Rapid cycle display software design

This paper describes the process of the Rapid Cycle Display System (RCDS) tool used to design Flight Management System (FMS) displays targeted for a Control Display Unit (CDU). RCDS allows rapid prototyping, code generation suitable for certification, display documentation, and processing of digital files created by such activities as ACARs datalink and hardcopy printing. Through rapid prototyping, FMS designers, the OEM, and the end-user are able to design acceptable displays before the software system is modified. After the prototyping is complete, RCDS generates table-oriented code for immediate insertion into the FMS system to be used by the object-oriented display package. With the display package being certifiable avionics software, CDU displays (through their table-oriented design) can be added, deleted, or modified without changing the avionics display package. After the CDU display tables are generated, the corresponding pictorial documentation is created