Communication board and communication system

Abstract

The application discloses a communication board and a communication system. The communication board introduces an independent MCU chip as a protocol processing intermediary to separate the data transceiving tasks of an ARINC429 protocol chip and an ARINC717 protocol chip from a main control system. The MCU chip polls or interrupts the state of the protocol chip in a deterministic scheduling mechanism, reads the data in a receiving buffer in time and uploads the data to the main control system, effectively avoids the FIFO overflow problem caused by the task scheduling delay of the main control system, improves the reliability of the multi-channel ARINC bus data concurrent processing, guarantees the complete collection and transmission of key flight data, and is suitable for the high-safety-grade avionics data collection and recording system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication board and communication system. Background Technology

[0002] In avionics systems, ARINC 429 and ARINC 717 are two widely used data communication bus standards. ARINC 429 is mainly used for point-to-point data transmission between avionics devices, such as flight management computers, inertial navigation systems, and engine indication systems; while ARINC 717 is mainly used in flight data recording systems to achieve high-speed data transmission between flight data acquisition units and flight data recorders.

[0003] Currently, the common method for acquiring multiple ARINC429 and ARINC717 data streams is to directly connect the ARINC protocol chip to the SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus of the host system. Specifically, the host chip (such as an embedded processor) connects to the ARINC429 and ARINC717 protocol chips via SPI traces on a printed circuit board (PCB), and the protocol chips then connect to external ARINC bus devices via level transceivers.

[0004] However, when the main control system runs a general-purpose operating system (such as Linux or Windows), its task scheduling is uncertain, making it difficult to guarantee timely responses to the SPI interface. In scenarios with concurrent input of multiple ARINC429 and ARINC717 data streams, the protocol chip's internal buffer (FIFO) is prone to overflow due to untimely reading by the main control system, resulting in the loss of critical flight data. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application provides a communication board and communication system that can solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication board, including:

[0007] Circuit board;

[0008] MCU chip, the MCU chip is set on the circuit board and configured to connect to the main control system;

[0009] The ARINC429 protocol chip is mounted on a circuit board and connects to the MCU chip via a first SPI trace printed on the circuit board. The ARINC429 protocol chip also has multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins, which are connected to external ARINC429 bus devices.

[0010] The ARINC717 protocol chip is mounted on the circuit board. It connects to the MCU chip via a second SPI trace printed on the PCB. The ARINC717 protocol chip also has a second input channel pin and a second output channel pin. It connects to external ARINC717 bus devices via the second input channel pin and the second output channel pin.

[0011] In some implementations, the MCU chip is also provided with a USB communication pin. The MCU chip is electrically connected to a USB interface connector located on the circuit board through the USB communication pin. The USB interface connector is used to connect to the USB interface of the host system.

[0012] In some implementations, the USB interface connector is selected from one of the following: a Type-A interface connector, a Micro-B interface connector, or a Type-C interface connector.

[0013] In some implementations, the ARINC429 protocol chip is a multi-channel integrated chip, which has eight first input channels and four first output channels.

[0014] In some implementations, the ARINC717 protocol chip supports configurable transmission rates, including at least one of 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, and 8192 words per second.

[0015] In some implementations, the communication board also includes an ARINC429 transceiver, which is mounted on the circuit board, and the ARINC429 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC429 bus via the ARINC429 transceiver.

[0016] In some implementations, the communication board also includes an ARINC717 transceiver, which is mounted on the circuit board, and the ARINC717 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC717 bus through the ARINC717 transceiver.

[0017] In some implementations, the communication board also includes a power module for converting external input power into the operating voltage required by the MCU chip, ARINC429 protocol chip, and ARINC717 protocol chip.

[0018] In some implementations, the MCU chip, ARINC429 protocol chip, and ARINC717 protocol chip are all soldered on the same side of the circuit board as surface mount devices.

[0019] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes a communication board and a main control system according to any of the above embodiments. The main control system is detachably electrically connected to the USB structure of the MCU chip of the communication board via a USB data cable.

[0020] The communication board and communication system provided in this application embodiment include a circuit board, an MCU chip, an ARINC429 protocol chip, and an ARINC717 protocol chip. The MCU chip is disposed on the circuit board and configured to connect to the main control system. The ARINC429 protocol chip is disposed on the circuit board and is connected to the MCU chip through a first SPI trace printed on the circuit board. The ARINC429 protocol chip also has multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins. The ARINC429 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC429 bus device through the multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins. The ARINC717 protocol chip is disposed on the circuit board and is connected to the MCU chip through a second SPI trace printed on the PCB. The ARINC717 protocol chip also has a second input channel pin and a second output channel pin. The ARINC717 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC717 bus device through the second input channel pin and the second output channel pin. In this way, by introducing an independent MCU chip as a protocol processing intermediary, the communication board separates the data transmission and reception tasks of the ARINC429 and ARINC717 protocol chips from the main control system. The MCU chip responds to the status of the protocol chips through a deterministic scheduling mechanism polling or interrupting, promptly reading data from the receive buffer and uploading it to the main control system. This effectively avoids FIFO overflow problems caused by task scheduling delays in the main control system, thereby improving the reliability of concurrent processing of multi-channel ARINC bus data, ensuring the complete acquisition and transmission of critical flight data, and is suitable for high-security avionics data acquisition and recording systems. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication board provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0025] 10. Communication board; 20. Main control system; 30. Communication system; 100. Circuit board; 200. MCU chip; 300. ARINC429 protocol chip; 400. ARINC717 protocol chip; 500. Power module;

[0026] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Where the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0029] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0031] In avionics systems, ARINC 429 and ARINC 717 are two widely used data communication bus standards. ARINC 429 is mainly used for point-to-point data transmission between avionics devices, such as flight management computers, inertial navigation systems, and engine indication systems; while ARINC 717 is mainly used in flight data recording systems to achieve high-speed data transmission between flight data acquisition units and flight data recorders.

[0032] Currently, the common method for acquiring multiple ARINC429 and ARINC717 data streams is to directly connect the ARINC protocol chip to the SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus of the host system. Specifically, the host chip (such as an embedded processor) connects to the ARINC429 and ARINC717 protocol chips via SPI traces on a printed circuit board (PCB), and the protocol chips then connect to external ARINC bus devices via level transceivers.

[0033] However, when the main control system runs a general-purpose operating system (such as Linux or Windows), its task scheduling is uncertain, making it difficult to guarantee timely responses to the SPI interface. In scenarios with concurrent input of multiple ARINC429 and ARINC717 data streams, the protocol chip's internal buffer (FIFO) is prone to overflow due to untimely reading by the main control system, resulting in the loss of critical flight data.

[0034] In view of this, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2This application provides a communication board 10, which includes a circuit board 100, an MCU chip 200, an ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and an ARINC717 protocol chip 400. The MCU chip 200 is disposed on the circuit board 100 and configured to connect to the main control system 20. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 is disposed on the circuit board 100 and is connected to the MCU chip 200 through a first SPI trace printed on the circuit board 100. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 also has multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 is connected to an external ARINC429 bus device through multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins. The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 is disposed on the circuit board 100. The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 is connected to the MCU chip 200 through a second SPI trace printed on the PCB board. The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 also has a second input channel pin and a second output channel pin. The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 is connected to an external ARINC717 bus device through the second input channel pin and the second output channel pin.

[0035] Thus, by introducing an independent MCU chip 200 as a protocol processing intermediary, the communication board 10 separates the data transmission and reception tasks of the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 from the main control system 20. The MCU chip 200 responds to the status of the protocol chips through a deterministic scheduling mechanism, promptly reads the data in the receive buffer, and uploads it to the main control system 20. This effectively avoids FIFO overflow problems caused by task scheduling delays in the main control system 20, thereby improving the reliability of concurrent processing of multi-channel ARINC bus data, ensuring the complete acquisition and transmission of critical flight data, and is suitable for high-security avionics data acquisition and recording systems.

[0036] The circuit board 100 serves as the physical support and electrical interconnection platform for various electronic components. It employs a multi-layer printed circuit board structure and features excellent signal integrity and electromagnetic compatibility design. The MCU chip 200 is mounted on the circuit board 100. The MCU chip 200 establishes a communication connection with the main control system 20 through a standard interface, responsible for data acquisition, configuration management, and status monitoring of the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and ARINC717 protocol chip 400 on the circuit board 100. The MCU chip 200 runs a real-time embedded operating system or bare-metal program, enabling timely responses to communication requests and avoiding data processing delays.

[0037] The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 is mounted on the circuit board 100 and achieves high-speed serial communication with the MCU chip 200 through a first SPI trace printed on the circuit board 100. The first SPI trace is optimized for impedance matching and length matching to ensure the stability and reliability of signal transmission. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 is configured with multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins. The multiple first input channel pins are used to receive differential data signals from external ARINC429 bus devices, and the multiple first output channel pins are used to send differential data signals to external ARINC429 bus devices. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 integrates a receive buffer and a transmit buffer internally, supporting multi-channel independent data transmission and reception, and is suitable for data interaction between devices such as flight management computers, inertial navigation systems, and air data computers in avionics systems.

[0038] The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 is mounted on the circuit board 100 and connected to the MCU chip 200 via a second SPI trace printed on the circuit board 100. The second SPI trace is also designed for signal integrity, reducing crosstalk and reflections to ensure the accuracy of high-speed data transmission. The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 has a second input channel pin and a second output channel pin. The second input channel pin connects to an external ARINC717 bus device to receive high-speed serial data from the flight data acquisition unit; the second output channel pin connects to an external ARINC717 bus device to send data to the flight data recorder. The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 supports high baud rate transmission, meeting the processing requirements of the flight data recording system for large-capacity, high-real-time data streams.

[0039] In some implementations, the MCU chip 200 is also provided with a USB communication pin. The MCU chip 200 is electrically connected to a USB interface connector provided on the circuit board 100 through the USB communication pin. The USB interface connector is used to connect to the USB interface of the main control system 20.

[0040] Specifically, the MCU chip 200 integrates an on-chip full-speed device controller compliant with the USB 2.0 specification. The corresponding DP (data positive) and DM (data negative) pins of this controller serve as USB communication pins, electrically connected to a standard USB interface connector via differential signal traces printed on the circuit board 100. The USB interface connector is a surface-mount USB Type-B or Micro-B connector, fixedly mounted on the edge area of ​​the circuit board 100. Its metal housing is reliably connected to the ground plane of the circuit board 100, providing electromagnetic shielding and mechanical stability. This USB interface connector has a standard four-pin or five-pin structure, corresponding to power (VBUS), ground (GND), and differential data lines (D+, D-), respectively, supporting hot-swapping.

[0041] The MCU chip 200 forms a complete USB device-side physical interface with the USB interface connector via USB communication pins. This physical interface is physically connected to the standard USB Type-A or Micro-A interface on the host system 20 via a standard USB cable. After the connection is established, the host system 20 recognizes the communication board 10 as a custom device or a Communication Device Class (CDC) device conforming to the USB Device Class specification, completes device enumeration and loads the corresponding driver, and establishes a stable data communication channel.

[0042] This USB communication channel handles bidirectional data transmission between the MCU chip 200 and the main control system 20. The MCU chip 200 collects, processes, and buffers avionics bus data from the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400, and periodically uploads it to the main control system 20 via USB Bulk Transfer mode according to a preset data frame format, ensuring data continuity and high throughput. Simultaneously, the main control system 20 sends operating mode configuration commands, channel enable signals, baud rate parameters, firmware update data, and system synchronization time information to the MCU chip 200 via USB Interrupt Transfer or Control Transfer.

[0043] By using a USB interface as the communication bridge between the MCU chip 200 and the main control system 20, plug-and-play and hot-swappable functionality is achieved between the communication board 10 and the main control system 20, significantly improving the system's deployment flexibility and maintenance convenience. This design separates the high real-time ARINC bus data acquisition task from the main control system 20 running a general-purpose operating system, allowing the deterministic MCU chip 200 to complete it independently. This effectively avoids the risk of FIFO buffer overflow in the protocol chip due to task scheduling delays in the main control system 20, fundamentally ensuring the integrity and reliability of multi-channel concurrent ARINC data acquisition. The ample bandwidth provided by the USB interface meets the transmission rate requirements after aggregating multiple ARINC429 and high-speed ARINC717 data streams, ensuring the efficient and stable operation of the entire data acquisition system.

[0044] In some implementations, the USB interface connector is selected from one of the following: a Type-A interface connector, a Micro-B interface connector, or a Type-C interface connector.

[0045] Specifically, the USB interface connector uses a standardized pluggable electrical connector, and its physical specifications can be configured from Type-A, Micro-B, or Type-C interface connectors according to actual application requirements and installation space. The Type-A interface connector is a standard straight or angled USB Type-A female socket, suitable for applications fixed to the device panel with relatively low requirements for mating durability, providing broad compatibility. The Micro-B interface connector is a compact surface-mount device with a small physical size and a reliable locking structure, suitable for space-constrained embedded applications, supporting stable data communication and power supply. The Type-C interface connector is a double-sided pluggable high-performance connector with a symmetrical pin design, higher rated mating cycles, and optional USB 3.1 Gen1 high-speed transmission capability, meeting application scenarios with high requirements for connectivity convenience, durability, and future expandability.

[0046] The USB interface connector achieves electrical connection with the power network, ground plane, and differential signal traces on the circuit board 100 through its pins. Its metal shielding shell is connected to the reference ground of the circuit board 100 with low impedance, forming an effective electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding layer. Regardless of whether a Type-A, Micro-B, or Type-C interface connector is selected, it can physically interface with the corresponding USB standard cable on the main control system 20 side, establishing a reliable communication link with the main control system 20. Different types of interface connectors are adapted to different device shapes, operating frequencies, and environmental requirements, providing hardware support for the flexible deployment of the communication board 10 in various avionics testing, ground support equipment, and airborne data acquisition systems. The choice of interface type does not affect the data interaction function between the MCU chip 200 and the main control system 20 based on the USB protocol, ensuring that the communication board 10 can achieve high-speed, stable, and plug-and-play data transmission under different physical connection methods.

[0047] In some implementations, the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 is a multi-channel integrated chip, which has eight first input channels and four first output channels.

[0048] Specifically, the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 adopts a multi-channel integrated design, with a single chip integrating a complete eight-channel receiving circuit and a four-channel transmitting circuit, forming eight independent first input channels and four independent first output channels. Each first input channel is equipped with a dedicated differential signal receiver, supporting standard ARINC429 high-impedance input impedance matching, and can reliably receive bipolar differential data signals from external ARINC429 bus devices. The applicable baud rate range covers 12.5kbps to 100kbps, meeting the data access requirements of various sensors, flight control computers, navigation equipment, and display management units in avionics systems. Each first input channel is equipped with an independent receive FIFO buffer with a buffer depth of no less than 16 words, supporting both interrupt and polling data reading modes, effectively reducing the polling overhead of the MCU chip 200.

[0049] Each of the four first output channels integrates an ARINC429 standard driver circuit, featuring programmable output voltage swing and drive current capability to ensure signal integrity under varying cable lengths and load conditions. Each first output channel supports independent baud rate settings and data format configurations, enabling simultaneous transmission of commands or status information to multiple external ARINC429 bus devices, suitable for applications requiring multi-device response or data broadcasting. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 connects to the MCU chip 200 via a first SPI trace. The MCU chip 200 performs register-level configuration of the eight first input channels and four first output channels through the SPI interface, including channel enable, interrupt mask, baud rate selection, parity mode setting, and FIFO trigger threshold adjustment.

[0050] This multi-channel integrated architecture significantly reduces the number of chips and wiring complexity on the circuit board 100, improving the integration and reliability of the communication board 10. The eight first input channels support simultaneous access to various avionics devices such as the flight management computer, air data system, inertial reference unit, engine indication system, radio navigation equipment, transponder, flight record interface, and auxiliary power unit controller, enabling comprehensive acquisition of critical aircraft status parameters. The four first output channels can be used to send test data to the display system, inject analog signals into the data link terminal, or provide diagnostic information to maintenance equipment, enhancing the functional flexibility of the communication board 10. The adoption of the multi-channel ARINC429 protocol chip 300 enables the communication board 10 to achieve high-density, high-efficiency ARINC429 bus interface capabilities within a limited space.

[0051] In some implementations, the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 supports configurable transmission rates, including at least one of 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, and 8192 words per second.

[0052] Specifically, the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 supports communication capabilities with multiple configurable transmission rates, which can be flexibly set according to the actual operating mode of the external ARINC717 bus device. Configurable transmission rate levels include at least one of 64 byte / second, 128 byte / second, 256 byte / second, 512 byte / second, 1024 byte / second, 2048 byte / second, 4096 byte / second, and 8192 byte / second, covering the entire typical rate range defined by the ARINC717 standard, from low-speed monitoring and medium-speed data acquisition to high-speed flight data recording. The protocol chip integrates a programmable baud rate generator and a bit timing logic unit, enabling precise adjustment of the sampling clock, bit period, and synchronization header identification parameters through dedicated register configuration, ensuring accurate decoding and generation of serial data streams conforming to the ARINC717 protocol format at different rates.

[0053] The ARINC717 protocol chip 400 establishes a control channel with the MCU chip 200 via a second SPI trace. The MCU chip 200 writes corresponding rate configuration parameters to the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 according to configuration commands issued by the main control system 20 or the board's preset operating mode. The rate switching process supports dynamic online adjustment without resetting the protocol chip or interrupting the data link, ensuring the continuity of flight data acquisition. Each transmission rate level corresponds to a specific bit time width and word interval. In receive mode, the protocol chip can automatically identify and lock the baud rate characteristics of the input data stream; in transmit mode, it strictly generates a bipolar return-to-zero (RZ) code signal conforming to the electrical characteristics of the ARINC717 according to the set rate.

[0054] This configurable rate capability enables the communication board 10 to be compatible with the communication requirements between the Flight Data Acquisition Unit (FDAU) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) of different aircraft models. For example, it can use a rate of 64 byte / s or 128 byte / s when performing slow system status monitoring, switch to a high-speed mode of 2048 byte / s or 4096 byte / s when acquiring high-dynamic flight parameters, and enable a transmission rate of up to 8192 byte / s to improve efficiency when downloading complete flight segment data. The multi-rate support capability of the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 enhances the versatility and adaptability of the communication board 10, making it widely applicable to data reading of new and old aircraft models, ground testing equipment, airborne maintenance systems, and flight simulator interfaces, meeting the needs of avionics systems for flexible, reliable, and standardized data transmission interfaces.

[0055] In some embodiments, the communication board 10 also includes an ARINC429 transceiver, which is disposed on the circuit board 100, and the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 is connected to an external ARINC429 bus through the ARINC429 transceiver.

[0056] Specifically, the communication board 10 integrates a dedicated ARINC429 transceiver, which is mounted on the circuit board 100 and serves as the physical layer interface circuit between the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and external ARINC429 bus devices. The ARINC429 transceiver includes multiple independent differential driver and differential receiver channels. Its input terminals are directly connected to the first input channel pin and the first output channel pin of the ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and its output terminals are led out through signal traces on the circuit board 100 to the board edge connector or terminal block for accessing the external ARINC429 bus network.

[0057] The ARINC429 transceiver's driver section converts the TTL or CMOS level signals output from the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 into bipolar differential voltage signals conforming to the ARINC429 standard. The output voltage swing is adjustable, typically ±10V, providing sufficient drive capability to support shielded twisted-pair transmission over thousands of feet. The driver output is equipped with impedance matching resistors and transient voltage suppression (TVS) protection devices to effectively suppress signal reflections and prevent damage to the onboard chips from external electromagnetic interference or electrostatic discharge. The ARINC429 transceiver's receiver section converts the differential signals from the external bus into digital logic level signals and enhances noise immunity through a Schmitt trigger input structure, ensuring accurate data recovery even in harsh electromagnetic environments.

[0058] The ARINC429 transceiver supports unidirectional point-to-point and multipoint receive communication modes defined by the ARINC429 protocol, allowing multiple high-impedance receiving devices to be connected to a single transmit channel. The transceiver's operating status can be independently controlled by the MCU chip 200 via an enable pin, enabling channel-level power management and fault isolation. This transceiver works in conjunction with the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 to form a complete ARINC429 communication link, significantly improving the signal transmission reliability and system robustness of the communication board 10 in complex aerospace electromagnetic environments. By introducing an independent transceiver circuit, protocol processing and physical layer driving are separated, optimizing signal integrity and ensuring secure and stable interconnection with various airborne ARINC429 devices.

[0059] In some embodiments, the communication board 10 also includes an ARINC717 transceiver, which is disposed on the circuit board 100, and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 is connected to an external ARINC717 bus through the ARINC717 transceiver.

[0060] Specifically, the communication board 10 is equipped with a dedicated ARINC717 transceiver, which is mounted on the circuit board 100 and performs physical layer signal conversion and driving functions between the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 and external ARINC717 bus devices. The input terminal of the ARINC717 transceiver is electrically connected to the second input channel pin and the second output channel pin of the ARINC717 protocol chip 400. The output terminal is connected to the external interface terminal of the board through differential signal lines printed on the circuit board 100, forming a physical channel with devices such as the Flight Data Acquisition Unit (FDAU) or Flight Data Recorder (FDR).

[0061] The ARINC717 transceiver integrates a bipolar return-to-zero (RZ) encoder driver circuit and a decoding receiver circuit conforming to the ARINC717 electrical specifications. In the transmitting direction, the transceiver converts the logic-level data output from the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 into a ±10V standard bipolar differential voltage signal, featuring precise pulse width control and timing stability to ensure that the generated serial data stream meets the stringent timing requirements of the ARINC717 protocol for bit alignment, synchronization headers, and word spacing. The driver circuit output is equipped with matching resistors and a filter network to suppress signal overshoot and ringing, ensuring the integrity of high-speed data during long-distance transmission.

[0062] On the receiving side, the ARINC717 transceiver incorporates a high-sensitivity differential comparator to convert analog differential signals from the external bus back into digital logic signals. It also enhances anti-interference capabilities through noise suppression and signal shaping circuitry, preventing data misinterpretation due to line crosstalk or harsh electromagnetic environments. The receiving channel supports a wide range of input voltage thresholds to accommodate level differences between different devices. The ARINC717 transceiver also integrates overvoltage protection and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuitry to protect the backend protocol chip from transient electrical damage.

[0063] The operating mode and enable status of the ARINC717 transceiver are managed by the MCU chip 200 through control signal lines, supporting hot start, low-power standby, and fault isolation functions. This transceiver works in conjunction with the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 to form a complete ARINC717 communication interface, enabling highly reliable and real-time acquisition and recording of flight data.

[0064] In some implementations, the communication board 10 also includes a power module 500, which converts external input power into the operating voltage required by the MCU chip 200, the ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400.

[0065] Specifically, the communication board 10 integrates a dedicated power module 500, which is mounted on the circuit board 100 and provides a stable and reliable power supply for the core components inside the board. The input terminal of the power module 500 connects to an external power input interface to receive DC input voltage from an external power supply system. The input voltage range covers the 12V or 28V DC power supply standards commonly used in avionics equipment. The output terminals of the power module 500 connect to the power pins of the MCU chip 200, the ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400, respectively, providing these chips with DC operating voltages conforming to their electrical specifications.

[0066] The power module 500 employs a multi-channel voltage regulation architecture, containing at least three independent voltage conversion channels. One channel converts the external input power to 3.3V DC, powering the main control MCU chip 200 and its peripheral circuits. This channel features low noise and high ripple rejection ratio, ensuring stable operation of the digital logic circuits. The other two channels convert the input power to the logic level voltages required by the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400, respectively, typically 3.3V or 5V. Electrical isolation and noise decoupling are implemented between the output channels to prevent power interference between different functional modules.

[0067] The power module 500 integrates a high-efficiency DC-DC converter or a low-dropout linear regulator (LDO), selected based on power consumption and heat dissipation requirements. The DC-DC converter employs a high-frequency switching topology, offering high conversion efficiency and reducing overall board power consumption and heat dissipation. The LDO circuitry is used in noise-sensitive signal processing sections, providing a cleaner power output. The power module 500 also features input overvoltage protection, overcurrent protection, and output short-circuit protection circuits, automatically cutting off the output or entering current-limiting mode under abnormal power supply conditions to prevent damage to board components due to power failure.

[0068] The output of power module 500 is equipped with a multi-stage filtering network, including ceramic capacitors, tantalum capacitors, and ferrite beads, to effectively suppress high-frequency noise and voltage fluctuations, ensuring the stability and purity of the power signals supplied to MCU chip 200, ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and ARINC717 protocol chip 400. This power module 500 enables communication board 10 to adapt to a wide range of input voltage variations and transient load fluctuations, ensuring continuous and reliable operation in complex airborne power environments, and providing a solid power foundation for the high-integrity acquisition and transmission of multi-channel ARINC bus data.

[0069] In some implementations, the MCU chip 200, the ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400 are all soldered on the same side of the circuit board 100 as surface mount devices.

[0070] Specifically, the MCU chip 200, ARINC429 protocol chip 300, and ARINC717 protocol chip 400 all adopt surface mount device (SMD) packages and are permanently soldered to the same side of the circuit board 100 through reflow soldering. This layout, using single-sided core component arrangement, helps optimize signal trace paths, reduce parasitic inductance and capacitance introduced by interlayer vias, and improve the signal integrity of the high-frequency SPI communication link. The MCU chip 200, as the control core of the board, typically uses LQFP or BGA packages and is directly soldered to the main device area of ​​the circuit board 100. The ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and ARINC717 protocol chip 400 adopt miniaturized surface mount packages such as QFN or TSSOP, respectively, and are arranged adjacent to the MCU chip 200, shortening the physical length of the first and second SPI traces, reducing crosstalk risk, and improving communication reliability.

[0071] By concentrating all key chips on the same side of the circuit board 100, automated surface mount equipment can perform efficient and precise assembly, improving production efficiency and soldering yield. This layout also facilitates thermal management design; the chip concentration area can be uniformly configured with heat dissipation vias or localized copper plating to effectively conduct heat to the PCB's internal ground plane or back side. Furthermore, placing core components on one side leaves ample space on the other side of the circuit board 100 for arranging shielding structures, reinforcing connector pads, or test points, enhancing the board's mechanical strength and maintainability.

[0072] This surface mount and single-sided integrated layout significantly improves the integration and reliability of the communication board 10, meets the design requirements of avionics equipment for high-density, high-stability circuit modules, and is suitable for airborne or ground support systems that can operate stably for a long time in harsh environments such as vibration, shock and temperature cycling.

[0073] Please see Figure 2 This application also provides a communication system 30, which includes a communication board 10 as described in any of the preceding embodiments and a main control system 20. The communication board 10 establishes a physical connection with the main control system 20 through its integrated USB interface connector. The main control system 20 is equipped with a standard USB host interface, and the two are detachably electrically connected through a shielded data cable conforming to the USB specification. One end of the USB data cable is inserted into the USB interface connector on the communication board 10, and the other end is connected to the USB port of the main control system 20, forming a complete communication link.

[0074] The main control system 20 runs a general-purpose operating system, such as Linux or Windows, and has data processing, application management, and human-machine interaction functions. The main control system 20 identifies the communication board 10 as an independent peripheral device via the USB bus. After loading the corresponding driver, it establishes a communication session with the MCU chip 200 inside the communication board 10. The MCU chip 200, as a protocol processing unit, is responsible for real-time acquisition of avionics bus data received by the ARINC429 protocol chip 300 and the ARINC717 protocol chip 400, and uploads the encapsulated data to the main control system 20 via the USB interface. The main control system 20 receives and parses flight parameters, device status, and control commands from multiple ARINC429 and ARINC717 buses for flight data analysis, system monitoring, fault diagnosis, or real-time display.

[0075] This detachable connection method supports hot-swapping, allowing the communication board 10 to be connected or removed without powering down the main control system 20, greatly improving the system's flexibility and maintenance efficiency. The high bandwidth and stable transmission mechanism provided by the USB interface ensures continuous, low-latency transmission of multiple concurrent aviation data streams, avoiding data loss due to the uncertainty of task scheduling by the main control system 20. The communication system 30 optimizes the real-time performance and reliability of the overall architecture by separating real-time acquisition tasks from upper-level data processing tasks, making it suitable for integrated applications in avionics test platforms, ground support equipment, flight simulators, and airborne data recording systems.

[0076] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this application. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0077] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A communication board, characterized in that, include: Circuit board; An MCU chip, wherein the MCU chip is disposed on the circuit board and configured to be connected to the main control system; An ARINC429 protocol chip is mounted on the circuit board. The ARINC429 protocol chip is connected to the MCU chip via a first SPI trace printed on the circuit board. The ARINC429 protocol chip also has multiple first input channel pins and multiple first output channel pins. The ARINC429 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC429 bus device via these first input channel pins and first output channel pins. An ARINC717 protocol chip is disposed on the circuit board. The ARINC717 protocol chip is connected to the MCU chip through a second SPI trace printed on the PCB board. The ARINC717 protocol chip also has a second input channel pin and a second output channel pin. The ARINC717 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC717 bus device through the second input channel pin and the second output channel pin.

2. The communication board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The MCU chip is also provided with a USB communication pin. The MCU chip is electrically connected to a USB interface connector disposed on the circuit board through the USB communication pin. The USB interface connector is used to plug into the USB interface of the main control system.

3. The communication board according to claim 2, characterized in that, The USB interface connector is selected from one of the following: a Type-A interface connector, a Micro-B interface connector, or a Type-C interface connector.

4. The communication board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ARINC429 protocol chip is a multi-channel integrated chip, which has eight first input channels and four first output channels.

5. The communication board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ARINC717 protocol chip supports configurable transmission rates, including at least one of 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, and 8192 words per second.

6. The communication board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication board also includes an ARINC429 transceiver, which is mounted on the circuit board. The ARINC429 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC429 bus through the ARINC429 transceiver.

7. The communication board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication board also includes an ARINC717 transceiver, which is mounted on the circuit board. The ARINC717 protocol chip is connected to an external ARINC717 bus through the ARINC717 transceiver.

8. The communication board according to claim 1, characterized in that, The communication board also includes a power module, which is used to convert the external input power into the operating voltage required by the MCU chip, the ARINC429 protocol chip and the ARINC717 protocol chip.

9. The communication board according to claim 8, characterized in that, The MCU chip, ARINC429 protocol chip, and ARINC717 protocol chip are all soldered to the same side of the circuit board as surface mount devices.

10. A communication system, characterized in that, include The communication board according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and The main control system is detachably connected to the MCU chip of the communication board via a USB data cable.

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