Weapon interface system evaluator

Claim 1

An apparatus for evaluating an operational status of a weapon interface system for coupling an aircraft controller to a plurality of weapon systems and a corresponding plurality of weapon ejectors, the weapon interface system having a weapon system interface unit, a power switching unit, and a power distribution box, the weapon system interface unit being coupled to the power switching unit and the distribution box and having a first port for communicating with the aircraft controller and a second port for communicating with one of the plurality of weapon systems, the power switching unit being coupled to the weapon system interface unit and to the power distribution box and having a port for communicating with and providing power to the one of the plurality of weapon systems and a corresponding one of the plurality of ejectors, and the power distribution box being coupled to an external power supply, said apparatus comprising: input/output means removably coupled to the first port of the weapon sysem interface unit for generating a first test signal and providing said first test signal to the first port of the weapon system interface; coupling means for removably coupling the port of the power switching unit to the second port of the weapon system interface unit; and processing means mounted in the weapon interface system and operatively coupled to the first port of the weapon system interface unit and to a selected portion of the weapon interface system to be tested for generating a second test signal in response to said first test signal and communicating said second test signal to said selected portion to cause said selected portion to communicate a response signal to said processing means corresponding to the state of said selected portion via said coupling means, and for generating an output signal in response to and corresponding to said response signal and communicating said output signal to said input/output means; said input/output means including means responsive to said output signal for indicating the state of said selected portion.

Claim 2

An apparatus for evaluating an operational status of a weapon interface system for coupling an aircraft controller to a plurality of weapon systems and a corresponding plurality of weapon ejectors, the weapon interface system having a weapon system interface unit, a power switching unit, and a power distribution box, the weapon system interface unit being coupled to the power switching unit and the distribution box and having a first port for communicating with the aircraft controller and a second port for communicating with one of the plurality of weapon systems, the power switching unit being coupled to the weapon system interface unit and to the power distribution box and having a port for communicating with and providing power to the one of the plurality of weapon systems and a corresponding one of the plurality of ejectors, and the power distribution box being coupled to an external power supply, said apparatus comprising: input/output means removably coupled to the first port of the weapon sysem interface unit for generating a first test signal and providing said first test signal to the first port of the weapon system interface; coupling means for removably coupling the port of the power switching unit to the second port of the weapon system interface unit; and processing means mounted in the weapon interface system and operatively coupled to the first port of the weapon system interface unit and to a selected portion of the weapon interface system to be tested for generating a second test signal in response to said first test signal and communicating said second test signal to said selected portion to cause said selected portion to communicate a response signal to said processing means corresponding to the state of said selected portion via said coupling means, and for generating an output signal in response to and corresponding to said response signal and communicating said output signal to said input/output means; said input/output means including means responsive to said output signal for indicating the state of said selected portion.

Claim 8

A method for evaluating an operational status of a weapon interface system for coupling an aircraft controller to a plurality of weapon systems and a corresponding plurality of weapon ejectors, the weapon interface system having a weapon system interface unit, a power switching unit, and a power distribution box, the weapon system interface unit being coupled to the power switching unit and to the distribution box and having a first port for communicating with the aircraft controller and a second port for communicating with one of the plurality of weapon systems, the power switching unit being coupled to the weapon system interface unit and to the power distribution box and having a port for communicating with and providing power to the one of the pluality of weapon systems and a corresponding one of the plurality of ejectors, and the power distribution boxy being coupled to an external power supply, said method comprising: coupling an input/output device to the first port of the weapon system interface unit; generating a first test signal and providing said first test signal to the first port of the weapon system interface unit using the input/output device; providing a processing device in the weapon interface system; generating a second test signal using the processing device in response to said first test signal and communicating said second test signal to a selected portion of the weapon interface system to cause said selected portion to communicate a response signal to said processing device corresponding to the state of said selected portion; generating an output signal using said processing device in response to and corresponding to said response signal and communicating said output signal to said input/output device; and indicating the state of said selected portion using said input/output device in response to said output signal.

Claim 9

A method for evaluating an operational status of a weapon interface system for coupling an aircraft controller to a plurality of weapon systems and a corresponding plurality of weapon ejectors, the weapon interface system having a weapon system interface unit, a power switching unit, and a power distribution box, the weapon system interface unit being coupled to the power switching unit and to the distribution box and having a first port for communicating with the aircraft controller and a second port for communicating with one of the plurality of weapon systems, the power switching unit being coupled to the weapon system interface unit and to the power distribution box and having a port for communicating with and providing power to the one of the pluality of weapon systems and a corresponding one of the plurality of ejectors, and the power distribution boxy being coupled to an external power supply, said method comprising: coupling an input/output device to the first port of the weapon system interface unit; generating a first test signal and providing said first test signal to the first port of the weapon system interface unit using the input/output device; providing a processing device in the weapon interface system; generating a second test signal using the processing device in response to said first test signal and communicating said second test signal to a selected portion of the weapon interface system to cause said selected portion to communicate a response signal to said processing device corresponding to the state of said selected portion; generating an output signal using said processing device in response to and corresponding to said response signal and communicating said output signal to said input/output device; and indicating the state of said selected portion using said input/output device in response to said output signal.