Aircraft Network Discovery Using Forwarding Counters and Mapping Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network discovery methods in aircraft data networks are inefficient and require manual configuration, especially when network elements are replaced, updated, or rearranged, making it difficult to identify network elements unambiguously in flexible and dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
A network discovery method involving a master node sending discovery messages with forwarding counters, which are incremented by slave nodes, allowing them to determine their functional designations and update a mapping table with context information, enabling automatic identification of network elements across different hierarchy levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual configuration is used for network elements, then network identification can be achieved, but installation complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The network elements perform self-identification by automatically determining their functional designations through the discovery message process. Each slave node autonomously updates its own mapping table entries by processing discovery messages and context information, eliminating the need for manual configuration and significantly reducing installation time
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes a mapping table structure that defines the relationship between network positions and functional designations. This preliminary framework allows nodes to quickly determine their roles during the discovery process without requiring time-consuming manual configuration during installation
2Reliability
If network topology is fixed and pre-configured, then network stability is maintained, but adaptability to topology changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery message mechanism enables dynamic adaptation to topology changes. When network elements are added, removed, or moved, the master node can initiate new discovery messages that automatically update the mapping table to reflect the current network state, maintaining both stability through the structured approach and adaptability through automatic updates
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through the discovery message exchange process. Slave nodes send responses containing their identifiers and received context information back to the master node, which uses this feedback to verify and update the mapping table, ensuring the network configuration remains accurate after any topology changes
3Productivity
If automatic discovery is implemented, then installation efficiency improves, but message transmission overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The discovery process is segmented into hierarchical levels with the master node first discovering direct child nodes, then progressively discovering nodes at deeper hierarchy levels. This segmentation allows the system to build the mapping table incrementally, reducing the total message volume compared to discovering all nodes simultaneously while maintaining high installation efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A network discovery method includes: sending, by a master node in a logical root hierarchy level of a data network, a discovery message including a forwarding counter to a first slave node in the data network first logical hierarchy level via a child port; increasing, by the first neighboring slave node, the forwarding counter; forwarding the discovery message with the increased forwarding counter to a second slave node in the first logical hierarchy level; receiving, by the first and second slave nodes, context information from the master node regarding the identities of the master node and the child port; determining, by the first and second slave nodes, its own functional designation based on the forwarding counter and the received context information by comparison with a mapping table; and updating the mapping table by matching the recorded functional designation in the mapping table with the first and slave node identities.