Blackboard-centric layered software architecture for an embedded airborne fuel gauging subsystem

• US 6,256,679 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Rhoads, Thomas Edward II, Chaffee, Mark Robert, Clark, Harold Frederick Jr., Darwin, Keith Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): BULLOCK JR, LEWIS ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US08/997,137
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 706/49, 710/315, 710/316, 701/123, 701/103, 701/104, 701/112, 123/480, 244/135.R, 709/310
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/043 Distributed expert systems; Blackboards

Abstract

A computer software architecture for an embedded computer system. The architecture includes a hierarchy of software object classes. One classification includes a common information blackboard object. Data is written to the blackboard object by processes in a protected manner, and is otherwise globally readable by all processes. A run-time executive is provided to schedule and coordinate processes. Processes register with the run-time executive at start-up. One process can know the existence and generation of data by another process. The architecture is layered in increasing levels of system abstraction. In one embodiment, the embedded system is an airborne fuel gauging subsystem.

Claims

1. A computer software architecture for isolation of critical system responsibilities in an embedded aircraft fuel gauging subsystem, comprising:

a determination layer of software objects having a sensor fusion authority, a data fusion authority and a determination controller;

a blackboard layer of software objects for communicating information between object layers, the blackboard layer of software objects coupled to the determination layer of software objects;

a virtual airframe layer of software objects having a resource data manager, a bus item and a common sensor, the virtual airframe layer of software objects coupled to the blackboard layer of software objects;

a virtual processor layer of software objects having at least one processor utility application programming interface, a bus message object and an analog to digital driver, the virtual processor layer of software objects coupled to the virtual airframe layer of software objects and operative to communicate information over a standard interface; and

a run-time executive coupled to the determination, virtual airframe and virtual processor layers of software objects, the run-time executive operative to schedule process execution threads within the embedded aircraft fuel gauging subsystem.

2. The computer software architecture defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor fusion authority and the data fusion authority are operative to update state vectors.

3. The computer software architecture defined in claim 1, wherein the determination controller is coupled between the sensor fusion authority and the data fusion authority.

4. The computer software architecture defined in claim 1, wherein the resource data manager is operative to receive aircraft adaptation and configuration information, the aircraft adaptation and configuration information being operative to be initialized and reconfigured as adaptable resource data.

5. The computer software architecture defined in claim 1, wherein the bus item is operative to communicate bus data between the virtual airframe layer and the virtual processor layer.

6. The computer software architecture defined in claim 1, wherein the common sensor is operative to communicate common sensor data and features to the blackboard layer.

7. The computer software architecture defined in claim 1, wherein the run-time executive handles processing in a deterministic manner.

8. A computer software object architecture for isolation of critical system responsibilities in an embedded aircraft subsystem, comprising:

a determination layer of software objects;

a blackboard layer of software objects for sharing of data between object layers, the blackboard layer of software objects operative to transmit information between the determination layer of software objects and the blackboard layer;

a virtual airframe layer of software objects, the virtual airframe layer of software objects coupled to provide information to the blackboard layer of software objects;

a virtual processor layer of software objects having at least one processor utility application programming interface, the virtual processor layer of software objects coupled to communicate information over a standard interface; and

a run-time executive operative to schedule execution of processes within the determination, virtual airframe and virtual processor layers of software objects.

9. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the virtual airframe layer includes a resource data manager for receiving aircraft adaptation and configuration information, the aircraft adaptation and configuration information being operative to be initialized and reconfigured as adaptable resource data.

10. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the virtual airframe layer includes a bus item for communicating bus data between the virtual article layer and the virtual processor layer.

11. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the virtual airframe layer includes a common sensor for communicating common sensor data and features to the blackboard layer.

12. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the run-time executive handles processing in a deterministic manner.

13. The computer software architecture defined in claim 12, wherein the executive functions as a server to client processes.

14. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein object implementation details of each layer are hidden from other layers.

15. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein each layer provides a common interface for client processes.

16. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the blackboard layer comprises a blackboard object for central storage of information.

17. The computer software architecture defined in claim 16, wherein the blackboard object can be read by any process in a global manner.

18. The computer software architecture defined in claim 16, wherein the blackboard object can be written to by processes and each process is assigned a protected region for writing data relevant to that process.

19. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the embedded aircraft subsystem comprises a fuel gauging system.

20. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the embedded aircraft subsystem comprises a health and utility management system.

21. The computer software architecture defined in claim 8, wherein the embedded aircraft subsystem comprises a distributed computer system.