TECHNIQUE FOR UPDATING SOFTWARE ON BOARD AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20170168810A1
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: KNIJNENBURG, Thorsten, WAIGL, Ilja
• Application Number:
  US15/375,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168810A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

An interface unit for use in updating software of an aircraft component on board an aircraft. The interface unit comprises a first interface to connect to a server providing one or more software updates for upload to the aircraft component, and a second interface to connect to the aircraft component. The interface unit further comprises a receiving component configured to receive a software update from the server via the first interface for upload to the aircraft component, and an uploading component configured to upload the received software update to the aircraft component via the second interface.

Claims

1. An interface unit for use in updating software of an aircraft component on board an aircraft, the interface unit comprising:

a first interface for connectivity to a server providing one or more software updates for upload to the aircraft component,

a second interface for connectivity to the aircraft component,

a receiving component configured to receive a software update from the server via the first interface for upload to the aircraft component, and

an uploading component configured to upload the received software update to the aircraft component via the second interface.

2. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the first interface and the second interface are communication interfaces, each supporting a different communication standard.

3. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the first interface is a wireless communication interface.

4. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the second interface is a wire-based communication interface.

5. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the software update is provided in the form of Field Loadable Software.

6. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the interface unit is a portable standalone device.

7. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the interface unit is a piggy-back module coupled to the aircraft component.

8. The interface unit of claim 1, wherein the interface unit comprises an integrated power supply unit.

9. A system for updating software of one or more aircraft components on board an aircraft, the system comprising:

a server providing one or more software updates for upload to the one or more aircraft components; and

one or more interface units according to claim 1 each being connected to the server via its first interface and each being connected to one of the one or more aircraft components via its second interface.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is a central server computer installed in the aircraft.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the server is a portable computer.

12. A method for updating software of an aircraft component on board an aircraft, the method being performed by an interface unit comprising a first interface for connectivity to a server providing one or more software updates for upload to the aircraft component, and a second interface for connectivity to the aircraft component, the method comprising:

receiving a software update from the server via the first interface for upload to the aircraft component; and

uploading the received software update to the aircraft component via the second interface.

13. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory medium comprising executable instructions for causing the interface unit to carry out the method of claim 12 when the computer program product is executed on one or more computing devices.

14. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a computer program product according to claim 13.

15. An interface unit comprising the non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 14.