On-board Equipment Logic Interface Incompatibility Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In aircraft avionics systems, maintaining compatibility between equipment items is challenging, especially after replacement, as existing methods rely on manual verification and manufacturer documentation, which can lead to errors and incompatibilities due to differences in software and hardware versions.

Innovation Solution

A computer method for detecting incompatibilities between equipment items by comparing minimal data definition levels of their interfaces, generating alarms for discrepancies, and transmitting this information to a centralized system for remote monitoring and automatic verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual verification using manufacturer documentation is used to check equipment compatibility, then operators can verify compatibility, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility verification accuracyVSAvoidmaintenance operation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual verification processes with an automated computer-based system that compares data definition levels programmatically. The system automatically retrieves version information from equipment items, compares them against authorized configurations, and generates compatibility results without human intervention, thereby eliminating manual errors and reducing time consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables equipment items to self-report their version information and data definition levels through automated queries. Each equipment item provides its own identification and version data to the verification system, eliminating the need for operators to manually collect and verify this information from physical labels or documentation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of repair

If replacement equipment items with different versions are used, then maintenance can be performed, but compatibility incompatibilities may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment replacement capabilityVSAvoidsystem compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs compatibility verification before the replacement equipment item is installed in the aircraft. By checking data definition levels and comparing against authorized configurations in advance, the system identifies potential incompatibilities before they can cause system failures, allowing operators to select compatible replacement items from inventory.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides immediate feedback on compatibility status by comparing the replacement equipment's data definition levels with authorized configurations. This feedback mechanism guides operators in selecting appropriate replacement items and prevents installation of incompatible equipment, thereby maintaining system reliability while enabling repairs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If comprehensive compatibility checking is performed, then incompatibilities are detected, but the verification process becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincompatibility detection accuracyVSAvoidverification system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential compatibility information (data definition levels and version identifiers) from equipment items, ignoring other non-essential characteristics. By focusing solely on the critical parameters needed for compatibility verification, the system achieves comprehensive checking without unnecessary complexity in the verification process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9043650B2Method and device for detecting logic interface incompatibilities of equipment items of on-board systems

Publication Date: 2015.05.26 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)

AI summary

The invention in particular has as an object detecting incompatibility between equipment items of a on-board system. A logic interface associated with one equipment item comprises at least one input while a logic interface associated with another equipment item comprises at least one output. The input and the output are connected. After a minimal data definition level associated with the input and a data definition level associated with the output have been obtained (505), the said minimal data definition level associated with the input is compared (515) with the said data definition level associated with the output. Following this comparison, if the said minimal data definition level associated with the input is lower than the said data definition level associated with the output, an alarm indicating an incompatibility of these two equipment items is generated (545).