Simulator complex data transmission method and system

A computer controlled data transmission method for use with a simulator complex which serially transmits digital information originally occurring in one of many forms, including discrete forms, digital form and analog form, between data tranmission circuitry and a multiplicity of widely spaced peripheral units comprising the steps of:

• providing output information to said data transmission circuitry from a controlling computer, said step of providing comprising the steps of generating synchronizing signals for controlling the time of data transmission, computing output data for controlling the operation of widely spaced peripheral units in response to an operational profile of one of said peripheral units stored in said controlling computer and input signals indicative of the current operation of said peripheral units, and generating addressing data for identifying the peripheral unit to be controlled;
• processing in master control circuitry connected to said controlling computer data for transmission to peripheral control circuitry associated with each of said peripheral units and data received from said peripheral control circuitry for transmission to said controlling computer, said processing comprising the steps of storing information relative to the format of information transmitted to and received from peripheral control circuitry, converting parallel digital data received from said controlling computer to serial digital data suitable for transmission to said peripheral control circuitry, converting serial digital data received from said peripheral control circuitry to parallel digital data for transmission to said controlling computer, and temporarily storing in a buffer memory information transmitted between said computer and said peripheral control circuitry;
• generating electrical information signals representative of the operation of said peripheral units;
• processing in peripheral control circuitry connected between said master control circuitry and said peripheral units electrical information signals received from said peripheral units for transmission to said master control circuitry and data received from said master control circuitry for transmission to said peripheral units, said processing comprising the steps of converting and conditioning serial data received from said master control circuitry to electrical command signals in the form necessary for use by said peripheral units, and converting and conditioning electrical information signals of various format received from said peripheral units to serial digital form for transmission to said master control circuitry;
• transmitting input data and output data in parallel form between said controlling computer and said master control circuitry when commanded by said controlling computer;
• and
• transmitting input data and output data in serial form between said master control circuitry and said peripheral control circuitry when commanded by said controlling computer.

A computer controlled data transmission method for use with an aircraft simulator complex which serially transmitts digital information originally occuring in one of many forms, including discrete form, digital form and analog form, between data transmission circuitry and the widely spaced components of an aircraft simulation complex comprising the steps of:

• providing output informaton to said data transmission circuitry from a controlling computer, said step of providing comprising the steps of generating synchronizing signals for controlling the time of data transmission, computing output data for controlling the operation of the widely spaced components of an aircraft simulator in response to an operational profile of said simulated aircraft stored in said controlling computer system and in response to input signals indicative of the current operation of said aircraft simulator, and generating addressing data for identifying the simulator component to be controlled;
• processing in master control circuitry connected to said controlling computer data for transmission to peripheral control circuitry associated with each of said simulator components and data received from said peripheral control circuitry for transmission to said controlling computer, said processing comprising the steps of storing information relative to the format of information transmitted to and received from peripheral control circuitry, converting parallel digital data received from said controlling computer to serial digital data suitable for transmission to said peripheral control units, converting serial digital data received from said peripheral control circuitry to parallel digital data for transmission to said controlling computer, and temporarily storing in a buffer memory information transmitted between said computer and said peripheral control circuitry;
• processing in peripheral control circuitry connected between said master control circuitry and said simulator components electrical information signals received from said simulator components for transmission to said master control circuitry and data received from said master control circuitry for transmission to said simulator components, said processing comprising the steps of converting and conditioning serial data received from said master control circuitry to electrical command signals in the form necessary for use by said simulator components, and converting and conditioning said electrical information signals of various format received from said simulator components to serial digital form for transmission to said master control circuitry;
• transmitting input data and output data in parallel form between said controlling computer and said master control circuitry when commanded by said controlling computer;
• transmitting input data and output data in serial form between said master control circuitry and said simulator components when commanded by said controlling computer, said transmission occurring one each on distinct transmission paths for operational data from said peripheral control circuitry to said master control circuitry, for operational data from said master control circuitry to said peripheral control circuitry for addressing data from said master control circuitry to said peripheral control circuitry, and for each type of synchronizing signal;
• and
• providing an instructor station as one of said simulator peripheral units for varying the operational profile and performance of said simulated aircraft.

A computer controlled data transmission system for use with an aircraft simulator complex which serially transmits digital information originally occuring in one of many forms, including discrete form, digital form and analog form, between data transmission circuitry and the widespread components making up a multiple aircraft simulation complex comprising:

• controlling computer for monitoring input information in the form of digital data indicative of the operation of said aircraft simulator components and for providing output information to control said operation, said output information including digital data for controlling the operation of said simulator components, addressing digital data for identifying the simulator components to be controlled, and synchronizing digital data, said output information being determined in response to said input data and in accordance with an operational profile of said simulated aircraft contained in said computer;
• reformating means connected between said controlling computer and data transmission circuitry for transmitting parallel digital data in both directions between said controlling computer and said data transmission circuitry, for reformating as necessary data transmitted from said controlling computer to said data transmission circuitry to a form acceptable to said data transmission circuitry, and for reformating as necessary data transmitted from said transmission circuitry to said controlling computer to a form acceptable to said controlling computer;
• and
• data transmission circuitry comprising:
• master control circuitry connected between said controlling computer and peripheral control circuitry, said master control circuitry comprising a buffer memory for temporary storage of information transmitted between said computer and said peripheral control circuitry, a storage memory for storing information relative to the format of information transmitted to and received from said peripheral control circuitry, means for converting parallel digital data from said controlling computer to serial digital data suitable for tranmission to said peripheral control circuitry, means for converting serial digital data received from said peripheral control circuitry to parallel digital data for transmission to said controlling computer, and means for controlling the retrieval of information from and storage of information by said buffer and storage memories, said master control circuitry operating on a cyclic basis as directed by said controlling computer such that input data and output data are exchanged between said master control circuitry and said controlling computer after which data is exchanged between said master control circuitry and said peripheral control circuitry, during which exchange of data between said master control circuitry and said peripheral control circuitry said computer means generates new output data for a subsequent cycle,
• peripheral control circuitry connected between said master control circuitry and said simulator components, said peripheral control circuitry comprising means for converting and conditioning serial data received from said master control circuitry to an electrical command signal in the form necessary for use by said aircraft simulator components and means for converting and conditioning electrical information signals of various format received from said aircraft simulator components to serial digital form for transmission to said master control circuitry, said electrical informational signals containing information about the operation of said simulator components, and
• a primary communication path connecting said master control circuitry to each of said peripheral circuits, said primary communication path comprising a single multiconductor cable containing no more than one each distinct transmission path for operational data from said peripheral control circuitry to said master control circuitry, for control data from said master control circuitry to said peripheral control circuitry, for addressing data from said master control circuitry to said peripheral control circuitry, and containing no more than one each distinct transmission path for each type of sychronizing data.