Patent Description:
Controllers are commonly used on vehicles, such as aircraft, to control the functionality of devices carried by the vehicles. Such controllers generally include electronics located within a housing which communicate with the controlled device to operate the device. In the case of embedded controllers, such as embedded controllers commonly used to control safety critical equipment, the controller is typically a 'point design' developed for a specific application. Such point design controllers allow the controller to provide the functionality required for the application while accommodating the various constraints of the application, e.g., shape and dimensions as well the connectivity requirements of the application.

One consequence of the point design approach to embedded controllers is that control systems for different devices lack a common architecture due to the customized layout and components required for the various controllers, complicating maintenance. Further, such controllers can also add to the challenges of re-design and obsolescence management because, when multiple application-specific embedded controllers utilize a common component, and the common component becomes obsolete, each controller must be individually redesigned to incorporate the replacement component and the controller requalified with the replacement component.

An embedded controller is disclosed in <CIT>. The embedded controller comprises an enclosure with an external interface, a generic motherboard with a supervisory processor, a plurality of daughterboard seats supported in the enclosure and an external device-specific input/output, I/O, daughterboard supported in one of the daughterboard seats and connecting the external interface with the motherboard supervisory processor, wherein the I/O daughterboard has an I/O processor to translate data communicated between the motherboard supervisory processor and a device connected to the external interface.

Document <CIT> relates to modular computing systems based on integrated circuits such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) which have complex and application dependent power supply requirements.

Such conventional point design controllers have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is a need in the art for improved embedded controllers. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need.

A modular embedded controller is provided as defined by claim <NUM>.

The dependent claims define further advantageous embodiments.

In accordance with certain embodiments, a power supply daughterboard is seated in one of the plurality of daughterboard seats. The power supply daughterboard can connect the second external interface to the motherboard. A prognostic health monitoring (PHM) daughterboard is seated in one of the plurality of daughterboard seats. The PHM daughterboard connects to the second external interface to the motherboard. A communication daughterboard is seated in one of the plurality of daughterboard seats. The communication daughterboard connects to the second external interface to the motherboard.

A control processor is supported by the motherboard and disposed in communication with the data switch. The motherboard can be a first motherboard and the embedded controller can include a second motherboard. A supervisory processor of the second motherboard can be connected to the supervisory processor of the first motherboard by the data switch.

It is also contemplated that, in accordance with certain embodiments, the embedded controller can include an interface board. The interface board can be arranged within the interior of the enclosure. The interface board can connect the external connector to the I/O daughterboard. The interface board can include one or more of a lightening protection feature, an electrostatic discharge feature, and an electromagnetic interference shielding feature. The external connector can be a first external connector and the enclosure can have one or more second external connector connected to the motherboard by the I/O daughterboard.

A controller arrangement includes a safety critical device and an embedded controller as described above. The enclosure has a form factor peculiar to the safety critical device. The motherboard and the I/O daughterboard conform the embedded controller to the form factor of the enclosure. In certain embodiments the embedded controller can be a full authority digital electronic controller (FADEC) for a gas turbine engine.

A gas turbine engine arrangement includes an embedded controller as described above and a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine operatively associated with the embedded controller and the embedded controller is configured to control operation of the gas turbine engine at least in part using data communicated through the external connector.

Technical effects of embodiments of the present disclosure include customization of embedded controller electronics through the use of generic components, simplifying maintenance and reducing the burden otherwise presented by obsolescence management.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a modular embedded controller in accordance with the disclosure is shown in <FIG> and is designated generally by reference character <NUM>. Other embodiments of modular embedded controllers, controller arrangements, and gas turbine engine arrangements in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in <FIG>, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to control safety critical equipment, such as full authorization digital electronic controller (FADEC) devices on aircraft, though the present disclosure is not limited to FADEC devices or to safety critical controllers on aircraft in general.

Referring to <FIG>, modular embedded controller <NUM> is shown. Modular embedded controller <NUM> includes an enclosure <NUM> with an external interface <NUM>, a generic motherboard <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) with a supervisory processor <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) and plurality of daughterboard seats, e.g., daughterboard seat <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), and an external device-specific input/output (I/O) daughterboard, e.g. I/O daughterboard <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). The generic motherboard <NUM> is supported within the enclosure <NUM>. The I/O daughterboard <NUM> is supported in the I/O daughterboard seat <NUM> and connects the external interface <NUM> with the motherboard supervisory processor <NUM>. The I/O daughterboard <NUM> has an I/O processor <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) to translate data D communicated between the motherboard supervisory processor <NUM> and a device <NUM> connected to the external interface <NUM>. The motherboard supervisory processor <NUM> and/or the daughterboard I/O processor <NUM> can include a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device, a programmable logic device (PLD), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a general purpose processor, as suitable for an intended application.

It is contemplated that device <NUM> be safety critical device. For example, device <NUM> can include a gas turbine engine <NUM> carried by an aircraft <NUM> and the embedded controller <NUM> is a full authorization digital electronic controller (FADEC) device configured and adapted to for controlling the gas turbine engine <NUM>. Further, the embedded controller <NUM> can have a plurality of external interfaces <NUM> disposed in communication with one or more analog device <NUM> configured to communicate using analog data d, one or more digital device <NUM> configured to communicate using digital data D, a prognostic and health monitoring (PHM) device <NUM>, and a power source <NUM> through respective I/O daughterboards, as will be described. Further, the embedded controller <NUM> can be disposed in communication with a communications link <NUM>, which can connect the embedded controller <NUM> with a user interface located on flight deck of the aircraft <NUM>. As used herein the term "generic" motherboard means that the generic motherboard <NUM> can be used in two or more controllers having different form factors, i.e., that the generic motherboard <NUM> can be employed in a common circuit building block while supporting more than one controller physical outline. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, this can reduce the impact of redesign for new applications and/or simplify obsolescence management across multiple platform employing the generic motherboard <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the embedded controller <NUM> is shown. In the embodiment shown the embedded controller <NUM> includes six (<NUM>) daughterboard seats mounting three (<NUM>) I/O daughterboards, a power supply module, a PHM module, and a communications module. In this respect a first daughterboard seat <NUM> seats a power supply daughterboard <NUM>, a second daughterboard seat <NUM> seats a PHM daughterboard <NUM>, a third daughterboard seat <NUM> seats a communication daughterboard <NUM>, and I/O daughterboard seats <NUM>-<NUM> each seat a respective I/O daughterboard <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM>. As shown in <FIG> the generic motherboard <NUM> also includes motherboard supervisory processor <NUM>, a data switch <NUM>, a control processor <NUM>, and a non-volatile flash memory module <NUM>. In certain embodiments the data switch is a multicast data switch, such as a PCIe data switch by way of non-limiting example. In accordance with certain embodiment the data switch <NUM> can be implemented with circuitry within the motherboard.

It is contemplated that the processing functions be divided between the motherboard supervisory processor <NUM> the motherboard control processor <NUM>. For example, in certain embodiments the motherboard supervisory processor <NUM> coordinate, pack, and unpack data between transferred between the I/O daughterboards and the control processor <NUM>, and the control processor <NUM> attend to operational activities associated with the control of the device within which the embedded controller is attached. For example, control processor <NUM> may make decisions regarding fuel flow change to a gas turbine engine while supervisory processor <NUM> package the data for communication to the gas turbine engine. It is also contemplated that the I/O processor <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) convert the command into a signal suitable for the commanded device, such as to a voltage setting, etc., as suitable for an intended application.

Data switch <NUM> is disposed in communication with the supervisory processor108, the control processor <NUM>, the power supply daughterboard <NUM>, and the PHM daughterboard <NUM>. The PHM daughterboard <NUM> is connected to a PHM external interface <NUM> located on the enclosure <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), and therethrough places the supervisory processor <NUM> in data communication with the PHM device <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). The power supply daughterboard <NUM> is connected to a power supply external interface <NUM> located on (e.g., externally accessible) the enclosure <NUM>, and therethrough places powered components on the generic motherboard <NUM> in electrical communication with the power source <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). The communications daughterboard <NUM> is connected to a communications external interface <NUM> located on the enclosure <NUM> and therethrough connects the supervisory processor <NUM> with the communications link <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), which may be a CAN bus.

The I/O daughterboard <NUM> is seated in daughterboard seat <NUM>, is connected to the external interface <NUM>, and connects therethrough an external device to the supervisory processor <NUM>. It is contemplated that the external device the I/O daughterboard <NUM> connects to the supervisory processor <NUM> can be an analog device, e.g., analog device <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), or a digital device, e.g., the digital device <NUM> (shown in <FIG>). I/O daughterboard <NUM> and I/O daughterboard <NUM> are similar to the I/O daughterboard <NUM> with the difference that the difference that each are seated in separate daughterboard seats <NUM>/<NUM> and are connected to separate external interfaces <NUM>/<NUM>. Notably, the particular set of daughterboards selected for the embedded controller <NUM> provide customization of the embedded controller <NUM> its application by abstracting the communication protocol routed through a given interface from the generic motherboard <NUM> - the generic motherboard <NUM> thereby being usable in multiple applications due to the I/O daughterboards being able to bridge difference types of external connections (which are application specific) with the applicationagnostic generic motherboard <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the I/O daughterboard <NUM> is shown. The I/O daughterboard <NUM> includes an internal socket <NUM>, and external socket <NUM>, and an I/O interface <NUM>. The external socket <NUM>, which can be a ribbon-type connector, connects the external interface <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) to the I/O interface <NUM>. The I/O interface <NUM> connects to the internal socket <NUM> through a daughterboard I/O processor <NUM>. The daughterboard I/O processor <NUM> is configured to convert communication between a form suitable for the generic motherboard <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) to that suitable for the external device connected to I/O daughterboard <NUM>, e.g., into digital data D (shown in <FIG>) or analog data d (shown in <FIG>), as suitable for the application. This provides abstraction between the generic motherboard <NUM> and the device connected to the generic motherboard <NUM> through the I/O daughterboard <NUM>.

In the illustrated embodiment the I/O daughterboard <NUM> includes a non-volatile memory <NUM> connected to the daughterboard I/O processor <NUM> through which the daughterboard configuration can be programmed and retained. It is also contemplated that a daughterboard fault memory <NUM> can be connected to the daughterboard I/O processor <NUM>, while allows field data to remain with the I/O daughterboard <NUM> to facilitate fault tracing and resolution in the event required during operation.

The I/O processor <NUM> provides a standardized hardware interface with logical/functional grouping of building blocks that can be configured to support various embedded control requirements. The functionality of the I/O processor <NUM> can be configured via local memory or via commands communicated over a link, e.g., via a serial connector. Further, the I/O processor <NUM> can be configured to support a built-in serial link repeater, which allows for connection to I/O processor <NUM> special purpose serial elements - allowing for further customization of the embedded controller <NUM>. Notably, the I/O processor <NUM> provides the I/O daughterboard <NUM> with flexible (i.e. singular hardware arrangement configurable with software) internal data paths and the capability to support multiple data communication protocols. In certain embodiments I/O processor <NUM> includes a FPGA device with non-volatile flash memory <NUM>. In accordance with certain embodiments PLD <NUM> can be implemented with a programmable logic device, an ASIC or processor, embodiments employing ASIC devices having the advantage that relatively little software is required for communication through the I/O daughterboard <NUM>, embodiments having processors relying relatively heavily on software but having a comparatively simple processing environment.

With continuing reference to <FIG>, the embedded controller <NUM> includes an interface board <NUM>. The interface board <NUM> connects the external interfaces, e.g., the external interface <NUM>, with the daughterboards, e.g., the I/O daughterboard <NUM>, seated in the daughterboard slots of the generic motherboard <NUM>. Being a separate board, the interface boards provides a platform for specialized circuitry peculiar to the intended application of the embedded controller <NUM>. This allows the embedded controller <NUM> to include additional circuitry while employing the generic motherboard <NUM> and daughterboards selected from a group of having circuitry for the functions described above. In certain embodiments the interface board <NUM> includes one or more of a lightning protection feature <NUM>, an electrostatic discharge feature <NUM>, and an electromagnetic interference shielding feature <NUM>. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, placing these features on the interface board <NUM> allows for customization of the embedded controller <NUM> (with respect to these features) while employing generic circuit elements capable of use across multiple platforms.

Referring to <FIG>, the embedded controller <NUM> is shown according to an embodiment. Enclosure <NUM> has a form factor <NUM>, which includes the dimensions (e.g., height and width) into which the generic motherboard <NUM> and seated daughterboards must conform and the external interfaces through which the generic motherboard <NUM> must communicate. The generic motherboard <NUM> and seated daughterboards fix within the shape and volume prescribed by the form factor <NUM> of the enclosure <NUM> while the selection of daughterboards for the embedded controller <NUM> provide the combination of connections necessary the application of embedded controller <NUM>.

It is contemplated that the embedded controller <NUM> can include more than one motherboard. In this respect the generic motherboard <NUM> can be a first motherboard and the embedded controller <NUM> can include one or more second generic motherboard <NUM> (or expansion generic motherboard). The second generic motherboard <NUM> communicates with the first motherboard generic through the data switch <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), data traveling through a connection therebetween and within the interior of the enclosure <NUM>. The second generic motherboard <NUM> is similar to the first generic motherboard <NUM>, includes a supervisory processor <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), and provides one or more daughterboard seat <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) for seating a daughterboard <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), such as an additional I/O daughterboard.

As shown in <FIG>, the second generic motherboard <NUM> can be stacked with the first generic motherboard <NUM> when the form factor <NUM> provides space for stacking. Alternatively, as shown in <FIG>, the second generic motherboard <NUM> can be co-planar with the first generic motherboard <NUM>, such as when form factor <NUM> allows for a relatively wide in-plane arrangement of the first generic motherboard <NUM> and the second generic motherboard <NUM>. Notably, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the inclusion of the second generic motherboard <NUM> adds additional daughterboard seats, e.g., daughterboard seat <NUM>, for allowing additional daughterboards to be included in the embedded controller <NUM> beyond that otherwise supported by the first generic motherboard <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the I/O daughterboard <NUM> is shown. In the illustrated embodiment the I/O daughterboard <NUM> includes the internal socket <NUM>, which connects the I/O daughterboard <NUM> to the generic motherboard <NUM> for communication with the external interface <NUM>. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, the I/O daughterboard <NUM> can also span the generic motherboard <NUM> and the external interface <NUM>, as suitable for the form factor of the intended application.

Claim 1:
A modular embedded controller, comprising:
an enclosure (<NUM>) with a first external interface (<NUM>);
a generic motherboard (<NUM>) with a supervisory processor (<NUM>) and a plurality of daughterboard seats (<NUM>,<NUM>) supported in the enclosure;
an external device-specific input/output, I/O, daughterboard (<NUM>) supported in one of the daughterboard seats (<NUM>) and connecting the external interface with the motherboard supervisory processor, wherein the I/O daughterboard has an I/O processor (<NUM>) adapted to translate data communicated between the motherboard supervisory processor and a device connected to the external interface; and characterised by:
the modular embedded controller comprising six daughterboard seats (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) mounting three I/O daughterboards (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), a power supply daughterboard (<NUM>), a prognostic health monitoring, PHM, daughterboard (<NUM>), and a communication daughterboard (<NUM>),
the enclosure including a PHM external interface (<NUM>) configured for connection to a PHM device (<NUM>);
a data switch (<NUM>) supported on the motherboard and disposed in communication with the motherboard supervisory processor (<NUM>).
the PHM daughterboard (<NUM>) being in communication with the data switch (<NUM>) and the PHM external interface (<NUM>), wherein the prognostic health monitoring daughterboard (<NUM>) is adapted to place the supervisory processor (<NUM>) in data communication with the PHM device (<NUM>) through the data switch (<NUM>) to provide PHM data to the supervisory processor.