Patent Application

App. No. 16/560,186

Abstract

Claims (40)

1 . A computer implemented method for integrating a platform, different stores, and/or carriage racks, wherein the computer implemented method is implemented in an electronics control system that is communicatively couplable to each of the platform, the different stores, and/or the carriage racks, the computer implemented method comprising:

defining parameters for a plurality of predetermined electrical interfaces for predetermined platforms, stores, and carriage racks, and message sets that correspond to the predetermined platforms, stores, and carriage racks;

identifying electrical interfaces of the platform, at least one store of the different stores and/or at least one carriage rack of the carriage racks to be integrated based on the defined parameters;

communicating different messages between the platform, the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack without affecting an Operational Flight Program (OFP) of the platform, wherein each communication between the platform, and the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack is independent;

translating messages between the platform and the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack; and

controlling operation of the at least one carriage rack and/or the at least one store based on the messages.

2 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising performing a safety check on messages corresponding to the release sequence prior to, up to, and during the release sequence, wherein the safety check is performed by a safety interlock including electronics and an integrated circuit, wherein the electronics, the integrated circuit and the processor are each configured to independently determine and verify a presence of required control signals prior to, up to, and during releasing the at least one store.

3 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the at least one carriage rack when the at least one carriage rack is a Type I Carriage System or a Type II Carriage System.

4 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein translating the messages comprises translating message sets that include legacy to legacy, Universal Armament Interface (UAI) to UAI, legacy to UAI, and UAI to legacy.

5 . The computer implemented method of claim 4 further comprising at least one of:

receiving a legacy message from the platform directed to the at least one store, translating the legacy message to a UAI message when the at least one store supports UAI based on the stored data corresponding to the different message sets, and transmitting the UAI message to the at least one store; and

receiving a UAI message from the at least one store directed to the platform, translating the UAI message to a legacy message based on the stored data corresponding to the different message sets, and transmitting the legacy message to the platform.

6 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising receiving and transmitting different legacy messages between the platform and the at least one store.

7 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising communicating with at least one of a military standard-1760 interface, an aircraft store-5725 interface, a CAN bus, an RS-422/485 interface, or an Ethernet interface.

8 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising communicating with the identified interface of the at least one store prior to, up to, and during a release sequence of the at least one store.

9 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring and storing events occurring during operation of the at least one carriage rack and/or the at least one store.

10 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising performing telemetry communication and debugging.

11 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising determining a composite launch acceptability region.

12 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

pre-configuring a processor by defining the plurality of predetermined electrical interfaces for different platforms, different stores, different carriage racks, and different message sets that correspond to the different platforms, stores, and carriage racks in a configuration file; and

downloading the configuration file in a memory of the electronics control system.

13 . The computer implemented method of claim 12 further comprising updating the configuration file to include additional predetermined electrical interfaces.

14 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising simulating the platform and/or the at least one carriage rack for integration with the at least one store prior to operation.

15 . The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least one of the interfaces to be a UAI; and

performing a UAI certification of at least one of the at least one carriage rack, the at least one store, and the platform.

16 . A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions implementable to execute the computer implemented method according to claim 1 .

17 . An electronic control module for integrating a platform, different stores, and/or carriage racks, the electronic control module comprising:

a processor communicatively couplable to each of the platform, the different stores, and/or the carriage racks; and

a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory contains a set of instructions for identifying a plurality of interfaces for predetermined platforms, stores, and carriage racks, and message sets that correspond to the predetermined platforms, stores, and carriage racks,

wherein the processor is configured for executing the set of instructions to:

identify a configuration of the platform, at least one store of the different stores and/or at least one carriage rack of the carriage racks to be integrated;

communicate different messages between the platform, the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack without affecting an Operational Flight Program (OFP) of the platform, wherein each communication between the platform, and the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack is independent;

translate messages between the platform and the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack; and

control operation of the at least one carriage rack and/or the at least one store based on the messages,

wherein the electronic control module communicates with each of the platform, the at least one store and/or the at least one carriage rack via separate and independent busses.

18 . The electronic control module of claim 17 , wherein the identifying a plurality of interfaces for predetermined platforms, stores, and carriage racks, and message sets that correspond to the predetermined platforms, stores, and carriage racks is based on parameters stored in a configuration file accessible by the electronic control module; and

wherein the electronic control module further comprises at least one Extended Function Module (EFM) for enabling the electronic control module to perform additional functions.

19 . The electronic control module of claim 17 further comprising a safety interlock including electronics and an integrated circuit, wherein the electronics, the integrated circuit and the processor are each configured to independently determine and verify a presence of required control signals prior to, up to, and during releasing the at least one store.

20 . The electronic control module of claim 17 , wherein the electronic control module is used with a munitions rack having a munitions rack structure and multiple munitions ejectors insertable into and securable to the munitions rack structure, wherein the electronic control module integrates a first platform to which the munitions rack is coupled, the munitions rack, and multiple stores coupled to the ejectors and communicates different messages between the first platform, the multiple stores, and the munitions rack without affecting an OFP of the first platform.

Assignments (9)