Static Ring Network for Vehicle Communications

• US 20120290692A1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orbit Communication
• Original Assignee: Orbit Communication
• Inventors: REICH, Ofer, Hashin, Eran, Shabirow, Erez, Shabbat, Eitan
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/437 Ring fault isolation or reconfiguration for SDH/SONET ring networks H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4637 Interconnected ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4028 the transportation system being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network

Abstract

A method for operating a ring network includes the steps of configuring the ring network with static configuration information and then deterministically exchanging operational data between a plurality of nodes on the ring network, while operating the ring network in accordance with the static configuration information. This system facilitates communications that meet the high reliability and performance requirements of vehicle communications, in particular in aircraft data networks (ADNs), while reducing the cost, weight, and complexity of conventional implementations.

Claims

1. A method for operating a ring network comprising the steps of:

(a) configuring the ring network with static configuration information; and

(b) exchanging operational data deterministically between a plurality of nodes on the ring network while operating the ring network in accordance with said static configuration information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(c) generating said static configuration information by simulating offline the networking requirements of the ring network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said exchanging operational data includes transmitting simultaneously said operational data between said nodes in two opposite directions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein operating the ring network includes each of said nodes using said static configuration information to limit operation of one or more services running on said nodes.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein limiting operation of one or more services includes a limitation selected from the group consisting of:

(a) bandwidth available to said services; and

(b) quality of service (QoS) for said services.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said static configuration information is for guaranteeing quality of service (QoS) on the ring network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said exchanging operational data is terminated at or before said operational data is received by one of said nodes that originated said operational data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said exchanging operational data is terminated by one of said nodes if said operational data is associated with that node'"'"'s address on the ring network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein operation of said ring network is in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said static configuration information includes operating parameters for each of said nodes.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said static configuration information is stored on each of said nodes.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said nodes is configured to inhibit changes to said static configuration information while operating said ring network.

13. A system comprising:

(a) a static deterministic ring network including a plurality of nodes operationally connected in a ring topology, wherein operational data is exchanged between said nodes while operating said static deterministic ring network deterministically in accordance with static configuration information.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said static configuration information includes operating parameters for each of said nodes.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said static configuration information is stored on each of said nodes.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein each of said nodes is configured to inhibit changes to said static configuration information while operating said ring network.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising

(b) one or more configuration tables for storing said static configuration information.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein each said node includes a configuration table defining said static configuration information for each said node.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said static configuration information includes a description of a path for said operational data to be exchanged between said nodes.

20. A vehicle comprising the static deterministic ring network of claim 13.

21. The vehicle of claim 20 wherein said vehicle is an airplane.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said static deterministic ring network includes two rings for simultaneous transmission of said operational data between the nodes in two opposite directions

23. The system of claim 13 wherein each of said nodes uses said static configuration information to limit operation of one or more services running on said nodes.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein exchange of said operational data is terminated at or before said operational data is received by one of said nodes that originated said operational data.

25. The system of claim 13 wherein exchange of said operational data is terminated by one of said nodes if said operational data is associated with that node'"'"'s address on the ring network.