Method and system for recording system information

• US 20050005065A1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aviation Communication and Surveillance Systems LLC (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rowlan, Stacey R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/005 altimeters for aircraft G01C5/02, G01C5/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A method and apparatus for recording data concerning a system is provided. The apparatus comprises a memory card, such as a COMPACTFLASH card, and a processor unit, such as a T²CAS processor unit. The memory card includes a supplemental file that contains instructions as to what data is to be recorded and when the recording should start and stop. To conserve space the supplemental file is written as a sequence of hexadecimal characters whose position in the sequence and binary bit value indicates which data is to be recorded and when. A lookup table can be used to interpret the supplemental file. The processor unit includes or is coupled to a memory card reader/writer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recording data about a system comprising:

a memory card comprising a supplemental file and a file storage section;

a processor unit operable to read from and write to the memory card; and

wherein the supplemental file of the memory card is read by the processor unit, the supplemental file instructing the processor unit what data to save in the file storage section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental file of the memory card contains a sequence of hexadecimal characters, the position and bit value of the hexadecimal characters determining the information to record.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a table defines the relationship between the sequence of hexadecimal characters and the data to be recorded.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions that causes the processor unit to start and stop recording information when certain defined conditions are met.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the certain defined conditions include aircraft altitude.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory card is removeably inserted into a slot containing a memory card reader/writer located on the processor unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory card is a COMPACTFLASH card.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions to change the recording rate.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions indicating the data from which inputs and outputs of the processor units are to be recorded.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory card is a solid-state memory card.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supplemental file is blank and a set of default parameters are saved to the memory card.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the set of default parameters are stored in an aircraft specific database.

13. A memory card for storing test data comprising:

a supplemental file section storing a supplemental file having instruction delineating the data to be recorded; and

a file storage area for storing data based on the instructions in the supplemental file.

14. The memory card of claim 13, wherein the supplemental file comprises a plurality of hexadecimal characters, the position and bit value of the hexadecimal character determining the data to be recorded.

15. The memory card of claim 14 wherein a table defines the relationship between the sequence of hexadecimal characters and the data to be recorded.

16. The memory card of claim 13 wherein the memory card is a solid-state memory card.

17. The memory card of claim 16 wherein the memory card is a COMPACTFLASH card.

18. The memory card of claim 13 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions for starting and stopping recording data when certain predefined conditions are met.

19. The memory card of claim 13 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions for changing the recording rate.

20. The memory card of claim 13 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions for overwriting the data stored in the file storage area.

21. The memory card of claim 13 further comprising a header section having a configuration file that indicates if the supplemental file is present.

22. The memory card of claim 13 wherein the memory card is removeably insertable into a slot on a processor.

23. The memory card of claim 13 wherein the memory card is for use in an aircraft.

24. A collision avoidance system for an aircraft comprising:

a collision avoidance processor unit having a plurality of data inputs and a plurality of data outputs;

a memory device coupled to the collision avoidance processor unit;

the memory device operable to store data from the one or more of the plurality of inputs, one or more of the plurality of outputs and data generated internally to the collision avoidance processor unit.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the memory device includes a supplemental file stored on the memory device, the supplemental file read by the collision avoidance processor unit when the memory device is communicatively coupled to the collision avoidance processor unit, the supplemental file including instruction that indicate what data is to be recorded to the memory device.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the supplemental file comprises a plurality of hexadecimal characters, the position and binary bit value of the hexadecimal character indicating the parameters to be recorded.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein a table defines the relationship between the sequence of hexadecimal characters and the data to be recorded.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions to start and recording data when certain defined conditions are met.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the defined condition is aircraft altitude.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein the memory device is removeably inserted into a slot located on the collision avoidance processor unit.

31. The system of claim 25 wherein the memory device is a COMPACTFLASH card.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein the supplemental file contains instructions to change the recording rate.

33. The system of claim 25 wherein the memory card is a solid-state memory card.

34. The system of claim 25 wherein a supplemental file is sent over a parallel or serial data connection to a collision avoidance processor unit, the supplemental file including instruction that indicate what data is to be recorded to the memory device

35. A method for recording data concerning a system comprising:

storing a supplemental file on a memory device, the supplemental file containing instructions indicating the data to record;

coupling the memory device to a processor unit;

reading the supplemental file; and

storing the data to the memory device.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of storing a supplemental file further comprises:

storing a supplemental file comprises a plurality of hexadecimal characters, the position and bit value of the hexadecimal character determining the parameters to be recorded.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising using a lookup table in conjunction with the supplemental file to determine the data to be recorded.

38. The method of claim 35 to wherein the step of storing a supplemental file further comprises storing a supplemental file containing instructions to start and stop recording data when certain defined conditions are met.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the defined condition is aircraft altitude.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of coupling the memory device further comprises removeably inserting the memory device into a slot located on the processor unit.

41. The method of claim 35 wherein the memory device is a COMPACTFLASH card.

42. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of storing a supplemental file further comprises storing a supplemental file containing instructions to change the recording rate.

43. The method of claim 35 wherein the memory card is a solid-state memory card.