Fault-Tolerant Systems Based on Distributed IMA Technology

EasyChair Preprint 10164

Abstract

The architecture of most present aircraft control systems 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; different systems cooperate in a loosely controlled way with each other. Centralised avionics architecture signifies that a centralised avionics computer performs the whole functions assigned to the system. On the basis of the “federated avionics architecture” principle, new aircraft functions require their own dedicated new avionics resources. With regards to aircraft systems in their totality, this will result in a high number of standalone avionics resources leading to increased weight, volume, and life cycle cost. On the contrary, the “Integrated Modular Avionics” (IMA) provides a solution approach, where the functions of different systems share a number of standardised avionics resources. IMA proves to be efficient, particularly when it shows a distributed character with following specific attributes: 1) an integrated distributed acquisition and generation of signals for different systems by distributed input and output resources, and 2) the integration of the control functions of different systems into common powerful core computing resources.This paper presents the validation’s results of the implementation of a safety critical aircraft function – the secondary flight control function – on an integrated, distributed avionics architecture.

Keyphrases: Fligh Control System, IMA, Integrated Modular Avionics, avionics, distributed avionics architecture, fault-tolerant systems, federated avionics architecture, safety assessment, safety-critical systems

@booklet{EasyChair:10164,
  author    = {Mohamed Elmahdi},
  title     = {Fault-Tolerant Systems Based on Distributed IMA Technology},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 10164},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2023}}