US-20260128747-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONVERSION OF ANALOG AND DIGITAL SIGNALS

US20260128747A1US 20260128747 A1US20260128747 A1US 20260128747A1US-20260128747-A1

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a signal converter. The methods comprise; establishing a first interface between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network, and a second interface between the signal converter and an edge node of a different second network; supplying power to a first circuit portion of the signal converter from the analog device, and power to a second circuit portion of the signal converter from the edge node; receiving, by the first circuit portion, a first analog signal from the analog device; converting, by the first circuit portion, the first analog signal to a first electrical signal; formatting, by the second circuit portion, the first electrical signal for communication over the second network; and communicating, from the second circuit portion, the formatted first electrical signal to the edge node.

Inventors

Aaron T. Sherman

Assignees

L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241107

Claims (20)

1 . A method for operating a signal converter, comprising: establishing a first interface between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network, and a second interface between the signal converter and an edge node of a different second network; supplying power to a first circuit portion of the signal converter from the analog device, and power to a second circuit portion of the signal converter from the edge node; receiving, by the first circuit portion, a first analog signal from the analog device; converting, by the first circuit portion, the first analog signal to a first electrical signal; formatting, by the second circuit portion, the first electrical signal for communication over the second network; and communicating, from the second circuit portion, the formatted first electrical signal to the edge node.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first analog signal comprises a radio analog audio signal, an ear and mouth audio signal, a discrete input and output signal, a discrete relay signal, a serial data bus signal, a two-wire data bus signal, a wideband ciphertext signal, a public switched telephone network signal, and a push-to-talk signal.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrical signal comprises an internet protocol signal.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the signal converter comprises a small form factor pluggable device configured to be plugged into the edge node and provide a communications bridge between the first network and the second network.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: receiving, by the second circuit portion of the signal converter, a second electrical signal communicated over the second network from an analog device of a third network; converting, by the signal converter, the second electrical signal into a second analog signal; and providing the second analog signal from the signal converter to the analog device.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: discontinuing said first interface between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network; and establishing a third interface between the signal converter and another analog device of the first network, while maintaining the second interface between the signal converter and the edge node of the second network.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving a control signal from a remote device to disable operations of the first circuit portion and or the second circuit portion, while another signal converter connected to the edge device is enabled.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising remotely configuring one or more communication or management parameters of the second circuit portion of the signal converter.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising interchanging the first circuit portion with a different another first circuit portion by: removing the first circuit portion circuit from the signal converter; and coupling the different another first circuit portion to the second circuit portion; wherein the different another first circuit portion is configured to convert second analog signals to electrical signals, the second analog signals having a second analog signal format different from a first analog signal format of the first analog signals.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising: detecting, by the second circuit portion of the signal converter, when the first circuit portion has been replaced with the different another first circuit portion; and selectively reconfiguring the second circuit portion responsive to said detecting.
11 . A signal converter, comprising: a first interface configured to be connected between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network; a second interface configured to be connected between the signal converter and an edge node of a different second network; a first circuit portion connected between the first and second interfaces, and configured to receive power from the analog device via the first interface, receive a first analog signal from the analog device, and convert the first analog signal to a first electrical signal; and a second circuit portion connected between the first circuit portion and the second interface, and configured to receive power from the edge node via the second interface, format the first electrical signal for communication over the second network, and communicate the formatted first electrical signal to the edge node.
12 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein the first analog signal comprises a radio analog audio signal, an ear and mouth audio signal, a discrete input and output signal, a discrete relay signal, a serial data bus signal, a two-wire data bus signal, a wideband ciphertext signal, a public switched telephone network signal, and a push-to-talk signal.
13 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein the first electrical signal comprises an internet protocol signal.
14 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein the signal converter comprises a small form factor pluggable device configured to be plugged into the edge node and provide a communications bridge between the first network and the second network.
15 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein: the second circuit portion is further configured to receive a second electrical signal communicated over the second network from an analog device of a third network; the first circuit portion is further configured to convert the second electrical signal into a second analog signal; and the first interface is further configured to communicate the second analog signal from the signal converter to the analog device.
16 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , further comprising a switch configured to selectively discontinue first interface between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network, and establish a third interface between the signal converter and another analog device of the first network, while maintaining the second interface between the signal converter and the edge node of the second network.
17 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein the second circuit portion is further configured to receive a control signal from a remote device to disable operations of the first circuit portion and or the second circuit portion.
18 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein the second circuit portion is configured to be remotely controlled to change one or more communication or management parameters of the second circuit portion of the signal converter.
19 . The signal converter according to claim 11 , wherein the first circuit portion is configured to be interchanged with a different another first circuit portion that is configured to convert second analog signals to electrical signals, the second analog signals having a second analog signal format different from a first analog signal format of the first analog signals.
20 . The signal converter according to claim 19 , wherein the second circuit portion is further configured to: detect when the first circuit portion has been replaced with the different another first circuit portion; and selectively reconfigure one or more of its signal processing operations responsive to said detecting.

Description

BACKGROUND Communication systems that are moving into the digital age still have significant dependencies on legacy signals and circuits. New digital technology has sunset support for many legacy signals and protocols (e.g., analog audio, discrete input/output (I/O), integrated services digital network (ISDN), public switched telephone network (PSTN), serial) and has replaced them with internet protocol (IP) standards (e.g., voice over IP (VoIP), session (SIP), transmission (TCP), and/or user datagram protocol (UDP)). Support for legacy circuits traditionally requires a piece of conversion equipment that is often a standalone line-replaceable unit (LRU) instead of an integrated solution. This additional equipment adds size, weight and power requirements to the system and can often seem unnecessary when designing a new integrated solution. Additionally, the added conversation equipment is rarely a modern piece of technology and therefore not maintained at the same currency of modern digital technology, leading to obsolescence and limited product support scenarios. SUMMARY This document concerns implementing systems and methods for operating a signal converter. The method comprises: establishing a first interface between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network, and a second interface between the signal converter and an edge node of a different second network; supplying power to a first circuit portion of the signal converter from the analog device, and power to a second circuit portion of the signal converter from the edge node; receiving, by the first circuit portion, a first analog signal from the analog device; converting, by the first circuit portion, the first analog signal to a first electrical signal; formatting, by the second circuit portion, the first electrical signal for communication over the second network; and communicating, from the second circuit portion, the formatted first electrical signal to the edge node. This document also concerns a signal converter. The signal converter comprises: a first interface configured to be connected between the signal converter and an analog device of a first network; a second interface configured to be connected between the signal converter and an edge node of a different second network; a first circuit portion connected between the first and second interfaces, and configured to receive power from the analog device via the first interface, receive a first analog signal from the analog device, and convert the first analog signal to a first electrical signal; and a second circuit portion connected between the first circuit portion and the second interface, and configured to receive power from the edge node via the second interface, format the first electrical signal for communication over the second network, and communicate the formatted first electrical signal to the edge node. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This disclosure is facilitated by reference to the following drawing figures, in which like numerals represent like items throughout the figures. FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a system implementing the present solution. FIG. 2 provides an illustration of a small form factor pluggable signal converter being coupled to a network edge device. FIGS. 3A-3B (collectively referred to as “FIG. 3”) provide perspective views of a signal converter. FIG. 4 provides a top view of the signal converter shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 provides a side view of the signal converter shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 provides a perspective view of the signal converter shown in FIG. 3 with the housing shown in a semi-transparent form. FIGS. 7A-7B (collectively referred to as “FIG. 7”) each provides a block diagram for an internal circuit of a signal converter. FIG. 8 provides a block diagram for an internal circuit of a signal converter. FIG. 9 provides an illustration that is useful for understanding a circuit board implementation of an internal circuit of a signal converter. FIG. 10 provides an illustration that is useful for understanding operations of the system shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 11A-11B (collectively referred to as “FIG. 11”) provides a flow diagram of an illustrative method for operating a signal converter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Analog to digital (A/D) conversion exists industry wide and is embedded in technology all around us. The problem with integrating legacy analog circuits into new technology, especially in a military context, is there is always the need for an intermediate piece of equipment to convert the signal into an appropriate digital message. This added equipment is often a single point solution and consumes valuable size, weight and power from the operational environment. Meaning that to convert one analog input signal, a new standalone LRU needs to be mounted, powered and wired and often clutters the design and implementation of the entire system. The present solution allows analog-conversion-at-the-edge, meaning that analog signals can be b