Dynamically reconfigurable electrical interface

A method for processing a plurality of input signals comprising:

• receiving the plurality of input signals having a first voltage at a first switch;
• routing the plurality of input signals at the first switch;
• receiving the plurality of input signals at a signal conditioning path unit that modifies the plurality of input signals to a plurality of corresponding second voltages;
• routing the plurality of input signals having the plurality of corresponding second voltages at a second switch from an input port to an output port;
• providing the plurality of input signals with the plurality of second voltages to an amplifier, the amplifier configured to adjust the plurality of second voltages to a plurality of corresponding third voltages;
• providing the plurality of input signals having the third voltages to an analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”), the ADC providing a plurality of first numerical values based on the third voltage;
• receiving the plurality of first numerical values at a processor, the processor configured to ascertain a message based on a communications protocol, wherein the processor executes instructions for ascertaining the message based on the communications protocol;
• generating a second numerical value by the processor, the second numerical value associated with an output signal associate with the communications protocol;
• receiving the second numerical value by a digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”), the DAC providing an output voltage in response;
• receiving the output voltage at a second amplifier from the DAC, the second amplifier providing a second output voltage;
• receiving the second output voltage at the second switch, the second switch providing the second output voltage to the signal conditioning path unit;
• providing an output signal from the signal conditioning path unit to the first switch;
• and
• providing the output signal from the first switch.

An avionics data processing system comprising:

• one or more dynamically reconfigurable electrical interface (“DREI”) devices, wherein each DREI comprises:
• a memory storing a plurality of instruction sets, wherein each instruction set is associated with one of a plurality of communications protocols;
• a processor configured to:
• select one of the plurality of instruction sets, and
• generate a first numerical value so as to cause a particular output signal to be generated at an output interface of an DREI device;
• a digital to analog converter (“DAC”) configured to receive the first numerical value and generate a first intermediate output signal having a first voltage;
• a first amplifier configured to receive the first intermediate output signal and generated a second intermediate output signal having a second voltage;
• a first switch configured to receive the second intermediate output signal at a first input port of the first switch and provide the second intermediate output signal at a first output port of the first switch;
• a signal conditioning path unit configured to receive the second intermediate output signal and generate the output signal;
• a second switch configured to
• receive the output signal and provide the output signal on the output interface;
• receive an input signal at an input interface of the DREI device and provide the input signal to the signal conditioning path unit,
• wherein the signal conditioning path unit is adapted to receive the input signal and provide a first intermediate input signal to the first switch, and
• wherein the first switch is adapted to receive the first intermediate input signal at a second input port and provide the first intermediate input signal to an output port of the first switch;
• a second amplifier configured to receive the first intermediate input signal and generated a second intermediate output signal;
• and
• an analog to digital converter (“ADC”) configured to receive the second intermediate input signal and to provide a second numerical value to the processor based on the second intermediate input signal.