METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED INTERCONNECTIVITY IN VESSEL COMPUTERS

• US 20100146183A1
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Fusion Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Fusion Technologies LLC
• Inventors: MCKEAN, DAVID, FLEMING, JAMES
• Granted Patent: US 8,719,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for alleviating processing requirements of a central computer in a vessel. Each apparatus is placed in close proximity to one or more pieces of electronic equipment implementing a legacy interface. The apparatus processes data to and from the electronic equipment, including converting data to formats consistent with the formats used by the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A system for enhanced vessel computer interconnectivity, comprising:

one or more open system interface converters (OSICs), each OSIC implementing one or more legacy interfaces and having connected thereto one or more pieces of electronic equipment utilizing the legacy interface; and

a central computer connected to each of the one or more OSICs, the central computer implementing one or more applications,

wherein each OSIC is configured to exchange information between the pieces of electronic equipment and the one or more applications, and to convert data to be exchanged into a format consistent with a format used by the recipient of the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more OSICs is further configured to determine which of the one or more applications is a subscriber of data generated by the one or more pieces of electronic equipment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more OSICs is further configured to determine a set of quality of service (QOS) parameters for each subscriber, and to publish data to each subscriber in accordance with the QOS parameters.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the set of QOS parameters includes at least a durability parameter, a durability service parameter, a presentation parameter, a deadline parameter, a latency budget parameter, an ownership parameter, an ownership strength parameter, a liveliness parameter, a time-based filter parameter, a partition parameter, a reliability parameter, a transport priority parameter, a lifespan parameter, a destination order parameter, a history parameter, and a resource limits parameter.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the one or more OSICs is further configured to provide a consistent time reference for each sample of data published to each subscriber.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each OSIC is configured to detect one or more applications that are publishers of data to be used by the one or more pieces of electronic equipment.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each OSICs is further configured to provide a set of QOS parameters to each publisher, and to receive data from each publisher in accordance with the QOS parameters.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each OSIC is further configured to transmit and receive data via an Internet connection.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each OSIC is located in close proximity to the one or more pieces of electronic equipment connected thereto.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each OSIC comprises one or more interface cards configured to implement the one or more legacy interfaces.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a pin configuration is used to indicate which of the one or more legacy interfaces to implement.

12. A method of communicating between a central computer on a vessel and an open system interface converter (OSIC), comprising:

discovering, by the OSIC, one or more subscribers of data generated by one or more pieces of electronic equipment connected to the OSIC and located in close geographic proximity to the OSIC, the one or more subscribers including applications implemented by the central computer;

converting the data into a format consistent with a format used by the one or more subscribers; and

publishing the data to the one or more subscribers.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining one or more QOS parameters for each subscriber, and publishing the data to each subscriber in accordance with the QOS parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of QOS parameters include a durability parameter, a durability service parameter, a presentation parameter, a deadline parameter, a latency budget parameter, an ownership parameter, an ownership strength parameter, a liveliness parameter, a time-based filter parameter, a partition parameter, a reliability parameter, a transport priority parameter, a lifespan parameter, a destination order parameter, a history parameter, and a resource limits parameter.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a consistent time reference for data published to each subscriber.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining one or more applications that are publishers of data to be used by the one or more pieces of electronic equipment.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing system configured to;

discover one or more subscribers of data generated by one or pieces of electronic equipment connected to the apparatus and located in close proximity to the apparatus, the one or more subscribers including applications implemented by a central computer connected to the apparatus;

convert the data to a format consistent with a format used by the one or more subscribers; and

publish the data to the one or more subscribers.

18. A computer-program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to facilitate communications with external devices, the control logic comprising:

computer readable program code means for discovering one or more subscribers of data generated by one of more of the external devices connected to the computer and located in close proximity to the computer, the one or more subscribers including applications implemented by a central computer external to the computer;

computer readable program code means for converting the data into a format consistent with a format used by the one or more subscribers; and

computer readable program code means for publishing the data to the one or more subscribers.