System and method for exchanging programs in aircraft computers

• US 20050065670A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Tripmaker, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

In an aircraft, individual computers are connected by a data bus to a central controller system. To reprogram, i.e. load a new program into, any one of the computers, each computer is equipped with a radio interface module and a radio antenna to establish a radio link with a central computer unit that provides and transmits the new program via the radio link at a high data transfer rate, e.g. above 200 kByte per second. The relatively slow physical data bus is not used for transmitting or loading the new program. Each computer has a base system program loaded and executed therein, to control, monitor or otherwise support the process of loading the new program, and to test the new program once it has been loaded.

Claims

1. An aircraft-based computer system in an aircraft, comprising:

a physical data bus;

plural individual computers connected to said data bus;

a central controller connected to said data bus and adapted to communicate with said individual computers via said data bus; and

a central computer unit having a radio antenna;

wherein each one of said individual computers comprises a radio interface module connected to a radio antenna adapted to communicate with said radio antenna of said central computer unit via a radio link therebetween, a main active memory that is connected with said radio interface module via a data path connection and that is adapted to have a program loaded therein for execution, hardware storing and adapted to execute a base program that controls and/or monitors at least one of said radio interface module and said data path connection; and

wherein said central computer unit contains a new program that is to be loaded into at least one of said individual computers, said central computer unit is adapted to transmit said new program via said radio link to said radio interface module of said one of said individual computers, and said one of said individual computers is adapted to load said new program received by said radio interface module via said data path connection into said main active memory.

2. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein said hardware of each said individual computer is connected to said data bus.

3. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein said data path connection of each said individual computer comprises an intermediate memory.

4. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 3, wherein said hardware is connected to said intermediate memory in each said individual computer.

5. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 3, wherein said data path connection of each said individual computer further comprises a release switch that is interposed between said radio interface module and said intermediate memory and that has a control input terminal connected to a control output terminal of said hardware.

6. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 3, wherein said data path connection of each said individual computer further comprises a test approval switch that is interposed between said intermediate memory and said main active memory and that has a control input terminal connected to a control output terminal of said hardware.

7. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein said radio interface module and said radio antenna of each said individual computer together form a radio communication unit that is physically incorporated into said individual computer.

8. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein said radio interface module and said radio antenna of each said individual computer together form a radio communication unit that is independent from and separably connected via a plug connector to said data path connection.

9. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein said radio antenna of said central computer unit and said radio antenna of each said individual computer respectively are adapted to establish said radio link at a frequency different from all other frequencies of radio transmissions used in flight operation of said aircraft.

10. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein said central computer unit is a portable computer that can be freely carried into and out of said aircraft.

11. The aircraft-based computer system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said individual computers are permanently installed at physically inaccessible locations in said aircraft.

12. A method of programming individual computers connected to a central system via a physical data bus of a computer system in an aircraft, comprising the steps:

a) providing a new program in a central computer unit;

b) radio transmitting said new program via a radio link from said central computer unit to at least one of said individual computers;

c) loading said new program received via said radio link into a main active memory of said one of said individual computers; and

d) executing a base system program in said one of said individual computers, and thereby monitoring, controlling and/or supporting said radio transmitting and/or said loading of said new program, and testing said new program received by said one of said individual computers.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising executing a normal program in said one of said individual computers, blocking at least one of said radio transmitting and said loading of said new program during said executing of said normal program, and enabling said at least one of said radio transmitting and said loading of said new program only during times when said normal program is not being executed.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said testing is carried out exclusively in said at least one of said individual computers exclusively by said executing of said base system program.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said testing is carried out under control or involvement of said central system via said data bus.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said radio transmitting is carried out at a transmission frequency different from all other frequencies used for other radio transmission in a flight operation of said aircraft.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising allocating a respective unambiguous address respectively to each one of said individual computers, selecting said one of said individual computers by selecting said address allocated thereto, and directing said radio transmitting of said new program to said one of said individual computers by identifying said address allocated thereto in said radio transmitting.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said radio transmitting via said radio link is carried out with a radio link data transfer rate of over 200 kByte per second, and a bus data transfer rate achieved by said data bus is lower than said radio link data transfer rate.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein said one of said individual computers comprises a communication unit permanently physically incorporated therein, said communication unit comprises a radio interface module and a radio antenna connected thereto, and said communication unit participates in establishing said radio link and receives said new program by said radio transmitting.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein said computer system further includes a communication unit that is separably connected via a plug connector to said one of said individual computers, said communication unit comprises a radio interface module and a radio antenna connected thereto, and said communication unit participates in establishing said radio link and receives said new program by said radio transmitting.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein said central computer unit is a portable computer, and further comprising carrying said portable computer into said aircraft in order to carry out at least said step b), and carrying said portable computer out of said aircraft.