System for trouble shooting and controlling signals to and from an aircraft simulator

• US 8,323,024 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Davidson, Tracy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yip, Jack
• Application Number:
  US11/352,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20070202469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,486 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/365, 434/30, 703/13, 703/14, 703/21, 367/13, 367/124, 367/125, 700/3, 709/208, 709/209, 709/210, 709/211, 710/260
• US Class Current: 434/29
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/00 Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes model vehicles, tracks therefor, models in the nature of toys A63H

Abstract

A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator has a first slave circuit and a second slave circuit. The second slave circuit is used to monitor signals coming from the aircraft simulator. A multiplexer circuit is coupled to the first slave circuit. The first slave circuit sends control signals to the multiplexer circuit for controlling digital output signals being sent to the aircraft simulator. A master controller is coupled to the first slave circuit and the second slave circuit. The master controller is used for controlling operation of the first and second slave circuit. A computer system is coupled to the master controller. The computer system will display a listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled. Selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal by an input device of the computer system will allow one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal.

Claims

1. A system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator comprising:

a first slave circuit, wherein the first slave circuit is a digital output slave device;

a second slave circuit to monitor signals coming from the aircraft simulator during testing, wherein the second slave device is a digital input slave circuit;

a multiplexer circuit;

a master controller coupled to the first slave circuit and the second slave circuit for controlling operation of the first and second slave circuit; and

a computer system coupled to the master controller and to an output of the multiplexer circuit, the computer system displaying a listing pin numbers wherein each pin number is a specific aircraft simulator signal to be controlled, wherein selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal by an input device of the computer system allowing one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal sent to the aircraft simulator and a value of the selected aircraft signal;

wherein the digital output slave device comprising;

at least one demultiplexer coupled to the master controller;

at least one digital output slave controller coupled to the demultiplexer; and

at least one digital output driver board coupled to an output of the demultiplexer and the master controller, wherein each digital output driver board comprises;

a plurality of flip flops, wherein each flip flop is coupled to the digital output slave controller and to the master controller; and

a plurality of output ports, wherein an individual output port is coupled to each of the plurality of flip flops, wherein at least one output port is attached to a desired component of the aircraft simulator to be tested to send the selected aircraft simulator signal to the desired component of the aircraft simulator;

wherein the multiplexer circuit has a first input attached to a first output port, a second input attached to a second output port, a third input attached to output pins of the aircraft simulator, and an output of the multiplexer circuit attached to the computer system, the multiplexer circuit allowing one to control the digital output signals to send a specified digital output signal at a specified value to any specific pin on the aircraft simulator based on selection of the desired aircraft simulator signal by the input device of the computer system the multiplexer circuit sending a corresponding response signal based on the desired aircraft simulator signal selected from the aircraft simulator to the master controller, wherein the specified value of the desired aircraft simulator signal selected is adjusted via the computer system so the multiplexer circuit sends the corresponding response signal at a desired level;

wherein the digital input slave device comprises;

at least one digital input slave multiplexer having inputs coupled to the master controller and outputs coupled to the computer system; and

a digital input board coupled to an output each of the at least one digital input slave multiplexer, wherein the digital input board is coupled to the aircraft simulator to monitor signals from the aircraft simulator based on the specified digital output signal sent to the aircraft simulator.

2. The system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 1 wherein the multiplexer circuit comprises a logic gate circuit having a first set of inputs attached to the output pins of the aircraft simulator, a second set of inputs attached to the first output port of the first slave circuit, and a third set of inputs attached to the second output port of the first slave circuit.

3. The system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 2 wherein the logic gate circuit comprises a plurality of AND - NOR gate pairs.

4. The system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 3 wherein each AND—

NOR gate pair comprises;

an AND gate having an AND gate first input coupled to the output pins of the aircraft simulator and an AND gate second input coupled to the first output port of the first slave circuit; and

a NOR gate having a NOR gate first input coupled to an AND gate output and a NOR gate second input coupled to the second output port of the first slave circuit.

5. The system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises:

a processing unit for storing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled, wherein selection of a desired aircraft simulator signal sends a control signal to allow one to control the selected aircraft simulator signal;

a display coupled to the processing unit for showing the listing of the aircraft simulator signals to be controlled; and

an I/O device coupled to the processing unit for selecting the desired aircraft simulator signal.

6. The system for controlling signals coming from or going to an aircraft simulator in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a voltage converter coupled to the master controller and the computer system for converting a control signal from the computer to a proper logic level.