MAINTENANCE AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR GROUND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT

摘要

Ground support equipment for servicing an airplane includes a ground support equipment cart upon which are mounted at least two equipment modules (20,1308,400) and a control module (22). A first equipment module (20) mounted upon the cart contains ground support equipment for servicing an airplane and also has a network connection, and at least one additional equipment module (1308) mounted upon the cart contains additional ground support equipment for servicing an airplane and also has a. network connection. The control module has a user display (24) and user controls (1302, 1304,1314,1316,1318) that are connected to a control processor (1306) which has a network connection. The user display and the user controls serve as a shared control panel for the ground support equipment contained in the modules mounted upon the cart. A network interconnects the network connections of the modules mounted upon the cart. The control processor (1306) can cause the user display (24) to present a menu listing various types or classes of airplanes for selection by a user. In response to user selection of a type or class of airplane, the control processor sends over the network to one or more of the other modules information defining what particular services the selected type or class of airplane requires of the modules.