Real time executive kernel and fault management tools

A fault tolerant flight control simulator tool has been developed to aid the user in designing and evaluating real time executive kernels and redundancy management algorithms in the design process of a flight control computer. To compliment this simulation, a top level design of a real time executive kernel has been developed to portray the basic techniques used when designing a real time executive kernel. Investigations into several types of redundancy management algorithms have revealed the differences in the real time requirements for these algorithms in the context of an advanced flight control system, and several of these algorithms have been incorporated into the simulator. The design process of the executive kernel and the redundancy management algorithms offer a basic understanding of how a real time system would be developed and designed. The use of the fault tolerant flight control simulator tool that has been developed allows an investigation, analysis, and trouble shooting of fault tolerant, real time system software architectures to be performed prior to the flight control architecture being formally defined. With the use of this FTFCS tool and the discussed design techniques, the non recurring costs and the actual design time of a flight control computer system could potentially be reduced. Future enhancements and efforts on this topic might include adding to the simulator the capability for processing user supplied scheduling techniques and redundancy management algorithms. This would make the simulation more generic in nature and would enhance its versatility to a greater variety of applications. Other enhancements might include modifying the graphical interface to include a model of a head up display or a three dimensional graphical representation of an aircraft which would mimic the aircraft's dynamic motion under specific pilot input commands.