Airfield lighting control and monitoring system utilizing fiber optic double loop self healing communications
First Claim
1. An airfield lighting control and monitoring system, said system comprising:
- a main computer;
a backup computer;
a main backbone fiber optic to serial interface, wherein a serial interface portion thereof is coupled to the main computer;
a backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, wherein a serial interface portion thereof is coupled to the backup computer;
a first fiber optic router having a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs;
a backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main backbone fiber optic portion and a backup backbone fiber optic portion, whereina first end of the main backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main backbone fiber optic to serial interface,a second end of the main backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router,a first end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, anda second end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to one of a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a second fiber optic router;
a plurality of local light control and monitoring groups, each of the plurality of local light control and monitoring groups comprises;
a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and
a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, whereina first end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator,a second end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router,a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, anda second end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to another respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the second fiber optic router;
wherein the main and backup computers can communicate with any one or more of the plurality of light controllers through the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit, the first fiber optic router, the second fiber optic router, respective ones of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits, and respective ones of the main or backup concentrators.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Control and monitoring of airfield lighting from a control tower and other maintenance/supervisory locations uses double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits to enhances speed of operation even with large and complex airfield lighting system requirements, and significantly increased reliability and operating lifetime thereof. A plurality of local light control and monitoring groups are used, wherein each group has at least one fiber optic communications concentrator that independently communicates with light controllers within the group and the remote supervisory control and monitoring systems in the control tower and other locations. This allows faster control response of the lamps in each of the airfield light fixtures, and monitoring concentration of operational data within each group. Each of the at least one fiber optic concentrators is optically coupled to double loop self healing fiber optic communications backbone circuits coupled to main and backup computer supervisory control systems for redundancy purposes.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An airfield lighting control and monitoring system, said system comprising:
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a main computer; a backup computer; a main backbone fiber optic to serial interface, wherein a serial interface portion thereof is coupled to the main computer; a backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, wherein a serial interface portion thereof is coupled to the backup computer; a first fiber optic router having a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs; a backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main backbone fiber optic portion and a backup backbone fiber optic portion, wherein a first end of the main backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main backbone fiber optic to serial interface, a second end of the main backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router, a first end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, and a second end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to one of a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a second fiber optic router; a plurality of local light control and monitoring groups, each of the plurality of local light control and monitoring groups comprises; a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, wherein a first end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator, a second end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router, a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, and a second end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to another respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the second fiber optic router; wherein the main and backup computers can communicate with any one or more of the plurality of light controllers through the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit, the first fiber optic router, the second fiber optic router, respective ones of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits, and respective ones of the main or backup concentrators. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A local light control and monitoring group, comprising:
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a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, wherein a first end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator, a second end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a first fiber optic router, a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, and a second end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a second fiber optic router; wherein any one or more of the plurality of light controllers, and main and backup concentrators are accessible from the main or backup local fiber optic portions of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for control and monitoring of an airfield lighting system, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one computer having main and backup fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs; providing a first fiber optic router having a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs; providing a backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main backbone fiber optic portion and a backup backbone fiber optic portion, wherein the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit comprises the steps of; coupling a first end of the main backbone fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main backbone fiber optic to serial interface, coupling a second end of the main backbone fiber optic portion to one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a first fiber optic router, coupling a first end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, and coupling a second end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion to one of a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a second fiber optic router; providing a plurality of local light control and monitoring groups, each of the plurality of local light control and monitoring groups comprises; a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, wherein the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit comprises the steps of; coupling a first end of the main local fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator, coupling a second end of the main local fiber optic portion to a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router, coupling a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, and coupling a second end of the backup local fiber optic portion to another respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the second fiber optic router; and communicating with the at least one computer to any one or more of the plurality of light controllers through the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit, the first fiber optic router, the second fiber optic router, respective ones of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits, and respective ones of the main or backup concentrators.
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Specification