CN111294376A

CN111294376A - Aircraft power supply system communication architecture

Info

Publication number: CN111294376A
Application number: CN201811498022.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 万波
Original assignee: Shanghai Aviation Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shanghai Aviation Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-12-07
Filing date: 2018-12-07
Publication date: 2020-06-16

Abstract

The invention discloses an aircraft power supply system communication architecture which is characterized by a two-stage communication network based on AFDX and CAN. The invention has the advantages that: the overhead of hardware is reduced, the complexity of the product is reduced, the reliability is provided, and the volume and the weight of the product are reduced.

Description

Aircraft power supply system communication architecture

Technical Field

The invention relates to an aircraft power system communication architecture.

Background

In the communication architecture of the power supply system of the traditional airplane (including a plurality of airplanes such as B787), the TTP/C communication protocol is mostly adopted. The TTP/C is a time-triggered protocol, which can synchronize clocks among communication nodes and enable each node to send messages in a preset time slot, thereby effectively avoiding access conflicts generated when a plurality of nodes compete for a bus, and further improving the real-time performance of response and the certainty of communication.

B787 power supply system communication architecture design

Communication architecture of boeing 787 power supply system as shown in fig. 1, the devices in the system include GCU (generator controller), AGCU (APU generator controller), SPDU (secondary power distribution unit), ELCU C (electrical load control unit, communication), ELCU P (electrical load control unit, protection), BPCU (bus bar power controller), CCR (common computing resource), and furthermore RPDU (remote power distribution unit). The display is also part of the system to show the status of the system in a graphical form.

As can be seen from fig. 1, the TTP/C is a sub-network in the power system communication architecture. The GCU, SPDU, AGCU, ELCU C, and BPCU communicate with each other via a TTP/C bus. The BPCU is used as a gateway between the TTP/C bus and an ARINC664 bus (AFDX), and bidirectional conversion of TTP/C bus data and ARINC664 bus data is realized. The BPCUs are interconnected to a CCR (common computing resource) via an ARINC664 bus, the CCR having a CDN (communications data network) switch, i.e. an ARINC664 switch, to which gateway RPDUs of the secondary distribution system are also interconnected. An EPS (Power System) application also resides in the CCR to implement electrical load management and EPS system status display functions.

The TTP/C and ARINC664 form the backbone communication network of the power supply system, and also a branch communication network in fig. 1, i.e. a CAN communication network between the ELCU C and the ELCU P.

In the communication architecture of the B787 power supply system, a TTP/C communication protocol is adopted. The TTP/C is a time-triggered protocol, which can synchronize clocks among communication nodes and enable each node to send messages in a preset time slot, thereby effectively avoiding access conflicts generated when a plurality of nodes compete for a bus, and further improving the real-time performance of response and the certainty of communication.

However, the TTP/C network has two major drawbacks, namely:

a) the cost is high, and the economical efficiency of the system is reduced;

b) the TTP/C node needs to purchase a corresponding TTP/C board card, so that the hardware overhead is increased, the product complexity is improved, the reliability is reduced, and the volume and the weight of the product are increased.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to overcome the defects of a TTP/C communication protocol in the prior art and provides a novel aircraft power supply system communication architecture.

In order to achieve the purpose, the technical scheme of the invention is as follows:

a power supply system is internally divided into a plurality of relatively independent communication sub-networks, AFDX communication is adopted among the sub-networks, and a BPCU (bus bar power controller) and an RPDU (remote power distribution unit) are respectively used as communication gateways. And inside the subnet, CAN communication is adopted. In order to achieve the same real-time performance and certainty as the TTP/C, a CAN bus is pulled out from gateway equipment to each node in each subnet, so that access collision when a plurality of equipment share the bus is effectively avoided, and the same real-time performance and certainty as the TTP/C bus is achieved. The system economy is greatly improved, and because the general processors are provided with CAN controllers, no additional hardware overhead exists.

A two-stage communication network based on AFDX, ARINC429 and CAN replaces the TTP/C bus in the conventional power system communication network with ARINC429 and CAN bus. The general processor is provided with the CAN bus, so that the CAN bus is adopted, no extra hardware overhead is caused, the cost is saved, and the volume and the weight of the product are reduced. The ARINC429 is developed with only a small amount of hardware overhead, and can meet the requirements of multi-master communication and good communication real-time performance.

Meanwhile, in order to achieve the effect of real-time performance of the TTP/C, the power supply system is divided into a plurality of relatively independent subnets, each subnet is provided with a gateway, and gateway equipment is communicated with external equipment through AFDX. While inside the respective sub-network, each sub-network device is provided with a dedicated ARINC429 and CAN bus from the gateway device. At the moment, each device uses the CAN bus in an exclusive mode, and point-to-point communication is performed between the device and the gateway, so that access conflict caused by the connection of the bus and the CAN bus CAN be effectively avoided, and the requirements of real-time performance and certainty of communication are met. The ARINC429 bus is originally used exclusively and thus has no access conflict problem.

A power supply system is internally divided into 4 relatively independent communication sub-networks by taking a G RPDU (Gateway RPDU) as a center, and each sub-network is in avionic crosslinking through AFDX communication. This is the only cross-linking interface of the power system with the avionics. And inside the subnet, CAN communication is adopted. In order to achieve the same real-time performance and certainty as the TTP/C, a CAN bus is independently pulled from the gateway device G RPDU to each S RPDU (Satellite RPDU) and SPDU in the RPDU subnet, thereby effectively avoiding access collision when a plurality of devices share the bus and achieving the same real-time performance and certainty effect as the TTP/C bus. Between the BPCU and the GCU, since the amount of data transmitted between the devices is not large, the devices CAN be interconnected by one CAN bus. The system economy is greatly improved, and because the general processors are provided with CAN controllers, no additional hardware overhead exists. The design enables the whole power supply system to be integrated into the G RPDU subnet, avoids the situation that when ICD (interface control document) communication inside the power supply system is modified, the modification is transmitted to the avionic data network, reduces the data coupling of the power supply system and the avionic system, and reduces the development cost brought by protocol modification.

A power supply system is internally divided into a plurality of relatively independent communication sub-networks, AFDX communication is adopted among the sub-networks, and a BPCU (bus bar power controller) and an RPDU (remote power distribution unit) are respectively used as communication gateways. And inside the subnet, CAN communication is adopted. In order to achieve the same real-time performance and certainty as the TTP/C, a CAN bus is pulled out from gateway equipment to each node in an RPDU subnet, so that access conflict when a plurality of equipment share the bus is effectively avoided, and the same real-time performance and certainty as the TTP/C bus is achieved. Inside the BPCU sub-network, because the data volume transmitted among the devices is not large, the devices CAN be interconnected by using one CAN bus, and therefore, the direct communication among the GCUs CAN be realized. The system economy is greatly improved, and because the general processors are provided with CAN controllers, no additional hardware overhead exists.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a design structure of a power system communication architecture B787.

Fig. 2 is a structural design of a two-stage communication system architecture based on AFDX and CAN according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a design structure of a communication architecture inside an RPDU subnet.

Fig. 4 is a design structure of a two-stage communication system architecture based on AFDX, ARINC429 and CAN proposed in this patent.

Fig. 5 shows a communication architecture design structure inside the RPDU subnet.

Fig. 6 shows a communication architecture design structure inside a BPCU sub-network.

Fig. 7 is a design structure of a two-stage communication system architecture based on AFDX and CAN proposed in this patent.

Fig. 8 is a design structure of a communication architecture inside an RPDU subnet without an SPDU.

Fig. 9 shows a communication architecture design structure inside the RPDU subnet with SPDU.

Fig. 10 is a design of architecture of the AFDX and CAN based two-stage communication system proposed in this patent, which supports direct communication between GCUs.

Fig. 11 shows a communication architecture design structure inside the RPDU subnet.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to specific embodiments and drawings.

Example 1:

architecture design of two-stage communication system based on AFDX and CAN

Fig. 2 is a two-stage communication system architecture design based on AFDX and CAN proposed in this patent, in which the devices involved are:

-2 BPCU (bus power controller), 1 for each of the left and right

4 GCUs (generator controllers), 2 each on the left and right;

-1 AGCU, split into left network

1 RAT GCU, split to right network

2 SPDUs (Secondary distribution Unit), 1 on each of the left and right

4G RPDUs (remote distribution units), 2 left and right, as gateways to the RPDU subnets

12S RPDUs, 6 left and right, as devices of RPDU sub-network

This patent divides the above-mentioned equipment into 6 subnets, is respectively:

subnet 1: the system comprises L BPCU, L1 GCU, L2 GCU, A GCU and L SPDU, wherein the L BPCU is used as a gateway of the subnet and is communicated with an external bus through AFDX, 4 CAN buses are arranged inside the subnet, and CAN 1-CAN 4 are respectively connected to 4 devices in the subnet from the L BPCU;

subnet 2: the system comprises R BPCU, R1 GCU, R2 GCU, RAT GCU and R SPDU, wherein the R BPCU is used as a gateway of the subnet and is communicated with an external bus through AFDX, 4 CAN buses are arranged inside the subnet, and CAN 1-CAN 4 are respectively connected to 4 devices in the subnet from the R BPCU;

-subnet 3: L1G RPDU, L1S RPDU1, L1S RPDU2 and L1S RPDU3, wherein the L1G RPDU is used as a gateway of the subnet and is communicated with an external bus through AFDX, 3 CAN buses are arranged inside the subnet, and CAN 1-CAN 3 are respectively connected to 3 devices in the subnet from L1 SRPDU 1;

the communication architecture of the sub-networks 4, 5, 6 is designed similarly to the sub-network 3

The external buses of the subnetworks 1-6 are all uniformly connected to a Central Data Network (CDN) of the airplane, and a bus interface is AFDX.

The communication architecture cancels TTP/C, improves the economy, reduces the hardware cost, and does not lose the real-time property of communication.

3. Communication architecture design inside RPDU subnet

Fig. 3 is a communication architecture design inside an RPDU subnet. The system comprises 4 devices, 1G RPDU and 3S RPDU, namely RPDU 1-3, wherein an external outlet bus of the G RPDU is AFDX, buses from RPDU 1-3 are CAN, and dual-redundancy architectures are adopted, namely SSPC (solid state power controllers) of RPDU 1-3 are respectively connected to communication boards (COM 1 and COM 2) of the G RPDU through two CAN buses.

Example 2:

two-stage communication system architecture design based on AFDX and CAN

Fig. 4 is a two-stage communication system architecture design based on AFDX and CAN proposed in the present patent, wherein the devices involved are:

-2 BPCU (bus power controller), 1 for each of the left and right

4 GCUs (generator controllers), 2 each on the left and right;

-1 AGCU, split into left network

1 RAT GCU, split to right network

2 SPDUs (Secondary distribution Unit), 1 on each of the left and right

12S RPDUs, 6 left and right, as devices of RPDU sub-network

subnet 1: the system comprises L BPCU, L1 GCU, L2 GCU, A GCU and L SPDU, wherein the L BPCU is used as a gateway of the sub-network and communicates with an external bus through AFDX, an ARINC429 network is arranged inside the sub-network and is used for connecting the L1 GCU, the L2 GCU, the A GCU and the L BPCU, and the connection can ensure that the normal communication can still be carried out among other nodes under the condition that the gateway L BPCU fails; the L BPCU and L SPDU communicate directly with the point-to-point CAN because there is no direct information cross-linking between the SPDU and the GCU.

Subnet 2: the system comprises R BPCU, R1 GCU, R2 GCU, RAT GCU and R SPDU, wherein the R BPCU is used as a gateway of the sub-network and is communicated with an external bus through AFDX, an ARINC429 network is arranged inside the sub-network and is used for connecting the R1 GCU, the R2 GCU, the RAT GCU and the R BPCU, and the connection can ensure that the other nodes can still normally communicate under the condition that the gateway R BPCU fails; the R BPCU and the R SPDU communicate directly with the point-to-point CAN because there is no direct information cross-linking between the SPDU and the GCU.

-subnet 3: L1G RPDU, L1S RPDU1, L1S RPDU2 and L1S RPDU3, wherein the L1G RPDU is used as a gateway of the subnet and is communicated with an external bus through AFDX, 3 CAN buses are arranged inside the subnet, and CAN 1-CAN 3 are respectively connected to 3 devices in the subnet from L1S RPDU 1;

3. Communication architecture design inside RPDU subnet

Fig. 5 is a communication architecture design inside the RPDU subnet. The system comprises 4 devices, 1G RPDU and 3S RPDU, namely RPDU 1-3, wherein an external outlet bus of the G RPDU is AFDX, buses from RPDU 1-3 are CAN, and dual-redundancy architectures are adopted, namely SSPC (solid state power controllers) of RPDU 1-3 are respectively connected to communication boards (COM 1 and COM 2) of the G RPDU through two CAN buses.

Communication architecture design inside BPCU sub-network

FIG. 6 is a communication architecture design inside a BPCU sub-network, including an ARINC429 network and a CAN network. Wherein the CAN network is BPCU directly connected with SPDU, ARINC429 network is a many-to-many connection, each device on the network respectively sends ARINC429 message to the other 3 devices and also receives ARINC429 message from the other 3 devices. I.e. each device has 3-send 3-receive ARINC429 connections.

Example 3:

2. two-stage communication system architecture design based on AFDX and CAN

Fig. 7 is a two-stage communication system architecture design based on AFDX and CAN proposed in the present patent, wherein the devices involved are:

-2 BPCU (bus power controller), 1 for each of the left and right

4 GCUs (generator controllers), 2 each on the left and right;

-1 AGCU, split into left network

1 RAT GCU, split to right network

2 SPDUs (Secondary distribution Unit), 1 on each of the left and right

12S RPDUs, 6 left and right, as devices of RPDU sub-network

This patent divides the above-mentioned equipment into 4 subnets with the G RPDU as the center, and the respective is:

subnets L1G RPDU and R2G RPDU with SPDU: the L1G RPDU respectively communicates with 3S RPDUs (1-3) and L SPDUs through a single CAN bus (CAN 1-CAN 4), the R2G RPDU respectively communicates with 3S RPDUs (1-3) and R SPDUs through a single CAN bus (CAN 1-CAN 4), and the L1G RPDU and R2G RPDU communicate with the avionic bus through AFDX;

subnets L2G RPDU and R1G RPDU without SPDU: the L2G RPDU respectively communicates with 3S RPDUs (1-3) through a single CAN bus (CAN 1-CAN 3), the R1G RPDU respectively communicates with 3S RPDUs (1-3) through a single CAN bus (CAN 1-CAN 3), and the L2G RPDU and the R1G RPDU communicate with the avionic bus through AFDX;

the external buses of the 4 networks are all uniformly connected to a Central Data Network (CDN) of the aircraft, and the bus interface is AFDX.

The rest of the devices, L1 GCU, L2 GCU, a GCU, L1 GCU, L2 GCU, RAT GCU, L BPCU, RBPCU and 4G RPDUs (L1G RPDU, L2G RPDU, R1G RPDU and R2G RPDU) are directly connected by 1 dual-redundancy CAN bus because the amount of data to be transferred is not large. This ensures direct communication between the BPCU and the GCU, and between the GCUs, and saves aircraft cable weight.

3. Design for communication architecture inside RPDU subnet without SPDU

Fig. 8 is a communication architecture design inside an RPDU subnet without SPDU. The system comprises 4 devices, 1G RPDU and 3 SRPDUs (remote procedure data units), namely RPDUs 1-3, wherein an external outlet bus of the G RPDU is AFDX, buses from the G RPDU to the RPDU 1-3 are CAN, and dual-redundancy architectures are adopted, namely SSPCs (solid state power controllers) of the RPDUs 1-3 are respectively connected to communication boards (COM 1 and COM 2) of the G RPDU through two CAN buses.

4. Communication architecture design inside RPDU subnet with SPDU

Fig. 9 is a communication architecture design inside an RPDU subnet with SPDU, which is different from an RPDU subnet without SPDU in that there is one more SPDU in the subnet, and thus a CAN bus with dual redundancy is pulled out from the G RPDU separately to communicate with the SPDU.

Example 4:

the architecture design of the two-stage communication system based on AFDX and CAN provided by the patent supports direct communication between GCUs

Fig. 10 is a two-stage communication system architecture design based on AFDX and CAN proposed in the present patent, wherein the devices involved are:

-2 BPCU (bus power controller), 1 for each of the left and right

4 GCUs (generator controllers), 2 each on the left and right;

-1 AGCU, split into left network

1 RAT GCU, split to right network

2 SPDUs (Secondary distribution Unit), 1 on each of the left and right

12S RPDUs, 6 left and right, as devices of RPDU sub-network

subnet 1: the system comprises L BPCU, L1 GCU, L2 GCU, A GCU and L SPDU, wherein the L BPCU is used as a gateway of the subnet and communicates with an external bus through AFDX, 2 CAN buses are arranged inside the subnet, one CAN bus is used for connecting the L SPDU and the L BPCU, and the other CAN bus is used for connecting the L BPCU, the L1 GCU, the L2 GCU, the A GCU, the R BPCU, the R1 GCU, the R2 GCU and the RATGCU in a CAN network, so that the L BPCU, the L1 GCU, the L2 GCU, the A GCU and the L SPDU CAN directly communicate with each other without being forwarded through the L BPCU;

subnet 2: the system comprises R BPCU, R1 GCU, R2 GCU, RAT GCU and R SPDU, wherein the R BPCU is used as a gateway of the subnet and communicates with an external bus through AFDX, 2 CAN buses are arranged inside the subnet, one CAN bus is used for connecting the R SPDU and the R BPCU, and the other CAN bus is used for connecting the L BPCU, the L1 GCU, the L2 GCU, the A GCU, the R BPCU, the R1 GCU, the R2 GCU and the RAT GCU in a CAN network, so that the R BPCU, the R1 GCU, the R2 GCU, the RAT GCU and the R SPDU CAN directly communicate with each other without being forwarded;

In addition, the CAN buses shown in the figure are dual-redundancy buses, and a single-line schematic diagram is shown in the figure.

3. Communication architecture design inside RPDU subnet

Fig. 11 is a communication architecture design inside the RPDU subnet. The system comprises 4 devices, 1G RPDU and 3S RPDU, namely RPDU 1-3, wherein an external outlet bus of the G RPDU is AFDX, buses from RPDU 1-3 are CAN, and dual-redundancy architectures are adopted, namely SSPC (solid state power controllers) of RPDU 1-3 are respectively connected to communication boards (COM 1 and COM 2) of the G RPDU through two CAN buses.

The foregoing merely represents embodiments of the present invention, which are described in some detail and detail, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. It should be noted that, for a person skilled in the art, several variations and modifications can be made without departing from the inventive concept, which falls within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present patent shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. An aircraft power system communication architecture is characterized by a two-stage communication network based on AFDX and CAN.

2. An aircraft power system communication architecture is characterized by a two-stage communication network based on AFDX, ARINC429 and CAN.

3. An aircraft power system communication architecture is characterized by a two-stage communication network based on AFDX and CAN.