The Boeing Company

Philip John Ellerbrock

Daniel W Konz

Joseph P Winkelmann

Robert L Grant

Robert Neal Zettwoch

Christian J Noll

Marshall Watts

Joseph P Winkelman

An apparatus is provided that includes a non-volatile (device storage) memory configured to store data in a plurality of locations. The apparatus also includes a device interface coupled to the non-volatile memory and including a volatile (device storage) shadow memory configured to store an image of the plurality of locations of the non-volatile memory in a corresponding plurality of locations of the volatile shadow memory. The device interface is configured to receive a command across a network bus from a bus controller, and in response thereto, the device interface is configured to write data from the network bus to a location in the non-volatile memory. This write includes the device interface being configured to write the data to the corresponding location in the volatile shadow memory, and thereafter write the data from the corresponding location in the volatile shadow memory to the location in the non-volatile memory.

Write caching using volatile shadow memory

An apparatus is provided that includes a device interface including port(s) coupled to and defining respective data channel(s) for respective peripheral(s). The device interface also includes boot control logic and a volatile buffer memory, and a volatile configuration memory. The apparatus also includes a non-volatile device storage memory including a contiguous memory block configured to store boot code with a boot set including a configuration routine. The boot control logic is configured to execute boot code including the boot set at power up or reset of the apparatus. The boot set includes a read of data from the device storage memory to the buffer memory, and a write of the data from the buffer memory to configuration memory to initialize the apparatus or a port, with the data being read from a portion of the device storage memory outside the contiguous memory block configured to store the boot code.

Executing a boot sequence including movement of data through a buffer memory

A system is provided that includes a remote device and bus controller coupled to the remote device via a digital network bus. The remote device includes one or more data channels for respective one or more peripherals, and includes volatile channel-based memory for each data channel and non-volatile device-based memory for the remote device. The bus controller is and configured to send a command across the network bus to the remote device, and in response thereto, the remote device is configured to acquire data from a designated data channel or command the designated data channel to perform a conversion. The command is from a communication protocol with which the remote device is compatible, and includes a set of channel commands for accessing the channel-based memory, and a different, distinct set of device-memory commands for accessing the device-based memory. The channel commands and device-memory commands have different timing requirements.

Accessing different types of memory by respective distinct command with different timing requirements

A data message decoder for high-speed serial bus applications includes a sync pattern decoder that is operated in parallel and simultaneously with a message bit decoder. By operating the sync pattern decoder and the message bit decoder in parallel and simultaneously a true sync pattern following a valid looking sync pattern may be identified and the decoding of the bit message following the valid looking sync pattern may be aborted once the true sync pattern is detected. The data message decoder is robust and tolerant of bus anomalies that are typical when using high frequency signaling on a multipoint serial bus. The robust data message decoder is suitable for, but not limited to, applications in the aerospace industry, such as onboard network systems for advanced commercial and military aircraft.

Robust message decoder for serial bus applications

A system and method is provided for communicating with at least one network device via a network bus comprising a bus controller and a host computer. The bus controller executes a series of instructions, which can be transferred to the bus controller from the host computer. The instructions are executed in a manner independent of the host computer so as to reduce the workload of the host computer. Since the bus controller can execute the series of instructions without further intervention of the host computer, the host computer can perform other operations concurrent with the execution of the series of instructions by the bus controller. In one embodiment, at least one of the instructions has an associated data field that is variable and can be altered by the host computer, such that the host computer can alter the instruction used by the bus controller.

System and method for preloading a bus controller with command schedule

A system for maintaining proper termination and error-free communication in a network bus () including a power bus includes at least one network device (), a network controller () and at least on bus protection element. The network devices () are electrically connected to and adapted to communicate via the network bus (). The network controller (), in turn, is electrically connected to the network bus () and is adapted to direct communications with the network devices () via the network bus (). The network controller () is also adapted to provide power signals to the network devices () via the power bus of the network bus (). The network controller () and/or the bus protection elements can monitor signals on the network bus (). And based upon the network controller () and/or bus protection elements identifying a predefined number of improper signals, the bus protection elements can selectively connect and disconnect respective network devices () to and from the network.

System and method for maintaining proper termination and error-free communication in a network bus

A communications system and method are provided for digitally connecting a plurality of data channels, such as sensors, actuators, and subsystems, to a controller using a network bus. The network device interface interprets commands and data received from the controller and polls the data channels in accordance with these commands. Specifically, the network device interface receives digital commands and data from the controller, and based on these commands and data, communicates with the data channels to either retrieve data in the case of a sensor or send data to activate an actuator. Data retrieved from the sensor is converted into digital signals and transmitted to the controller. Network device interfaces associated with different data channels can coordinate communications with the other interfaces based on either a transition in a command message sent by the bus controller or a synchronous clock signal.

Network device interface for digitally interfacing data channels to a controller via a network

The present invention provides systems and methods for maintaining the stability of a network. The present invention includes systems and methods that identify an open circuit condition and reconfigure the network bus to continue communications without slowing the communication rate or removing the network bus from service. The system includes a termination device associated with each network device. Each termination device includes a network termination element that can be switchably connected to the network bus in response to a command issued by a bus controller when an open circuit condition downstream of the network device has been detected. In another embodiment, the present invention provides systems and methods for controlling input current to a remote device located on a network. A sensing element is associated with the device that is capable of sensing the input current and through switches, altering the input current to the remote device.

Systems and methods for maintaining network stability

The present invention provides systems, methods, and bus controllers for establishing communication with various network systems located on a network system. Importantly, the systems, methods, and bus controllers of the present invention are capable recognizing that a new network device has been added to an existing network and assigning it an address such that the added network device is identifiable on the network. Further, the systems, methods, and bus controllers of the present invention may update the operating schedule that outlines communication in the network system between the bus controller and the network devices to include commands for communicating with the added network device. The systems, methods, and bus controllers of the present invention may also detect when a network device has been disconnected from a network system and remove the commands associated with the networked device from the command schedule.

Systems and methods for assigning an address to a network device added to an existing network

The present invention provides systems, methods, and bus controllers () for monitoring an event of interest via a network bus () and creating an asynchronous event trigger on the network bus indicating that the event occurred. Importantly, the systems, methods, and bus controllers () of the present invention use either one or several network devices () that are connected to the network bus () and monitor the occurrence of an event of interest. These network devices () are configure through commands from the bus controller () to indicate on the network bus () typically by a pulse signal, when the event of interest has occurred. The indication from the network device () that the event has occurred is used by the bus controller () and other network devices () on the network bus () to configure timing for commands or to perform desired actions in synchronization with the occurrence of the event of interest.

Systems, methods, and bus controllers for creating an event trigger on a network bus

The present invention provides a network device interface and method for digitally connecting a plurality of data channels, such as sensors, actuators, and subsystems, to a controller using a network bus. The network device interface interprets commands and data received from the controller and polls the data channels in accordance with these commands. Specifically, the network device interface receives digital commands and data from the controller, and based on these commands and data, communicates with the data channels to either retrieve data in the case of a sensor or send data to activate an actuator. Data retrieved from the sensor is converted into digital signals and transmitted to the controller. In some embodiments, network device interfaces associated with different data channels coordinate communications with the other interfaces based on either a transition in a command message sent by the bus controller or a synchronous clock signal.

A system and method are provided for initiating peer-to-peer communications via a network bus. The system includes a bus controller in electrical communication with the network bus for controlling communications on the network bus, such as by transmitting commands onto the network bus. The system also includes at least one network device in electrical communication with the network bus, where the network devices collectively comprise at least first and second data channels. The first data channel is configured for Surrogate operation and includes an initiator command and a surrogate command. When the bus controller transmits a command onto the network bus that matches the initiator command of at least the first data channel, at least the second data channel is capable of executing the initiator command and at least the first data channel is capable of executing the respective surrogate command.

Systems, network devices and methods for highly configurable peer-to-peer communications between network devices communicating via a common bus

The present invention provides systems, methods, and bus controllers () for establishing communication with various network systems located on a network system (). Importantly, the systems, methods, and bus controllers () of the present invention are capable recognizing that a new network device () has been added to an existing network and assigning it an address such that the added network device is identifiable on the network. Further, the systems, methods, and bus controllers () of the present invention may update the operating schedule that outlines communication in the network system between the bus controller () and the network devices () to include commands for communicating with the added network device. The systems, methods, and bus controllers () of the present invention may also detect when a network device () has been disconnected from a network system () and remove the commands associated with the networked device from the command schedule.

The present invention provides a network device interface and method for digitally connecting a plurality of data channels to a controller using a network bus. The network device interface interprets commands and data received from the controller and polls the data channels in accordance with these commands. Specifically, the network device interface receives digital commands and data from the controller, and based on these commands and data, communicates with the data channels to either retrieve data in the case of a sensor or send data to activate an actuator. In one embodiment, the bus controller transmits messages to the network device interface containing a plurality of bits having a value defined by a transition between first and second states in the bits. The network device interface determines timing of the data sequence of the message and uses the determined timing to communicate with the bus controller.

Network device interface for digitally interfacing data channels to a controller a via network

The present invention provides a network device interface and method for digitally connecting a plurality of data channels, such as sensors, actuators, and subsystems, to a controller using a network bus. The network device interface interprets commands and data received from the controller and polls the data channels in accordance with these commands. Specifically, the network device interface receives digital commands and data from the controller, and based on these commands and data, communicates with the data channels to either retrieve data in the case of a sensor or send data to activate an actuator. Data retrieved from the sensor is then converted by the network device interface into digital signals and transmitted back to the controller. In one advantageous embodiment, the network device interface is a state machine, such as an ASIC, that operates independent of a processor in communicating with the bus controller and data channels.

Growing community of inventors

St. Peters, MO, United States of America

Philip John Ellerbrock