Modular Electronic Assembly With Communication Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic assemblies for controlling complex processes, such as missile control, face challenges in achieving high communication flexibility while maintaining low production costs, particularly in adapting communication protocols and data rates between functional units and external systems, which complicates manufacturing and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a modular backplane design separating task-specific wiring from communication adaptation, where a passive contact plate and an active communication unit are used. The communication unit acts as a central interface for adapting different communication modes and includes a router for centralized communication management, enabling high-speed data transfer and flexible task adaptation without requiring extensive reconfiguration of functional units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If functional units are standardized with identical hardware for simplified manufacture, then production costs are reduced, but communication flexibility with external systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A communication unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the standardized functional units and external systems. This communication unit handles all communication protocol adaptations and data rate conversions, allowing the functional units to remain identical and standardized while still achieving flexible external communication through the mediating communication unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication adaptation functionality is extracted from the functional units and concentrated into a separate communication unit. This extraction allows the functional units to be manufactured identically without communication-specific customizations, while the communication unit provides the necessary adaptability to different external communication standards.
2Ease of manufacture
If communication adaptation is centralized in a backplane, then manufacturing of functional units is simplified, but the backplane complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication adaptation functionality is extracted from the backplane and placed into a separate communication unit. This extraction reduces the backplane to a simple mechanical support structure (contact plate) while concentrating all communication intelligence in the dedicated communication unit, thereby simplifying the backplane without compromising communication capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional integrated backplane is segmented into two separate components: a passive contact plate for mechanical support and electrical connections, and an active communication unit for all communication processing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If task-specific wiring is integrated into the backplane, then communication functionality is achieved, but adaptability to different communication protocols deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The communication unit acts as an intermediary that handles all protocol-specific wiring and communication logic. The contact plate provides only generic mechanical and electrical connections without task-specific wiring. This allows the system to adapt to different communication protocols by reconfiguring the communication unit while keeping the contact plate structure unchanged.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an electronic assembly (2, 36), comprising several functional units (4), which each comprise a circuit board element (6) populated with electronic components (8), wherein the circuit board elements (6) are interconnected by means of a contact circuit board (12, 38) so as to permit signal exchange. An assembly (2) that has a high degree of communication flexibility combined with low manufacturing costs can be created if the assembly contains a communication unit (22, 40) that is directly connected to the contact circuit board (12, 38) by means of data lines (16, 18) and that is populated with electronic parts (32) in such a way that the communication unit serves as a communication interface for components (8) of the circuit board elements (6).