GRAPHIC DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

Abstract

A graphic data processing system including at least one core for graphic data processing, having formatting means capable of interpreting in graphic form or as instructions the data exchanged via a human-machine interface, wherein said formatting means are distributed over one or more cores.

Claims

1. Graphic data processing system comprising at least one graphic data processing core including formatting means capable of interpreting, in graphic format or in instruction format, the data exchanged via a human-machine interface, wherein said formatting means are distributed between one or more cores.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the formatting means comprise conversion means capable of converting the data exchanged via the human-machine interface, either into graphic format or into instruction format, at least one processing module capable of generating the instructions, and display means capable of displaying said data in graphic format, said at least one processing module being coupled to the conversion means (PL), which in turn are coupled to said display means.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein the conversion means comprise at least one conformity module capable of conforming the data to an aeronautical or automotive communication and display standard, and at least one graphics processing unit capable of receiving the data resulting from the implementation of said at least one conformity module and of converting them into data suitable for display by the display means.

4. System according to claim 2, wherein the conversion means comprise at least one graphics processing unit capable of receiving the data resulting from the implementation of said at least one processing module and of converting them into data suitable for display by the display means.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the distribution of the formatting means is configurable.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the formatting means are connected to one another by means of at least one communication system capable of authorising data exchanges between said formatting means.

7. Graphical user interface for an aircraft cockpit comprising a graphic data processing system according to claim 1.

Description

[0049] Other purposes, features and advantages of the invention will appear after reading the following description, which is provided for purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, given with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows one example of the general architecture of a conventional data processing system produced using COTS components;

[0051] FIG. 2A

[0052] FIG. 2B

[0053] FIG. 2C

[0054] FIG. 2D

[0055] FIG. 2E show different alternative and example configurations of the formatting means according to the invention.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows the general architecture of a graphic data processing system according to the invention, of a human-machine interface, which has been given the general reference numeral 1.

[0057] The general architecture 1 in this case is a multi-core architecture. It goes without saying that this can be a single-core architecture.

[0058] It comprises, in this example embodiment, a set of physical data processing cores C1 to C4, in this case four, connected to one another by a communication system B1, in this case a shared communication bus capable of authorising data exchanges between said physical cores C1 to C4.

[0059] Each physical processing core is capable of operating completely or partially in parallel, allowing information to be processed simultaneously in order to perform the greatest number of operations in the shortest time.

[0060] As can be seen in the figure, each processing core C1-C4 comprises formatting means 2 capable of interpreting, in graphic format or in instruction format, the data exchanged via a human-machine interface not shown here.

[0061] In other words, the formatting means 2 are capable of reading data in graphic format or in a programming language format, and of executing the actions requested or necessary as a result of this reading.

[0062] The programming language can be the programming language C or C++ for example.

[0063] The formatting means 2 include a memory region partitioned into a set of memory regions ZM capable of storing programs involved in interpreting, in graphic format or in instruction format, the data exchanged via the human-machine interface.

[0064] Each program stored in a memory region ZM can communicate with another program stored in another memory region ZM within the same core C1-C4.

[0065] This communication can be carried out for example via a communication bus B2 capable of transferring the data resulting from said programs.

[0066] This multi-core graphic data processing architecture can be fully or partially partitioned.

[0067] This allows for incremental certification.

[0068] A part of the formatting means 2 contained in a physical core can thus be updated without having to re-certify the other parts of the formatting means 2 accessible via the other physical cores or contained in the same physical core.

[0069] In other words, in a partitioned architecture, a modification of a GPU or CDS or UA module contained in a partition avoids the need to re-certify the other modules contained in other partitions.

[0070] This partitioning is also modular, allowing for multiple possible alternative configurations of the formatting means 2, some of which are shown in FIG. 2A to 2E.

[0071] The formatting means 2 comprise at least three types of modules, illustrated in FIG. 2A, i.e., UA, display means EC in the form of peripherals, GPU and/or CDS, referred to here as PL.

[0072] These modules are configurable and partitioned in the cores C1-C4.

[0073] FIG. 2A shows a first example configuration. In this case, a single processing module UA is coupled to a single conversion module PL, which is in turn coupled to a single display peripheral, all in the same core C1.

[0074] This configuration is replicated in the other three cores C2, C3 and C4.

[0075] Thus, if one of these modules UA were to be modified, the other operational processing modules UA will not be updated and/or re-certified.

[0076] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2B, there can be a single processing module UA stored in the core C1, coupled to a first conversion module PL1 stored in the core C3, and coupled to a second and third conversion module PL2, PL3 respectively, stored in the core C2.

[0077] Another possible configuration, shown in FIG. 2C, would be to store a first and second processing module UAL UA2 in the core C4 and to couple them to a conversion module PL stored in the same core C4.

[0078] The conversion module PL can also be coupled to a third processing module UA3 stored in the core C3, and to three display means EC1, EC2 and EC3 which are, as shown in FIG. 2D, in the core C4.

[0079] Alternatively, the first, second and third conversion modules PL1, PL2 and PL3, and the display means EC could be stored in the same core C4 as shown in FIG. 2E.

[0080] It goes without saying that these configurations are given as non-limiting examples.

[0081] Thus, the modular partitioning of the physical cores C1 to C4 allows the configuration of the formatting means 2 to be modified according to the needs of the system, while reducing the number of modules to be updated and/or re-certified should one thereof be modified.