Logical bus network interconnected via hub which can isolate spokes showing invalid conditions, preferably for aircraft

摘要

Aircraft may include panels that house power distribution components that may be nodes in a communications/control network. These panels may be interconnected by communications busses, possibly in a redundant configuration (Fig. 7). The busses may operate using the Time Triggered Protocol (TTP/C). The invention proposes a physical star network with the panels 702-710 interconnected via a hub/Bus Guardian (BG) 802/804, which may also be redundant. The BG may monitor communications and isolate groups of nodes in a panel in the event of an invalid condition (eg. corrupt data, out of range signals). The monitoring may be performed by multiple FPGA in a voting arrangement. The network may be retrofitted to existing power distribution panels, preferably reducing cabling quantity/weight.