AIRCRAFT PERSONALITY MODULE ON SD CARD

Abstract

A MODMAN modem manager unit in an aviation broadband satellite terminal has a media interface slot integrated into the MODMAN. The media interface slot is exclusively dedicated to interface an external storage device. The external storage device is configured to be attached to or removed from the dedicated media interface slot, and the dedicated media interface slot is configured to allow transfer and storage of instructions and data specific for an APM Aircraft Personality Module via said dedicated media interface slot onto an attached external storage device. When interacting with the MODMAN via the dedicated media interface slot, the attached external storage device is configurable to act as dedicated APM in said aviation broadband satellite terminal.

Claims

1. A MODMAN modem manager unit is configured to be used in an aviation broadband satellite terminal and comprises a media interface slot integrated into the MODMAN, said media interface slot being exclusively dedicated to interface an external storage device, said media interface slot being configured to allow an external storage device to be attached thereto or to be removed therefrom, wherein said dedicated media interface slot is configured to allow transfer and storage of instructions and data specific for an APM Aircraft Personality Module via said dedicated media interface slot onto an attached external storage device to configure the attached external storage device as a dedicated APM, and wherein the MODMAN is configured to interact via the dedicated media interface slot with said dedicated APM to be used in an aviation broadband satellite terminal.

2. The MODMAN according to claim 1, wherein said dedicated media interface slot is integrated into a front panel of said MODMAN.

3. The MODMAN according to claim 1, wherein said dedicated media interface slot is configured to interface with a standard consumer electronics SD secure digital memory card which is configurable to act as an APM.

4. An external storage device which is configured to be attachable to and removable from a dedicated media interface slot of a MODMAN according to claim 1, wherein said external storage device is configurable to act as an APM Aircraft Personality Module via said media interface slot of said MODMAN.

5. The external storage device according to claim 4, wherein said external storage device is a secure digital memory SD card.

6. The external storage device according to claim 4, wherein said external storage device is configured with a first partition with static, pre-configured data as read-only partition, and a second partition for non-static data as read/write partition.

7. A system for an aviation broadband satellite terminal comprising a MODMAN according to claim 1.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising an external storage device according to claim 4.

9. A system for an aviation broadband satellite terminal comprising an external storage device according to claim 4.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0071] FIG. 1 shows an example of a MODMAN 3D model with a front panel port;

[0072] FIG. 2 shows an example of a software architecture designed to manage APM data on an SD card in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a prior art ARINC 791 broadband satellite terminal;

[0074] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a prior art ARINC 792 broadband satellite terminal; and

[0075] FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a proprietary prior art AES broadband satellite terminal slightly deviating from the ARINC 791 or ARINC 792 architectures shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] FIG. 1 shows an example of a MODMAN 3D model with a housing and a with a front panel port. SD card slots may be attached to or removed from a media interface slot 3 inside the front panel door.

[0077] As already mentioned above, according to the present disclosure, the dedicated media slot 3 on the MODMAN front panel can be a provision for different types of media (e.g., USB, Compact Flash, M.2, etc.). The SD card is particularly interesting, because of its simplicity, spread, cheapness, and ease of associated SW and hardware design, but in principle any other type of a mountable and removable external storage device could be used in the disclosed subject matter in order to obtain the functionality of “APM data/functions on a removal storage medium”.

[0078] The architecture of the current broadband satcom terminals following the ARINC 791 standard is based on a core control unit named MODMAN. The MODMAN needs to store some configuration data on a unit/module named APM, which works in conjunction with the MODMAN. The APM basically provides a location for retaining Satcom System configuration information that is specific to the aircraft installation. According to the present disclosure the APM data and functionalities are implemented on an external mountable and removable storage medium plugged directly to the front panel of the MODMAN.

[0079] The disclosed subject matter helps to implement the functions that by the ARINC 791 standard were foreseen for the APM hardware module, without the need of an extra hardware unit and with a simple software architecture.

[0080] The APM data/functions can be implemented on a removal storage medium, controlled by a software module inside the MODMAN.

[0081] The disclosed subject matter leads to the further advantage that any extra hardware and SW implementation needed is very simple, since [0082] standard consumer electronics storage media (e.g. SD cards) [0083] media slot and drivers on the MODMAN, [0084] existing software modules on the MODMAN. may be used.

[0085] The solution avoids complex mechanical structures around the MODMAN and the MODMAN tray, and complex SW algorithms, to manage redundant, distributed copies of the APM data across different units.

[0086] While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.