Processor card and intelligent multi-purpose system for use with processor card

US11586497B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA · US

Inventors

• Alessandro Geist · Bethesda, US
• Cody Brewer · Greenbelt, US
• Robin Ripley · Greenbelt, US
• Christopher Wilson · San Diego, US
• Nicholas Griesmer Franconi · Greenbelt, US
• Gary A. Crum · Greenbelt, US
• David J. Petrick · Severna Park, US
• Thomas P. Flatley · Greenbelt, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 17, 2020
• Grant date: Feb 21, 2023
• Expiry date: Oct 29, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03M13/09
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a single-board processor card configured for use in a 1U CubeSat payload form-factor multi-purpose architecture, including: a field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) which is reconfigurable in flight; wherein a configuration memory of the FPGA can be scrubbed in flight to correct errors or upsets; and a radiation-hardened monitor (RHM) which provides radiation mitigation and system monitoring of the single-board processor card, and which reconfigures said FPGA during flight, scrubs the configuration memory, and monitors a health of the FPGA. The 1U CubeSat payload form-factor multi-purpose architecture includes a backplane having a plurality of slots, one of the plurality of slots which accommodates the single-board processor card, wherein the backplane routes signals to a plurality of standard-sized processor cards, interchangeably disposed in any of the plurality of slots.