Aircraft FMS Event Queue for Asynchronous Redundancy Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle systems, particularly in aircraft, require undesirable amounts of data transfer and complex synchronization schemes to maintain redundant systems in lockstep, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for updating data at different vehicle systems by obtaining event data from an external source, updating the data to an updated state, and adding it to an event queue, while validating the state before propagation to ensure consistency across systems, thereby minimizing data transfer and eliminating complex synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex synchronization schemes are used to maintain redundant systems in lockstep, then data consistency is improved, but system complexity and data transfer requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data update process into independent event-driven updates at each redundant system. Instead of treating the redundant systems as a unified synchronized entity, each system independently processes event data from external sources, eliminating the need for complex inter-system synchronization while maintaining data consistency through independent validation of the updated state.
2Reliability
If frequent data transfer between redundant systems is performed to maintain synchronization, then data consistency is improved, but resource consumption and data transfer bandwidth increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the synchronization function from the data transfer process itself. By having each redundant system independently validate its updated state against the event data source, the system eliminates the need for continuous data transfer between redundant systems, thereby reducing resource consumption while maintaining consistency.
3Productivity
If independent asynchronous updates are allowed across systems, then processing efficiency is improved, but data consistency across systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through independent validation of the updated state at each redundant system. Each system validates its updated state against the event data it received, creating a feedback mechanism that ensures consistency without requiring synchronous coordination. This allows asynchronous processing while maintaining reliability through self-validation.
Data Source
AI summary
Vehicle systems and methods are provided for updating vehicle systems in response to an update event at one of the vehicle systems, such as, for example, an update at a flight management system (FMS) of an aircraft. One method involves the FMS obtaining event data from an external source indicative of an update event, updating flight data at the FMS to an updated state based at least in part on the event data, and then adding the event data to an event queue after updating the flight data at the FMS to the updated state. One or more other vehicle systems can asynchronously retrieve the event data from the event queue and independently update in response to the event data.