Aircraft Network Architecture Merging Data Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data network architectures in aircraft and spacecraft require multiple physically separated networks to prevent interference between domains of different relevance, leading to increased complexity, weight, and cost due to the need for multiple data cables, servers, and infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A network architecture that uses a single physical network line with network access devices capable of prioritizing data transmission based on relevance, allowing data of varying priority to be transmitted in fixed time slots, thereby reducing the need for separate cables and infrastructure by ensuring high-priority data is not influenced by low-priority data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physically separated data networks are used for different functional domains, then reliability is improved by preventing interference between domains, but device complexity increases due to multiple cables, servers, and infrastructure components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple physically separated data networks into a single shared network infrastructure. Different functional domains (aircraft control, airline information service, passenger information and entertainment) share common network lines, servers, and infrastructure components while maintaining logical separation through prioritization mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces network access devices as intermediaries that manage data transmission between different functional domains. These devices implement prioritization logic to ensure that critical aircraft control data receives higher priority than non-critical passenger entertainment data, preventing interference while sharing infrastructure.
2Reliability
If multiple physically separated data networks are deployed, then reliability is improved by isolating critical functions, but weight increases due to additional cabling and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate network infrastructures into a single shared physical network, eliminating redundant cables, servers, and infrastructure components. This merging significantly reduces the overall weight while maintaining functional isolation through logical prioritization mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared network infrastructure is designed to serve multiple functional domains simultaneously. The same network lines and infrastructure components handle aircraft control traffic, airline information services, and passenger entertainment, making the infrastructure universal and weight-efficient.
3Reliability
If separate data networks are used for each functional domain, then reliability is improved by preventing traffic interference, but cost increases due to duplicate infrastructure components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges duplicate infrastructure components into a single shared resource pool. Instead of deploying separate cables, servers, and network equipment for each functional domain, the system consolidates these components while using prioritization mechanisms to prevent traffic interference between domains.
Solution Approach 2:
The infrastructure components are designed to be universal and multi-functional, serving multiple domains simultaneously. This eliminates the need for expensive duplicate components while maintaining the reliability benefits of domain isolation through intelligent traffic management.
4Device complexity
If a single shared network is used, then device complexity is reduced by eliminating redundant infrastructure, but reliability deteriorates due to potential interference between different priority data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces network access devices as intermediaries that enforce prioritization rules on the shared network. These devices ensure that high-priority aircraft control data is transmitted without interference from low-priority passenger entertainment data, maintaining reliability while enabling infrastructure sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic time slots for different priority levels of data transmission. Critical aircraft control data is allocated specific time slots that are protected from lower-priority traffic, ensuring reliable transmission while allowing the shared infrastructure to serve multiple domains.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a network, in particular for an aircraft and spacecraft, comprising a network line and at least two network access devices which are interconnected by the network line and between which data of different levels of priority can be transmitted, the network access devices being formed so as allocate data with a level of priority allocated to the respective data, at least two different levels of priority being provided for the data depending on the relevance of the respective data, and the data being transmitted on the network line in fixed time slots depending on the level of priority assigned in each case. The present invention further provides a method and an aircraft and spacecraft.