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US 5,270,931 AGranted
Software controlled aircraft component configuration system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorLyle R. Appleford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Configuration options for aircraft components are stored in non-volatile reprogrammable memory and selected by way of software under secure conditions without requiring configuration pins. Aircraft components can be reconfigured without taking the aircraft out of service for more than a few minutes.
Claims17
A method of selecting configuration options for a programmable aircraft component adapted for airborne use and including a reprogrammable non-volatile memory device the state of which determines the selection of configuration options for said aircraft component, the method comprising:
- providing said aircraft component with at least one configuration option having a first state and a second state;
- programming said aircraft component to permit programming of said memory device to select between said first and said second state of said configuration option only when authorization to program said memory device is indicated;
- indicating said authorization to permit said programming of said memory device wherein said indicating step comprises connecting an enabling device to said aircraft component, said enabling device having an enable state and a disable state, said indicating step further comprising setting said enabling device to the enable state;
- transmitting configuration option data selection to said aircraft component;
- writing configuration option data selection into said memory device following an indication that said programming of said memory device is authorized;
- withdrawing indication of said authorization to permit said programming of said memory device;
- and
- programming said aircraft component to permit reading of said memory device to view the state of said configuration option without regard to whether authorization to program said memory device is indicated.
5 more elements
An aircraft comprising:
- a configurable component having at least one configuration option, said option having a first state and a second state, said first and second states of said configuration option governing operation of said configurable component;
- configuration means for choosing between said first and said second states of said configuration option, said configuration means including controlling means for governing whether said configuration means is enabled for choosing between said first and said second states, wherein said configuration means comprises a data loader unit external to said configurable component;
- and
- means coupling said configuration means to said configurable component,
- wherein said configuration means is enabled by said controlling means to permit choosing between said first and said second states of said configuration option only when authorization to permit choosing is indicated by said controlling means.
2 more elements
An aircraft configuration system for configuring options governing the operation of an aircraft comprising:
- a flight management computer for directing operation of the aircraft, said flight management computer implementing a plurality of configuration options concerning portions of the operation of the aircraft, each of said options having at least two selectable states;
- a configuration device adapted to be connected to said flight management computer, said configuration device being operative to enable selection for a plurality of said options of one of said at least two states;
- and
- an enabler means external to said flight management computer and to said configuration device, said enabler means being adapted to be removed from an area of use of said flight management computer, said enabler means having an enable mode and a disable mode and adapted to be connected to said flight management computer,
- wherein said configuration device permits viewing of the states of said options irrespective of said enabler means and wherein said configuration device is prevented from selecting ones of said at least two states unless said enabler means is connected to said flight management computer and is in the enable mode.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.