Method and apparatus for testing systems that communicate over digital buses by transmitting and receiving signals in the form of standardized multi-bit binary encoded words
First Claim
1. A test apparatus for testing systems that communicate by transmission and/or reception of transmit and/or receive words, respectively, in which such words are organized in a predetermined multiple bit format, comprising:
- computer means including a memory;
data entry means for entering into the memory of said computer means the content of a first multi-bit transmit word in either engineering notation or in binary encoded notation;
said computer means further including engineering to binary conversion processing means for accepting and converting the content of a transmit word in said memory when entered in said engineering notation, into said binary encoded notation;
a first transmit port;
transmit circuit means responsive to said computer means for formatting and transmitting said first transmit word in binary notation from said first transmit port;
receiving circuit means for receiving a multiple bit receive word in binary notation, said receiving circuit means including means responsive to said computer means for receiving and storing said receive word in binary notation in said memory of said computer means;
said computer means further having binary to engineering conversion processing means for converting the context of said first transmit word to engineering notation when entered into said memory in binary notation, and for converting the receive word, as received in binary notation, to engineering notation;
a display device responsive to display control signals for displaying alphanumeric symbols; and
,said computer means including a first display control processing means for generating display control signals that cause said display device to concurrently display the contents of the first transmit word both in engineering and binary notations, and said computer means including a second display control processing means for generating display control signals that cause said display device to concurrently display the contents of the received word both in binary and engineering notations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for testing line replaceable units (LRUs) of an avionics system in which the various units of the system exchange information by means of transmitting and/or receiving digital communication words, each word having a predetermined, standardized format. In a transmit test mode of the apparatus, the information content of a test word is formulated in either engineering or binary form by using a keyboard to create the word manually, or by retrieving a preprogrammed word or sequence of dynamically changing words from a plug-in programmable read only memory (PROM). Once formulated and stored, the communication word is repetitively transmitted, at selected word and bit transfer rates, from one or more output ports provided on the test set and applied, by a jumper connection, to a data communication bus that, in turn, is connected to one or more avionic LRUs. A CRT on the control panel of the test set simultaneously displays the information content of the transmit word, both in engineering and binary form. In a receive mode, a signal receiving port is coupled to a communication bus associated with one or more avionics LRUs for monitoring preselected communication words that are exchanged between the LRUs connected to that bus. The received word or words are decoded by the test set and displayed both in engineering and binary form on the CRT. The transmit and receive modes may be used concurrently so that a given LRU or groups of LRUs can be stimulated by one or more transmit words, and the word responses of such LRUs monitored. In a further mode, called receive-all, an abbreviated form (LABEL) of the engineering notation of each word present on a monitored data bus is displayed on the CRT, allowing the user to select certain words from among the displayed LABELs for full-word processing in the above-mentioned receive mode.
45 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A test apparatus for testing systems that communicate by transmission and/or reception of transmit and/or receive words, respectively, in which such words are organized in a predetermined multiple bit format, comprising:
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computer means including a memory; data entry means for entering into the memory of said computer means the content of a first multi-bit transmit word in either engineering notation or in binary encoded notation; said computer means further including engineering to binary conversion processing means for accepting and converting the content of a transmit word in said memory when entered in said engineering notation, into said binary encoded notation; a first transmit port; transmit circuit means responsive to said computer means for formatting and transmitting said first transmit word in binary notation from said first transmit port; receiving circuit means for receiving a multiple bit receive word in binary notation, said receiving circuit means including means responsive to said computer means for receiving and storing said receive word in binary notation in said memory of said computer means; said computer means further having binary to engineering conversion processing means for converting the context of said first transmit word to engineering notation when entered into said memory in binary notation, and for converting the receive word, as received in binary notation, to engineering notation; a display device responsive to display control signals for displaying alphanumeric symbols; and
,said computer means including a first display control processing means for generating display control signals that cause said display device to concurrently display the contents of the first transmit word both in engineering and binary notations, and said computer means including a second display control processing means for generating display control signals that cause said display device to concurrently display the contents of the received word both in binary and engineering notations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification