Tank-automotive & Armaments COMmandUNCLASSIFIED

31 May 2001

Michael Smith

Electronic Architecture Team

Email: msmith@dcscorp.comDCS Corporation

Vetronics DepartmentHarvard, MA

Vetronics Reference Architecture

/ACOM Mobility and Firepower for America's Army

Report Documentation Page

Report Date 31May2001

Report Type N/A

Dates Covered (from... to) -

Title and Subtitle Vetronics Reference Architecture

Contract Number

Grant Number

Program Element Number

Author(s) Smith, Michael

Project Number

Task Number

Work Unit Number

Performing Organization Name(s) and Address(es) DCS Corporation Vetronics Department Harvard, MA

Performing Organization Report Number

Sponsoring/Monitoring Agency Name(s) and Address(es) NDIA (National Defense Industrial Association) 211Wilson Blvd, STE. 400 Arlington, VA 22201-3061

Sponsor/Monitor’s Acronym(s)

Sponsor/Monitor’s Report Number(s)

Distribution/Availability Statement Approved for public release, distribution unlimited

Supplementary Notes Proceedings from the 2001 Vehicle Technologies Symposium - Intelligent Systems for the ObjectiveForce, 29-31 May 2001 Sponsored by NDIA

Abstract

Subject Terms

Report Classification unclassified

Classification of this page unclassified

Classification of Abstract unclassified

Limitation of Abstract UU

Number of Pages 16

2

Agenda

• Architecture Concepts/Overview• VRA Objectives• VRA Components• Systems Reference Architecture• Hardware Reference Architecture• Software Reference Architecture

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3

Architecture Concepts/Overview

• Reference Architecture (RA)4 Abstract view/organization of primary elements within the domain.4 Serves as specific System Architecture development framework.

• Technical Architecture (TA)4 Standards (hw, sw, mechanical, etc.) utilized as building blocks to construct systems.

• Intelligent Domain Model4 Captures system intelligence such that computational processes can be allocated to

system processing components (e.g. human, robotic, man in the loop)

• Systems Architecture (Cross product of RA, TA, and Intelligent Domain Model)4 Defines interconnected systems components organized to represent the final manner in

which the system will be constructed to include hw and sw.

ReferenceArchitecture

Technical Architecture

SystemsArchitecture

iterate iterate

Requirements

System

IntelligentDomainModel

Use Cases

Need to focus on refining RA, TA, and Intelligent Domain Model to derive a commonVetronics architecture.

Architecture Concepts/Overview £k

4

VRA Objectives

• The main objective of the VRA is to define a generic system architecturethat can serve as a template for the development of new or upgradedVetronics & Robotic systems

4 Reduce ground combat vehicle acquisition and support costs through:• Improved Commonality• Increased Hardware Component Reuse• Increased Software Component Reuse

4 Utilizes Industry Supported Open Standards4 Provides:

• Fault Tolerance• Redundancy• Degraded Operation Modes

4 Facilitates Upgradability through:• Standard Interfaces• Technology Insertion

The RA maximizes the use of industry supported open standards and promotessoftware reuse

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5

REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE COMPONENTS

Vetronics Reference Architecture Components

• The Vetronics Reference Architecture is characterized by threecomponents:

VETRONICS REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE

SYSTEMS REFERENCE

ARCHITECTURE

HARDWARE REFERENCE

ARCHITECTURE(HRA)

SOFTWAREREFERENCE

ARCHITECTURE(SRA)

The Reference Architecture (RA) components are partitioned by engineeringdiscipline

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REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE PRIMARY ELEMENTS

System Architecture Elements

• The Army ground vehicle manned/robotic system will be divide into fiveprimary elements:

CORE VETRONICS

The Primary Elements provide the bins for leveraged industry & governmenttechnologies

POWERMGT&

GENERATION

COMPUTERRESOURCES

DATA CONT.&

DISTRIBUTION

CONTROLS &

DISPLAYS

HIGH POWERLOAD

MANAGEMENT

AUTOMOTIVE&

UTILITYSYSTEMS

HIGH-ENDREAL-TIME

INFORMATIONSYSTEMS

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VETRONICS SYSTEM REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE

System Reference Architecture

• The System Reference Architecture defines the abstract organization ofthe primary elements within the system

CORE VETRONICS

POWERPOWER-C2 (FBCB2/IC3)-MISSIONPLANNING-LOGISTICS

INFORMATIONSYSTEMS

-STEER BY WIRE-THROTTLE BYWIRE-BRAKE BY WIRE-AUX LOAD MGMT

AUTOMOTIVE& UTILITYSYSTEMS

DATA CONTROL & DISTRIBUTIONMANNED SYSTEM

COMPUTERRESOURCES

UNMANNED SYSTEM

COMPUTERRESOURCES

CONTROLS&

DISPLAYS

CONTROLS&

DISPLAYS

HIGH ENDREAL-TIMESYSTEMS

-SENSORS-ROBOTICS-ACTIVEPROTECTION-MISSION CRITICAL

POWER GENERATION& MANAGEMENT

HIGH POWERLOAD MGMT

SYSTEM

-ELECTRIC TURRET-ELECTRIC DRIVE-AUTO LOADER

POWER

The System Reference Architecture is for both manned and unmanned systems

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System Reference Architecture Standards

• High Speed Data Bus• For vehicle applications requiring a high-speed (~1 Gbps) data transfer

capability between Core Vetronics and other vehicle systems:4 Example Standards – ANSI X3.230, Fibre Channel, Physical and Signaling

InterfaceANSI X3.272, Fibre Channel, Arbitrated LoopIETF Standard 6, User Datagram Protocol

 Test, Debug, and Maintenance Bus

• For digital data communications to processing elements within a vehiclefor the purpose of test, debug, and maintenance:4 Example Standards – IETF Standard 5, Internet Protocol

IETF Standard 7, Transmission Control Protocol

Complete listing of the standards is in the VRA document

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9

HRA HARDWARE ELEMENTS

Hardware Reference Architecture

• The Hardware Reference Architecture consists of the following ofuser configurable elements:

The HRA hardware is an open, expandable architecture that is scalable to meetapplication requirements and target unit cost

CONNECTOR

I/ OPROCESSOR

MODULE(IOP/M)

CI CI

CONNECTOR

SIGNALPROCESSOR

(SP)

SI SI

CONNECTOR

GRAPHICSDISPLAY

PROCESSOR(GDP)

VDI VDI

CONNECTOR

GENERALPURPOSE

PROCESSOR(GPP)

NI VDI

POWERSUPPLYMODULE

(PSM)

INTERCONNECT

CHASSIS CONNECTORS

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Hardware Reference Architecture Cont.

• The HRA open architecture utilizes and supports the use of industry openstandards thus providing a means to promote:4 Commonality, Reusability and Upgradeabiliy

Depending on the crew size, complexity and fault-tolerance requirements of thevehicle one or more physical nodes may be required.

CONNECTOR

I/ OPROCESSOR

MODULE(IOP/M)

CI CI

CONNECTOR

SIGNALPROCESSOR

(SP)

SI SI

LEGEND NI Network InterfaceVDI Video Display InterfaceSI Sensor InterfaceCI Component interface

CONNECTOR

GRAPHICSDISPLAY

PROCESSOR(GDP)

VDI VDI

CONNECTOR

GENERALPURPOSE

PROCESSOR(GPP)

NI VDI

USERCONFIGUABLE

CORE MODULES

CONRTOLS,DISPLAYS& VIDEO

STANDARDINTERFACES

TEST & MAINTENANCE NETWORK

CORE VETRONICS PROCESSOR UNIT

TEST AND MAINTENANCE BUS

INTERCONNECT

POWERSUPPLYMODULE

(PSM)

DATA CONTROL & DISTRIBUTION

CONNECTOR

SRUSLOT 1

CONNECTOR

SRUSLOT 2

CONNECTOR CONNECTOR

SRUSLOT 3

SRUSLOT N

COMPONENT COMPONENTCOMPONENT

SENSORSNon-StandardCOMPONENTS

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Hardware Reference Architecture Standards

• CVPU Chassis consists of a a backplane that mechanically accept circuitcards.4 Utilize conduction cooling as a preferred means of removing heat4 Example Standards – ANSI/VITA 1 (VME64)

IEEE Std 1101.2 (Conduction-Cooled Eurocards)

• SRU modules accommodate mezzanine plug-on card sites for applicationtailoring and I/O expansion and custom interfaces4 Utilize PMC as a preferred interface4 Example Standards – PICMG Version 2.1 Compact PCI (Peripheral

Component Interconnect) Specification IEEE P1386.1 (PCI Mezzanine Cards)

• Power Supply Module (PSM) - will provide all the necessary power forcomponents in the CVPU.4 Utilize military standards for vehicle power requirements4 Example Standards -MIL-STD-1275

MIL-STD-464

Complete listing of the standards is in the VRA document

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Software Reference ArchitectureRationale

• Identification, selection, and application of relevant standards/middleware.• Ensuring mixed software languages, middleware, and development

environments work together.• Selection/integration of relevant next generation technologies while

avoiding technology obsolescence.• Maximization of COTS technologies/products (promote multiple vendor

sources/competition to ensure availability of market alternatives).• Maintaining real time performance while providing protection/isolation to

the application software.• Reduce the amount of time required to develop Vetronics systems• Keep us on schedule and budget• Produce re-useable Vetronics hardware and software components• Increase the level of commonality between vehicles• Promote the adoption of open systems architecture concepts• Improve compliance with JTA-Army standards

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Software Reference ArchitectureGoals

• Non proprietary and Open System• Provide flexibility where possible• Layered and focused on interfaces

4 Provide traceability from APIs to defined system requirements.4 Design APIs for reuse and interoperability (define physical/logical interfaces).

• Define APIs/middleware to isolate dependencies, ease porting,

• Define APIs/middleware to be adaptable in order to map to a variety of implementations.

4 Define APIs/middleware such that they can be replaced by emerging standards as theymature and are accepted by industry and DoD.

4 Design APIs for testability (carry through conformance/validation requirements).

• Not locked into specific paradigms (e.g. patterns, languages, methodologies).

• Include industry, academia, and standards bodies to the degree possible whendefining new APIs and/or middleware.

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14

Software Reference Architecture

Populated from JTA-Army and Iterative TA and Domain Intelligence Modeling.

CoreCoreVetronicsVetronics

High EndHigh EndReal TimeReal Time

InformationInformationSystemsSystems

High PowerHigh PowerLoad MgmtLoad Mgmt

AutomotiveAutomotive& Utility& Utility

PhysicalPhysicalResourcesResources

ApplicationApplication

SystemSystemServicesServices

ResourceResourceAccessAccess

ServicesServices

StationMgmt

API

Perf, Anal,& Mgmt

API

WSMSAPI

TerrainServices

API

FBCB2/IC3

API

MSGParser

API

WSTAWG OEAPI

Graphics Engine

AGILAPI

POSIX (RT) POSIX (Full)RTOS OSEK

Open GL X Windows

WSTAWG OEAPI

CoreCoreVetronicsVetronics

High EndHigh EndReal TimeReal Time

InformationInformationSystemsSystems

High PowerHigh PowerLoad MgmtLoad Mgmt

AutomotiveAutomotive& Utility& Utility

PhysicalPhysicalResourcesResources

ApplicationApplication

SystemSystemServicesServices

ResourceResourceAccessAccess

ServicesServices

StationMgmt

API

StationMgmt

API

Perf, Anal,& Mgmt

API

Perf, Anal,& Mgmt

API

WSMSAPI

WSMSAPI

TerrainServices

API

TerrainServices

API

FBCB2/IC3

API

FBCB2/IC3

API

MSGParser

API

MSGParser

API

WSTAWG OEAPI

WSTAWG OEAPI

Graphics Engine

AGILAPI

AGILAPI

POSIX (RT) POSIX (Full)RTOS OSEK

Open GL X Windows

WSTAWG OEAPI

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API/Standards-Based Software Reference Architecture

• An API/Standards-based architecture concentrates on interface definitionby identifying applicable APIs and standards for physical and logicalinterfaces.

4 Utilizes SAE GOA model as a clear concise framework to partition capability.

4 Concentrates on interfaces to achieve interoperability, not products.

• Benefits:

4 Promotes reuse at multiple layers.

4 Minimizes application impact from insertion of new technologies.

4 Facilitates interoperability through the identification of unambiguous interfacedefinitions.

4 Enables plug and play capability not only at the resource access serviceslayer (hw/drivers), but at the system services and application layers as well.

• Where Utilized:

4 Commercial/industrial base to facilitate product line engineering.

4 WSTAWG/JTA-Army

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Summary

• VRA defines a generic system architecture that can serve as a templatefor the development of new or upgraded Vetronics & Robotic systems

• VRA consists of a system, hardware and software reference architecture• The VRA

4 Reduces ground combat vehicle acquisition and support costs4 Utilizes Industry Supported Open Standards4 Facilitates Upgradability

• The VRA is being used on the Crew-Automation and IntegrationTestbed/Robotic Follower Advanced Technology Demonstrator

Contact Rakesh Patel, (810) 574-5188 US Army TACOM for copy of VRA

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