Communication Interface Bridging Legacy and Modern Protocols
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of aircraft systems often faces a conflict between achieving redundancy and reducing costs, as existing solutions require multiple components and licenses to support both legacy and modern communication protocols, increasing complexity and expense.
Innovation Solution
A flexible and robust communication interface that uses redundant communication channels and protocols to bridge between legacy and non-legacy devices, implemented in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs, utilizing protocols like EtherCAT and AFDX, to provide cost-effective redundancy while supporting various communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components and licenses are used to support both legacy and modern communication protocols, then communication compatibility is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The communication interface is designed to perform multiple functions by supporting both legacy ARINC 429 protocols and modern Ethernet protocols (AFDX, EtherCAT) within a single device. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each protocol type, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining broad communication compatibility across different aircraft systems
Solution Approach 2:
The communication interface acts as an intermediary device that bridges legacy ARINC 429 systems and modern Ethernet-based systems. It translates and protocols between these different communication standards, enabling seamless interaction between old and new components without requiring each side to have direct support for multiple protocols, thus reducing the total number of components needed
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components and licenses are used to support both legacy and modern communication protocols, then communication compatibility is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By designing a single communication interface that can handle both ARINC 429 and Ethernet protocols, the system eliminates the need to purchase and license multiple separate components for different protocol support. This consolidation reduces overall system cost while maintaining the ability to communicate with both legacy and modern avionics systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functionality of multiple protocol handlers into a single integrated communication interface. This merging of functions reduces the total bill of materials and associated licensing costs, as fewer discrete components are required to achieve the same level of protocol support
3Reliability
If redundant communication channels are implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication interface serves as a smart intermediary that manages redundant communication channels automatically. It can select between primary and backup channels based on system state without requiring complex external control logic, thereby providing reliability through redundancy while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through intelligent automation
Data Source
AI summary
A first instruction directed to a first device is received from a controller and via a communication channel with redundancy. The first instruction is sent to the first device via a first communication protocol associated with the first device. A second instruction directed to a second device is received from the controller and via the communication channel with redundancy. The second instruction is sent to the second device via a second communication protocol associated with the second device.