Avionics Power Controller Logic Design Using Pre-Qualified Library Blocks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In regulated avionics systems, existing methods lack an efficient and cost-effective way to design and verify control logic for power system controllers, which is crucial for ensuring deterministic operation and reducing development and certification costs.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising pre-qualified library blocks, a user interface for designing control logic, and a parameter data item (PDI) file that defines an ordered sequence arrangement of these blocks, along with a verification tool to qualify the PDI file for qualified operation in the power system controller.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional design methods are used for control logic in regulated avionics systems, then development flexibility is maintained, but development costs and certification time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevelopment efficiencyVSAvoidverification complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control logic design is segmented into reusable library blocks that can be independently verified and qualified. Each block represents a discrete functional unit that can be validated separately, reducing the overall verification complexity while maintaining development flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Library blocks are pre-qualified and pre-verified before being used in control logic design. This preliminary verification action eliminates the need to re-verify standard functions during system-level certification, significantly reducing development costs and certification time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If custom control logic is designed for each application, then functional requirements are met, but reusability and cost-effectiveness decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication reusabilityVSAvoiddevelopment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The library blocks are designed to be universal and applicable across multiple avionics applications. A single qualified block can be reused in different control logic configurations to meet various functional requirements, eliminating redundant development and certification efforts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of designing custom control logic for each application, verified library blocks are copied and reused across multiple projects. The copying of pre-qualified blocks maintains functional requirements while significantly reducing development costs and certification overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If comprehensive verification is performed on all control logic, then system reliability is ensured, but development time and resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic reliabilityVSAvoidverification time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Verification activities are performed in advance on library blocks during their qualification phase. This preliminary verification ensures reliability is established before the blocks are used in actual control logic, eliminating the need for repetitive verification during each application's development cycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The verification process provides feedback in the form of qualification status for each library block. This feedback mechanism allows the system to track which blocks have been verified and can be safely reused, maintaining reliability while reducing redundant verification time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11618553B2Method and process of creating qualifiable parameter data item (PDI) to define the function of a power system controller

Publication Date: 2023.04.04 GE AVIATION SYST LTD

AI summary

A method and system of designing control logic for an avionics system, the method and system including receiving a function requirement defining a desired control logic for the desired control system, designing, by a user in a user interface (UI) of a toolset, the desired control logic comprising an arrangement of predefined library blocks to enable the functional requirement in the desired control system, and generating, by the toolset, a data file representative of the desired control logic to enable the functional requirement during run-time operation in the avionics system.