SDK Application Server for Aircraft Tablet Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-certified onboard applications and connected aircraft services face challenges in hosting internal and third-party services and applications efficiently, requiring substantial software development efforts and lacking reusability of components within a connected aircraft end-to-end solution.
Innovation Solution
A server system comprising an aircraft server unit and a software development kit (SDK) application server that separates data processing from application logic, enabling interoperability and reusability of components across various aircraft and hardware platforms, and allowing communication with external portable devices using HTML5 web technology or native technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If non-certified onboard applications are hosted directly on aircraft systems, then service functionality is provided, but software development effort and cost increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the software architecture into distinct layers: a certified avionics software layer and a non-certified application layer. The SDK application server separates application logic from device control, allowing third-party applications to run without certifying the entire system. This segmentation enables functionality while reducing development complexity by isolating certification requirements to only the essential avionics layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary SDK application server that acts as a mediator between non-certified applications and the certified avionics system. This intermediary handles application execution, resource management, and communication, allowing third-party services to access aircraft systems without requiring full system recertification, thus reducing software development effort while maintaining functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If services are re-hosted from various non-certified functions, then application flexibility is achieved, but development cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The SDK application server provides universal functionality by implementing a standardized runtime environment and API layer that can host multiple different applications and services. This universal platform allows various non-certified functions to be re-hosted without requiring separate integration work for each application, reducing development costs while maintaining application flexibility across different scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of application deployment from direct integration with certified systems to execution within an isolated SDK runtime environment. This parameter change allows applications to be developed, tested, and deployed independently with different configuration parameters, reducing development cost while preserving flexibility through environment-based customization rather than code-level integration.
3Reliability
If components are integrated within connected aircraft end-to-end solution, then system functionality is achieved, but component reusability is not fully enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts application logic from the integrated end-to-end system and places it within the SDK application server environment. This extraction allows components to be taken out of their original system context and reused across different applications and platforms. The separated application modules can be independently developed, tested, and deployed, enabling component reusability while maintaining system functionality through the standardized interface layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimensional layer to the architecture by introducing the SDK runtime environment as a separate execution dimension. This dimensional change allows components to exist and function in multiple contexts simultaneously - they can be reused across different applications, platforms, and deployment scenarios while maintaining their integrated system functionality through the standardized access layer.
Data Source
AI summary
A server system for an aircraft is provided. In one embodiment, the server system comprises an aircraft server unit that is operative to receive data from one or more data sources, and a software development kit (SDK) application server in operative communication with the aircraft server unit. The SDK application server comprises one or more processing core modules configured to process the data from the one or more data sources, and one or more application modules including one or more aircraft tablet device logic modules that are configured to respectively execute one or more aircraft tablet device applications. The data processed by the one or more processing core modules is separated from the one or more aircraft tablet device logic modules. The SDK application server is configured to communicate with one or more external portable computing devices.