Avionics Integrity Testing via Cross-System Data Consistency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing monitoring mechanisms for aircraft avionics systems are not fully effective in detecting integrity loss, as they may fail to detect inconsistencies among multiple systems, potentially leading to safety deterioration even without detected malfunctions.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves defining test periods, collecting and analyzing flight data from multiple independent avionics systems for consistency using predetermined rules, and generating alerts when inconsistencies are found, with features including verification orders and dependency trees to determine integrity and communication of inconsistent variables.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If existing monitoring mechanisms are used to detect avionics malfunctions, then individual system failures can be identified, but inconsistencies among multiple avionics systems cannot be detected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegrity detection capabilityVSAvoidsafety assurance

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring function is segmented into two independent layers: individual avionics system monitoring and cross-system consistency monitoring. Each avionics system continues to monitor itself for malfunctions, while a separate consistency monitoring mechanism compares data across multiple systems to detect inconsistencies, thereby resolving the contradiction between individual detection and system-wide reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A data consistency analysis mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between multiple avionics systems. This intermediary collects flight data from various independent systems, applies consistency rules to compare their outputs, and generates alerts when inconsistencies are detected, enabling detection of integrity loss without requiring individual system malfunctions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If multiple avionics systems operate independently to provide flight data, then system redundancy and availability are improved, but undetected inconsistencies among systems may develop

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availabilityVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A feedback mechanism is implemented where flight data from multiple independent avionics systems is continuously collected and compared against consistency rules. When inconsistencies are detected, alert information is generated and fed back to the monitoring system, creating a closed-loop feedback system that maintains both independence for availability and consistency checking for reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

While maintaining operational independence of individual avionics systems, the patent merges their data outputs into a unified consistency monitoring framework. Multiple independent data streams are combined and analyzed together through consistency rules, allowing the systems to operate independently while their combined output is verified for consistency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10861259B2Method for testing the integrity of the avionics of an aircraft, associated device and computer program product

Publication Date: 2020.12.08 THALES SA

AI summary

A testing method including defining a plurality of test periods, and for each current test period collecting flight data from at least two separate avionics systems operating independently, analyzing consistency between the data collected during the previous test period, and/or between the data and flight data collected during an earlier test period, while verifying a plurality of predetermined consistency rules, and when at least one of these rules is not verified, generating an alert relative to a loss of integrity of the avionics.