SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS OF A SPACE COMMUNICATION FILE TRANSFER SYSTEM

• US 20080250118A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
• Inventors: Ray, Timothy J.
• Application Number:
  US11/869,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20080250118A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24331 including nonapertured component

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments a CFDP protocol state machine and state table is implemented on each of a number of entities in a space communication system. Some embodiments of the state table specify at least one action to specific events for each of a plurality of possible states and each state table implements a core CFDP protocol. In some embodiments a method to transfer data into and out of space flight systems and/or ground systems includes receiving a user request into a memory of a CFDP-compliant library apparatus. The method also includes starting a state machine in the memory of the CFDP-compliant library apparatus that prompts a core protocol to transfer a specified file to and/or from a specified destination and initiating transfer of data blocks from the memory of the library apparatus.

Claims

1. A method to transfer data to and from a space flight system, the method comprising:

receiving a user request into a memory of a CFDP-compliant library apparatus;

routing the user request withinto the CFDP-compliant library apparatus by a shell;

starting a state machine in the memory of the CFDP-compliant library apparatus that prompts a core protocol to transfer a specified file to a specified destination; and

initiating transfer of data blocks from the memory of the CFDP-compliant library apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user request further comprises:

a user request represented by a character string.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the character string further comprises:

a character string having a predefined syntax.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer of data blocks is one of two service classes further comprising:

a service class of which the CFDP-compliant library does not guarantee delivery of the data block.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer of data blocks is one of two service classes further comprising:

a service class of which the CFDP-compliant library guarantees delivery of the data block.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of user requests into the memory; and

starting a state machine in the memory of the CFDP-compliant library that prompts a core protocol to transfer a specified file to a specified destination, one state machine for each file transfer transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one protocol data unit into the memory;

receiving at least one request into the memory to set a MIB in the memory; and

receiving at least one cycle transaction.

8. A file-transfer routine library comprising:

at least one state machine in a memory, wherein each of the at least one state machine is operable to instruct a core protocol to transfer a specified file to a specified destination and operable to store a status of data at a given time and operable to change the status and/or cause an action or output to take place for any given change; and

four state tables in the memory, each state table specifying at least one action in response to specific events for each of a plurality of possible states, each state table implementing a core CFDP protocol.

9. The file-transfer routine library of claim 8, further comprising:

a shell in the memory, the shell being operable to manage creation and operation of the at least one state machine.

10. The file-transfer routine library of claim 8, wherein the at least one state machine in the memory further comprises:

a plurality of state machines in the memory each of which are operable to concurrently transfer a specified file between a specified destination.

11. The file-transfer routine library of claim 8, further comprising:

a virtual filestore file buffer not in the memory that is operable to store each of a plurality of portions of a file until the file is accepted.

12. The file-transfer routine library of claim 9, wherein the file is accepted when either the entire file is received into the memory and validated, or a library user has configured the library to save incomplete files.

13. The file-transfer routine library of claim 8, wherein each of the at least one state machine in the memory is operable to process a user request, the user request being one of two service classes, a first service class of which the CFDP-compliant library of which the CFDP-compliant library does not guarantee delivery of the data block and a second service class of which the CFDP-compliant library guarantees delivery of the data block.

14. A space communication system comprising:

a first entity having a first memory, the first entity operable to communicate in a CFDP communication protocol and including a shell in the first memory that is operable to manage concurrent file transfers into and out of the first memory with at least one other entity in the CFDP protocol; and

a second entity having a second memory operable to communicate in the CFDP communication protocol and including a shell in the second memory that is operable to manage concurrent file transfers into and out of the second memory with at least one other entity in the CFDP protocol.

15. The space communication system of claim 14, wherein each of the entities is at least one of:

an orbiter, a spacecraft, a groundstation, a lander, and a mission operation center.

16. The space communication system of claim 14, wherein each of the entities further comprises:

at least one state machine, wherein each of the at least one state machine is operable to instruct a core protocol to transfer a specified file between a specified destination and operable to store a status of data at a given time and operable to change the status and/or cause an action or output to take place for any given change; and

four state tables, each state table corresponding to at least one state machine, each state table specifying at least one action in response to specific events for each of a plurality of possible states, each state table implementing a core CFDP protocol.

17. The space communication system of claim 16, wherein the core protocol further comprises:

a subset of the CFDP protocol that includes the subset of CFDP protocol that is required to transfer files between two points.

18. The space communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the entities further comprises:

a shell operable to manage creation and operation of the at least one state machine.

19. The space communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the at least one state machine further comprises:

a plurality of state machines each of which are operable to concurrently transfer a specified file between a specified destination

20. The space communication system of claim 16, wherein each of the entities further operable to communicated with a virtual filestore file buffer to store each block, portion or chunk of a file until the file is accepted, wherein the file is accepted when either the entire file is received and validated, or a library user has configured the library to save incomplete files.

21. The space communication system of claim 20, wherein each of the at least one state machines is operable to process a user request, the file transfer user request being one of a two plurality service classes, a first service class of which the CFDP-compliant library does not guarantee delivery of the data block and a second service class of which the CFDP-compliant library guarantees delivery of the data block.