Patent ID: 8612639

Claim:
A method for providing a backup capability for a plurality of line-replaceable units (LRUs) communicatively coupled to a communications bus in an aircraft, wherein the plurality of LRUs include a plurality of different types of LRUs, and wherein each LRU is assigned a unique address on the communications bus, said method comprising: processing, with a monitoring unit, messages associated with the plurality of different types of LRUs; monitoring, with the monitoring unit, the messages associated with the plurality of different types of LRUs on the communications bus; identifying that at least one communicatively coupled LRU of a first type of the plurality of different types of LRUs has failed; configuring the monitoring unit, upon receiving the indication of a LRU failure, to assume the unique address associated with the at least one failed LRU, while processing the messages associated with the plurality of different types of LRUs; performing, within the monitoring unit, at least a portion of the functions of the at least one failed LRU in response to messages occurring on the communications bus that are addressed to the failed unit, while processing the messages associated with the plurality of different types of LRUs; and transmitting messages, from the monitoring unit to the communications bus, the messages including data generated by the performing of at least a portion of the functions of the at least one failed LRU by the monitoring unit.