Incorporating TSN/BLS in AFDX for Mixed-Criticality Avionics Applications: Specification and Analysis

TL;DR

This paper extends the AFDX standard with TSN/BLS shapers to unify avionics communication for mixed-criticality systems, providing real-time guarantees and improving delay bounds through Network Calculus analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a novel extension of AFDX incorporating TSN/BLS, along with a worst-case timing analysis framework for mixed-criticality avionics networks.

Findings

Enhanced delay bounds for medium priority traffic

Maintained high-priority traffic constraints

Validated performance improvements on realistic configurations

Abstract

In this paper, we propose an extension of the AFDX standard, incorporating a TSN/BLS shaper, to homogenize the avionics communication architecture, and enable the interconnection of different avionics domains with mixed-criticality levels, e.g., legacy AFDX traffic, Flight Control and In-Flight Entertainment. First, we present the main specifications of such a proposed solution. Then, we detail the corresponding worst-case timing analysis, using the Network Calculus framework, to infer real-time guarantees. Finally, we conduct the performance analysis of such a proposal on a realistic AFDX configuration. Results show the efficiency of the Extended AFDX standard to noticeably enhance the medium priority level delay bounds, while respecting the higher priority level constraints, in comparison with the legacy AFDX standard.