System for trouble shooting and controlling signals to and from an aircraft simulator

• US 20070202469A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Davidson, Tracy
• Granted Patent: US 8,323,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/29
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/00 Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes model vehicles, tracks therefor, models in the nature of toys A63H

Abstract

A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator has a first slave circuit and a second slave circuit. The second slave circuit is used to monitor signals coming from the aircraft simulator. A multiplexer circuit is coupled to the first slave circuit. The first slave circuit sends control signals to the multiplexer circuit for controlling digital output signals being sent to the aircraft simulator. A master controller is coupled to the first slave circuit and the second slave circuit. The master controller is used for controlling operation of the first and second slave circuit. A computer system is coupled to the master controller. The computer system will display a listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled. Selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal by an input device of the computer system will allow one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal.

Claims

1. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator comprising

a first slave circuit;

a second slave circuit to monitor signals coming from the aircraft simulator;

a multiplexer circuit coupled to the first slave circuit, the first slave circuit sending control signals to the multiplexer circuit for controlling digital output signals being sent to the aircraft simulator;

a master controller coupled to the first slave circuit and the second slave circuit for controlling operation of the first and second slave circuit; and

a computer system coupled to the master controller, the computer system displaying a listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled, wherein selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal by an input device of the computer system allowing one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal.

2. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first slave device is a digital output slave device.

3. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 2, wherein the digital output slave device comprises:

at least one demultiplexer coupled to the master controller; and

a plurality of digital output boards coupled to an output of the demultiplexer and the master controller.

4. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 3, wherein the digital output slave device further comprises:

a digital output driver coupled to the output of the demultiplexer; and

a flip flop coupled the digital output driver and to each of the digital output boards.

5. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second slave device is a digital input slave device.

6. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 5, wherein the digital input slave device comprises:

at least one multiplexer having inputs coupled to the master controller; and

a digital input board coupled to an output each of the at least one multiplexer.

7. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the multiplexer circuit comprises a logic gate circuit having a first set of inputs coupled to the aircraft simulator, a second set of inputs coupled to the first slave device, and a third set of inputs coupled to the first slave device.

8. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 7 wherein the logic gate circuit comprises a plurality of AND-NOR gate pairs.

9. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 8 wherein each AND-NOR gate pair comprises:

an AND gate having a first input coupled to the aircraft simulator and a second input coupled to the first slave device; and

a NOR gate having a first input coupled to an output of the AND gate and a second input coupled to the first slave device.

10. A system for testing components of a simulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises:

a processing unit for storing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled, wherein selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal sends a control signal to allow one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal;

a display coupled to the processing unit for showing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled; and

an I/O device coupled to the processing unit for selecting the desired aircraft simulator signal.

11. A system for testing components of a simulator in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a voltage converter coupled to the master controller and the computer system for converting a control signal from the computer to a proper logic level.

12. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator comprising:

a digital output slave device;

a digital input slave device to monitor signals coming from the aircraft simulator;

a multiplexer circuit coupled to the digital output slave device, the digital output slave device sending control signals to the multiplexer circuit for controlling digital output signals being sent to the aircraft simulator;

a master controller coupled to the digital output slave device and the digital input slave device for controlling operation of the digital output slave device and the digital input slave device; and

a computer system coupled to the master controller, the computer system displaying a listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled, wherein selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal by an input device of the computer system allowing one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal.

13. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 12 wherein the digital output slave device comprises:

at least one demultiplexer coupled to the master controller;

a digital output driver coupled to the output of the demultiplexer;

a flip flop coupled to the digital output driver; and

a plurality of digital output boards coupled to an output of the flip flop and the master controller.

14. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 12, wherein the digital input slave device comprises:

at least one multiplexer having inputs coupled to the master controller; and

a digital input board coupled to an output each of the at least one multiplexer.

15. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 12 wherein the multiplexer circuit comprises a plurality of AND-NOR gate pairs, wherein each AND-NOR gate pair comprises:

an AND gate having a first input coupled to the aircraft simulator and a second input coupled to the first slave device; and

a NOR gate having a first input coupled to an output of the AND gate and a second input coupled to the first slave device.

16. A system for testing components of a simulator in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer system comprises:

a processing unit for storing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled, wherein selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal sends a control signal to allow one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal;

a display coupled to the processing unit for showing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled; and

an I/O device coupled to the processing unit for selecting the desired aircraft simulator signal.

18. A computer system in accordance with claim 16, wherein sending a control signal further comprises sending a first set of signals and a second set of signals to a multiplexer circuit for controlling digital output signals being sent to the aircraft simulator.

17. A computer system comprising a processor for executing program instructions and a memory coupled to the processor for storing the program instructions, the programming instructions comprising:

displaying a listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled;

selecting at least one of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled;

sending a control signal after selecting the at least one of the aircraft simulator signals to a control circuit to control the selected at least one aircraft simulator signals.

19. A computer system in accordance with claim 17, wherein the program instructions further comprises storing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled in the memory.