SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERFORMING EXTERNAL DATA VALIDATION FOR AIRCRAFT ONBOARD SYSTEMS

• US 20180351966A1
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Toews, Phillip J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,616,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0075 Adaptations for use of electronic flight bags in aircraft; Supports therefor in the cockpit
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/004 Error avoidance G06F11/07 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0796 Safety measures, i.e. ensuring safe condition in the event of error, e.g. for controlling element
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/16 Error detection or correction of the data by redundancy in hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1654 where the output of only one of the redundant processing components can drive the attached hardware, e.g. memory or I/O
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

A method for validating incoming data to a computer system is provided. The method receives the incoming data, simultaneously, by the computer system and a mirror computer system, wherein the computer system is separate and distinct from the mirror computer system, wherein the computer system lacks a communication connection to the mirror computer system, and wherein the mirror computer system lacks a communication connection to the computer system; processes the incoming data by the mirror computer system, to produce output; and when the output comprises an acceptable result, processes the incoming data by the computer system.

Claims

1. A method for validating incoming data to a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving the incoming data, simultaneously, by the computer system and a mirror computer system, wherein the computer system is separate and distinct from the mirror computer system, wherein the computer system lacks a communication connection to the mirror computer system, and wherein the mirror computer system lacks a communication connection to the computer system;

processing the incoming data by the mirror computer system, to produce output; and

when the output comprises an acceptable result, processing the incoming data by the computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a duplicate of software associated with the computer system, wherein the duplicate is stored, maintained, and executed using the mirror computer system comprising at least one processor and system memory;

wherein processing the incoming data by the mirror computer system is performed using the duplicate; and

wherein execution of the duplicate by the mirror computer system results in a simulation of operation of the computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the output, via a display device communicatively coupled to the mirror computer system;

receiving first user input verifying validity of the output, via a first user interface communicatively coupled to the mirror computer system;

receiving second user input permitting the incoming data for use by the computer system, via a second user interface communicatively coupled to the computer system; and

processing the incoming data by the computer system, in response to the second user input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after simultaneously receiving the incoming data by the computer system and the mirror computer system,

retaining a first instance of the incoming data in a data buffer that is part of the computer system, during processing of a second instance of the incoming data by the mirror computer system; and

when the output comprises the acceptable result, extracting the first instance from the data buffer to process the first instance by the computer system.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

presenting the output, via a display device communicatively coupled to the mirror computer system;

receiving first user input verifying validity of the output, via a first user interface communicatively coupled to the mirror computer system;

receiving second user input permitting the incoming data for use by the computer system, via a second user interface communicatively coupled to the computer system; and

extracting the first instance of the incoming data from the data buffer, in response to the second user input, by the computer system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing wireless communication connections to a computing device, by the computer system and the mirror computer system;

wherein the incoming data is received simultaneously by the computer system and the mirror computer system, via the wireless communication connections.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing hardwired communication connections to a computing device, by the computer system and the mirror computer system;

wherein the incoming data is received simultaneously by the computer system and the mirror computer system, via the hardwired communication connections.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system comprises a Flight Management System (FMS) onboard an aircraft;

wherein the mirror computer system comprises a second avionics system onboard the aircraft; and

wherein the method further comprises;

establishing communication connections to a computing device executing an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) application, by the FMS and the second avionics system;

receiving the incoming data via the communication connections, simultaneously, by a data buffer of the FMS and by the second avionics system;

processing a first instance of the incoming data by the second avionics system; and

when the output produced by the second avionics system comprises the acceptable result, extracting a second instance of the incoming data from the data buffer and processing the second instance by the FMS.

9. A system for validating incoming data, the system comprising:

a mirror computer system, comprising;

a mirror memory element;

a mirror display device, configured to simulate a primary display device;

a mirror communication device, configured to receive a first instance of incoming data at a particular time;

a mirror processor, communicatively coupled to the mirror memory element, the mirror display device, and the mirror communication device, the mirror processor configured to;

process the first instance of the incoming data, when received via the mirror communication device; and

present output via the mirror display device, based on processing the first instance of the incoming data, wherein the output comprises one of acceptable results and unacceptable results; and

a primary computer system, comprising;

a primary memory element;

a primary communication device, configured to receive a second instance of the incoming data at the particular time;

a primary processor, communicatively coupled to the primary memory element and the primary communication device, the primary processor configured to process the second instance of the incoming data, when the output comprises acceptable results.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mirror processor is further configured to:

receive a duplicate of software associated with the primary computer system, via the mirror communication device;

store the duplicate, via the mirror memory element; and

process the first instance of the incoming data by executing the duplicate, using the first instance of the incoming data;

wherein execution of the duplicate results in a simulation of operation of the primary computer system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the mirror computer system further comprises a mirror user interface communicatively coupled to the mirror processor, the mirror user interface configured to receive first user input verifying validity of the output;

wherein the primary computer system further comprises a primary user interface communicatively coupled to the primary processor, the primary user interface configured to receive second user input permitting the second instance of the incoming data for use by the primary computer system; and

wherein the primary processor is further configured to process the second instance of the incoming data, in response to the second user input.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the primary computer system further comprises a data buffer communicatively coupled to the primary processor, the data buffer configured to retain the second instance of the incoming data during processing of the first instance of the incoming data by the mirror computer system;

and

wherein the primary processor is further configured to extract the second instance from the data buffer to process the second instance, when the output comprises the acceptable results.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the mirror computer system further comprises a mirror user interface communicatively coupled to the mirror processor, the mirror user interface configured to receive first user input verifying validity of the output;

wherein the primary computer system further comprises a primary user interface communicatively coupled to the primary processor, the primary user interface configured to receive second user input permitting the second instance of the incoming data for use by the primary computer system; and

wherein the primary processor is further configured to extract the second instance of the incoming data from the data buffer, in response to the second user input.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the primary computer system and the mirror computer system are further configured to:

establish wireless communication connections to a computing device; and

receive the incoming data, simultaneously, via the wireless communication connections, wherein the incoming data is received as a broadcast transmitted by the computing device via the wireless communication connections.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the primary computer system and the mirror computer system are further configured to:

establish hardwired communication connections to a computing device; and

receive the incoming data, simultaneously, via the hardwired communication connections, wherein the incoming data is received as a broadcast transmitted by the computing device via the wireless communication connections.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the primary computer system comprises a Flight Management System (FMS) onboard an aircraft;

and

wherein the mirror computer system comprises a second avionics system onboard the aircraft.

17. A method for receiving and processing incoming data by a system comprising at least a primary computer system and a mirror computer system, the method comprising:

obtaining a duplicate of software associated with the primary computer system, by the mirror computer system;

receiving the incoming data, simultaneously, by the primary computer system and a mirror computer system, wherein the primary computer system is separate and distinct from the mirror computer system, wherein the primary computer system lacks a communication connection to the mirror computer system, and wherein the mirror computer system lacks a communication connection to the primary computer system;

processing the incoming data by executing the duplicate, by the mirror computer system, to produce output, wherein execution of the duplicate results in a simulation of operation of the primary computer system; and

when the output comprises an acceptable result, processing the incoming data by the primary computer system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

after simultaneously receiving the incoming data by the primary computer system and the mirror computer system,

retaining a first instance of the incoming data in a data buffer that is part of the primary computer system, during processing of a second instance of the incoming data by the mirror computer system; and

when the output comprises the acceptable result, extracting the first instance from the data buffer to process the first instance by the primary computer system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

presenting the output, via a display device communicatively coupled to the mirror computer system;

receiving first user input verifying validity of the output, via a first user interface communicatively coupled to the mirror computer system;

receiving second user input permitting the incoming data for use by the primary computer system, via a second user interface communicatively coupled to the primary computer system; and

extracting the first instance of the incoming data from the data buffer, in response to the second user input, by the primary computer system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the primary computer system comprises a Flight Management System (FMS) onboard an aircraft;

wherein the mirror computer system comprises a second avionics system onboard the aircraft; and

wherein the method further comprises;

establishing communication connections to a computing device executing an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) application, by the FMS and the second avionics system;

receiving the incoming data via the communication connections, simultaneously, by a data buffer of the FMS and by the second avionics system;

processing a first instance of the incoming data by the second avionics system; and

when the output produced by the second avionics system comprises the acceptable result, extracting a second instance of the incoming data from the data buffer and processing the second instance by the FMS.