Modular aircraft information network system and an associated method of packaging the same

• US 6,801,769 B1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Royalty, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William
• Application Number:
  US10/387,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20040180653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 455/431, 455/84, 455/129, 455/140, 455/277.1, 455/280, 455/349, 710/306, 370/225, 439/61
• US Class Current: 455/431
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A modular aircraft information system is provided for communicating information onboard an aircraft. The modular aircraft information system includes a backplane and a network router module, and may include an avionics interface module. The backplane is capable of receiving at least one COTS device such that the COTS devices can be electrically coupled and/or decoupled to the backplane. The network router module can interface with at least one avionics device. The network router module is in electrical communication with the backplane and the avionics interface module such that the network router module is capable of passing communications between the COTS devices and the avionics devices when the COTS devices are electrically coupled to the backplane. The network router is also capable of isolating the backplane from the avionics devices such that the COTS devices, when electrically coupled to the backplane, are at least partially isolated from the avionics devices.

Claims

1. A modular aircraft information system for communicating information onboard an aircraft, the modular aircraft information system comprising:

a backplane capable of receiving at least one commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device capable of operating in an aircraft information system, wherein the backplane is capable of receiving the at least one COTS device such that the at least one COTS device is capable of being at least one of electrically coupled and decoupled to the backplane, and wherein the at least one COTS device includes a circuit board for electrically coupling and decoupling the at least one COTS device to the backplane;

a network router module capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device, wherein the network router module is in electrical communication with the backplane and the at least one avionics device such that the network router module is capable of passing communications between the at least one COTS device and the at least one avionics device when at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, and wherein the network router is capable of isolating the backplane from the at least one avionics device such that the at least one COTS device, when electrically coupled to the backplane, is at least partially isolated from at least one avionics device.

2. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one COTS device electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein the COTS device comprises a server processing element.

3. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one power supply capable of supplying power to the network router, wherein the at least one power supply is electrically coupled to the backplane such that the at least one power supply is capable of supplying power to the at least one COTS device when the at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane.

4. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one power supply is capable of providing a predetermined level of power to the at least one COTS device when the at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein the at least one power supply further includes at least one backup power module capable of supplying backup power to the at least one COTS device when the at least one COTS device is coupled to the backplane and the power supplied to the at least one COTS device by the power supply drops below the predetermined level, and wherein the at least one backup power module is capable of supplying backup power such that the sum of the backup power and the power supplied by the power supply substantially equals the predetermined level of power.

5. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 1 further comprising a housing that defines an internal cavity, wherein the internal cavity is capable of receiving the backplane and the network router module, and wherein the internal cavity is also capable of receiving at least one COTS device.

6. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 5, wherein the housing is further capable of at least partially isolating the backplane and the network module from an external environment including the aircraft, and wherein the housing is further capable of isolating at least one COTS device from the external environment.

7. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 1, wherein the network router module is capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device via at least one optical fiber, and wherein the network router module is in electrical communication with the backplane via at least one electrical conductor.

8. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 1 further comprising an avionics interface module capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device, wherein the network router module is also in electrical communication with the avionics interface module, wherein the network router module is further capable of passing communications between the avionics interface module and at least one COTS device when at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, and wherein the network router is further capable of isolating the backplane from the avionics interface module such that the at least one COTS device, when electrically coupled to the backplane, is at least partially isolated from the at least one avionics device interfacing with the avionics interface module.

9. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 8, wherein the avionics interface module is capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device via at least one optical fiber, and wherein the network router module is in electrical communication with the backplane and the avionics interface module via at least one electrical conductor.

10. A method of packaging a modular aircraft information system for communicating information onboard an aircraft, the method comprising:

providing a backplane capable of receiving at least one commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device capable of operating in an aircraft information system, wherein the backplane is capable of receiving the at least one COTS device such that the COTS is capable of being at least one of electrically coupled and decoupled to the backplane, and wherein the at least one COTS device includes a circuit board for electrically coupling and decoupling the at least one COTS device to the backplane;

providing a network router module capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device; and

placing the network router module in electrical communication with the backplane such that the network router module is capable of passing communications between the at least one COTS device and the at least one avionics device when at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein placing the network router module in electrical communication further comprises isolating the backplane from the at least one avionics device such that the at least one COTS device, when electrically coupled to the backplane, is at least partially isolated from the at least one avionics device; and

securing the backplane and the network router module within an internal cavity defined by a housing, and thereafter closing the internal cavity to thereby at least partially isolate the backplane and the network router module from an external environment.

11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising electrically coupling at least one COTS device to the backplane before closing the internal cavity, wherein the COTS device comprises a server processing element, and wherein securing the backplane and the network router module further comprises securing the at least one COTS device within the internal cavity.

12. A method according to claim 10 further comprising electrically coupling at least one power supply to the backplane and the network router, wherein the power supply is electrically coupled to the backplane and the network router before closing the internal cavity.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising electrically coupling at least one COTS device to the backplane before closing the internal cavity, wherein the at least one power supply is electrically coupled to the backplane such that the at least one power supply is capable of providing a predetermined level of power to the at least one COTS device, wherein the at least one power supply further includes at least one backup power module capable of supplying backup power to the at least one COTS device when the power supplied to the COTS device by the power supply drops below the predetermined level, and wherein the at least one power supply is electrically coupled to the backplane so that the at least one backup power module is capable of supplying backup power such that the sum of the backup power and the power supplied by the power supply substantially equals the predetermined level of power.

14. A method according to claim 10 further comprising interfacing the network router module with at least one avionics device via at least one optical fiber, wherein placing a network router module in electrical communication with the backplane comprises placing the network router module in electrical communication with the backplane via at least one electrical conductor.

15. A method according to claim 10 further comprising:

providing an avionics interface module capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device, wherein placing a network router module in electrical communication with the backplane further comprises placing the network router module in electrical communication with the avionics interface module such that the network router module is capable of passing communications between the avionics interface module and at least one COTS device when at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, and wherein placing the network router module in electrical communication further comprises isolating the backplane from the avionics interface module such that the at least one COTS device, when electrically coupled to the backplane, is at least partially isolated from the at least one avionics device.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising interfacing the avionics interface module with at least one avionics device via at least one optical fiber, wherein placing a network router module in electrical communication with the backplane and the avionics interface module comprises placing the network router module in electrical communication with the backplane and the avionics interface module via at least one electrical conductor.

17. A modular aircraft information system for communicating information onboard an aircraft, the modular aircraft information system comprising:

at least one commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device capable of operating in an aircraft information system, wherein the at least one COTS device includes a circuit board;

at least one avionics device; and

a network router module in electrical communication with the at least one COTS device and the at least one avionics device, wherein the network router module is capable of passing communications between the at least one COTS device and the at least one avionics device, and wherein the network router is capable of isolating the at least one COTS device from the at least one avionics device.

18. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 17 further comprising a backplane in electrical communication with the network router, wherein the backplane is capable of receiving the COTS device such that the COTS is capable of being at least one of electrically coupled and decoupled to the backplane.

19. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 17 further comprising at least one power supply capable of supplying power to the avionics interface module and the network router, wherein the at least one power supply is electrically coupled to the at least one COTS device such that the at least one power supply is capable of supplying power to the at least one COTS device.

20. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 19, wherein the at least one power supply is capable of providing a predetermined level of power to the at least one COTS device, wherein the at least one power supply further includes at least one backup power module capable of supplying backup power to the at least one COTS device when the power supplied to the COTS device by the power supply drops below the predetermined level, and wherein the at least one backup power module is capable of supplying backup power such that the sum of the backup power and the power supplied by the power supply substantially equals the predetermined level of power.

21. A modular aircraft information system for communicating information onboard an aircraft, the modular aircraft information system comprising:

at least one commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device capable of operating in an aircraft information system, wherein the at least one COTS device includes a circuit board;

an avionics interface module capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device; and

a network router module in electrical communication with the at least one COTS device and the avionics interface module, wherein the network router module is capable of passing communications between the at least one COTS device and the avionics interface module, and wherein the network router is capable of isolating the at least one COTS device from the avionics interface module such that the at least one COTS device is at least partially isolated from the at least one avionics device.

22. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 21 further comprising a backplane in electrical communication with the network router, wherein the backplane is capable of receiving the COTS device such that the COTS is capable of being at least one of electrically coupled and decoupled to the backplane.

23. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 21 further comprising at least one power supply capable of supplying power to the avionics interface module and the network router, wherein the at least one power supply is electrically coupled to the at least one COTS device such that the at least one power supply is capable of supplying power to the at least one COTS device.

24. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one power supply is capable of providing a predetermined level of power to the at least one COTS device, wherein the at least one power supply further includes at least one backup power module capable of supplying backup power to the at least one COTS device when the power supplied to the COTS device by the power supply drops below the predetermined level, and wherein the at least one backup power module is capable of supplying backup power such that the sum of the backup power and the power supplied by the power supply substantially equals the predetermined level of power.

25. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 21, wherein the avionics interface module is capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device via at least one optical fiber, and wherein the network router module is in electrical communication with the at least one COTS device and the avionics interface module via at least one electrical conductor.

26. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 21, wherein the network router module is capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device, wherein the network router module is capable of interfacing with at least one avionics device via at least one optical fiber, and wherein the network router module is in electrical communication with the at least one COTS device and the avionics interface module via at least one electrical conductor.

27. A modular aircraft information system for communicating information onboard an aircraft, the modular aircraft information system comprising:

a backplane capable of receiving at least one commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device capable of operating in an aircraft information system, wherein the backplane is capable of receiving the at least one COTS device such that the COTS is capable of being at least one of electrically coupled and decoupled to the backplane, wherein the at least one COTS device includes a circuit board for electrically coupling and decoupling the at least one COTS device to the backplane;

at least one avionics device; and

a network router module in electrical communication with the backplane and the at least one avionics device, wherein the network router module is capable of passing communications between the at least one COTS device and the at least one avionics device when at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, and wherein the network router is capable of isolating the backplane from the at least one avionics device such that the at least one COTS device, when electrically coupled to the backplane, is at least partially isolated from the at least one avionics device.

28. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 27 further comprising at least one COTS device electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein the COTS device comprises a server processing element.

29. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 27 further comprising at least one power supply capable of supplying power to the network router, wherein the at least one power supply is electrically coupled to the backplane such that the at least one power supply is capable of supplying power to the at least one COTS device when the at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane.

30. A modular aircraft information system according to claim 29, wherein the at least one power supply is capable of providing a predetermined level of power to the at least one COTS device when the at least one COTS device is electrically coupled to the backplane, wherein the at least one power supply further includes at least one backup power module capable of supplying backup power to the at least one COTS device when the at least one COTS device is coupled to the backplane and the power supplied to the COTS device by the power supply drops below the predetermined level, and wherein the at least one backup power module is capable of supplying backup power such that the sum of the backup power and the power supplied by the power supply substantially equals the predetermined level of power.