Bus protocol for control of communications between two computers

• US 8,271,709 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Rittmueller, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cerullo, Jeremy S
• Application Number:
  US12/463,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 710/106, 710/107, 710/200
• US Class Current: 710/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4295 using an embedded synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4028 the transportation system being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A method for operating a communications bus between a first computer and a second computer is provided. The method comprising monitoring a receiver bus coupled to the first computer for activity and confirming that the communications are determinant. The communications are confirmed by receiving a control label on the receiver bus and acknowledging to the second computer through a transmitter bus coupled to the first computer that communications are determinant. The method also comprises enabling the second computer to access data accessible by the first computer when the reliability of communications is confirmed.

Claims

1. A method for operating a communications bus between a first computer and a second computer, the method comprising:

monitoring a receiver bus coupled to the first computer for activity;

confirming that communications are determinant, the confirmation comprising;

receiving a control label on the receiver bus, wherein the receiver bus conforms to ARINC 429 standards and the control label is a three bit octal label; and

if the control label is within a predefined range, acknowledging to the second computer through a transmitter bus coupled to the first computer that communications are determinant; and

enabling the second computer to access data accessible by the first computer when the communications are confirmed determinant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the communications are confirmed to be determinant, enabling the second computer to alter the data accessible by the first computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

confirming that communications are determinant further comprises entering a second state from a first state when activity is detected over the receiver bus; and

enabling the second computer to access data accessible by the first computer further comprises entering a third state from the second state when the control label is detected over the receiver bus.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising reverting to the first state when activity is no longer detected over the receiver bus.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

wherein the control label directs the first computer into one of a plurality of sub-states of the third state, wherein the plurality sub-states are each associated with a particular type of data; and

wherein the first computer acknowledges to the second computer that the one of a plurality of sub-states is entered.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

predefined range is the range of 300 to 377.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the second computer to access one or more data structures further comprises implanting data from the second computer into at least one data structure accessible by the first computer when a user has previously altered the at least one data structure.

8. A communication system for an aircraft to communicate externally, the system comprising:

an avionics computer onboard the aircraft;

a first ARINC 429 receiver interface coupled to the avionics computer;

wherein the avionics computer enters into an alteration mode upon receipt of a control label within a dedicated range through the first ARINC 429 receiver interface; and

wherein the alteration mode enables sensitive data accessible by the avionics computer to be altered.

9. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the avionics computer functions in a plurality of different states, the states including:

a first state for when no activity is sensed through the first ARINC 429 receiver interface;

a second state for when activity is sensed through the first ARINC 429 receiver interface and the control label is not read; and

a third state for when activity is sensed on the bus and the control label is read, wherein the third state enables the alteration mode.

10. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the alteration mode allows gross weight and center of gravity of the aircraft to be changed.

11. The communication system of claim 8, wherein the avionics computer enters into the alteration mode upon receipt of a control label that is an octal label in the range of 300 to 377.

12. The communication system of claim 8, further comprising a first ARINC 429 transmitter interface coupled to the avionics computer.

13. The communication system of claim 12, further comprising:

a user computer configured to couple to ground test equipment;

a second ARINC 429 receiver interface coupled to the user computer, wherein a first data bus is coupled to the second ARINC 429 receiver interface and the first ARINC 429 transmitter interface; and

a second ARINC 429 transmitter interface coupled to the user computer, wherein a second data bus is coupled to the second ARINC 429 transmitter interface and the first ARINC 429 receiver interface.

14. The communication system of claim 8, further comprising:

a load management, wherein data relating to the sensitive data is displayed; and

a flight deck, wherein data relating to the sensitive data is displayed.

15. A program product for an avionics computer to communicate with a user computer over a data bus using a ARINC 429 standard, the program product comprising a non-transitory processor readable medium on which program instructions are embodied, wherein the program instructions are operable, when executed by at least one programmable processor included in the avionics computer, to cause the avionics computer to:

confirm that communications are determinant based on a value of a control label received on a receiver bus, wherein communications are confirmed as determinant if the control label is a three bit octal label in the range of 300 to 377; and

when the communications are confirmed to be determinant, enable the user computer to access one or more data structures accessible by the avionics computer.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein when the communications are confirmed to be determinant further comprises enable the user computer to alter one or more data structures.

17. The program product of claim 15, further comprising monitor for activity on the receiver bus.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein:

confirm that communications are determinant further comprises enter a second state from a first state when activity is sensed over the receiver bus; and

enable the user computer to access data accessible by the avionics computer further comprises enter a third state from the second state when the control label is sensed over the receiver bus.

19. The program product of claim 18, wherein:

the first state is a steady state in which no activity is sensed on the receiver bus;

the second state is a state wherein the ARINC 429 standards apply; and

the third state is an alteration state wherein the one or more data structures are alterable.

20. The program product of claim 15, wherein the control label additionally causes the avionics computer to:

command the avionics computer into a sub-state of the third state; and

acknowledge the sub-state of the third state to the user computer through a transmitter bus.