Flight Management System QoS via Segmented Server Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current avionics systems face challenges in maintaining quality of service and upgrading capabilities without degrading performance, particularly in real-time environments, where new connections and system updates require costly requalification and can lead to service disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that decouples client and server upgrades by using a segmented architecture with a 'SEP SERVER' that manages requests, prioritization, and caching, allowing for dynamic configuration and resource reservation, ensuring quality of service and intrinsic performance without affecting the core systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a new client connects to the server in a real-time avionics system, then the system's adaptability and versatility improve, but the quality of service and response time deteriorate due to increased server load and calculation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the avionics system into distinct client and server components with well-defined interfaces. The server is further divided into calculation units that can independently process different client requests. This segmentation allows new clients to connect without requiring system-wide requalification, as long as they interface through the established protocol, thereby maintaining quality of service while improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the server's request management system) that mediates between multiple clients and the core calculation units. This intermediary handles request queuing, prioritization, and allocation, allowing the server to manage variable client loads without degrading the quality of service for individual clients. The intermediary absorbs the variability introduced by new connections.
2Productivity
If the server increases calculation capabilities to handle more clients, then the productivity improves, but the device complexity and requalification requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the server with universal calculation units that can handle multiple types of client requests through standardized interfaces. Rather than creating specialized processing paths for different clients, the system uses multi-functional calculation units that process diverse requests uniformly. This approach increases productivity while avoiding the complexity of customized processing paths that would require requalification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the server can adapt its calculation capacity distribution in real-time based on current client needs. The request queuing and prioritization mechanisms allow the system to dynamically adjust which clients receive processing resources at any given moment. This dynamic approach enables the server to handle variable loads without requiring structural changes or requalification.
3Reliability
If the system performs requalification to verify performance after adding new connections, then the reliability improves, but the loss of time and productivity during the requalification process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary verification during the design and integration phase, establishing performance baselines and validation protocols before the system enters operational use. Once the system is qualified with a known set of clients, new clients can connect without triggering full requalification, as long as they adhere to the established interface specifications. This preliminary action approach ensures reliability while avoiding repeated time-consuming requalification cycles.
4Reliability
If the server cancels client requests when calculation time exceeds response time requirements, then the quality of service for other clients is maintained, but the reliability and responsiveness to individual clients deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial processing where the server can provide preliminary results or partial fulfillments to clients even when complete processing would exceed response time requirements. The request queuing system allows clients to receive intermediate results or status updates, maintaining a degree of responsiveness without compromising the stability of the overall system. This approach avoids complete request cancellation while managing time constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
A method implemented by computer in or for a flight management system or FMS, comprises the steps of receiving requests issued by clients; determining a correspondence between the requests and predefined unitary services executable by at least one server associated with the FMS; queuing the unitary services determined in one or more queues; determining a response time associated with each request; and notifying at least one client of the response time to its request. Developments describe the processing of queues, the management of priorities, the existence of fixed-price contracts, caching mechanisms, interruptions of queues, cancellations of requests, voting mechanisms, etc. The unitary services in particular can be avionics services of ATA (Air Transport Association) type. Systems aspects and software aspects are described.