Interfacing Real and Virtual Networks in Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) Simulations

• Main Authors: MARTINEZ RALPH, NGUYEN THAI N, WHIMPENNY WALTER G, BURGAN SCOTT A, DEAL JOHN C, HAYNES TODD, MCNEILL KEVIN, NEEDHAM ALIM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.06.2011
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

Real and simulated (virtual) networks are interfaced with one another for carrying out hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing and evaluations. A simulated network is modeled at a workstation by running a network simulation or discrete event modeling tool on the workstation. A virtual gateway node is defined in the simulated network, and the gateway node is linked with a network adapter on the workstation. An external real network operating with Internet protocol (IP) is also linked with the adapter. The adapter and the gateway node are configured to (i) translate simulated data packets sent from nodes of the simulated network and designated for the real network, into IP data packets for routing or processing by the real network, and (ii) translate IP data packets sent from nodes of the real network and designated for the simulated network, into simulated data packets for routing or processing by the simulated network.