The present invention concerns a flight control system of an aircraft comprising: —a first processing unit (1), —a second processing unit (2), —communication means configured to establish a first two-way digital link (3) and a second two-way digital link (4) between the first processing unit (1) and the second processing unit (2), said second link (4) being redundant with the first link (3), and said first link (3) and second link (4) being likely to be active concomitantly, said system further comprising backup communication means enabling data exchanges between the first processing unit (1) and the second processing unit (2) in the case of a failure in the first link (3) and second link (4), said backup communication means comprising an array of sensors or actuators (13) and/or a secure onboard network for the avionics (14).

The present invention concerns a method for switching, by a local processing unit (1,2) of a flight control system of an aircraft, configured to control at least one local actuator, connected to at least one local sensor and connected via at least one link (3,4) to an opposite processing unit (2,1) configured to control at least one opposite actuator and be connected to at least one opposite sensor, said local processing unit (1,2) being further configured to be connected to backup communication means (13,14) enabling data exchanges between the local processing unit (1,2) and the opposite processing unit (2,1) in the case of failures of the links connecting same (3,4), said backup communication means comprising an array of sensors or actuators (13) and/or a secure onboard network for the avionics (14), comprising steps of: •—sending, to the opposite processing unit (2,1), acquisition data relative to the at least one local sensor and actuator data relative to the at least one local actuator, •—receiving, from the opposite processing unit (2,1), acquisition data relative to the at least one opposite sensor and actuator data relative to the at least one opposite actuator, •—receiving an item of opposite health data and determining an item of local health data, •—switching said local processing unit (1,2) from a first state to a second state chosen from an active state (15), a passive state (16) and a slave state (18), depending on the opposite health data received and the local health data determined.

An illustrative example embodiment of a method of communicating between controllers on a vehicle includes communicating a first operation request from a first controller to a second controller. The first operation request is indicative of the second controller performing a first operation. The second controller attempts to perform the first operation at a time when it cannot be performed, determines that the first operation cannot be performed, and communicates an indication that the first operation request cannot currently be satisfied. The second controller continues to attempt to perform the first operation at a subsequent time.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method (300, 400), comprising communicating (310, 410), from first control means (110) to a second control means (120), a first operation request indicative of the second control means (120) performing a first operation, determining (320, 420), at the second control means, whether the first operation can be performed, communicating (330, 430), if the operation cannot be performed, from the second control means to the first control means, an indication that the first operation request cannot currently be satisfied, and continuing (320, 330), by the second control means, to attempt to perform the first operation.

A flight control system of an aircraft including a first processing unit, a second processing unit, communication means configured to establish a first two-way digital link and as second two-way digital link between the first processing unit and the second processing unit. The second link is redundant with the first link, and the first link and second link are likely to be active concomitantly. The system further includes backup communication means enabling data exchanges between the first processing unit and the second processing unit in the case of a failure in the first link and second link. The backup communication means includes an array of sensors or actuators and/or a secure onboard network for the avionics.

A device control apparatus periodically transmits a status confirmation signal to a control source device described in a cooperation control table and receives a response signal with respect to the status confirmation signal. Device control apparatus determines whether or not a status included in the response signal matches a status described in the cooperation control table. If they match, a control destination device, an operation and a control command corresponding to the operation are specified using the cooperation control table. A configuration for transmitting a control command with respect to the control destination device is provided. Therefore, even in a case where a communication protocol and the control command are different from one another in makers of devices, it is possible to realize cooperation control.

The present invention concerns a method for switching, by a local processing unit (1,2) of a flight control system of an aircraft, configured to control at least one local actuator, connected to at least one local sensor and connected via at least one link (3,4) to an opposite processing unit (2,1) configured to control at least one opposite actuator and be connected to at least one opposite sensor, said local processing unit (1,2) being further configured to be connected to backup communication means (13,14) enabling data exchanges between the local processing unit (1,2) and the opposite processing unit (2,1) in the case of failures of the links connecting same (3,4), said backup communication means comprising an array of sensors or actuators (13) and/or a secure onboard network for the avionics (14), comprising steps of: sending, to the opposite processing unit (2,1), acquisition data relative to the at least one local sensor and actuator data relative to the at least one local actuator, receiving, from the opposite processing unit (2,1), acquisition data relative to the at least one opposite sensor and actuator data relative to the at least one opposite actuator, receiving an item of opposite health data and determining an item of local health data, switching said local processing unit (1,2) from a first state to a second state chosen from an active state (15), a passive state (16) and a slave state (18), depending on the opposite health data received and the local health data determined.

A device control apparatus periodically transmits a status confirmation signal to a control source device described in a cooperation control table and receives a response signal with respect to the status confirmation signal. Device control apparatus determines whether or not a status included in the response signal matches a status described in the cooperation control table. If they match, a control destination device, an operation and a control command corresponding to the operation are specified using the cooperation control table. A configuration for transmitting a control command with respect to the control destination device is provided. Therefore, even in a case where a communication protocol and the control command are different from one another in makers of devices, it is possible to realize cooperation control.