Sextant Avionique

Thales

Gerard Colas

Patrice Toillon

Christian Pitot

Isabelle Pain

Pahice Toillon

Thierry Grand

Fault-tolerant synchronization of real-time equipment connected to a computer network of several tens of meters with an option of including or not including such equipment in the synchronization device is disclosed. Global scheduling of the real-time computer platform in the form of minor and major cycles is provided in order to reduce latency during sensor acquisition. The associated calculation and preparation of output to the actuator is provided in an integrated modular avionic (IMA) architecture. To achieve the foregoing, a synchronization bus separate from the data transfer network and circuits interfacing with this specific bus for processing the local real-time clocks in each piece of equipment in a fault-tolerant, decentralized manner is provided.

Fault-tolerant synchronisation device for a real-time computer network

To establish communications between a plurality of functional modules installed in a local unit and at least one Ethernet type external, multiplexed, multi-transmitter and multi-receiver bus enabling communications with other local units, the device according to the invention comprises as many internal buses as there are functional modules of the local unit, each internal bus being of the multiplexed, multi-transmitter and multi-receiver type, complying with the format of the information elements travelling through the external bus, said functional modules being coupled to the internal buses so that access to each internal bus is controlled by only one module; and at least one coupling module designed to provide for the transfer of information elements between the internal buses and the external bus.

Device for communication between a plurality of functional modules

In order to connect a computer comprising plural redundant processors to at least one digital data transfer bus, the interfacing device embodying the invention comprises: a means for synchronizing and comparing the transmission and reception requests respectively transmitted by the processors, and for triggering processing of a request when the latter has been transmitted by all the processors, a means for transferring the data blocks to be transmitted or received between a controller of said bus and the respective working memories of the processors, and a means for triggering the transfer of a data block if the latter is simultaneously at the output of all the processors, from one of the working memories to said bus controller, with a view to transmission thereof on said bus.

Growing community of inventors

Versailles, France

Gerard Colas