Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Brent James Nelson

Matthew P Corbett

James Matthew Zaehring

Sarah Barber

Patrick Dennis McCusker

Travis S VanDerKamp

Douglas A Bell

David A Miller

Michael J Schmitt

David A Gribble

Nicholas H Bloom

Jason R Owen

Eric N Anderson

Darin M Underwood

Christopher M Biggers

David M Esno

Charles F Steffen

Gregory A Crawford

Keith J Feldkamp

Daniel R Nagawiecki

Jessica L Horaney

A system includes a first and at least one second processing circuit, a configuration engine, and a switch. The configuration engine stores a virtual link configuration for a plurality of virtual links, which indicates a priority and a predetermined network pathway for communicating data packets from the first processing circuit to the at least one second processing circuit. The configuration engine automatically assigns priority to a first virtual link of the plurality of virtual links based on at least one of latency or jitter. The switch receives a first data packet from the first processing circuit. A first virtual link identifier is extracted from the first data packet. A first priority and a first predetermined network pathway corresponding to the first virtual link identifier from the virtual link configuration are retrieved. The first data packet is transmitted along the first predetermined network pathway based on the first priority.

Systems and methods for automatic priority assignment for virtual links

A system for an airborne platform includes a network controller, a first subsystem having a number of devices configured to communicate a first data type, and a second subsystem having a number of devices configured to communicate a second data type. The network controller includes a processing circuit and is communicably coupled to the first subsystem and to the second subsystem. The processing circuit is configured to receive data relating to the first data type over a first plurality of communication channels and data relating to the second data type over a second plurality of communication channels. The processing circuit is further configured to multiplex the data relating to the first data type and the second data type to a multiplexed data stream configured for communication over a single communication channel. The processing circuit is further configured to transmit the multiplexed data stream over a data transmission line.

Shared networking infrastructure with multi-link channel bonding

A system includes an avionics power bus network, switch, and data concentrator. The avionics power bus network provides power to at least a first endpoint system and second endpoint system coupled via at least one network pathway configured for transmitting a data packet between the first and second endpoint and is operably connected to the switch. The switch is configured to receive a data packet from the first endpoint and transmit the data packet along the network pathway to the second endpoint and is configured to receive power from the avionics power bus network. The data concentrator is operably connected the first endpoint to receive the data packet from the first endpoint and is operably connected to the switch through a wire. The wire is configured to transmit power from the switch to the data concentrator and to transmit the data packet from the data concentrator to the switch.

Systems and methods for remotely powered data concentrators for distributed IMA system

A device for avionics full-duplex switched Ethernet (AFDX) communication can include a transmit port for transmitting AFDX data and a processor. The processor can be configured to obtain AFDX data frames for transmission over a plurality of sub-virtual links (subVLs) of a virtual link (VL), and maintain, for each of the plurality of subVLs, a corresponding data queue by storing AFDX data frames associated with that subVL in the corresponding data queue. The processor can transmit the AFDX data frames from the plurality of data queues on the plurality subVLs via the transmit port according to a scheduling policy that is based on subVL prioritization. The scheduling policy that is based on subVL prioritization can include static priority (SPn) scheduling, earliest deadline first (EDF) scheduling, or least laxity first (LLF) scheduling.

Scheduling mechanisms for end system SUBVLs

A flight display system for a cockpit of an aircraft. The flight display system includes a first plurality of flight display units configured to communicate with each other in a daisy chain network. Each of the first plurality of flight display units includes a first physical network interface configured to communicate with one of the first plurality of flight display units, a second physical network interface configured to communicate with another of the first plurality of flight display units, and a flight display circuit. The flight display circuit is configured to receive avionics data via the first physical network interface and determine whether the avionics data is destined for the flight display unit receiving the data. The flight display circuit is configured to send the avionics data to the other flight display unit of the plurality of the first plurality of flight display units via the second physical network interface.

Flight display network for an aircraft

An improved AFDX switch, as described herein, can include an embedded integrity monitoring module that is functionally fault-independent of the switching module or other components of the AFDX switch. The integrity monitoring module can include a delay monitoring module for monitoring delays of data packets within the AFDX switch and/or a routing module for monitoring or detecting data packets routing errors or failures. The delay monitoring module can assign a timestamp to a data frame at arrival to the AFDX switch, determine a time delay of the data frame within the AFDX switch based on the timestamp, and compare the time delay to a threshold value to detect erroneous time delays. The routing monitoring module can compare the input port and/or the output port at which the data frame arrives while in the AFDX switch to the corresponding preassigned input port or output port to detect routing failures.

High integrity AFDX switches

Improved AFDX switches can handle various types of data traffics beyond a predefined AFDX related communication protocol. An AFDX switch can determine a mismatch between a MAC address of a received data frame and a MAC address constant specific to the predefined AFDX related protocol. In response to the mismatch, the AFDX switch can determine a data traffic type associated with the data frame based on a first portion of a header of the data frame. The AFDX switch can compare, responsive to determining a data traffic type associated with the data frame, a second portion of the header of the data frame to identifiers of a plurality of communication flows. Responsive to identifying a communication flow with a matching identifier, the AFDX switch can route the data frame based on communication flow parameters of the identified communication flow.

AFDX switch supporting multiple types of data traffic

A network interface devices includes a configuration engine, a mode modification engine, and a switch. The configuration engine defines a static routing configuration for communicating one or more first data packets received from a first processing circuit along a network pathway to a predetermined one or more second processing circuits. The mode modification engine is configured to receive an indication of a networking mode and modify the network pathway based on the indication of the networking mode. The switch is configured to communicate the first data packets along the network pathway.

Systems and methods for modified network routing based on modal information

Systems and methods for symbolically representing text-based obstacle data on an electronic map are disclosed. In embodiments, a system includes a receiver in communication with a remote server. The receiver is configured to receive one or more textual communications from the remote server. The system further includes an aircraft display system with a display and a controller. The controller is in communication with the display, the receiver, and a memory. The controller is configured to generate an electronic map at the display based on map data retrieved from the memory, wherein the map data includes geographic information and predetermined obstacle information. The controller is further configured to receive the one or more textual communications from the receiver and update the electronic map to include one or more symbolic representations based on obstacle data derived from the one or more textual communications.

System for symbolically representing text-based obstacle data on an electronic map

Systems and methods for navigating an aircraft display with a mobile device are disclosed. In embodiments, a system includes an aircraft display and a controller in communication with the aircraft display and a mobile device. The controller is configured to generate a graphical user interface at the aircraft display and mirror the graphical user interface at the mobile device. The controller is further configured to receive a user input via the mobile device and configured to update the graphical user interface at the aircraft display and the mobile device based upon the user input.

System for navigating an aircraft display with a mobile device

A system may include a display, an avionics server, and an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) receiver implemented in an aircraft. The avionics server may include a processor configured to host applications. The ADS-B receiver may be configured to receive ADS-B In data associated with traffic information from other aircraft in a vicinity of the aircraft. Execution of the applications may be configured to cause the processor to: generate geo-referenced aeronautical chart graphics data; output the geo-referenced aeronautical chart graphics data to the display; receive the ADS-B In data from the ADS-B receiver; generate geo-referenced traffic graphics data based on the received ADS-B In data; and output the geo-referenced traffic graphics data to the display. The display may be configured to receive the geo-referenced aeronautical chart graphics data and the geo-referenced traffic graphics data and display an image of a selected aeronautical chart overlaid with the traffic information.

Display of traffic overlaid on aeronautical chart

A system and method is disclosed for identification and response to an unauthorized transmission to a networked critical system. The invention employs a pre-defined parameter which matches trusted sources with defined destinations to enable secure access to the networked critical system. Once the method receives a transmission to the destination, it filters the transmissions based on specific architecture constraints. Should the transmission survive, the method continues with a plurality of layers of system level checks to verify the source matches the pre-defined parameter of a trusted source. Should the transmission fail any of the layers of system level checks, the method provides an appropriate response. Once the transmission survives, the method continuously monitors the data stream for possible threats and allows access the transmission to reach the destination and the networked critical system.

Network security for avionics with ethernet connections system and related method

A method includes detecting an initiation command to begin outputting text data received from a voice recognition system to a text buffer of an aircraft. The method includes recognizing user speech as the text data and outputting the text data to the text buffer for presentation to a user. The method further includes detecting an end command to end outputting the text data received from the voice recognition system to the text buffer. The method also includes receiving a confirmation input from the user, the confirmation input indicating that the user has confirmed accuracy of the text data of the text buffer. The method additionally includes receiving a destination selection from the user, the destination selection indicating a destination selected by the user for the text data of the text buffer. The method further includes outputting the text data of the text buffer to the destination selected by the user.

Avionics text entry, cursor control, and display format selection via voice recognition

A method includes receiving text data corresponding to user speech recognized by a voice recognition system. The method also includes determining a desired radio and a desired radio frequency based at least on the text data. Additionally, the method includes performing one or more radio tuning operations to tune the desired radio to the desired radio frequency.

Growing community of inventors

Marion, IA, United States of America

Brent James Nelson