Parallel-to-serial converter

• US 7,312,735 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bandy, Paul W., Gaston, Darrell W., Le, Toan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khai M.
• Application Number:
  US11/566,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 341/110, 341/126
• US Class Current: 341/126
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 9/00 Parallel/series conversion or vice versa digital stores in which the information is moved stepwise per se G11C19/00

Abstract

Method and system on an aircraft for converting plural data inputs and plural data outputs from a parallel format to a serial format is provided. The system includes an integrated software module that accepts plural variable number of inputs and generates a plural variable number of outputs; an analog input processing module that receives plural analog inputs, converts the analog inputs to digital data and sends the digital data to the integrated software module; a digital input processing module that receives discrete digital inputs and transfers the digital inputs to the integrated software module; a digital output module that receives data from the integrated software module; and an analog output module that receives digital data from the integrated software module and converts the digital data into analog data by using a digital to analog converter.

Claims

1. A system for converting plural data inputs and plural data outputs from a parallel format to a serial format, comprising:

an integrated software module;

an analog input processing module that converts analog data to digital data and sends the digital data to the integrated software module;

a digital input processing module that receives discrete digital inputs and transfers the digital inputs to the integrated software module;

a digital output module including a plurality of in-shift registers for receiving digital data from the integrated software module via a communication interface module; and

an analog output module that receives digital data from the integrated software module and converts the digital data into analog data by using a digital to analog converter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a multiplexer coupled to the analog input processing module;

the analog output processing module;

the digital input processing module and the digital output processing module is used for transferring data to/from the integrated software module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the analog input processing module;

the analog output processing module;

the digital input processing module and the digital output processing module are coupled to each other serial for transferring data to the integrated software module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the analog inputs are received from a mobile platform.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the mobile platform comprises military tanks, maritime vessels, space craft, missiles and flight deck modules.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein digital data is received from an external communication system and processed by the digital output processing module.

7. A system for processing plural data inputs and data outputs from a parallel to a serial format, comprising:

means for receiving analog inputs in parallel format;

means for acquiring information regarding the number and configuration of A/D converters;

means for converting the analog inputs to a digital format;

means for processing the converted analog inputs serially based on a destination format;

means for receiving digital inputs in parallel format; and

means for transferring the digital inputs.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the analog inputs are received from a mobile platform.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile platform comprises military tanks, maritime vessels, space craft, missiles and flight deck modules.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for transferring the digital inputs comprises a multiplexer.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for transferring the digital inputs comprises one or more serial connections.

12. A method for processing plural data inputs and data outputs from a parallel to a serial format, comprising:

receiving analog inputs in parallel format;

converting analog inputs to a digital format; and

processing the converted analog inputs serially based on a destination format;

receiving digital inputs in parallel format; and

transferring the digital inputs.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

acquiring information regarding a number and configuration of A/D converters in the system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the analog and digital inputs are received from a mobile platform.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile platform comprises military tanks, maritime vessels, space craft, missiles and flight deck modules.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital inputs are transferred via a multiplexer.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the digital inputs are transferred via one or more serial connections.