Redundant input/output management device, notably for data routing

• US 7,707,281 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airsys ATM SA (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Airsys ATM SA (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Baretzki, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair; Douglas B
• Application Number:
  US09/842,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,287 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/249, 709/222, 709/238, 709/224, 709/208, 714/4, 714/11, 714/13, 714/740, 714/43, 370/253, 370/216, 370/217, 370/219, 370/352, 701/33
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0745 in an input/output transactions management context input/output processing in general G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a device with built-in redundancy for input/output management, notably a data routing system. The device includes first management means and second management means connected to each other via two interfaces, one a network and the other a standby line, said means mutually exchanging polling messages via these two interfaces, said first means being considered to be defective by said second means when they no longer sends messages during a given time interval on at least one of said two interfaces, characterized in that it includes at least one algorithm to reset said first and second means, the defective means being deactivated and the other means activated during the reset after detection of a failure. The device is applicable to the handling of air traffic data and, more generally, to all digital data input/output management systems necessitating a high level of operational reliability without an excessive cost premium.

Claims

1. A redundant routing system including a processor, the system comprising:

a first routing unit configured to manage input data and output data;

a second routing unit configured to manage said input data and said output data;

a network interface configured to connect said first and second routing units; and

a standby bus interface configured to connect said first and second routing units to each other, wherein,

when said first routing unit is managing said input data and said output data, said second routing unit detects a failure of said first routing unit by monitoring both the network and the standby bus interfaces using messages sent over both the network and the standby bus interfaces,

when said second routing unit detects said failure of said first routing unit, said second routing unit activates a reset algorithm stored in said first routing unit so that said first routing unit no longer manages said input data and said output data and said second routing unit starts managing said input data and said output data, and

a memory address of the reset algorithm stored in said first routing unit is stored in a set of parameters stored in at least one configuration file included in said second routing unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second routing units have identical functions and include identical software and configuration files.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein, after said second routing unit is activated and starts managing said input data and said output data, said first routing unit detects a failure of said second routing unit.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one serial link connecting said first and second routing units to at least one other system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one serial link comprises at least one Y-split cable.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first routing unit is configured to deactivate itself and to activate said second routing unit by a change in an impedance of at least one input/output serial port.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the change in impedance imparts putting said at least one input/output serial port in a high impedance state.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said second routing unit is configured to deactivate said first routing unit by sending a reset command to said first routing unit via the standby bus interface, said reset command executing the reset algorithm on said first routing unit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the messages are polling messages that are exchanged via the network and the standby bus interfaces, said polling messages carrying information relevant to detecting said failure.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said second routing unit is configured to detect said failure of said first routing unit when said polling messages are not properly responded to on at least one of the network and the standby bus interfaces.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein, when launching an application on said first and second routing units, the set of parameters, which includes configuration parameters of said application, is loaded into a random access memory (RAM).

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said network interface is configured to link said first and second routing units with at least one remote client system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said network interface is the Internet.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said network interface is an Ethernet network.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said network interface is a digital local area network (LAN).

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second routing units are configured to operate in Open Communication Processor (OCP) mode.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert protocol to warn of said failure of the system.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second routing units are data routers.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second routing units are data servers.

20. The redundant routing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration file includes:

the messages themselves;

at least one transmission interval between the messages; and

at least one time limit between two of the messages.

21. A redundant routing system, the system comprising:

first routing means for managing input data and output data;

second routing means for managing said input data and said output data;

networking means for connecting said first and second routing means; and

connecting means for connecting said first and second routing means to each other, wherein,

when said first routing means manages said input data and said output data, said second routing means detects a failure of said first routing means using both said networking and the connecting means by using messages sent over both said networking and connecting means,

when said second routing means detects said failure of said first routing means, said second routing means activates a means for resetting said first routing means stored in said first routing means so that said first routing means no longer manages said input data and said output data and said second routing means starts managing said input data and said output data, and

said second routing means includes configuration means, storing a set of parameters including a memory address of the means for resetting stored in said routing means.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

linking means for connecting said first and second routing means to at least one other system.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

polling means for exchanging the messages, which are polling messages, via said networking and connecting means, said polling messages carrying information relevant to detecting said failure.

24. The redundant routing system of claim 21, wherein the configuration means includes:

the messages themselves;

at least one transmission interval between the messages; and

at least one time limit between two of the messages.