Logical to physical mapping of wireless network components
A system for evaluating a physical location of a node in a network comprising a multi-axis accelerometer installed in proximity to the node and in a deterministic spacial orientation, and/or a controller configured to receive an acceleration vector associated with the multi-axis accelerometer and to evaluate the orientation of the node based on the received acceleration vector in comparison to a reference acceleration vector known to the controller and a look-up table in memory configured to contain the logical function and a node location identifier for each spatial orientation. The node may comprise a system component.
1. A system for evaluating a physical location of a node in a network within an aircraft comprising:
a reference node having a reference accelerometer installed in a reference orientation;
a first node accelerometer coupled to a component and installed at a first location and in a first node orientation relative to the reference orientation;
a memory configured to store the first node orientation and an initial acceleration vector of the first node accelerometer; and
a controller configured to receive a current node acceleration vector associated with the first node accelerometer and a current reference acceleration vector associated with the reference accelerometer, determine a current node orientation by comparing the current node acceleration vector to the current reference acceleration vector, and to determine whether a current orientation of the component relative to the reference node has changed by comparing the first node orientation and the current node orientation.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to request at least one of an identifier associated with the node, a logical function of the node, or an acceleration vector of the first node accelerometer.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to develop a map of a plurality of locations of a plurality of nodes within a network.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine that a node has been at least one of damaged or moved based on whether the current orientation of the component relative to the reference node has changed.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store a logical function of the node.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first node accelerometer is further configured to measure its acceleration vector relative to the force of gravity.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first node accelerometer is configured to measure the current node acceleration vector relative to a motion of an object to which it is mechanically coupled.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of accelerometers, each mounted in a unique spacial orientation relative to the remaining accelerometers of the plurality of accelerometers.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first node accelerometer comprises a portion of the node.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the acceleration vector is measured in comparison to an acceleration vector associated with the reference accelerometer.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein each accelerometer communicates wirelessly with the controller.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein each node communicates wirelessly with the controller.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive at least one of an identifier associated with the node, a logical function of the node, or an acceleration vector of the accelerometer.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
search the memory to determine if the current node orientation matches any of a plurality of stored node orientations;
flag the node for investigation if the current orientation of the component relative to the reference node has changed; and
flag the node for investigation if the current node orientation does not match any of the plurality of stored node orientations.
15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of nodes and wherein the controller is configured to perform all of the functions for each of the plurality of nodes.
16. A method for use with a network of an aircraft comprising:
storing, by a memory coupled to a controller, a physical location of a first node accelerometer;
storing, by the memory, a first node orientation relative to a reference orientation of a reference node;
storing, by the memory, an initial node acceleration vector of the first node accelerometer;
receiving, by the controller, a current node acceleration vector of the first node accelerometer;
receiving, by the controller a current reference acceleration vector of the reference node,
determining, by the controller, a current node orientation by comparing the current node acceleration vector to the current reference acceleration vector; and
determining, by the controller, whether a node associated with the accelerometer has moved from the physical location based on a comparison of the current node orientation to the first node orientation.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
searching, by the controller, the memory to determine if the current node orientation matches any of a plurality of stored node orientations;
flagging, by the controller, the node for investigation if the current orientation of the component relative to the reference node has changed; and
flagging, by the controller, the node for investigation if the current node orientation does not match any of the plurality of stored node orientations.