Display system with integrated avionics platform

• US 10,144,529 B1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• 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: Fetta, Jeffery E., Hackett, Richard T., Anderson, Eric N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US14/845,677
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) processing and input/output (I/O) capabilities to existing electronic systems onboard aircraft are disclosed. More specifically, a display processing computer may include a first set of I/O interfaces and a second set of I/O interfaces. The display processing computer may further include at least one first processor in communication with the first set of I/O interfaces and at least one second processor in communication with the second set of I/O interfaces. The at least one first processor may be configured to process data received at the first set of I/O interfaces and provide commands to control a display. The at least one second processor may be configured to provide a set of non-display functions, and further configured to selectively activate a subset of the set of non-display functions based on at least one operating condition of the display processing computer.

Claims

1. An avionics display system, comprising:

a display installed onboard an aircraft; and

a display processing computer configured to control the display, the display processing computer configured as a line-replaceable unit (LRU) onboard the aircraft, the display processing computer comprising;

a first set of input/output (I/O) interfaces;

a second set of I/O interfaces operationally separated from the first set of I/O interfaces;

at least one first processor in communication with the first set of I/O interfaces and configured to process data received at the first set of I/O interfaces and provide commands to control the display; and

at least one second processor in communication with the second set of I/O interfaces and configured to provide a set of non-display functions, and further configured to selectively activate a subset of the set of non-display functions based on a connection of the display processing computer with the display, wherein another subset of the set of non-display functions are selectively activated based on a connection of the display processing computer with a second display of the aircraft.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the first set of I/O interfaces and the second set of I/O interfaces are physically segregated within the LRU.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first processor and the at least one second processor are physically segregated within the LRU.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein said at least one first processor is further configured to selectively activate a subset of a set of display functions on the display based on a connection of the display processing computer with the display.

5. The display system of claim 4, wherein said at least one first processor is further configured to selectively activate another subset of a set of display functions on the second display based on a connection of the display processing computer with the second display.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the subset of the set of non-display functions include flight deck access control, flight warning applications, or power management.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display processing computer configured as the LRU has established a connection with the display when the LRU is installed.

8. The display system of claim 7, wherein the display processing computer configured as the LRU has established a connection with the second display when the LRU is removed from a connection with the first display and installed with the second display.