IPC-8000: Integrated Processing Center Family

The IPC-8600 is the latest addition to Collins’ Integrated Processing Center family of products. The IPC-8000 products are ruggedized derivatives of the IPC-7000 that is currently in use on the U.S. Air Force KC-135. The IPC-8000 conforms to Collins’ Flight2™ open architecture principles and complies with numerous commercially supported standards including IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, Peripheral Component Interface (PCI), PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC) per IEEE 1386, OpenGL, and POSIX. Compliance with these standards provides a path for future technology upgrades and allows integration of third-party hardware and software.

The IPC-8000 is suitable for use on both rotary wing and fighter aircraft. System modules communicate via an Ethernet LAN and can to be distributed throughout the aircraft. This allows the system to be installed on platforms with tight space limitations. Module reliability is achieved through the use of conduction-cooled Compact PCI circuit cards.

The system is designed to accommodate future growth through the addition of new modules. The IPC-8000 is available in two different packages; the IPC-8600, utilizing standard 6U form factor cards, and the IPC-8300, utilizing standard 3U form factor cards. The current catalog offering for the IPC-8600 consists of two modules, a universal mount and a power cable:

The Processor Switch Module (PSM-8600) receives 115 VAC, 400Hz aircraft power and distributes MIL-STD-704 compatible 24VDC power to other system modules. The PSM also contains a 23-port Ethernet switch, PowerPC 750Cxe multi-purpose processor card with Ethernet node, and a graphics module with a 3D Labs P10 graphics processor with SMPTE 292 video outputs.

The PSM-8600 contains a power converter that receives 115 VAC, 400Hz aircraft power and distributes 400 watts of MIL-STD-704 compatible 24VDC power to other system modules. The PSM-8600 provides a 100ms hold-up capability and has sufficient capacity to accommodate future growth modules.

The PSM-8600 contains a PowerPC 750Cxe processor card. A high-integrity POSIX-compliant operating system allows multiple applications of varying criticality levels to be hosted on each processor as independent virtual machines.

Both the PSM-8600 and VPM-8600 contain an Ethernet node. The Ethernet node works in conjunction with the Ethernet switch to provide ARINC 664-compliant data flow control. The Ethernet node has a dedicated processing element to handle local area network (LAN) communications and, as such, does not impinge upon the processing capacity of the multi-purpose processor.

The PSM-8600 contains a Digital Switch Module (DSM-7020). It is a variant of the DSM-7010 high integrity Ethernet switch currently flying on the USAF KC-135. The DSM-7020 has 15 high-integrity Ethernet ports suitable for flight-critical applications. The high-integrity ports provide a guaranteed quality of service that complies with ARINC 664 Profiled Aircraft Data Networks. The unit also has 8 commercial standard ports that comply with ARINC 664 Compliant Aircraft Data Networks.

The PSM-8600 contains a graphics module that utilizing a 3D Labs P10 graphics processor. The graphics card provides an industry-standard OpenGL interface and is connected to the multipurpose processor via the CompactPCI bus. This hardware configuration can accommodate numerous applications including digital maps and synthetic vision.

The graphics card provides two SMPTE 292 digital High Definition Television (HDTV) video outputs.

The Video Processing Module (VPM-8600 or VPM-8600A) receives conditioned power from the PSM-8600. The VPM contains a high-performance video processing system, a PowerPC 750Cxe processor card with Ethernet node (VPM-8600 only), and a graphics module that utilizes a 3D Labs P10 graphics processor with SMPTE 292 video outputs (VPM-8600 only).

This system utilizes advanced image processing technology currently found on the Comanche helicopter and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The video processing system has five RS170 analog video inputs, five SMPTE 292 (HDTV) digital video inputs and six SMPTE 292 video output channels.

The video processing system incorporates a non-blocking cross-point switch capable of routing any video input to all six output channels simultaneously. Each output channel can display up to two separate video sources in a split screen or "picture-in-picture" format. Each video source can be independently cropped, scaled, and positioned on the display. The system can even display a single video source in two different positions on the same display using different scaling factors. Video processing is controlled via a MIL-STD-1553B interface.

Environment	Requirement
Shock	MIL-STD-810 Method 516.5 Procedure I, V, VI
Acceleration	MIL-STD-810 Method 513.5 Procedure I, II
Vibration	MIL-STD-810 Method 514.5
Undamped Resonance	MIL-STD-810 Method 514.5 Procedure I, Category 14
Continuous Vibration	MIL-STD-810 Method 514.5
Gunfire	MIL-STD-810 Method 519.5
Sand and Dust	MIL-STD-810 Method 510.4 Procedure I for blowing dust Procedure II for blowing sand
Fungus	MIL-STD-810, Method 508.5
Salt Atmosphere	MIL-STD-810, Method 509.4
Explosive Atmosphere	MIL-STD-810, Method 511.4
Solar Radiation	MIL-STD-810, Method 505.4
Rain	MIL-STD-810, Method 506.4, Procedure III (drip test)
Temperature, Humidity, Altitude	MIL-STD-810, Method 520.2 Procedures I, II, III. Max altitude 6000 meters
High Temperature Storage	MIL-STD-810, Method 501.4 Procedure I, 85°C
Low Temperature Storage	MIL-STD-810, Method 502.4 Procedure I, -55°C

Both the SCIU-8300 and the NIU-8300 contains a Power PC 750Cxe processor card. A high integrity POSIX compliant operating system allows multiple applications of varying criticality levels to be hosted on each processor as independent virtual machines. The robust portioning implementation fully complies with civil certification standards, including RTCA DO-178B.

Both the SCIU-8300 and the NIU-8300 contain an Ethernet node. The Ethernet node works in conjunction with the Ethernet switch to provide ARINC 66H compliant data flow control. The Ethernet nose has a dedicated processing element to handle local area network (LAN) communications and, as such, does not impose upon the processing capacity of the multi-purpose processor.

Both the SCIU-8300 and the NIU-8300 contain an I/O card with 11 ARINC 429 Receivers, 6 ARINC 429 Transmitters, 18 ground/open Discrete Inputs, 8 ground/open Discrete Outputs, 1 ARINC 743A PPS, 1ICD GPS-60 PPS, and Dual-Dual MIL-STD-1553.

Both the SCIU-8300 and the NIU-8300 contain a 28 VDC power supply capable of providing 120 watts of power. Available voltages are +5VDC, +3.3VDC, ±12VDC.

Both the SCIU-8300 contains a 3D Labs P10 graphics card. The graphics card provides an industry-standard open GL interface and is connected to the multi-purpose processor via the Compact PCI Bus. The graphics card has four SMPTE 292 digital High Definition Television (HDTV) video outputs. Each of the four video outputs can be programmed to output either one of the two video channels available on the graphics card.

Both the SCIU-8300 and the NIU-8300 contain an 8 slot 3U compact PCI Back Plane. The Back Plane is divided into two separate compact PCI Buses, with 4 slots on each PCI Bus. The power supply provides power to both halves of the Back Plane.

The SCIU-8300 and the NIU-8300 can be used together to provide a secure/non-secure separation. Other versions of the IPC-8300 can be created easily by populating the units with different combinations of cards from I/O cards to multiple processor cards. With this versatility, the IPC-8300 can host many different mission applications.

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