CA-3021854-C - ADDRESS ALLOCATION TO PSUS, SERVICE ARRANGEMENT AND PASSENGER CABIN

Abstract

A method for allocating a respective address to a plurality of PSUs (Passenger Service Units) is disclosed. A service controller comprises: a coding means extending along an extension line in an installation space for the PSUs, the plurality of PSUs, and a head unit communicating with the PSUs. The method includes: in response to the start command, determining a respective coding value at a respective installation position of a respective PSU, determining a respective waiting time from the respective coding value of a respective PSU according to a time rule, transmitting a response to the head unit for each of the PSUs upon expiration of a respective waiting time from the start command, and in response to receiving a respective response at the head unit, allocating a respective address to the PSU which transmitted the received response.

Inventors

• Lothar Trunk
• STEFAN MULLER-DIVEKY

Assignees

• DIEHL AEROSPACE GMBH

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20181023

Priority Date

20171024

Claims (1)

1. 84791723 CLAIMS: 1. A method for allocating a respective address to a plurality of PSUs (Passenger Service Units) of a service controller for a passenger cabin of an aircraft, wherein the service controller comprises: - a coding means extending along an extension line in an installation 5 space for the PSUs, - wherein the coding means defines a plurality of coding parameters, wherein the plurality of coding parameters each correspond to an installation position of a respective PSU on the extension line, wherein the plurality of coding parameters each define a coding 10 value, - the plurality of PSUs, wherein the plurality of PSUs are installed along the extension line in the installation space at the respective installation positions, - a head unit communicating with the PSUs, wherein: - a start command is transmitted to all PSUs, 15 the method comprising: - in response to the start command, determining a respective coding value at a respective installation position of a respective PSU, - determining a respective waiting time from the respective coding value of a respective PSU according to a time rule, 20 - transmitting a response to the head unit for each of the PSUs upon expiration of a respective waiting time from the start command, and - in response to receiving a respective response at the head unit, allocating a respective address to the PSU which transmitted the received response. 25 2. The method according to Claim 1, further comprising: using a communication channel between the head unit and the PSUs as a data bus and using the respective address as a bus address of a respective PSU in the data bus. 3. The method according to Claim 1, further comprising: 84791723 determining the waiting time on the basis of the time rule as a coding value, multiplied by a constant. 4. The method according to Claim 1, further comprising: forming, by a communication channel between the head unit and 5 PSUs, at least part of a power supply arrangement of the PSUs, and implementing communication on the communication channel in the form of a power line communication on the power supply arrangement. 10 5. The method according to Claim 1, further comprising: allocating the addresses in ascending order in sequence of the responses arriving at the head unit. 6. A service controller for a passenger cabin of an aircraft, comprising: 15 - a coding means extending along an extension line in an installation space for a plurality of PSUs (Passenger Service Units), - wherein the coding means defines a plurality of coding parameters, wherein the plurality of coding parameters each correspond to an installation position of a respective PSU on the extension line, wherein the plurality of coding parameters each define a coding 20 value, - the plurality of PSUs, wherein the plurality of PSUs are installable along the extension line in the installation space at the respective installation positions, - a head unit connected to the PSUs via a communication channel, - a control unit configured to carry out the method according to Claim 1. 7. The service controller according to Claim 6, wherein the coding parameters are each an electrical potential or an electrical voltage. 8. The service controller according to Claim 7, wherein 84791723 the electrical voltage is non-zero or the electrical potential does not correspond to a reference potential for a potential at any of the installation positions. 9. The service controller according to Claim 7, wherein the coding means is a resistor element, wherein a non-zero voltage 5 is presented at longitudinal ends of the resistor element along the extension line during operation. 10. The service controller according to Claim 6, further comprising a rail system installable in the passenger cabin with at least one rail for mechanical connection to the PSUs. 11. The service controller according to Claim 10, wherein the rail system is integrated into overhead bins of the passenger cabin. 12. The service controller according to Claim 10, wherein 15 the at least one rail is configured to supply power to the PSUs and/or the least one of rail is configured to communicate with the PSUs and the control unit. 13. The service controller according to Claim 10, wherein the at least one rail comprises the coding meaning. 14. The service controller according to Claim 10, further comprising: an interface to a cabin management system of the passenger cabin, or an interface to a power supply of the passenger cabin, or an interface to an oxygen mask signal of the passenger cabin, or 25 a voltage converter, or an electrical power connection, or a signal connection to the at least one rail. 15. A passenger cabin of an aircraft, comprising a service controller according to Claim 6, 30 wherein the PSUs are installed on a support structure in the passenger cabin.

Description

Address allocation to PSUs, service arrangement and passenger cabin The invention relates to a method for allocating a respective address to a plurality of PSUs (Passenger Service Units) of a service arrangement for a passenger cabin of an aircraft. The invention also relates to the service arrangement and the passenger cabin. It is known from practice for PSUs to be incorporated into a cabin management system via a multiplicity of individual connection wires. This requires a very large amount of cabling and modifications can only be made at a very high cost, since the aircraft cabling has to be adapted with every modification. The object of the invention is to improve the incorporation of PSUs. The method serves to allocate a respective address to a plurality of PSUs. The PSUs form part of a service arrangement for a passenger-cabin of an aircraft. The aircraft is, 20 in particular, a passenger aircraft. The service arrangement creates the following underlying conditions for the method: The service arrangement contains a coding means. This extends in an installation space along an extension line. The installation space serves to accommodate or install the PSUs. In the installed state of the PSUs in the passenger cabin, the installation space forms a subspace of the internal space of the passenger cabin. The extension line is, in particular, a straight line which extends in the installed state in the passenger cabin in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft. The coding means'has coding values, differing on a pair-by-pair basis, of a coding parameter at different positions on the extension line at which PSUs are installable. In other words, the presence of identical coding values at the installation positions of two PSUs is avoided in any given configuration of PSUs. A continuous positioning of PSUs, in particular, is thus possible. The geometric extension of a PSU automatically creates a GP 645 CA distance between the measuring points on the coding means (installation positions). Two PSUs cannot be installed at the same location. The service arrangement contains the aforementioned plurality of PSUs. The PSUs are 5 installed along the extension line in the installation space at one of the respective installation positions on the extension line. This concerns, in particular, the installed state when the service arrangement is installed in the passenger cabin. In particular, each of the PSUs has a sensor. The sensor serves to detect the respective 10 coding value of the coding means at the installation position of the respective PSU. The service arrangement furthermore contains a head unit for communication with the PSUs which is, in particular, connected to the PSUs via a communication channel. In the method, a start command is transmitted to all PSUs. In particular, the head unit 15 transmits the start command to all PSUs. In particular, the start command is transmitted via the communication channel. In response to the start command, the respective coding value is determined for each of the PSUs at the installation position of the respective PSU. In particular, each of the PSUs 20 determines its respective coding value. In particular, the coding value is determined by means of the sensor. A waiting time is then determined for the respective PSU from the respective determined coding value for each of the PS Us according to a time rule. In particular, each of the PSUs 25 determines its waiting time. The time rule is the same for all PSUs. The time rule maps, in particular, the coding values linearly onto waiting times. The time rule and coding values are matched to one another in such a way that all waiting times differ from one another on a pair-by-pair basis for all possible configurations (choice of installation positions) of PSUs. No two PSUs therefore have the same waiting times. Beginning at the time when the start command is received, the expiry of the respective waiting time is then awaited for each PSU. At the time of expiry of the waiting time, a response is transmitted from the respective PSU to the main unit, in particular via the GP 645 CA communication channel. In particular, the PSU waits for the respective amount of time, and therefore has an internal time management and/or also transmits the respective response itself. Durations of the start command are ignored here, i.e. the transmission time of the start command is equal to the reception time at all PSUs. Due to the guarantee of different 5 waiting times, all responses of all PSUs are therefore transmitted at different times. The waiting time therefore begins with the transmission of the start command. The response is transmitted when the waiting time ends. The duration of the responses is again ignored. In response to the reception of a respective response at the head unit, one of the addresses 10 differing respectively on a pair-by pair basis is allocated to the PSU which had transmitted the corresponding received response. The allocat