Multiplexer Device Encoding for Measurement System Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing measurement systems require significant hardware modifications and re-certification processes, especially in regulated environments like aircraft systems, to update or reconfigure the system, which is time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A multiplexer device that autonomously selects between input channels and encodes measurement values into a multiplexed output signal, allowing the control unit to identify the input channel without external control, thereby decoupling the multiplexing operation from the control unit hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a multiplexer is provided that is controlled to switch between different input channels upon request from an external control unit, then multiple input channels can be monitored using existing measurement channels, but significant hardware modifications to the control unit are required when updating or reconfiguring the system
Solution Approach 1:
The multiplexer device autonomously selects between input channels and encodes measurement values into a multiplexed output signal without requiring external control. The device includes a processor that automatically performs the multiplexing operation and encodes channel identification information, allowing the system to reconfigure by simply changing which sensors are connected to input channels rather than modifying control unit hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The multiplexer device acts as an intermediary between the sensors and the control unit. It handles the complexity of channel selection and encoding, providing a standardized interface to the control unit while allowing flexible reconfiguration of the measurement system through channel assignments
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate dedicated measurement channels are provided for each sensor, then the control unit can read out data values from any sensor at any time, but significant hardware modifications are required to add additional measurement channels
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple measurement channels are merged into a single multiplexed output signal that contains encoded information from multiple input channels. The multiplexer device combines the data paths while maintaining the ability to distinguish between different sensors through encoding, reducing the number of physical measurement channels required in the control unit
Solution Approach 2:
A single measurement channel in the control unit is made universal by using the multiplexer device to provide multiple input channels to that single channel. The multiplexed output signal can represent data from any connected sensor, allowing the same hardware channel to serve multiple functions depending on which sensors are connected to the input channels
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is a multiplexer device (20) that is operable to generate from one or more input channels (16, 22) a multiplexed output signal, wherein when generating the multiplexed output signal the multiplexing circuit is configured to encode the measurement values for the plurality of input channels from which input signals were provided to the multiplexer device into the multiplexed output signal in such a manner that respective measurement values from different ones of the plurality of input channels can be identified directly from the multiplexed output signal.