ISBN 9783843926850

978-3-8439-2685-0, Reihe Informationstechnik

Mohamed Elmahdi
Distributed Architecture of an IMA-based High Lift Control System

240 Seiten, Dissertation Universität Stuttgart (2015), Softcover, B5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

The present high lift control system architecture of an Airbus aircraft is based on the principle of the “federated centralised avionics architecture”. Federated avionics architecture means that each system consists of standalone and self-contained avionics. Centralised avionics architecture signifies that a centralised avionics computer performs the whole functions assigned to the system.

On the basis of the principle of the “federated avionics architecture”, any major aircraft function requires its own dedicated avionics resources; this will result in a high number of standalone avionics resources leading to increased weight, volume, and life cycle cost. On the contrary, integrated avionics architecture (e.g. integrated modular avionics IMA), where the functions of different systems share a number of common standardised avionics resources, provide a solution approach. Integrated avionics architecture proves to be efficient, particularly when it shows a distributed character: a) distributed common input/output resources, and b) integrated common powerful core computing resources. The integrated distributed characteristics enable the optimisation of the avionics resources regarding the HW-effort and the degree of redundancy.

In this context, three concept sketches of distributed integrated avionics architectures of the high lift control system form the basis of this thesis. The thesis puts emphasis on the validation of the concepts focussing on three aspects: (1) Do all three concepts meet the key safety requirements of the high lift system? (2) What is the value of benefit of each concept? (3) Is the concept with the best value of benefit particularly compliant with the timing and data transport delay requirements of the time critical system monitoring functions, assuming that distributed standardised IMA components will be used instead of a centralised avionics computer?