The Embedded Linux EFIS

(Electronic Flight Instrumentation System)

Project

Step 1 - The developmental hardware lives!!!

The  box of parts and boards now lives.   I never did like prototyping with all the items scattered over a bunch of real-estate.  (If you have any kids you'll know why.)  I took an old passive backplane card cage and mounted everything to it.  I also added a 10 gig IDE hard drive I had.  Got pictures below.

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Step 2 - Setting up the software development environment.

Well almost,  I've had some display memory fail.  The system now boots but fills the screen with '#"s instead of spaces.   I moved the memory chips around on the VGA board as they are in sockets but that just changed the display color and character.   I'll load up Red Hat Linux in the host while waiting for replacement.

Step 3 - Got Replacement Parts

  We got the main board checked and a replacement video card.  Everything now boots fine but the system still hangs after a couple of hours.  Don't know exactly what's going on but may just be a software bug in the monitor.  Anyhow.... I'm proceeding to check out a display.

Step 4 - Prototyping a Display

  Here's the Kyocera display we are considering using.  It's a SVGA (800x600) transreflective unit with a backlight for night use.  I've had it up running off my laptop as you see it here.   It looks like its going to be pretty hot.  I'm putting together a case for all of it for field testing.  The main board you see takes regular analog VGA signals so can run it off any VGA video card or any laptop.  They haven't even gave me a price on these yet, just want to know my "quantities":-)   The next step will have it all "packaged" up with DC to DC converters so everything will run off 12 volt.

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Step 5 - And here it is!

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The housing is machined from a single piece of one inch thick 6061-T6 aluminum.  I GOT ALL THE COMPONENTS TO FIT IN THAT ONE INCH!  The VGA converter board Kyocera provided even fit but I discovered it is a really power hog.  The National 5v regulator I'm using has built in thermal protection and it did shut off after only 5 minutes.  I had to add an aluminum "heat sink" to keep it running. 

I have found a chip set for our own converter board.  It will drive this display as well as many others, is a lot more efficient, and will make a real compact board.   (I can also use that chipset for NTSC video also.)  I'm designing all the hardware in a modular fashion and will have no problem adding a hot SBC to this unit.   I'm starting with the one inch housing for the LCD and stacking another rear housing, depth as required, for any additional electronics.

Here's view with my dive flashlight on it.  While it's no 1000 Nit display, It doesn't wash out in sunlight.

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Here's an end view.

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Another view.

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And a rear view.

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This page was last updated on 07/20/09.

I'll begin field trials with the unit tomorrow, in the "cockpit" of my motor home.  I am also planning to have it with me at Airventure, the 26th. through the 29th.  If you'd like to see it, drop me an e-mail and I'll reply with my cell phone number.