Aircraft Edge Computation Device Dynamic Resource Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft onboard computation devices face limitations in computational capacity and flexibility due to stringent certification requirements and pre-allocated resources, making it difficult to execute sophisticated software applications and adapt to new aeronautical needs, such as those required for drones or urban taxi aircraft.
Innovation Solution
An onboard edge computation device that manages local and remote computation resources, allowing dynamic allocation of resources for software application execution, with modules for managing software applications, activating their execution, and consolidating results, while communicating with both onboard and ground-based systems using different communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If onboard computation devices use certified operation with pre-allocated resources, then reliability is improved, but computational capacity and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments computation tasks into two categories: critical safety functions executed on certified onboard devices with pre-allocated resources, and non-critical applications executed on remote ground-based computation devices. This segmentation allows the onboard system to maintain reliability for essential functions while gaining adaptability through flexible remote computation resources.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication interface acts as an intermediary between onboard certified devices and remote computation devices, enabling data exchange and coordinated operation. This intermediary allows the system to leverage both the reliability of certified onboard systems and the adaptability of remote systems without compromising either aspect.
2Speed
If onboard computation devices allocate more computational resources locally, then processing speed is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication interface serves as an intermediary that enables fast local processing for time-critical functions while offloading less time-sensitive computations to remote devices. This approach achieves high processing speed for essential operations without requiring all onboard devices to be complex and expensive.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by providing high computational power locally only where needed for time-critical functions, while using remote computation for less time-sensitive tasks. This selective approach optimizes processing speed for critical operations without uniformly increasing device complexity across the entire system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sophisticated software applications are implemented onboard, then functionality is improved, but certification cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments software applications into certified onboard applications for essential functions and uncertified remote applications for sophisticated but non-critical functions. This segmentation enables the implementation of complex functionality through remote devices without subjecting all software to expensive certification processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts sophisticated software applications from the onboard certified environment and places them on remote ground-based devices. This extraction allows sophisticated functionality to be implemented without the burden of certification, while only essential safety-critical software remains onboard and certified.
Data Source
AI summary
An edge computation device on board an aircraft is configured for communicating with one or a plurality of onboard electronic devices having certified operation, and with at least one remote computation system. Same includes local computational resources, and is configured for implementing a management module for a plurality of software applications suitable for providing at least one control parameter and/or receiving at least one datum from at least one onboard electronic device, a module for activating the execution of at least one of the stored software applications, a management module for an execution stack, configured for determining, for each software application to be executed, an allocation of local computation resources and, where appropriate, for executing locally a first part of the application, and for requesting remote execution, by means of the remote computation system, of a second part of the application to be executed.