Reference Manual AFDX / ARINC 664 Application Interface Library
1
Section 1 - Introduction
1. I
NTRODUCTION
1.1 General
The
AIM-AFDX
High Level Application Interface Library provides a comprehensive set of 'C'
functions for interfacing application programs to the AIM AFDX Interface Modules listed below.
The ‘
y’
in the ‘
AyC
’
is an AIM standard placeholder for encoding the module’s platform (where
‘
y’
can be replaced with either
C, V, or M
as shown below).
C:
ACC-FDX-2/4
Compact PCI (cPCI) 6U
V:
AVC-FDX-2/4
VME
M:
AMC-FDX-2
PMC-Module
Other Standard Modules are:
API-FDX-2
PCI-Module
APM-FDX-2
PC-Card Module (with limited simulation functionality)
fdXTap
USB Module for monitor only
APU-FDX-2
USB Module (full function)
The
AIM AFDX High Level Application Interface encapsulates operating system specific
handling of Host-to-Target communication in order to support the platform independent
implementation of the user's applications by providing a unique set of functions for hardware
communication to the AFDX target.
To access the boards and also the resources on the boards a client server interface for a
network environment is supported. The AIM AFDX Application Interface currently supports all
32-bit Windows
®
platforms (XP and newer). All other systems, e.g. embedded VME with
VxWorks, LINUX, LynxOS etc. currently support ‘local’ servers.
The AIM AFDX High Level Application Interface for PCI and cPCI is available as Dynamic Link
Libraries (DLLs) for the platforms mentioned above (Microsoft compatible). The AFDX High
Level Application Interface DLL can be used by each programming tool having the capability of
interfacing DLLs (32-Bit). Also a dynamic Library for LINUX is available.
For embedded VME applications (e.g. AMC mounted on a VME Carrier
ACC), the
Application Interface Library is provided with the source code, in order to support integration
into a customer specific Operating System Environment. Support for the more popular
embedded Operating Systems, like VxWorks and LynxOS is built in per Standard.
Each command to the Interface Library will be translated to AFDX Target commands. Long
parameter lists of some driver commands are substituted by specific data types (C-structures)
in order to reduce the number of function parameters. In addition to the target access
functions, a set of administration functions are provided for handling general driver
communication, and the client server interface and login mechanism to gain access to the
hardware resources. Due to the common core architecture of the AIM bus interface modules,
the Driver Software rubs On-Board on the Application Support Processor, with Real-Time-
Operating System support. Therefore the command set, provided by the Application Interface
does not show significant differences between the platforms.
Since it is possible to have concurrent access to the AIM AFDX High Level Application
Interface, (e.g. using multiple thread/task techniques), the AFDX High Level Application
Interface handles those conditions via operating system specific capabilities, using Mutexes
and Semaphores.
The number of AFDX boards accessible through the High Level Application Interface Library is
only limited by memory.
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