Device for loading data into computer processing units from a data source

A method for loading data into computer processor units of an aircraft from a data source, with a data loading device comprising at least a first connector for connecting to the data source and provided with a PHY component, and a plurality of second connectors for connecting to the computer processor units and each provided with a respective PHY component, the first connector being connected to the second connectors by a first selector module in order to define a single down channel so as to transmit data from the first connector to each of the second connectors individually, and by a second selector module for defining a single up channel so as to transmit data in the opposite direction, the first and second selector modules being arranged to be capable of connecting only one of the second connectors at a time to the first connector and the device including a control unit for controlling the selector modules to select which second connector to connect to the first connector as a function of an identifier of the PHY component to which each connector is connected, the device comprising a chassis having mounted thereon the selector modules, the first connector, and the second connectors, the control unit comprising a local control unit and a remote control unit connected by a cable to the local control unit and provided with a man/machine interface, the remote control unit comprising a housing provided with an external connector directly connected to the first connector of the loading device in order to connect the data source to the first connector via the external connector of the remote control unit and the remote control unit comprising a memory containing a table associating an identifier and a transfer rate of each computer unit connected to one of with the second connectors, the method comprising:

• when the remote control unit is switched on by an operator, verifying that the aircraft is stationary, and where appropriate, switching on the power to the local control unit in order to load the table in the local control unit,
• making the remote control unit display a menu proposing updating the computer units with the possibility for the operator of selecting a computer unit for updating,
• making the remote control unit send an instruction to the local control unit to link the selected computer unit to the data source,
• making the local control unit return an acknowledgment to the remote control unit and controls the selector units so as to connect the PHY component of the first connector to the PHY component of the second connector corresponding to the selected computer unit in compliance with the content of the table that it has in memory, and set the transfer rate to the value that appears in the table, or if the selected computer unit cannot communicate at that transfer rate, undertake a negotiation in order to determine a lower transfer rate for setting up an up channel and a down channel between the PHY components of the first connector and of the second connector at the stored transfer rate or at the automatically negotiated rate,
• causing the update data to be transmitted.