Avionics Tool Verification System for Component Recertification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In avionics systems, updated software or components often require costly and resource-intensive requalification processes, which can be prohibitively expensive, especially for higher DAL levels, leading to delays and increased costs in implementing necessary updates such as security enhancements or bug fixes without direct impact on the qualified tool's operation.
Innovation Solution
A tool verification system that compares communications between a qualified tool and an unqualified component with a previously-qualified version to determine functional compatibility, allowing for partial or reduced requalification, thereby reducing the scope and cost of certification processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full requalification is performed on updated components, then system reliability is maintained, but cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the requalification process into two parts: (1) tools that require full requalification when their functionality changes, and (2) tools that can use simplified verification when only their implementation changes. This segmentation allows selective application of rigorous testing only where necessary, reducing overall time and cost while maintaining reliability for critical tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by implementing a simplified verification process for certain tools that does not require complete requalification. Instead of performing excessive full-scale testing on all tools, the system performs only the necessary subset of verification activities based on the tool's change characteristics, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining adequate reliability.
2Reliability
If full requalification is performed on updated components, then system reliability is maintained, but cost increases prohibitively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments tools into categories requiring different levels of verification effort. By identifying which tools truly impact system reliability when updated, the system applies full requalification only to those critical tools, while using simplified processes for others, thereby significantly reducing overall update implementation costs while maintaining necessary reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the verification parameter from binary (full requalification or no requalification) to a spectrum of verification levels. This allows the system to adjust the degree of verification based on the tool's criticality and the nature of changes, optimizing the balance between reliability maintenance and cost reduction.
3Productivity
If simplified verification is used for updated components, then cost and time are reduced, but qualification thoroughness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the verification process into comprehensive and simplified pathways based on tool characteristics and change types. This ensures that qualification thoroughness is maintained for critical tools while enabling faster implementation for less critical updates, achieving productivity improvement without compromising necessary verification quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial verification action appropriate to each tool's risk profile. For low-risk tools, simplified verification provides adequate thoroughness while improving productivity. For high-risk tools, more comprehensive verification is applied, ensuring that productivity gains do not compromise qualification quality where it matters most.
Data Source
AI summary
A tool verification system and a method of verifying an unqualified component includes receiving communications between a tool and an unverified component, comparing the communications with a previously-qualified set of communications, and determining whether the unqualified component can be qualified based on the comparison.