Software configurable aircraft audio control panels

• US 10,078,491 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Zhou, Jiongmao, Lian, Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Justin S
• Application Number:
  US14/799,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20170017463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18519 Operations control, administration or maintenance

Abstract

Software configurable aircraft audio control panels (ACPs) and methods for configuring such ACPs are disclosed. An ACP in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein may include a display configured to provide a visual indication of a list of available voice channels and a list of navigation channels. The aircraft audio control panel may also include a plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements configured to receive a channel selection input from a user. The aircraft audio control panel may further include at least one processor in communication with the display and the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements, the at least one processor configured to process the channel selection input and update the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels based on the channel selection input.

Claims

1. An aircraft audio control panel, comprising:

a display configured to provide a first visual indication of a list of available voice channels and a list of navigation channels, and a second visual indication of a list of preset channels comprising a combination of voice and navigation channels predefined by a user;

a plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements configured to receive a channel selection input from the user, the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements comprising a first double pole rotary selector configured to select a voice channel of the list of available voice channels, a second double pole rotary selector configured to select a navigation channel of the list of navigation channels, and a third double pole rotary selector configured to select a preset channel of the list of preset channels, wherein the channel selection input is received via one of the first double pole rotary selector, the second double pole rotary selector, and the third double pole rotary selector, wherein the channel selection input includes a first rotation input for moving a position of a cursor, and wherein one of the first visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels and the second visual indication of the list of preset channels is updated to indicate the position of the cursor in response to the first rotation input; and

at least one processor in communication with the display and the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements, the at least one processor configured to process the channel selection input and update one of the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels and the second visual indication of the list of preset channels based on the channel selection input.

2. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the channel selection input includes a press input, and wherein the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels is updated to indicate a selection or a de-selection of a channel identified by the position of the cursor in response to the press input.

3. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 2, wherein the channel selection input includes a second rotation input for adjusting a volume setting, and wherein the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels is updated to indicate a volume setting for the channel identified by the position of the cursor in response to the second rotation input to adjust the volume setting.

4. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 3, wherein the channel selection input is specified for selecting one of:

a transmission channel among the list of available voice channels, a receive channel among the list of available voice channels, and a navigation channel among the list of available navigation channels.

5. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to facilitate configuration of at least one predefined setting.

6. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to activate one of:

a push to talk function and an interphone function.

7. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to activate one of:

a public announcement function and a cockpit speaker function.

8. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to activate at least one of:

an identification mode and a voice mode for filtering a voice input on a selected navigation channel.

9. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the display is further configured to provide at least one information window for displaying at least one of:

a selected transmission channel, a selected navigation channel, a predefined setting, and a status notification.

10. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to update at least one of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels indicated on the display.

11. An aircraft audio control panel, comprising:

a display configured to provide a first visual indication of a list of available voice channels and a list of navigation channels, and a second visual indication of a list of preset channels comprising a combination of voice and navigation channels predefined by a user;

a plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements configured to receive a channel selection input from the user, the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements comprising a first double pole rotary selector configured to select a voice channel of the list of available voice channels, a second double pole rotary selector configured to select a navigation channel of the list of navigation channels, and a third double pole rotary selector configured to select a preset channel of the list of preset channels, wherein the channel selection input is received via one of the first double pole rotary selector, the second double pole rotary selector, and the third double pole rotary selector, wherein the channel selection input includes a first rotation input for moving a position of a cursor, and wherein one of the first visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels and the second visual indication of the list of preset channels is updated to indicate the position of the cursor in response to the first rotation input; and

at least one processor in communication with the display and the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements, the at least one processor configured to control the list of available voice channels, the list of navigation channels, and the list of preset channels indicated on the display, the at least one processor further configured to process the channel selection input and update one of the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels and the second visual indication of the list of preset channels based on the channel selection input.

12. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 11, wherein the channel selection input includes a press input, and wherein the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels is updated to indicate a selection or a de-selection of a channel identified by the position of the cursor in response to the press input.

13. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 12, wherein the channel selection input includes a second rotation input for adjusting a volume setting, and wherein the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels is updated to indicate a volume setting for the channel identified by the position of the cursor in response to the second rotation input to adjust the volume setting.

14. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to facilitate configuration of at least one predefined setting.

15. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to activate at least one of:

a push to talk function, an interphone function, a public announcement function, and a cockpit speaker function.

16. The aircraft audio control panel of claim 11, wherein the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements is further configured to activate at least one of:

an identification mode and a voice mode for filtering a voice input on a selected navigation channel.

17. An aircraft audio control panel, comprising:

a display configured to provide a first visual indication of a list of available voice channels and a list of navigation channels, and a second visual indication of a list of preset channels comprising a combination of voice and navigation channels predefined by a user;

a plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements configured to receive a channel selection input from the user, the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements comprising a first double pole rotary selector configured to select a voice channel of the list of available voice channels, a second double pole rotary selector configured to select a navigation channel of the list of navigation channels, and a third double pole rotary selector configured to select a preset channel of the list of preset channels, wherein the channel selection input is received via one of the first double pole rotary selector, the second double pole rotary selector, and the third double pole rotary selector, wherein the channel selection input is specified for selecting at least one of;

a transmission channel among the list of available voice channels, a receive channel among the list of available voice channels, and a navigation channel among the list of available navigation channels, wherein the channel selection input includes a first rotation input for moving a position of a cursor, and wherein one of the first visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels and the second visual indication of the list of preset channels is updated to indicate the position of the cursor in response to the first rotation input; and

at least one processor in communication with the display and the plurality of channel-independent hardware control elements, the at least one processor configured to control the list of available voice channels, the list of navigation channels, and the list of preset channels indicated on the display, the at least one processor further configured to process the channel selection input and update one of the visual indication of the list of available voice channels and the list of navigation channels and the second visual indication of the list of preset channels based on the channel selection input.