A3 Preliminary System Design Summary.ppt.pptVIP

Embedded Vehicle Version Identification Tracking and Compatibility Checking Edgar Dalrymple Computer Engineer, US Army AMCOM, Software Engineering Directorate Aviation Missile RDTE Center Bruce Bardell Chief Systems Engineer, A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles United Defense LP, Ground Systems Div. A Reprogrammable Weapon Platform The preponderance of software-based Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) in a complex digital architecture enables cost-effective software loading by the Unit level maintainer Platform software updates are made for a number of reasons Improve existing behavior Add new functions Adapt to hardware changes Critical aspects are controlled by software Operational and Safety functions User interfaces Performance characteristics LRU interfaces Achieving Planned Improvements and Compatibility with New Hardware Planned Improvements have two levels of system impact Changes isolated within LRUs Changes that affect LRU to LRU interfaces Introduction of new hardware must consider: Changes isolated within LRUs Degree of downward compatibility must be understood Establishment of a “sunset” date on legacy hardware Version Reporting Hierarchy - LRUs, Sub-LRUs, and SRUs Within the System VVID and Sub-VVID Notional Example LRU Versions contained in a few similar System VVIDs The VVID number that is displayed when a match is discovered may in reality contain LRUs of different versions, but the platform’s behavior at a crew level is identical Every possible combination of LRU hardware and software versions is accounted for as a unique “sub-VVID” Weapon Platform System Computer Collects and Assesses Data The potential for incompatible LRUs to be introduced onto weapon platform does exist Battle Damage Assessment and Repair Expedient Maintenance Version data is made available to the system computer Data must be present during a predetermined period at system power-up Data must meet the formatting constraints defined in the platform interface control drawings (ICDs)