Apparatus and method for connecting simulator instruments to a control system
AssigneeControl Products, Inc.
InventorsHoke Smith, James Johnson, Eric Dickey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for connecting simulator instruments to a simulator host computer includes a plurality of panel modules, a data bus having a connection to each panel module, and a control computer connected to the data bus and to the host computer. Each panel module further comprises at least one simulated instrument and a local computer. The local computer runs a computer program is adapted to the instrument or instruments controlled by that panel module, so that the local computer communicates with the data bus for bi-directional communication between the instrument and the control computer. Each panel module has a unique address on the data bus.
Claims16
An apparatus for connecting simulator instruments to a simulator host computer, comprising:
- a plurality of panel modules;
- a data bus, the data bus having a connection to each panel module;
- a control computer connected to the data bus and to the host computer;
- and,
- each panel module further comprising:
- a local computer;
- the local computer communicating with the data bus;
- at least one instrument;
- and,
- the local computer further connected to the instrument, for bi-directional communication between the instrument and the control computer.
The apparatus of claim 7 where the power supplies are connected to the panel modules by a cable;
- the cable further comprising wiring for the data bus.
An apparatus for connecting simulator instruments to a simulator host computer, comprising:
- a plurality of panel modules;
- a serial data bus, the data bus having a connection to each panel module;
- a control computer connected to the data bus and to the host computer;
- and,
- each panel module further comprising:
- at least one instrument;
- a local computer;
- the local computer further comprising:
- a microprocessor;
- read-only memory communicating with the microprocessor, for storing a computer program;
- and,
- a signal conditioning circuit connected to each instrument and the microprocessor;
- the local computer communicating with the data bus;
- for bi-directional communication between the instrument and the control computer;
- and,
- each panel module having a unique address on the data bus.
A system for connecting simulator instruments to a simulator host computer, comprising:
- a control computer communicating with the host computer;
- a plurality of panel modules, each panel module further comprising a local computer and at least one instrument;
- each panel module having a unique address;
- a data connection between the control computer and the panel modules;
- a data connection between the control computer and the host computer;
- an input table associating each panel module address with data representing the current state of the instruments associated with that panel;
- an output table associating data received from the host computer with each panel module address;
- and,
- a process for detecting when data representing the state of a given instrument is different from that stored in the output table for a given instrument.
A system for controlling an instrument in a simulator comprising:
- a control computer;
- a local computer connected to the instrument;
- a data bus;
- the data bus connecting the local computer and the control computer;
- a process for receiving a message from the control computer;
- a process for determining if the message is addressed to the instrument;
- and,
- a process for sending control signals from the local computer to the instrument to change the state of the instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.