Patent ID: 6122569
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: F41G

Abstract:
An apparatus providing an interface between an aircraft and an associated store, wherein the associated store is one of a plurality of predetermined types of stores, and wherein each type of store is adapted to process signals and communicate with the aircraft according to one of a plurality of predetermined store signal formats, comprising:a store interface that bidirectionally communicates between the aircraft and the store, the store interface comprising:a first communication link comprising a digital data bus comprising three input signals and one output signal, the three input signals comprising a clock strobe signal, a data out signal, and a data enable signal, wherein the first communication link bidirectionally communicates with the store using a first set of store control signals configured in accordance with a first store signal format;a second communication link comprising an avionics bus comprising:primary and reserve data buses for transmitting signals to and from the associated store; anda bus controller for controlling signal transmission on the primary and reserve data buses between the associated store and the aircraft such that the signals are transmitted via the primary bus if the primary bus is available, and are only transmitted via the reserve data bus if the primary bus is unavailable, wherein the second communication link bidirectionally communicates with the store using a second set of store control signals configured in accordance with a second store signal format; anda switch that couples one of the communications links to the store allowing one of the sets of store control signals to be transmitted between the aircraft and the store, and that couples a portion of the digital data bus to the avionics bus if the type of associated store is a Mil-Std-1760 type of store.