Line replaceable unit identification systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12255756-B2
Application number	US-202217581259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2022
Priority date	Jan 21, 2022
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

An electronic device may comprise: a token input circuit comprising a token input electrical line, a pull up resistor, and a power source; a token output circuit comprising a token output electrical line and an electrical switch; a communication input electrical line; a communication output electrical line; a processor in electrical communication with the token input electrical line, the token output electrical line, the communication input electrical line, and the communication output electrical line; and a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receive, via the processor, a token from an adjacent electronic device via the token input electrical line, and determine, based on the token, a location of the electronic device in a string of electronic devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a forward shield;
a token input circuit comprising a token input electrical line, a pull up resistor, and a power source;
a token output circuit comprising a token output electrical line and an electrical switch;
a communication input electrical line;
a communication output electrical line;
a processor in electrical communication with the token input electrical line, the token output electrical line, the communication input electrical line, and the communication output electrical line; and
a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, via the processor, a token from an adjacent electronic device via the token input electrical line, and
determining, based on the token, a location of the electronic device in a string of electronic devices, wherein the location is determined based on the forward shield pulling down from a first voltage to 0 volts due to the pull up resistor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise commanding the electrical switch to transition from an “ON” state to an “OFF” state in response to determining the location of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise releasing the token in response to transitioning the electrical switch from the “ON” state to the “OFF” state.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the electronic device is a first electronic device in the string of electronic devices based on the forward shield of the electronic device being pulled down from a first voltage to 0 volts from the pull up resistor.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the token input circuit further comprises a first voltage divider, and wherein the token output circuit further comprises a second voltage divider.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the token input electrical line is configured to be coupled to a first shield configured to surround a communication wire configured to couple to the communication input electrical line.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the token output electrical line is configured to be coupled to a second shield configured to surround a second communication wire configured to couple to the communication output electrical line.

8. An electrical system, comprising:
a control system comprising a controller; and
a string of electronic devices connected in series between the control system and an end electronic device, each of the string of electronic devices electrically coupled to an adjacent electronic device in the string of electronic devices by a communication line segment enclosed by a shield, each of the string of electronic devices comprising a local controller in electrical communication with a forward communication line segment and a forward shield, the forward shield surrounding the forward communication line segment, wherein the local controller for each of the string of electronic devices is configured to:
receive a token from the controller, and
determine, based on the token, that the first electronic device is in a first location in the string of electronic devices, wherein the first location is determined based on the shield pulling down from a first voltage to 0 volts due to the pull up resistor.

9. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the forward shield is configured to reduce electromagnetic interference (“EMI”).

10. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
release a token to determine a location of each electronic device in the string of electronic devices; and
receive, from the local controller of each of the string of electronic devices and the end electronic device, the location of the respective electronic device.

11. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the electrical system is an aircraft lighting system.

12. The electrical system of claim 11 , wherein each electronic device is a line replaceable unit (LRU) having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

13. The electrical system of claim 8 , wherein the electrical system is configured to determine a location of each electronic device in the string of electronic devices by creating a circuit between adjacent electronic devices through the forward shield.

14. An electrical system, comprising:
a control system including a controller;
a first electronic device in a string of electronic devices, the first electronic device comprising a local controller electrically coupled to the controller, a token input line in electrical communication with the local controller, a pull up resistor, and a power source;
a communication line segment extending from the control system to the first electronic device, the communication line segment in electrical communication with the controller and the local controller; and
a shield surrounding the communication line segment, the shield configured to reduce electromagnetic interference (“EMI”), the shield in electrical communication with the token input line, the pull up resistor, and the power source, wherein:
the first electronic device further comprises an electrical switch in electrical communication with a token output line, and
the local controller is configured to:
receive a token from the controller; and
determine, based on the token, that the first electronic device is in a first location in the string of electronic devices, wherein the first location is determined based on the shield pulling down from a first voltage to 0 volts due to the pull up resistor.

15. The electrical system of claim 14 , further comprising the string of electronic devices, each electronic device in the string of electronic devices in accordance with the first electronic device.

16. The electrical system of claim 14 , wherein the local controller is further configured to command the electrical switch to transition from an “ON” state to an “OFF” state in response to determining the first electronic device is in the first location in the string of electronic devices.

17. The electrical system of claim 16 , wherein the local controller is further configured to release the token in response to transitioning the electrical switch from the “ON” state to the “OFF” state.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Johannessen Eric

Classifications

• H05B47/18 Primary

  via data-bus transmission · CPC title

• H04L12/40039

  Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus · CPC title

• H04L7/0008

  Synchronisation information channels, e.g. clock distribution lines · CPC title

• H04L12/417 Primary

  with deterministic access, e.g. token passing · CPC title