Distributed control system for fuel management using CANbus

A new distributed control system for fuel management and other avionics applications is introduced. The system consists in a network of smart components such as sensors, valves and pumps. They are connected via CANbus. No central fuel management computer is required. Wiring is simplified and has less weight. The heart of each smart component is a CAN-enabled microcontroller. All smart components have the same code in their microcontroller, for easier certification. BIT is implemented in each smart component. A protocol is defined for the action sequences and for message exchanging among components. This paper presents first results of an European project joining the efforts of six industry partners and three universities.