Extending ARINC 818: The development of an ARINC 818 switch architecture

ARINC 818, titled Avionics Digital Video Bus (ADVB), is a video protocol standard for high-bandwidth, low latency, critical video systems. Since its release in 2007, major commercial and military aerospace programs have adopted the protocol, including the B787, the A400M, and the A350XWB. Several suppliers now offer avionics flight deck solutions equipped with ADVB. ARINC 818 has clear benefits for avionics video systems; however, the current standard defines a point-to-point connection only, and does not address possible switching architectures that are often needed in large video systems. This paper will describe the development of an architecture for a 10×10 ARINC 818 switch, from conceptual design to hardware implementation. Design challenges such as maintaining video frame and line timing through the switch and accommodating heterogeneous mixes of video resolutions, frame rates, and pixel formats are discussed and solutions presented. Possible solutions for switch control are reviewed, including Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) that is used in other network management systems. Reporting requirements for such things as ADVB channel health and integrity are reviewed.