Aircraft Data Network RDC Architecture Reduces Wiring Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft data networks face challenges due to long and costly wiring requirements for direct connections between transmitting and receiving systems, which increases weight and complexity, and redundant networks may fail due to common mode faults, leading to unreliable data communication.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a data network architecture with Remote Data Concentrators (RDCs) and network switches that concentrate and route data, reducing the need for direct wiring and providing dissimilar paths for critical data communication, thereby minimizing common mode faults and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct wired connections are used between each transmitting system and each receiving system, then data communication reliability is improved, but wiring complexity and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces data concentrators as intermediary devices that collect data from multiple transmitting systems and distribute it to multiple receiving systems. This mediator approach replaces the need for direct point-to-point wiring between all transmitting and receiving systems, significantly reducing wiring complexity while maintaining communication reliability through centralized data handling and distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple data transmission paths into a single centralized data concentrator node. Instead of having separate wiring for each transmitting-receiving pair, multiple data streams are combined at the concentrator, which then distributes them to receiving systems. This consolidation reduces the overall wiring infrastructure while preserving data communication reliability.
2Reliability
If redundant data networks are implemented, then system reliability is improved, but wiring burden and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the data concentrator architecture to serve multiple functions within a single network infrastructure. The same concentrator nodes and wiring infrastructure support both primary and redundant data transmission paths, allowing the system to achieve redundancy without duplicating the entire wiring burden. The concentrators can dynamically route data through different paths to provide failover capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements logical redundancy through software-based path copying rather than physical wiring duplication. The redundant data network uses the same physical infrastructure but creates alternative logical paths through the data concentrators, providing backup communication routes without requiring duplicate physical wiring for every connection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If transmitting systems are located far from receiving systems, then system flexibility is improved, but wire run length and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The data concentrator acts as a localized intermediary that receives data from transmitting systems and distributes it to receiving systems in the same regional area. This allows transmitting and receiving systems to be located far apart in different aircraft regions while the concentrator handles the data routing locally, reducing the need for long cross-aircraft wire runs and maintaining system flexibility for various layouts.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft data network is provided that can include a first Remote Data Concentrator (RDC), a network switch and a second RDC. The first RDC can receive one or more input signals comprising data from a transmitting system, and translate the data per a network protocol to generate translated data having a format in accordance with the network protocol. The network switch can receive the translated data from the first RDC, determine a destination for at least some of the translated data, and route at least some of the translated data toward a first receiving system. The second RDC can receive at least some of the translated data from the network switch, convert at least some of the translated data to generate converted data having a format designed for use by the first receiving system, and communicate the converted data to the first receiving system.