Mathematical Programming for Optimization of Integrated Modular Avionics 2021-01-0009

Every state-of-art aircraft has a complex distributed systems of avionics Line Replaceable Units/Modules (LRUs/LRMs), networked by several Data buses. These LRUs are becoming more complex because of an increasing number of new functions need to be integrated into avionics architecture. Moreover, the complexity of the overall avionics architecture and its impact on cable length, weight, power consumption, reliability and maintainability of avionics systems encouraged manufacturers to incorporate efficient avionics architectures in their aircraft design process. The evolution of avionics data buses and architectures have moved from distributed analog and federated architecture to digital integrated modular avionics (IMA). IMA architecture allows suppliers to develop their own LRUs/LRMs capable of specific features that can then be offered to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products. In the meantime, the aerospace industry has been investigating new solutions to develop smaller, lighter, and more capable LRUs/LRMs to be integrated into avionics architecture. However, manual design cannot concurrently fulfil the complexity and interconnectivity of system requirements and optimality. Thus, developing computer-aided design (CAD), Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) tools and mathematical modelling for optimization of IMA architecture has become an active research area in avionics systems integration. In this paper, a general method and tool are developed for optimization of avionics architecture and improving its operational capability. The tool has three main parts including a database of avionics LRUs, mathematical modelling of the architecture and optimization algorithms. Finally, the tool provides a semi-automatic optimization of avionics architecture which helps avionics system architects to investigate and evaluate various architectures in the early stage of design from an LRU perspective. It can also be used to upgrade a legacy avionics architecture.