Common Interface Board for Secure VR Simulator Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current virtual reality (VR) training systems, particularly in military and industrial applications, lack interoperability, cybersecurity, and environmental monitoring, making it difficult to integrate and secure multiple simulation systems, and they often require extensive re-engineering to adapt to different hardware and environments.
Innovation Solution
A common interface board (CIB) is introduced that serves as a modular interface between computer systems and simulation devices, providing secure, reliable, and configurable communication, health monitoring, and security features, enabling seamless integration and conversion of commands across various simulation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If proprietary simulation systems are used, then each system can be optimized for specific training requirements, but interoperability between different simulation systems becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common interface board (CIB) as an intermediary device between simulation devices and computer systems. The CIB includes a universal translator that converts proprietary simulation device commands into standardized computer system commands and vice versa, enabling interoperability without requiring direct integration between different simulation systems. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by providing a standardized interface layer that simplifies integration while maintaining system-specific optimizations.
Solution Approach 2:
The CIB is designed with universal functionality to work with multiple types of simulation devices (tactical training simulators, maintenance simulators, VR systems, etc.) through a single standardized interface. The universal translator and configurable interface components allow one CIB design to serve multiple simulation system types, improving interoperability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If simulation systems are integrated with multiple computer systems, then flexibility and adaptability improve, but security risks and intrusion vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The CIB serves as a security intermediary between simulation devices and computer networks. It includes intrusion detection capabilities that monitor communications for unauthorized access attempts, and the universal translator ensures that only authorized, standardized commands are exchanged. This intermediary position allows the system to maintain flexibility in integrating multiple computer systems while actively detecting and preventing security threats.
Solution Approach 2:
The CIB incorporates intrusion detection feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor system communications and provide real-time alerts when unauthorized access or malicious activity is detected. This feedback loop enables the system to maintain security by responding to threat conditions while preserving the flexibility of multi-system integration through authorized communication channels.
3Reliability
If simulation systems monitor environmental conditions, then reliability and operational awareness improve, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges environmental monitoring functions directly into the CIB architecture rather than adding separate monitoring systems. The CIB integrates sensors and processing capabilities to monitor conditions such as temperature, humidity, and physical presence, combining these functions with the existing interface board. This merging approach improves operational reliability through environmental awareness while minimizing additional complexity by consolidating monitoring functions within the CIB.
4Adaptability or versatility
If extensive re-engineering is performed to adapt simulation systems to different hardware, then compatibility improves, but development time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The CIB with its universal translator acts as a mediator that handles hardware adaptation requirements. Instead of re-engineering simulation devices to work with different computer hardware, the CIB translates between various simulation device protocols and standardized computer system interfaces. This approach improves hardware compatibility while eliminating the need for extensive re-engineering of the simulation devices themselves, thereby reducing development time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional layers: simulation devices, the CIB interface layer, and computer systems. This segmentation isolates compatibility requirements at the CIB level rather than requiring changes throughout the entire system. The universal translator within the CIB handles protocol conversions, allowing simulation devices to maintain their original design while achieving compatibility with diverse computer hardware through the standardized CIB interface.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly comprises, in operable communication, a processor, a communications system, a sensory subsystem, a health management system, and a security system, where the assembly is configured to interface between a simulation system and a computer system that controls the simulation system. The communications system controls communications between the simulation system and the computer system. The sensory subsystem provides commands to the simulation system to enable it to provide a simulated user experience to the user that engages one or more senses of the user with a simulation that the respective one or more senses can detect. The health management system monitors health event information relating to one or more environmental characteristics in which the simulation system is operating. The security system monitors security events associated with the assembly, the security events related to at least one of physical and logical intrusion into the assembly.