1. An airfield lighting control and monitoring system, said system comprising:
a main computer;
a backup computer;
a main backbone fiber optic to serial interface, wherein a serial interface portion thereof is coupled to the main computer;
a backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, wherein a serial interface portion thereof is coupled to the backup computer;
a first fiber optic router having a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs;
a backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main backbone fiber optic portion and a backup backbone fiber optic portion, wherein
a first end of the main backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main backbone fiber optic to serial interface,
a second end of the main backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router,
a first end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, and
a second end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion is coupled to one of a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a second fiber optic router;
a plurality of local light control and monitoring groups, each of the plurality of local light control and monitoring groups comprises:
a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,
a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,
a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and
a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, wherein
a first end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator,
a second end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router,
a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, and
a second end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to another respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the second fiber optic router;
wherein the main and backup computers can communicate with any one or more of the plurality of light controllers through the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit, the first fiber optic router, the second fiber optic router, respective ones of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits, and respective ones of the main or backup concentrators.
2. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first fiber optic router comprises:
a plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces, each of the plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces having first and second transmit and receive fiber optic port pairs and a transmit and receive serial port pair;
wherein the transmit and receive serial port pairs thereof are coupled together such that digital information can be transferred between any two or more of the transmit and receive serial port pairs,
digital information can be transferred between the first and the second transmit and receive fiber optic port pairs, and
digital information can be transferred between the transmit and receive serial port pair and the first or the second transmit and receive fiber optic port pairs;
the first or second transmit and receive fiber optic port pairs of one of the plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces of the first fiber optic router is coupled to the second end of the main backbone fiber optic portion of the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit; and
each of the second ends of the main local fiber optic portions of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits is coupled to the first or second fiber optic port pairs of a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces of the first fiber optic router.
3. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the fiber optic router comprises a plurality of fiber optic routers, wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic routers comprises a portion of the plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces.
4. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the serial interface portions of the first and second backbone fiber optic to serial interfaces are RS-422485 compatible.
5. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein the transmit and receive serial port pairs of the plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces are RS-422485 compatible.
6. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the serial interface portions of the first and second backbone fiber optic to serial interfaces are selected from the group consisting of Ethernet, USB and Firewire compatible interfaces.
7. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of local light controllers controls at least one airfield light.
8. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising each of the main and backup concentrators controls at least one airfield light.
9. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one airfield light is selected from the group consisting of in-pavement runway guard light (IRGL), elevated runway guard light (ERGL), stop bar light, and center line lights.
10. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 2, further comprising a serial switch for coupling together the transmit and receive serial port pairs of the plurality of fiber optic to serial interfaces.
11. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of the main and backup concentrators, and the plurality of light controllers comprise:
a digital processor;
random access memory coupled to the digital processor;
programmable nonvolatile memory coupled to the digital processor;
first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs to a transmit and receive serial port pair coupled to the digital processor;
a programming and maintenance serial interface port coupled to the digital processor;
lamp drivers;
burnt-out lamp detection; and
a power supply.
12. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein the main and backup concentrators further comprise a program for storing and forwarding status information from and commands to the plurality of light controllers.
13. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 11, wherein the first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs can transfer digital information therebetween, and to and from the transmit and receive serial port pair.
14. The airfield lighting control and monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the main and backup computers comprise one computer having main and backup serial interfaces.
15. A local light control and monitoring group, comprising:
a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,
a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,
a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and
a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, wherein
a first end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator,
a second end of the main local fiber optic portion is coupled to a first fiber optic router,
a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, and
a second end of the backup local fiber optic portion is coupled to a second fiber optic router;
wherein any one or more of the plurality of light controllers, and main and backup concentrators are accessible from the main or backup local fiber optic portions of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit.
16. The local light control and monitoring group according to claim 15, wherein each of the main and backup concentrators, and the plurality of light controllers comprise:
a digital processor;
random access memory coupled to the digital processor;
programmable nonvolatile memory coupled to the digital processor;
first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs to a transmit and receive serial port pair coupled to the digital processor;
a programming and maintenance serial interface port coupled to the digital processor;
lamp drivers;
burnt-out lamp detection; and
a power supply.
17. A method for control and monitoring of an airfield lighting system, said method comprising the steps of:
providing at least one computer having main and backup fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs;
providing a first fiber optic router having a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs;
providing a backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main backbone fiber optic portion and a backup backbone fiber optic portion, wherein the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit comprises the steps of:
coupling a first end of the main backbone fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main backbone fiber optic to serial interface,
coupling a second end of the main backbone fiber optic portion to one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a first fiber optic router,
coupling a first end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup backbone fiber optic to serial interface, and
coupling a second end of the backup backbone fiber optic portion to one of a plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of a second fiber optic router;
providing a plurality of local light control and monitoring groups, each of the plurality of local light control and monitoring groups comprises:
a main concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,
a backup concentrator having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs,
a plurality of light controllers having first and second fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs, wherein the plurality of light controllers are fiber optically coupled together, the first one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the main concentrator, and the last one of the plurality of light controllers is fiber optically coupled to the backup concentrator; and
a local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit having a main local fiber optic portion and a backup local fiber optic portion, wherein the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit comprises the steps of:
coupling a first end of the main local fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the main concentrator,
coupling a second end of the main local fiber optic portion to a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the first fiber optic router,
coupling a first end of the backup local fiber optic portion to a fiber optic transmit and receive port pair of the backup concentrator, and
coupling a second end of the backup local fiber optic portion to another respective one of the plurality of fiber optic transmit and receive port pairs of the second fiber optic router; and
communicating with the at least one computer to any one or more of the plurality of light controllers through the backbone double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuit, the first fiber optic router, the second fiber optic router, respective ones of the local double loop self healing fiber optic communications circuits, and respective ones of the main or backup concentrators.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A stabilizer bar system comprising:
a clutch having a housing assembly, a plurality of coupling members and an actuator, the housing assembly defining a bore with a longitudinal axis, the coupling members being arranged concentrically about the longitudinal axis, the actuator including a plunger that is slidably disposed along the longitudinal axis between a first plunger position and a second plunger position, the actuator being selectively operable for applying a plunger force to the plunger that is configured to move the plunger to the second plunger position such that the plunger applies a corresponding force that moves a first one of the coupling members along the longitudinal axis from a first position to a second position;
a first stabilizer bar member coupled to a second one of the coupling members; and
a second stabilizer bar member non-rotatably coupled to the housing assembly;
wherein placement of the first one of the coupling members in one of the first and second positions non-rotatably couples the first one of the coupling members to the second one of the coupling members to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second stabilizer bar members and wherein the first one of the coupling members is disengaged from the second one of the coupling members to permit relative rotation between the first and second stabilizer bar members when the first one of the coupling members is positioned in the other one of the first and second positions;
wherein the first one of the coupling members is disposed about the plunger.
2. The stabilizer bar system of claim 1, wherein the first stabilizer bar member is generally L-shaped.
3. The stabilizer bar system of claim 1, wherein a through-hole is formed through the plunger.
4. The stabilizer bar system of claim 1, wherein the clutch further includes a return spring for biasing the plunger toward the first plunger position.
5. The stabilizer bar system of claim 4, wherein the clutch further includes another spring that is coupled to the plunger and the first one of the coupling members, the another spring permitting the plunger to move to the second plunger position when the first and second coupling members are torque-locked.
6. The stabilizer bar system of claim 1, further comprising a controller assembly having a controller with a sensor, the sensor being configured to sense a position of an element of the clutch that translates along the longitudinal axis.
7. The stabilizer bar system of claim 6, wherein the element of the clutch is the plunger.
8. The stabilizer bar system of claim 7, wherein the plunger includes a sensor target and wherein the sensor is a Hall-effect sensor.
9. The stabilizer bar system of claim 6, wherein the controller assembly is coupled to the housing assembly.
10. A stabilizer bar system comprising:
a clutch having a housing assembly, a first transmission member, a second transmission member, and an actuator, the housing assembly defining a bore having a longitudinal axis, the first and second transmission members being received in the bore, the second transmission member being non-rotatably coupled to the housing assembly and slidable within the bore between a first position and a second position, the second transmission member being non-rotatably coupled to the first transmission member when the second transmission member is in the first position, the first transmission member being rotatable relative to the second transmission member when the second transmission member is in the second position, the actuator including a coil and a plunger that is movable along the longitudinal axis between a returned position and an extended position, the plunger being coupled to the second transmission member;
a first generally L-shaped stabilizer bar portion that is non-rotatably coupled to the first transmission member; and
a second generally L-shaped stabilizer bar portion that is non-rotatably coupled to the housing assembly;
wherein actuation of the actuator moves the plunger into the extended position to cause a force to be applied concentrically to the second transmission member that pushes the second transmission member toward the second position; and
wherein the coil is disposed about the plunger.
11. The stabilizer bar system of claim 10, wherein the clutch further includes a return spring for biasing the plunger toward the retracted position.
12. The stabilizer bar system of claim 11, wherein the clutch further includes another spring that is coupled to the plunger and the second transmission member, the another spring permitting the plunger to move to the extended position when the first and second transmission members are torque-locked.
13. The stabilizer bar system of claim 12, further comprising a controller assembly having a controller with a sensor, the sensor being configured to generate a sensor signal in response to sensing a position of an element of the clutch that translates along the longitudinal axis.
14. The stabilizer bar system of claim 13, wherein the element of the clutch is the plunger.
15. The stabilizer bar system of claim 14, wherein the plunger includes a sensor target and wherein the sensor is a Hall-effect sensor.
16. The stabilizer bar system of claim 13, wherein the controller is contained in a sealed unit that is disposed at least partially in the housing assembly.
17. The stabilizer bar system of claim 1, wherein the plunger force imparted to the plunger is aligned concentrically or coincident with the longitudinal axis of the bore.