Field-loadable input/output tables for avionics hardware units

A method for using field-loadable input/output (I/O) tables, comprising:

• selecting, by an operational software executing on one or more processors of an avionics hardware unit, a first I/O table from a plurality of I/O tables, each I/O table comprising a configuration of rules, wherein one or more of the rules are assigned according to the configuration to each of a plurality of operations of the operational software for processing avionics data in safety or data-integrity driven applications, to configure the behavior of the respective operations for processing the avionics data, the configuration of rules different from that of others of the plurality of I/O tables in configuring the plurality of operations of the operational software;
• loading the first I/O table selected from the plurality of I/O tables to replace a pre-loaded second I/O table, for operation with the operational software while maintaining certification of the operation software in accordance with the safety or data-integrity driven applications;
• and
• performing, by the operational software of the avionics hardware unit, the plurality of operations for processing the avionics data, in accordance with the loaded first I/O table.

An avionics hardware unit, comprising:

• one or more processors and memory;
• an operational software executed on the one or more processors, configured to perform a plurality of operations for processing avionics data in safety or data-integrity driven applications;
• and
• a first I/O table loaded onto the memory to replace a pre-loaded second I/O table, while maintaining certification of the operational software in accordance with the safety or data-integrity driven applications, the first I/O table selected from a plurality of I/O tables loadable onto the memory for operation with the operational software, the selected first I/O table comprising a configuration of rules, wherein one or more of the rules are assigned according to the configuration to each of the plurality of operations to configure the behavior of the respective operations for processing the avionics data, the configuration of rules different from that of others of the plurality of I/O tables in configuring the plurality of operations of the operational software.