Virtual host isolation and detection of embedded operational flight program (OFP) capabilities

• US 7,551,105 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, Kenneth E., Lewis, Robin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US11/289,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 340/947, 340/945, 340/948, 709/250, 707/2, 707/4
• US Class Current: 340/947
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an object oriented architecture that includes a plurality of host aircraft interface objects that enable a plurality of different host aircraft or variants to be attached or interfaced to an associated store, such as a targeting pod or a weapon system. The union of all aircraft hosts and variants are packaged and maintained as one executable capable of adapting to the predetermined suite of identified hosts and host variants. At least one or more interface objects provide a virtual translation layer which is dynamically determined and allocated during instantiation. Auto detection of the host aircraft/host aircraft variant provides the specific interface protocol by which the store can process and provide status via a predetermined signal format.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing communications between at least one of a weapons, targeting, or tracking platform, which is a host system, and at least one of a weapon, or a targeting or tracking unit, which is an associated store, the method comprising the steps of:

auto-detecting the host system;

instantiating an interface object for controlling communications with the host system that has been auto-detected, and for translating messages received from the host system, said interface object inherits the properties of the host system object class and the properties of the store level commands object class; and

establishing communications between the associated store and the host system, wherein the host system and the associated store exchange information.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the interface object includes two interface objects, a first interface object for controlling communications with the host system, and a second interface object for translating messages received from the host system.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the host system is an aircraft.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the host aircraft includes a plurality of variants.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the associated store is a targeting pod.

6. A method according to claim 4 wherein the associated store is a weapon.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said interface object captures incoming control data from the host system.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the interface object translates the control data from the host system into a functionally mapped software architecture for the associated store.

9. A method for interfacing communications between a host aircraft and an associated store, comprising the steps of:

auto-detecting the host aircraft;

instantiating a first interface object to control communication with the host aircraft that has been auto-detected, said first interface object inherits the properties of the host aircraft object class and captures incoming control data from the host system;

instantiating a second interface object for translating messages received from the host aircraft that has been auto-detected, said second interface object inherits the properties of the store level commands object class and translates the control data from the host system into a functionally mapped software architecture for the associated store; and

establishing communications between the associated store and the host aircraft, wherein the host system and the associated store exchange information.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the associated store is a weapon or a targeting pod and the host aircraft includes a plurality of variants.

11. A method according to claim 10 which further includes the step of utilizing predetermined and unique interface protocol attributes relating to message size and type of host sub-addresses to identify a correct host variant.

12. At least one of a weapon, or a targeting or tracking unit, which is an associated store, that interfaces and communicates with at least one of a weapons, targeting, or tracking platform, which is a host system, the store comprising:

at least a first processor that auto-detects the host system, instantiates a first interface object which controls communications with the host system and which inherits the properties of the host system object class, and instantiates a second interface object which translates messages received from the host system and inherits the properties of the store level commands object class; and

at least one module that is responsive to the first processor and communicates with the host system.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the host system is an aircraft.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the host aircraft includes a plurality of variants.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the associated store is a targeting pod.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the targeting pod includes a FLIR, a digital video module and a recorder.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 where the targeting pod further includes a laser control module and a navigation module.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the associated store is a weapon.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said first interface object captures incoming control data from the host system.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the second interface object translates the control data from the host system into a functionally mapped software architecture for the associated store.

21. An apparatus for interfacing communications between a host aircraft and an associated store, the method comprising:

an auto-detection unit that auto-detects the host aircraft;

a first interface instantiation unit that instantiates a first interface object to control communication with the host aircraft that has been auto-detected, said first interface object inherits the properties of the host aircraft object class and captures incoming control data from the host aircraft;

a second interface instantiation unit that instantiates a second interface object for translating messages received from the host aircraft that has been auto-detected, said second interface object inherits the properties of the store level commands object class and translates the control data from the host aircraft into a functionally mapped software architecture for the associated store; and

an information exchange unit that exchanges information between the associated store and the host aircraft.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the associated store is a targeting pod and the host aircraft includes a plurality of variants.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22 which further includes utilizing predetermined and unique interface protocol attributes relating to message size and type of host sub-addresses to identify a correct host variant.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the targeting pod includes a FLIR, a digital video module and a recorder.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the targeting pod further includes a laser module and an inertial navigation system module.

26. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the store is a weapon.