CHECKING OF A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR AN AIRCRAFT UNDER DEVELOPMENT

• US 20110270806A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Coloma, Laurent, Weiler, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/690
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for checking a communication system (3) comprising a plurality of modules (7) adapted to be installed in an aircraft under development (5), said checking device including:

• • means (11) for building an identification and synchronization database (17) for said communication system (3), said database contractually defining interfaces between said plurality of modules from change notes relative to an initial technical definition,
  • means (11) for defining, in said database (17), signals configured to be exchanged between said plurality of modules (7) via a plurality of connections (3) interconnecting said interfaces, said signals being defined to be synchronized with each other as well as with the physical materialization of said connections, and
  • means (11) for checking, before an evaluation of a maturation test of the communication system (3), an interface consistency for all of said signals of said database (17).

Claims

1. A method for checking a communication system (3) comprising a plurality of modules (7) adapted to be installed in an aircraft under development (5), the method including the following steps:

building an identification and synchronization database (17) for said communication system (3), said database contractually defining interfaces between said plurality of modules (7) from change notes relative to an initial technical definition,

defining, in said database (17), signals configured to be exchanged between said plurality of modules (7) via a plurality of connections (9) interconnecting said interfaces, said signals being defined to be synchronized with each other as well as with the physical materialization of said connections, and

checking, before an evaluation of a maturation test of the communication system (3), an interface consistency for all of said signals of said database (17).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the database (17) includes a synchronization identification of the signals between said modules.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that said synchronization identification defines a functional consistency between said signals, and coordination between the signals and the physical connections configured to convey said signals.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the physical connections include cables each comprising a plurality of connectors corresponding to said plurality of connections interconnecting said interfaces, and in that the database (17) includes a broaching identification and a correspondence between each signal and the connector configured to convey said signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the signals are defined by ensuring that each signal has the same characteristics between a transmitting module and a receiving module.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes continuous updating of the database (17) to include any functional and/or physical evolution of the interfaces and signals.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a successive construction of said database (17) corresponding to the successive maturation test steps, each maturation test comprising, in an evolving manner, a set of functions to test where each function is configured to trigger a set of signals representative of said function.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that said maturation tests include:

functional tests, simulation tests, and tests on the aircraft.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that each maturation test consists of checking the signals exchanged between the different modules, and evaluating the proper operation of the various modules of the aircraft.

10. A device for checking a communication system (3) comprising a plurality of modules (7) adapted to be installed in an aircraft under development (5), characterized in that said checking device includes:

means (11) for building an identification and synchronization database (17) for said communication system (3), said database contractually defining interfaces between said plurality of modules from change notes relative to an initial technical definition,

means (11) for defining, in said database (17), signals configured to be exchanged between said plurality of modules (7) via a plurality of connections (3) interconnecting said interfaces, said signals being defined to be synchronized with each other as well as with the physical materialization of said connections, and

means (11) for checking, before an evaluation of a maturation test of the communication system (3), an interface consistency for all of said signals of said database (17).