Referencing Unit for Cross-Bus Event Timing Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In modern aircraft systems, the communication between disparate time domains across multiple communications buses leads to an inability to precisely determine the timing of events, as the timing reference is lost when information is passed from one bus to another, which is critical for the operation and monitoring of various Line Replaceable Units (LRUs).
Innovation Solution
A referencing unit is introduced that includes a master clock and receivers communicatively coupled to multiple communications buses, allowing it to reference the content of messages from one bus to the master clock and provide a common time reference for events occurring on different buses, thereby synchronizing timing across disparate time domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If information is passed from one communications bus to another time-independent bus, then data distribution and system functionality are improved, but timing reference is lost and event timing cannot be precisely determined
Solution Approach 1:
A timing reference unit is introduced as an intermediary component that receives timing information from the first communications bus and generates corresponding timing references for the second communications bus. This mediator preserves the timing relationship across time-independent buses by translating and propagating timing references through the system, allowing event timing to be precisely determined even when data crosses bus boundaries.
2Device complexity
If multiple independent clocking systems are used in different systems, then system independence and modularity are improved, but common timing reference across systems is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The timing reference unit merges multiple independent timing references into a unified timing framework. By receiving timing information from the first bus and generating corresponding references for the second bus, it creates a common timing basis that spans across independently clocked systems, enabling synchronized operation while preserving system independence.
3Adaptability or versatility
If timing information is not preserved across buses, then system flexibility and bus independence are improved, but signal propagation delay evaluation becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The timing reference unit serves as a mediator that captures timing information from the first communications bus and reconstructs it for the second bus. This allows the system to maintain bus independence while preserving timing information, enabling the evaluation of signal propagation delays by comparing timing references at different points in the system.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for correlating, in time, selected events that are memorialized as data within messages transmitted across disparate communications busses is described. The method includes receiving, with a referencing unit, the messages that are transmitted across the disparate communications busses, referencing, with the referencing unit, the content of a first selected received message to a master clock within the referencing unit, referencing, with the referencing unit, the content of a second selected received message to the master clock within the referencing unit, the second selected received message related to the first selected message, the second selected received message occurring on a communications bus disparate from the communications bus upon which the first received message occurred, and providing, based on operation of the master clock, a common time reference for the content of both the first selected received message and the second selected received message.