Flight management annunciator panel and system

• US 20030048203A1
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Proscan Avionics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proscan Avionics, Inc.
• Inventors: Clary, David E., Batholomew, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/200,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20030048203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

Potentially hazardous conditions encountered by an aircraft are signaled to the flight crew of the aircraft by a system of visible and audible annunciators. A first visible annunciator indicates cautions and warnings and a second visible annunciator indicates system classifications for detected conditions. The second visible annunciator indicates, for example, a threatened stall, a low fuel condition or excessive airspeed. An audible voice message played over the aircraft communication system is tailored to the potential hazard condition. A user operable button provides condition-specific cancellation authority.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

input means adapted for coupling to a plurality of aircraft systems of an aircraft and for generating one or more signals based on measured parameters;

processor means coupled to the input means and adapted to execute programming to compare one or more measured parameter with stored data;

a first message display means coupled to the processor for signaling existence of a potential hazard condition based on a signal received from the processor;

a second message display means coupled to the processor for signaling a system classification of the potential hazard condition;

an audio annunciation means coupled to the processor and adapted to present a voice message based on the potential hazard condition; and

a user operable switch means coupled to the processor and adapted to control the first message display means.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second message display means is adapted to present messages in a first, second and third color.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the user operable switch means is adapted to control the audio annunciation means.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the input means includes a pressure transducer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the input means includes an accelerometer.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the input means includes a switch.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the input means includes a temperature sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first message display means includes a first light and a second light.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first light is red and the second light is amber.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising an annunciator housing and wherein the first message display means and the user operable switch means are contained therein.

3. The system of claim 3 wherein the first color is green, the second color is amber, and the third color is red.

12. A system comprising:

an oil temperature sensor adapted for providing an output signal based on an aircraft engine oil temperature;

a processor coupled to the oil temperature sensor and a power supply of the aircraft wherein the processor executes instructions to determine engine oil temperature based on the output signal and a voltage level of the power supply and to generate a warning signal based on an engine oil temperature above a predetermined value;

a warning light coupled to the processor and adapted to indicate a warning upon receipt of the warning signal;

an audio driver coupled to the processor and adapted to provide voice annunciation upon receipt of the warning signal; and

a manual switch coupled to the processor and adapted to control the voice annunciation.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising an oil temperature gauge coupled to the oil temperature sensor.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the manual switch includes a momentary contact switch.

15. The system of claim 12 further comprising a connector coupled to the processor and adapted to connect with a calibration sensor.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising a connector coupled to the processor and adapted to connect with a computer.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the processor is adapted to execute instructions including accessing a look-up table.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a temperature signal from an engine oil temperature transducer;

illuminating a first warning light and generating a voice annunciation if the temperature signal corresponds to a temperature above a stored value; and

muting the voice annunciation upon receiving a cancellation signal from a user operable switch.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising illuminating a second warning light if the temperature signal is above the stored value.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein generating a voice annunciation includes generating a series of repeated messages.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving a first peak signal corresponding to a predetermined engine oil temperature at a first bus voltage;

receiving a second peak signal corresponding to the predetermined engine oil temperature at a second bus voltage; and

generating a compensated temperature signal based on the first peak signal, the first bus voltage and the second peak signal and the second bus voltage; and

wherein illuminating the first warning light and generating the voice annunciation if the temperature signal corresponds to a temperature above a stored value includes illuminating the first warning light and generating the audible warning if the compensated temperature signal corresponds to a temperature above the stored value.