Avionics Circuit Card Assembly for Wireless Expansion Card Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy avionics hosts often lack interfaces for directly hosting wireless expansion cards, leading to clearance issues and increased development, qualification, and certification costs due to the need for redesigning circuit card assemblies to accommodate embedded wireless chips and their interfacing electronic circuits.
Innovation Solution
A circuit card assembly with flexible mounting capabilities, including a substrate with integrated circuits, mounting holes, interfaces for power reception, and coaxial radio frequency connectors, which adapts to host devices with minimal modifications, allowing for the integration of expansion cards and wireless communication without requiring extensive host chassis changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If embedded wireless chips are integrated into host circuit card assemblies, then wireless communication capability is achieved, but device complexity and development cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication system is segmented into separate functional modules: the host circuit card assembly and a detachable expansion card. The expansion card contains the wireless chip, antenna, and supporting electronics, while the host CCA retains only the interface connector. This segmentation allows the host CCA to remain simple while still achieving wireless capability through the modular expansion card.
2Adaptability or versatility
If legacy avionics hosts are modified to accommodate wireless expansion cards, then wireless interface is enabled, but manufacturing cost and certification complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion card is designed with a universal interface that can be integrated into various host circuit card assemblies through a standard connector. The expansion card serves multiple functions including wireless communication, real-time clock operation, and signal modulation/demodulation. This universal design allows legacy avionics hosts to gain wireless capability without requiring host-specific modifications, thereby reducing development and certification costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If expansion cards are mounted in host chassis with limited clearance, then wireless module integration is achieved, but mounting difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion card utilizes the vertical dimension for mounting by standing upright in the host chassis rather than being horizontally mounted. The card extends vertically from the host CCA interface, effectively using the unused vertical space in the chassis. This dimensional change allows integration of the wireless module without requiring additional horizontal clearance, thereby facilitating easier mounting in compact avionics environments.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit card assembly is described. The circuit card assembly adapts a host circuit card assembly of a host device with an expansion card. By such adaption, the host device may communicate with an access point of an avionics network. The circuit card assembly includes an interface for receiving power from the host circuit card assembly. The circuit card assembly then continuously and selectively provides power to a second interface based on the availability of aircraft power. The second interface receives the expansion card. The circuit card assembly also includes one or more coaxial RF connectors for receiving modulated signals from the expansion card. The circuit card assembly also includes an antenna which transmits radio waves based on the modulated signals. A system for communication to an access point of an avionics network includes the circuit card assembly.