Avionics I/O Encapsulation Verification for High-Integrity Data Chains

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing avionics systems require significant development and maintenance costs due to the need for dissimilar hardware and software platforms to ensure high integrity, which is costly and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

An input/output management system using similar hardware and software resources for both command and monitoring chains, with integrated verification mechanisms to ensure data integrity and authenticity, including asymmetric use of primary stages and encapsulation with authentication and dating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dissimilar computing platforms are used for command and monitoring chains, then system integrity and reliability are improved, but development cost and device complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem integrityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by using dissimilar computing platforms for the command chain and monitoring chain. The command chain uses a first computing platform with specific hardware and software configuration, while the monitoring chain uses a second computing platform with different configuration. This asymmetric architecture ensures that a failure in one platform cannot directly cause the same failure in the other chain, thereby maintaining system integrity and reliability while managing device complexity through structured differentiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the avionics system into distinct command and monitoring chains, each with independent computing platforms. This segmentation allows independent verification and validation of each chain, ensuring that errors in one segment do not propagate to the other. The segmentation principle resolves the contradiction by organizing complexity into manageable, independent segments that collectively enhance reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If dissimilar computing platforms are used for command and monitoring chains, then system integrity is improved, but development cost and maintenance cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem integrityVSAvoiddevelopment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric platform selection where the command chain and monitoring chain use different computing platforms. This asymmetry is strategically designed to leverage the strengths of each platform for its specific function while managing costs. The dissimilarity ensures independent failure modes and enhanced integrity, while the structured approach to platform selection helps control development and maintenance costs compared to using completely unrelated systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Ease of manufacture

If similar hardware and software resources are used for both chains, then development cost is reduced, but system integrity and error detection capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevelopment costVSAvoiderror detection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains asymmetry in computing platform configuration between command and monitoring chains to preserve error detection capability. While similar hardware and software resources reduce development cost, the asymmetric configuration ensures that common-mode errors cannot affect both chains simultaneously. This principle resolves the contradiction by strategically selecting platforms that balance cost efficiency with the critical need for independent error detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Reliability

If two dissimilar basic software programs are developed, then monitoring capability is improved, but maintenance cost and development time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring capabilityVSAvoiddevelopment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the software development into distinct command software and monitoring software components that run on separate computing platforms. This segmentation allows parallel development of the two software programs, reducing overall development time compared to sequential development. The independent software segments can be developed, tested, and maintained separately, improving monitoring capability while managing development time through concurrent engineering approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4575794A1System for managing inputs/outputs of at least one avionics application and method for verifying the operation of such a system

Publication Date: 2025.06.25 THALES SA

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AI summary

The present invention relates to an input/output management system for at least one avionics application (12), comprising at least two computing platforms (16A) implemented using similar hardware and software resources, each computing platform (16A) comprising: - a primary stage (21) configured to acquire analog signals and convert them into digital signals; - an intermediate stage (22) configured to digitally process the digital signals by forming digital data; - a final stage (23) configured to make the digital data available to the avionics application (12); the intermediate stage (22) being further configured to encapsulate each processed digital data; each computing platform (16A) further comprising a verification application (65) configured to verify the encapsulation of each received data.