Virtual integrated software testbed for avionics

• US 5,541,863 A
• Filed: 09/30/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Magor, Wayne E., Stodola, Ken M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wachsman, Hal D.
• Application Number:
  US08/316,286
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 364/580, 364/578, 364/423, 364/424.01, 364/424.03-424.06, 434/14, 434/23, 434/35-44, 434/47-49, 434/59, 244/1 R, 244/194, 244/195
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric

Abstract

A virtual integrated software testbed for avionics is disclosed which allows avionics software to be developed on a host computer using a collection of computer programs running simultaneously as processes and synchronized by a central process. The software testbed disclosed uses separate synchronized processes, permits signals from an avionics device to be generated by a simulation running on the host computer or from actual equipment and data bus signals coming from and going to actual avionics hardware is connected to their virtual bus counterparts in the host computer on a real-time basis.

Claims

1. An avionics software test apparatus comprising:

a flight management system (FMS) module for emulating a predetermined flight management system on an aircraft, said flight management system module utilizing software included in a predetermined flight management system and generating in real-time simulated FMS bus signals;

a primary flight display (PFD) module for emulating a predetermined PFD on an aircraft, said primary flight display module utilizing software included in said PFD and generating in real-time simulated PFD bus signals;

a control display unit (CDU) module for emulating a predetermined CDU on an aircraft, said control display unit module utilizing software included in said CDU and generating in real-time simulated CDU bus signal;

a multifunctional display (MFD) module for emulating a predetermined MFD on an aircraft, said multifunctional display module utilizing software in said MFD and generating in real-time simulated MFD bus signals;

a bus module for emulating a predetermined bus on an aircraft;

a bus breakout panel for receiving line replaceable unit hardware from a predetermined aircraft;

a test hardware bus;

a host computer for operating a control module which exercises distributed control over and synchronizing the operation of said flight management system module, said primary flight display module, said control display unit module, said multifunctional display module and said bus module, a bus interface unit coupled to said host computer for converting said simulated FMS bus signals, said simulated PFD signals, said simulated CDU bus signals and said simulated MFD bus signals to actual signals on said test hardware bus;

an avionics line replaceable unit (LRU) with real-time embedded software therein coupled to said test bus for receiving said actual signals from and providing target hardware signals to said test hardware bus.

2. A method of testing avionics software comprising:

providing a plurality of avionics line replacement unit (LRU) software modules;

emulating a plurality of avionics LRUs with said avionics LRU software modules;

testing said avionics LRU software modules on a host computer; and

,

selectively ceasing emulation of at least one of said plurality of avionics LRUs and replacing said at least one of said plurality of avionics LRUs with an actual avionics LRU, with one of said plurality of software modules therein, and testing said actual avionics LRU in an integrated systems environment.