Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
  • G06F13/38—Information transfer, e.g. on bus
  • G06F13/42—Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation
  • G06F13/4204—Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation on a parallel bus
  • G06F13/4221—Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation on a parallel bus being an input/output bus, e.g. ISA bus, EISA bus, PCI bus, SCSI bus
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
  • G06F13/14—Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
  • G06F13/20—Handling requests for interconnection or transfer for access to input/output bus
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
  • G06F13/38—Information transfer, e.g. on bus
  • G06F13/40—Bus structure
  • G06F13/4063—Device-to-bus coupling
  • G06F13/409—Mechanical coupling
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
  • H04B1/38—Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
  • H04B1/40—Circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04B—TRANSMISSION
  • H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
  • H04B10/27—Arrangements for networking

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an input / output equipment for electronic furniture and in particular electronic furniture type electrical cabinet or aircraft electronics.
• Cabinets also called electrical or avionics racks have three main functions.
• An interconnection function connect the computers grouped together in the cabinet between the devices and with the device for the data exchange and the power supply of these computers;
• a mechanical function keep the computers of the device in position;
• a function of cooling the cooling system of the appliance is directly connected to it so that cold air circulates in the shelves of the cabinet to directly cool the computers while the hot air is also extracted by these shelves.
• connection is of the electrical wiring type using standardized connectors (connectors known by the acronym ARINC) which are heavy and bulky.
• Each computer is connected to the equipment of the aircraft by means of a standard connector, for example of the ARINC 600 type, ie a connector with 600 connection points and the wiring is of the point-to-point type.
• a standard connector for example of the ARINC 600 type, ie a connector with 600 connection points and the wiring is of the point-to-point type.
• each configuration change in the computer network architecture leads to a difficult and time-consuming wiring modification procedure.
• the total mass of cables, cable supports and connectors is approximately 80 kg while the mass of the mechanical structure is close to 70 kg.
• the interconnection represents more than 50% of the overall mass of the rack.
• the current interconnection solutions in aircraft are therefore mainly three-dimensional wired networks and all the wiring is found at the level of the computers in the electrical cabinets.
• document US8078215 proposes for example a waveguide solution comprising several connection points and the document US2010 / 0318243 proposes to use airplane structural part, the smooth, as a waveguide.
• the concept of the present invention is based on a grouping of the inputs / outputs of the cabinet on a single equipment connected with the other equipment of the cabinet by a radio-frequency wireless communication system and on a multifunctional structure comprising a waveguide for the communication system.
• the present invention provides an input / output equipment, for electrical or electronic cabinet grouping a plurality of equipment such as computers, which comprises:
• a digital network link protocol management unit connected to the computing unit and to at least one transmitter / receiver module, and
• the software advantageously comprises a module for managing a computer network through the transmitter / receiver module.
• At least some of the input / output channels are analog channels, the conversion units associated with said analog channels being analog / digital and / or digital / analog conversion units.
• At least some of the input / output channels comprise network ports.
• At least some of the input / output channels comprise optical channels.
• the invention further relates to an electrical cabinet comprising a plurality of computers each provided with a transmitter / receiver module and having an input / output equipment as defined above, the cabinet being provided with a system of interconnection for which the transmitter / receiver modules are radiofrequency modules and for which the interconnection system comprises a radiofrequency network confined in waveguides associated with the cabinet and connecting the transmitter / receiver modules of the computers and the equipment input / output.
• the invention further relates to an electrical cabinet comprising a plurality of computers each provided with a transmitter / receiver module and having an input / output equipment as defined above and provided with an interconnection system for which the transmitter / receiver modules are optical modules and for which the interconnection system comprises an optical network transmitted in waveguides associated with the cabinet and connecting optical modules of computers and input / output equipment.
• each computer received in the cabinet comprises a pair of transmitters / receivers ensuring an optical chaining between computers.
• repeaters connect an input / output equipment to computers on several shelves of the cabinet.
• the input / output equipment comprises a plurality of transmitter / receiver modules each distributing a different floor of the cabinet.
• the electrical or electronic cabinet is advantageously such that said input / output equipment constitutes a protocol converter between the digital network internal to the cabinet and one or more digital networks of an aircraft.
• Figure 1 a view from the rear of a cabinet of avionics equipment connected by electrical connectors of the prior art
• FIG. 2 a schematic view of an electrical cabinet of the prior art
• FIG. 3 a diagrammatic view of three quarter faces of a first embodiment of a cabinet according to the invention
• FIG. 5 a detail of the cabinet of Figure 3 of three quarter face
• Figure 6 a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a cabinet according to a variant of the invention
• Figure 7 a perspective view of a cross section of the cabinet of Figure 6;
• FIG. 8 a three-quarter-sided detail of the cabinet of FIG. 6;
• FIG. 9 a schematic view of an interconnection system of the invention.
• Figure 10 a schematic view of an input / output equipment according to the invention.
• FIGS. 11A and 11B two diagrams of exemplary embodiments of architectures with optical links.
• the invention firstly relates to an interconnection system based on a multifunctional cabinet structure and wireless communication.
• FIGS. 1-10 The prior art in avionics cabinets is shown in FIGS.
• Figure 1 shows a detail of the rear of a cabinet where electrical connectors b1, b2 can connect strands of electrical cables d, c2 to computers located in the cabinet.
• FIG. 2 shows an example of electrical wiring of such a cabinet and it is easy to see the complexity of such wiring c in parallel with the cooling devices e, f calculators d.
• the multifunctional structure 1, 3 of the present invention which applies to cabinets as shown in Figures 3 and 6 is intended to significantly simplify such cabinets and must ensure, in addition to transporting the communication between the computers in the cabinet and the rest of the aircraft, the power supply and the ventilation of the equipment of the electrical or electronic cabinet.
• the present invention proposes invariant interfaces between the equipment arranged in the cabinets and the latter and an architecture based on standardized topologies and network type communication protocols.
• the basic principle is to simplify the interconnection within the cabinet by using wireless communications propagating in waveguides as shown in Figure 10.
• the cable links 23 to the remote equipment disposed in the aircraft are grouped at a 22 input / output cabinet equipment.
• This input / output equipment will incorporate the received data into computer frames transmitted to all the computers in the cabinet and route the data transmitted by the computers in the cabinet to the relevant equipment in the aircraft.
• it comprises a plurality of analog / digital and digital / analog converters 26 receiving and transmitting signals from and to beams 23a and 23b connecting the system to actuators and sensors of the aircraft.
• the input / output equipment comprises a processor 27 adapted to transmit the digitized data between the converters and the computers 10a, 10f of the cabinet according to a network protocol.
• the input / output equipment further comprises a communication module 24 adapted to transmit and receive via an antenna 1 1 in the waveguide 3 connecting the input / output equipment of the cabinet to other equipment 10a, 10f housed in said cabinet.
• the communication module functions in particular as a router for the network protocol transmitted in the waveguide.
• the interconnection within the cabinet uses radiofrequency wireless communication conveyed by the waveguides 3 at the shelves receiving the computers.
• Wireless communication involves the use of remote transmitters / receivers that avoid the use of cables and connectors.
• the transmitters / receivers are advantageously the same for all the equipment of the cabinet so that their connection with the network is an invariant. They comprise an antenna 1 1 inserted into openings of the waveguides 3 coming into contact with the equipment 10a, 10f.
• power bars 71, 81 distribute the current in the cabinet.
• Wireless network communication inherently allows for simplified software configuration and reconfiguration of the cabinet because the position of the cabinet equipment is not important as long as it remains in the communication area.
• the equipment just needs to send and receive signals whatever their position, the identification of the data and their routing is done by software in the input / output equipment.
• Wi-Fi wireless Fidelity
• Other protocols and wavelengths are of course possible depending on the desired performance.
• the use of wireless technologies for communications imposes a high level of security, a lack of outward disturbances and a high robustness against disturbances from outside.
• Using the Wifi 802.1 1A wireless communication protocol with frequencies around 5GHz allows for 24 channels that do not overlap, each allowing a theoretical rate of 54 Mbit / s.
• 24 hosts can exchange data in the waveguide without any disturbance. If several hosts communicate on the same channel, the rate is then divided by the number of hosts present on said channel.
• the most populated shelf supports 9 LRUs (online replaceable calculators).
• using a WiFi 802.1 1a protocol with a single waveguide a single communication channel will allow a bandwidth available per equipment of 6 Mbit / s.
• the interconnection system of the invention makes it possible to facilitate communication between the equipment and the input / output equipment because this communication is done inside the waveguide 3 which makes it possible to isolate the communication from the disturbances. while at the same time preventing this communication from interfering with other outdoor equipment.
• FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 A first exemplary embodiment is described in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
• FIG. 3 shows a cabinet 1 equipped with computer-type equipment 10 on shelves 101.
• vertical waveguides 3a, 3b and 3c connect the computers one above the other.
• the waveguide has openings 5 facing the rear of the equipment 10 to receive antennas equipment.
• the openings 5 serve as ventilation vents in order to supply fresh air to the equipment.
• Vertical bars 7 and 8 make it possible to deliver the power supply of the computers through electrical contact zones 20 and 21.
• the connection between these conductive elements and the equipment is done for example by flat contacts at the bars and known type piston contacts at the back of the computers to minimize the constraints / tolerances of production and assembly. of the structure (no alignment necessary) thus allowing the removal of heavy and expensive mechanical elements.
• the electrical contacts between the cabinet and the computers can for example be flat flap contacts as marketed by the company Multi-Contact.
• Fixing equipment in the cabinet is performed by traditional means not shown.
• the bars 7 and 8 as well as the waveguides 3a, 3b, 3c made of metallic materials are here furthermore structural elements of the cabinet which, as represented in FIG. 4, support the shelves through here welded fixing lugs 103 or fixed in any way on the waveguides and screwed to the rear of the shelves 101, through brackets 102 attached to the supply bars 7, 8 and on which are fixed the side edges of the shelves.
• the hollow waveguides 3 are also used as ventilation duct for the different equipment.
• a horizontal waveguide 3d connects the waveguides 3a, 3b, 3c and has a blown air inlet V.
• the input / output equipment is for example the equipment 10a on the top left in FIG. 4, which then comprises a strand of cables shown diagrammatically under the reference 104.
• the air outlet of the equipment is to the outside.
• the waveguides are also optionally configured to serve as a functional current feedback element for the equipment connected thereto.
• Waveguides act as cabling while providing better interference protection and greater modularity.
• the furniture for electrical equipment of the invention is according to FIG. 6 a cabinet 3 for which the waveguides are integrated in shelves 40 carrying rows of equipment 10.
• This design is particularly suitable for making compact cabinets and for optimizing the ventilation of equipment 10.
• the cabinet shelves extend longitudinally across the width of the cabinet under the equipment. They are divided transversely into sections adapted to different functions, at least one of these sections being used as waveguides.
• the central section 4 is dedicated to the cold air inlet, the wireless communication and a return of current.
• Sections 41a, 41b surrounding the central section are used to extract hot air computers and provide power to these computers.
• These ducts 4, 41 a, 41 b are electrically conductive and are for example isolated from each other by unrepresented rods or plastic lamellae.
• They can also be coated with a thermal and electrical insulating material having openings at the connection areas of the computers.
• the central section has openings 6 opening under the equipment 10 for receiving the antennas 11, represented in FIG. 7, and openings 61 for passing the cooling air of the equipment which is cooled from below in this area. case.
• the holes or openings 6, 61 are made less than a quarter of the wavelength ⁇ / 4 of electromagnetic waves which can not pass through these openings.
• the wavelength is 12.5 cm.
• the diameter of the holes is chosen to be less than 3 cm so that the holes acting as a filter pass low and do not let the waves pass.
• the equipment 10 is arranged in cradles 106 having an open bottom to allow the passage of the antenna and the air at the level of the central section formed by the waveguide 4 and to allow connect the supply of the equipment by means of electrical contacts 20, 21 arranged on sections 41a and 41b on either side of the central section.
• the sections 41a, 41b are provided on their underside with holes 106 for extracting air from equipment which, for their part, are provided with ventilation apertures 105a, 105b on the upper face, as shown in FIG. figure 8.
• the sections of rectangular tubes forming the shelves are assembled together through electrical insulating means, for example the cradles 106 which can be made of non-conductive composite materials.
• connection ducts 107, 108 for ventilation and are provided with means for connecting the waveguides between the various levels of shelves.
• An optimized rack architecture for example, by having input / output equipment per floor, can significantly increase individual bandwidth by reducing the number of computers communicating on the same channel.
• Another protocol such as UWB protocol for example can also increase the theoretical bandwidth for the complete system.
• the invention thus provides a flexibility of realization of cabinets or electronic racks including in aircraft by reducing the number of electrical connection points and cables which is favorable for the reliability of the systems and their mass.
• the invention also makes it possible to standardize and simplify the interface of the avionics equipment which reduces the cost thereof.
• the invention according to FIG. 9 is based on an input / output device 22, for an electrical or electronic cabinet comprising a plurality of equipment such as computers.
• the input / output equipment comprises a plurality of analog input / output channels 23a, 23b and conversion units consisting of analog / digital and digital / analog converters 26, an input channel / 23c network port type output and an optical input / output channel 23d.
• the analog input channels comprise a shaping and / or protection stage 251 upstream of the analog / digital converters 25 and the analog output channels of the power stages 261 at the output of the digital / analog converters 26.
• the conversion units are connected to a computing unit 27 of the microcomputer type comprising a microprocessor, mass memory, random access memory and an internal program.
• the equipment further comprises a digital network link protocol management unit 27a connected to the computing unit and to a transmitter / receiver module 24.
• the input / output equipment includes software adapted to perform the transmission in digital form of data representative of input / output values from and to networked computers through the transmitter / receiver module.
• the software can be of a type suitable for a passive transmission which only transmits the input data with the number of the input on the network of the cabinet and assign the output data to the outputs as determined by the calculators or be a software adapted to transmit dedicated frames for the calculators of the cabinet and to retranscribe output data on receipt of standard frames of the calculators of the cabinet.
• the software includes a module for managing a computer network through the transmitter / receiver module and operate as a router for the network.
• the input / output equipment may also have a data server function for the equipment or calculators of the cabinet. It can constitute a protocol converter between the internal network to the cabinet and one or more networks of an aircraft.
• the interconnection system of the cabinet may include a radiofrequency network confined in waveguides associated with the cabinet and connecting the transmitter / receiver modules of the computers and the input / output equipment.
• the interconnection system may alternatively comprise a network of optical waveguides associated with the cabinet and connecting the optical modules of the computers and the input / output equipment.
• the examples of Figures 1 1 and 12 are alternative embodiments for which the communication between an input / output equipment 222, 222a, or aircraft rack converter, and computers 210 is at least partly optical.
• the input / output equipment 222 comprises two links 223a, 223b ending in optical transceivers 224 for each transmitting and receiving an optical beam on a stage 201, 202 of a cabinet of the invention.
• the input / output equipment in this case comprises two transmitters / receivers 225.
• Each computer 210 itself has a pair of optical transmitters / receivers 225a, 225b which ensure the continuity of the bidirectional optical link 230 at each stage of the cabinet between the computers.
• the converter / rack converter input / output equipment distributes a shelf 203 of the cabinet through a direct output 226 and two shelves 201, 202 through repeaters 21 1 connected to the input / output equipment by a bidirectional optical link 212.
• the input / output equipment comprises three transceivers 226.
• Such a system uses the ventilation ducts 3, 3a, 3b, 3c to confine the optical signals. In this case, filtration is desirable in order to avoid polluting the optical transceivers.
• the computers or equipment 210 can be standardized and simply integrated into the cabinet.
• the beams for remission / reception can be in visible, infrared or ultraviolet light.
• the optical transmitters / receivers of computers are like the antennas of the radiofrequency system inserted into the ventilation tubes 3, 3a, 3b, 3c by holes sized to oppose the passage of ambient electromagnetic waves.
• the invention is not limited to the examples shown and it is for example possible to combine a radio frequency network and an optical network in the context of the invention.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Small-Scale Networks (AREA)
• Casings For Electric Apparatus (AREA)
• Optical Communication System (AREA)

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Citations (2)

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• 2013
  • 2013-11-15 FR FR1361177A patent/FR3013468B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2014
  • 2014-10-16 WO PCT/EP2014/072203 patent/WO2015071043A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2014-10-16 CN CN201480073397.5A patent/CN106462529B/zh active Active
  • 2014-10-16 EP EP14789212.9A patent/EP3069258A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-10-16 US US15/036,807 patent/US10585838B2/en active Active

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