AU597944B2 - Weapon interface system evaluator - Google Patents

Description

as' C O M M O N W E T H OF A US T R A L I A PATENT ACT 152 COMPLETE SPECIE. TION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE 7944 Class Int. Class Application Number: 7f// 7 Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: This document contains the amendments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing.

Namne of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor THE BOEING COMPANY 7755 East Marginal Way South, Seattle, Washington 98124, United States of America David J. ASPELIN DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

Address for Service: 'i"omplete Specification for the invention entitled: 'WEAPON INTERFACE SYSTEM EVALUATOR' The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to .us -1r la WEAPON INTERFACE SYSTEM EVALUATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, most present weapon systems have a set of avionics boxes and wiring that interface a weapon and an ejector to the aircraft's targeting computer and aircraft's power system. The avionics boxes and their wiring are often mounted on a weapon carriage assembly such as a wing-mounted pylon or a bomb-bay carrier launcher which is stored separate from the aircraft. Prior to loading the weapon carriage assembly on the aircraft, a functional test of the assembly is usually performed. In order to test the system, a separate test set has always been required.

These prior test sets have traditionally been large items requiring a computer to control them. The test set's computers often have environmental operating limits and can operate only in a heated and cooled building or enclosure. These environmental limitations have meant that test sets are not easily deployed or useable in forward operating bases where a minimum of support equipment and facilities exist.

Prior attempts to build a test set have included devices that travel in an environmental igloo. These type of devices bring their own operating environment S with them by providing a furnace or air conditioner to take care of temperature extremes and are housed in a portable enclosure that keeps dirt, wind, rain, etc.

from impacting the equipment. Other test sets are not deployable and are housed in a building and require weapon carriage assemblies to be brought to the housed test set. While the above test sets do not fail in testing the weapon systems, they do fail to be easily deployed to forward military operating bases.

2 1 In the following United States Patents; No. 3,609,312 2 to Higgins, No. 3,619,792 to Capeci, No. 3,710,350 to 3 Yoshitake et al, No. 3,803,974 to Everest et al, No.

4 3,889,109 to Blessin, No. 3,920,973 to Avellar et al, No.

4,155,116 to Tawfik et al, No. 4,246,472 to Sun et al, No.

6 4,370,706 to Doniger et al, No. 4,494,438 to Liggton et al 7 various types of computer controlled systems are described 8 for air launch weapons and aircraft control units, and self- 9 diagnosing control systems used with household appliances.

None of the above control systems provide the unique 11 features and advantages of the subject weapon interface 12 system evaluator as described herein.

13 14 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION a a 4 15 In accordance with the present invention there is o 4, 16 provided a weapon interface system evaluator for testing 44 4 0 1 17 weapon carriage assemblies used with weapons and I t 18 ejectors on military aircraft and the like, the evaluator 19 adapted for engaging a weapon system interface unit having a standard remote terminal, bus controller and 21 central processing unit and for engaging a weapon 22 ejector power switching unit, the evaluator comprising: 23 means for supplying power to a power distribution 24 box the box connected to the weapon system interface unit and the power switching unit; 26 27 a test adapter cable having first and second jl 28 ends, the first end adapted for connection to 29 an ejector connector and a weapon connector, the second end adapted for connection to the remote 31 terminal of the interface unit and to a 32 connector of a connection discrete test 33 circuit; and 34 an operator interface panel connected to the 36 interface unit and having test buttons and 37 indicator means for self testing of the interface 8E unit and the power switching unit.

900320.dbwspe.005.boeing.spe,2 _I 1-I r 2a 1 The subject weapon interface system 2 substantially eliminates the need for complex 3 equipment and allows for operation indoors or outdoc 4 a wide temperature range. Further, the evaluator i deployable at forward military operating bases.

6 The weapons interface system evaluator is ablE 7 the unique features of a weapon system avionics t 8 reports to an aircraft or other weapon transport 9 vehicle's computer via a MIL STD 1553 data bus.

The present invention further 11 a method of evaluating and testing weapon 12 carriage assemblies used with weapons and ejectors on 13 military aircraft and the like, the steps including: 14 applying an outside power source to a power 16 distribution box connected to a weapon system 17 interface unit and a power switching unit; 18 19 connecting a test adapter cable to the interfa unit and to weapon and ejector connections on 21 power source unit; 22 23 connecting an operator interface panel with te 24 buttons and light indicator to the interface unit; and .26 27 testing with the panel, the carriage assemby's 28 cabling and the circuits of the interface unit 29 and the power switching unit using a remote terminal, a central processing unit and a bus 31 controller in the interface unit.

32 The advantages and objects of the invention wi] 33 evident from the following detailed description 34 drawings when read in connection with the accc drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments 36 invention.

37 evaluator support ors over s easily e to use box that ;/command provides ce the st L1 become of the ompanying of the "V4T

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900320,dbwspe.005,boeing.spe, 3 yy BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 illustrates a prior art weapon system configuration.

Fig. 2 illustrates a prior art test set connected to a weapon carriage assembly.

Fig. 3 illustrates a simplified diagram of a weapon system interface unit and power switching unit.

Fig. 4 illustrates the subject weapon interface system evaluator connected to the interface unit and 10 power switching unit.

o DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0o In Fig. 1 is illustrated a MIL-STD-1760 weapon system avionics box that reports to an aircraft or any other weapon transport or command vehicle. The aircraft is indicated by general reference numeral 10. In Fig.

0oo 1 aircraft 10 is shown having a targeting computer, targeting/command computer 12, connected to a MIL-STD-1553 0o0 a data bus having leads 14 and 16 connected to data bus couplers 18 and 20. The couplers, in turn, are connected to a weapon system interface unit(WSIU)22. The aircraft 10 further includes a power source for a weapon carriage oo assembly indicated by numeral 23 and providing power to a weapon carriage assembly power distribution box(PDB) 24 via lead 26. WSIU 22 and PDB 24 are part of a weapon carriage assembly having a general reference numeral 30 and separated from the aircraft 10 by an aircraft/vehicle interface shown as line 31. WSIU 22 and PDB 24 are connected to each other via a power lead 32 and a slave unit switching command lead 34. WSIU 22 further includes additional MIL-STD-1553 data buses 36 and 38 having couplers 40 and 42, respectively, which are connected to a weapon connector 44 with weapon e -4umbilical cable 45 used for connection to a weapon.

WSIU 22 is connected to a weapon ejector/command monitor power switching unit (PSU) 46 via a lead 48. PSU 46 is also connected to PDB 24 via lead 50 for receiving power therefrom. PSU 46 is also connected to an ejector connector 52 via lead 53 and to the weapon connector 44 via lead 54. The ejector includes an ejector umbilical cable 55 used for connection to an ejector.

Fig. 2 depicts a prior art test set 60 for testing of weapon carriage assembly 30. Assembly 30 is shown 0 odivided from test set 60 by interface line 31.

#MCAThe test set 60 uses a MIL-STD-1553 bus controller Sr 62. The bus controller 62 commands the avionics box, or in this case weapon carriage assembly 30 with the standard WSIU 22. The test set 60 also uses a standard MIL-STD-1553 remote terminal 64 for connection to the weapon connector 44. The remote terminal 64 responds to the WSIU 22, as a missile would. Also the set includes a weapon and ejector monitoring device 66 to S° check the discretes used to talk and listen to signals from the weapon and its ejector. The set further includes a terminal 611, computer 63, computer bus and power source 67.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it is of interest to note that a standard WSIU 22 has as one of its components a MIL-STD-1553 remote terminal 70 to communicate with aircraft 10. Also, it includes a MIL-STD-1553 bus controller 72 along with a central processing unit with memory (CPU) 74 all connected to a mother circuit board 76. The board 76 also includes a power circuit 78, power switching unit interface 80, along with a discrete panel board 82.

i_ Referring now to Fig. 4 the subject invention having general reference numeral 83 is shown having an operator interface panel 84 with a lamp test button 86, a WSIU self-test button 88 and a test start button with a pass indicator light 92 and a fail indicator light 94. The interface panel 84 is connected to the WSIU 22 via lead 96. A test adapter cable 98 is used for connection to the weapon umbilical cable 45, an ejector umbilical cable 55 and to the discrete connection 100. The test adapter cable 98 is compatible with a standard MIL-STD-1553 bus having leads 15 and 16 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The evaluator 83 further includes a power source such as a ground power cart 102 having a AC/DC power lead 104 with adapter cable 106 for attachment to a power distribution box 108 which is in turn connected to the PSU 46 via lead 110 and to the WSIU 22 via lead 112.

The ground power cart power is turned on and the system is energized. The operator of the panel 84 presses the lamp test button 86 to check the pass/fail lights 92 and 94. When the lamp test is passed, the I WSIU self-test button 88 is turned on and if pass Sindicator light 92 comes on the WSIU 22 passes the test. If the fail light indicator 94 comes on then the WSIU 22 is replaced. Next the adapter cable 98 is connected to the weapon and ejector cables 45 and SThe test button 90 is turned on and the WSIU 22 is used to test the MIL-STD-1553 system and the weapon ejector discretes. If the test is satisfactory, the pass light 92 will come on. The fail light 94 will indicate a test problem. At this point, the wiring connections and connector pins are inspected and the test rerun. A fail light again means that the PSU 46 should be replaced. A fail light after the PSU replacement means a WSIU fault has occurred and the WSIU 22 should be replaced.

a -6- It should be noted that the evaluator 83 lets the CPU 74 command the MIL-STD-1553 B/C 72 and it talks through the system wiring and bus couplers and then comes back in the WSIU 22 and gives instructions to the MIL-STD-1553 R/T 70. Thus, the CPU 74 will initiate a VMIL-STD-1553 instruction with the B/C 72 and the message wraps back around and comes to the R/T 70 for evaluation. The wrap around nature of this concept allows the CPU 74 to receive with one device the message it sent via another. If a message error occurs either a circuit fault or cable/coupler break would have occurred. A visual inspection of the coupler/cable for breaks or other damage would let the test operator of the evaluator 83 replace the suspect component and re-run the test. A filure of the same nature after a cable/coupler replacement would lead to the replacement of the suspect avionics box. The suspect avionics box would be removed for return to the maintenance depot.

The only remaining signals that require testing are the weapon and ejector discretes. This can be done by Li adding circuits inside the PSU 46 that allow the CPU 74 Sin the WSIU 22 to read the discrete weapon and ejector Soutputs back into the PSU 46 using a wrap-around test cable. The test cable 98 wraps the signals at the end 25 of the weapon and ejector umbilical connects 102 and 104 back through the PSU test connector 100 to a discretes circuit board 101.

In summary and from reviewing the above-drawing descriptions, it can be appreciated that various types of weapon avionic boxes are readily adaptable to the subject weapon interface system evaluator 83. Further the dedicated test sets previously used can now be replaced through the use of the weapon interface system evaluator 83 having only a switch box and indicator -7panel 84 along with the adapter cable 98 and ground power such as a ground power cart 110, and a power distribution box provided the WSIU was programmed when conceived to contain the firmware routines necessary to interface with the panel 84 and utilize self-checking circuitry added to the system via discretes boards 82 and 101.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts or elements of the embodiments as described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention defined in the following claims.

Claims (5)

1. A weapon interface system evaluator for testing weapon carriage assemblies used with weapons and ejectors on military aircraft and the like, the evaluator adapted for engaging a weapon system interface unit having a standard remote terminal, bus controller and central processing unit and for engaging a weapon ejector power switching unit, the evaluator comprising: means for supplying power to a power distribution box the box connected to the weapon system interface unit and the power switching unit; a test adapter cable having first and second ends, the first end adapted for connection 'to an ejector connector and a weapon connector, the o he itrfc nt n osecond end adapted for connection to the remote 1 connector of a connection discrete test circuit; and an operator interface panel connected to the interface unit and having test buttons and unit and the power switching unit.

2. The evaluator as described in Claim 1 wherein4 the power means is a ground power cart or the like connected to the power distribution box.

3. The evaluator as described in Claim 1 wherein the test adapter cable meets a MIL-STD-1553 for connection to data buses on the interface unit and standard connections for connecting to a weapon umbilical cable and ejector umbilical cable connected to the power Q-switching unit. -9-

4. A method of evaluating and testing weapon carriage assemblies used with weapons and ejectors on military aircraft and the like, the steps including: applying an outside power source to a power distribution box connected to a weapon system interface unit and a power switching unit; connecting a test adapter cable to the interface unit and to weapon and ejector connections on the power source unit; connecting an operator interface panel with test buttons and light indicator to the interface unit; and testing with the panel, the carriage assemby's cabling and the circuits of the interface unit n 15 and the power switching unit using a remote terminal, a central processing unit and a bus controller in the interface unit. p c~j 10 A weapon interface system evaluator for testing weapon carriage assemblies substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

6. A method of evaluating and testing weapon carriage assemblies substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 21st day of March, 1990. THE BOEING COMPANY By Its Patent Attorneys Davies Collison