METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING SOFTWARE AIRCRAFT PARTS

• US 20090198393A1
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hai, Sims, John Benjamin III, Massy-Greene, David Walter
• Granted Patent: US 8,055,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing a software aircraft part. A computer implemented method identifies an aircraft from a set of target aircraft to form a target aircraft. Software for use in the aircraft is identified. A determination is made as to whether compatibility exists between the software and the target aircraft. The software aircraft part is created comprising the software and metadata relating usability of the software aircraft part in the target aircraft in response to a determination that compatibility exists between the software and the target aircraft.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing a software aircraft part, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying an aircraft from a set of target aircraft to form a target aircraft;

identifying software for use in the aircraft;

determining whether compatibility exists between the software and the target aircraft; and

responsive to a determination that compatibility exists between the software and the target aircraft, creating the software aircraft part comprising the software and metadata relating usability of the software aircraft part in the target aircraft.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to a request to use the software aircraft part in an aircraft data processing system for a selected aircraft, determining whether the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata; and

responsive to a determination that the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata, loading the software aircraft part for use in the aircraft data processing system.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining the metadata relating usability of the software aircraft part on the set of target aircraft.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 further comprising:

generating a warning if the software aircraft part is incompatible with the aircraft.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the loading step comprises:

loading the software aircraft part in a line replaceable unit in response to the determination that the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata.

6. A computer implemented method for loading a software aircraft part onto an aircraft, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving the software aircraft part for use in an aircraft data processing system on the aircraft, wherein the software aircraft part comprises a set of software components and metadata identifying a set of target aircraft on which the software aircraft part can be used;

determining whether the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system on the aircraft using the metadata; and

responsive to a determination that the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system, loading the software aircraft part into the aircraft data processing system.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the determining step comprises:

comparing the metadata to configuration information for the aircraft to form a comparison; and

determining whether a match between the metadata and the configuration information for the aircraft is present in the comparison.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the aircraft data processing system is a line replaceable unit in the aircraft.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the software aircraft part is received by a data loader.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the aircraft data processing system is an electronic flight bag.

11. A computer program product for managing a software aircraft part, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable media;

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for identifying an aircraft from a set of target aircraft to form a target aircraft;

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for identifying software for use in the aircraft;

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for determining whether compatibility exists between the software and the target aircraft; and

program code, stored on the computer readable media, responsive to a determination that compatibility exists between the software and the target aircraft, for creating the software aircraft part comprising the software and metadata relating usability of the software aircraft part in the target aircraft.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer readable media, responsive to a request to use the software aircraft part in an aircraft data processing system for a selected aircraft, for determining whether the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata; and

program code, stored on the computer readable media, responsive to a determination that the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata, for loading the software aircraft part for use in the aircraft data processing system.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for defining the metadata relating usability of a software aircraft part on the set of target aircraft.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for generating a warning if the software aircraft part is incompatible with the aircraft.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable media, responsive to the determination that the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata, for loading the software aircraft part for use in the aircraft data processing system comprises:

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for loading the software aircraft part in a line replaceable unit in response to the determination that the software aircraft part is suitable for use on the selected aircraft using the metadata.

16. A computer program product for loading a software aircraft part onto an aircraft, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable media;

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for receiving the software aircraft part for use in an aircraft data processing system on the aircraft, wherein the software aircraft part comprises a set of software components and metadata identifying a set of target aircraft on which the software aircraft part can be used;

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for determining whether the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system on the aircraft using the metadata; and

program code, stored on the computer readable media, responsive to a determination that the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system, for loading the software aircraft part into the aircraft data processing system.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the program code, stored on the computer readable media, for determining whether the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system on the aircraft using the metadata comprises:

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for comparing the metadata to configuration information for the aircraft to form a comparison; and

program code, stored on the computer readable media, for determining whether a match between the metadata and the configuration information for the aircraft is present in the comparison.

18. A data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a communications unit connected to the bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device includes computer usable program code; and

a processor unit connected to the bus;

wherein the processor unit executes the computer usable program code to receive a software aircraft part for use in an aircraft data processing system on an aircraft, wherein the software aircraft part comprises a set of software components and metadata identifying a set of target aircraft on which the software aircraft part can be used;

determine whether the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system on the aircraft using the metadata; and

load the software aircraft part into the aircraft data processing system in response to a determination that the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system.

19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein in executing the program code to determine whether the software aircraft part can be used in the aircraft data processing system on the aircraft using the metadata, the processor unit executes the program code to compare the metadata to configuration information for the aircraft to form a comparison;

and determine whether a match between the metadata and the configuration information for the aircraft is present in the comparison.

20. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the aircraft data processing system is a line replaceable unit in the aircraft.