parts with electromagnetic identification (EMID) tags for contextual visualization

A radiofrequency identification (RFID) device includes an active RFID tag that includes a power source and a passive RFID tag reader, the passive RFID tag reader electrically coupled to the power source of the active RFID tag.

Passive RFID assisted active RFID tag

An aircraft safety and configuration monitoring system includes a plurality of RFID equipped items, a plurality of RFID interrogators communicating with the plurality of RFID equipped items, a processor communicating with the plurality of RFID interrogators and adapted to determine an issue with respect to any of the plurality of RFID equipped items and an indicating mechanism communicating with the processor and adapted to indicate the issue.

Aircraft safety and configuration monitoring system and method

Provided are methods and systems for managing various component information during component lifecycles. The information may be collected and made available starting with fabrication of a component and throughout various operations that the component may be a part of. A component may be associated with an identifier, such as a barcode or a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag, containing identifier information. The identifier information may be used to retrieve additional component information, such as fabrication information, assembly information, installation information, maintenance information, spare part number availability, ordering/expedite systems, digital geometry files, drawings, service history, interdependencies, warranty information, available upgrades or alerts, required regulatory actions or notices for presenting on a user interface of the reader. The component information may be available in the on-board memory of the reader and/or retrieved by the reader from a server.

Managing component information during component lifecycle

A method and apparatus for managing identification devices on an aircraft. An occurrence of an event is identified using information for a plurality of identification devices. Each of the plurality of identification devices is associated with a plurality of components on the aircraft. The information for the plurality of identification devices comprises data received from the plurality of identification devices and specification data for the plurality of identification devices. In response to identifying the occurrence of the event, a number of operations for the plurality of identification devices are initiated.

Managing a plurality of radio frequency identification devices

A method and apparatus for managing parts. Location information is displayed for a part on an aircraft on a mobile device. A determination is made as to whether the part is present in a location using a sensor system in the mobile device when the mobile device is in a zone including the location. A presence of the part in the location is indicated in response to the part being present in the location.

Aircraft part control system

A system for data synchronization of intermittently connected sensors may include an RFID system and an information management system. The system may also include an application to insure integrity of data retrieved or posted between the RFID system and the information management system.

Data synchronization and integrity for intermittently connected sensors

A computer implemented method is provided for analyzing the health of a structure by measuring the value of preload on each of a plurality of fasteners installed on the structure and correlating the measured values of preload with a set of specifications. A report is generated for each of the fasteners representing the results of the correlations. Groups of the fastener reports are used to infer the health of the structure.

Structural analysis using measurement of fastener parameters

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Kevin Yong Ung