System and method for compartment control

• US 20080071398A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Tylee, James Louis, Lin, Dennis C., Kneller, Heidi J., Lamoree, Bret L., Ayoub, Phillip J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage

Abstract

A system and method for a computer program product is provided. The computer program product generates a graphical user interface for controlling a compartment. The graphical user interface comprises at least one compartment graphical indicator, and at least one compartment function button. In another embodiment, a method of managing at least one compartment through an interface supported by a controller is provided. The method includes selecting at least one compartment from the interface, and selecting a function for the compartment from the interface.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for controlling a movable stowage compartment in a mobile platform comprising:

at least one compartment graphical indicator to provide a visual indicator to a user of the stowage compartment; and

at least one compartment function button to enable the user to initiate a command for controlling the stowage compartment.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one status indicator on the compartment graphical indicator to provide a status of the stowage compartment; and

the status indicator selected from the group comprising;

a color, a symbol or combinations thereof.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one menu selector;

at least one sub-menu selector; and

at least one dialog box.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 2, further comprising:

an interface associated with a plurality of zones for the compartment graphical indicator;

at least one selector for each of the zones; and

wherein the status indicator includes a graphical designation to denote a specific one of the zones associated with a specific compartment graphical indicator.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 2, further comprising:

a user interface to select a plurality of classifications for the compartment graphical indicators;

at least one selector for each of the classifications; and

wherein the status indicator includes a graphical designation to denote the classification associated with the compartment graphical indicator.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of security protocols to restrict access to the graphical user interface;

an interface associated with a plurality of security protocols; and

at least one selector for each of the security protocols.

7. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface to select a speed for moving the compartment between an opened and a closed position; and

at least one selector to select a desired speed.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface to select a profile for a movement of the compartment between the opened and closed positions;

at least one selector to select a movement profile;

a dialog box; and

wherein the dialog box displays the profile associated with a selected movement profile.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

an interface to allocate power for use by the stowage compartment;

an interface to select a power mitigation scenario for the stowage compartment;

an interface to select a length of the stowage compartment;

an interface to select a code to restrict access to a selected stowage compartment;

an interface to activate a volume sensing function;

an interface to select a language for the graphical user interface;

an interface to perform at least one maintenance feature for the graphical user interface;

an interface to select an immediate lockout code for the stowage compartment;

an interface to select to activate at least one of an overweight sensing feature and a weight balance calculation feature;

an interface to select a type of mobile platform; and

an interface to select a type of feedback for the graphical user interface.

10. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface to select a type indicator used to indicate a status of the stowage compartment in predefined situations.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the interface further comprises at least one selector to select the output produced by the indicator.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface to select at least one of a lighting condition and temperature of a cabin of the mobile platform.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 12, wherein the interface further comprises a dialog box to input a grace period for a warning.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one user programmable feature to enable a user to customize the graphical user interface.

15. A computer program product that generates a graphical user interface for controlling the movement of a stowage compartment on a mobile platform, comprising:

a plurality of compartment graphical indicators to provide a visual indicator to a user of the stowage compartment; and

at least one status indicator on each of the compartment graphical indicators to indicate a status of the stowage compartment.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

an interface associated with a plurality of zones for the compartment graphical indicators;

at least one selector for each of the zones; and

wherein the status indicator includes a graphical designation to denote the zone associated with the compartment graphical indicator.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

at least one compartment function button to control the operation of the stowage compartment.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one menu selector;

at least one sub-menu selector; and

at least one dialog box.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

an interface to select a plurality of classifications for the compartment graphical indicators;

at least one selector for each of the classifications; and

wherein the status indicator includes a graphical designation to denote the classification associated with the compartment graphical indicator.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

an interface to select a speed for the compartment; and

at least one selector to select a desired speed.

21. A method of managing a plurality of stowage compartments on a mobile platform through an interface supported by a controller, the method comprising:

selecting at least one specific stowage compartment from the interface; and

selecting a function for the specific stowage compartment from the interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting a function for the compartment further comprises:

selecting an OPEN button to cause the stowage compartment to be moved to an opened position.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting a function for the compartment further comprises:

selecting a CLOSE button to cause the stowage compartment to be moved into a closed position.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying a real-time position of the stowage compartment; and

displaying an interior stowage volume remaining available for use in the stowage compartment.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting a first menu tab for displaying a compartment settings screen;

selecting a first sub-menu selector; and

selecting a zone button or a classification button for the compartment.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sensing a weight of the stowage compartment; and

displaying the weight of the compartment on a display.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting a second menu tab for displaying a security and protocol screen; and

selecting a security protocol button for restricting access to the interface.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting a third sub-menu tab for displaying a compartment configuration screen menu tab; and

selecting a speed of movement for the compartment to perform the selected function.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting a sub-menu tab for the third menu; and

selecting a motion profile associated with the movement of the compartment position from an opened position to a closed position.

30. A method of controlling at least one stowage compartment on a mobile platform through an interface supported by a controller, the method comprising:

selecting at least one compartment from a user interface on-board the mobile platform; and

commanding the compartment to move into an opened position or a closed position from the user interface.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

selecting a first menu tab from the user interface for displaying a compartment settings screen;

selecting a first sub-menu selector from the user interface; and

selecting a zone button or a classification button for the compartment from the user interface.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

commanding the compartment to move based on the zone or the classification associated with the compartment.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

selecting a third menu tab from the user interface, for displaying a compartment configuration screen; and

selecting a speed for the compartment to move into the opened and closed positions.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

selecting a sub-menu tab associated with the third menu to display a motion profile selector; and

selecting a motion profile for the compartment based on the desired movement of the compartment into the opened and closed positions.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

selecting a sub-menu tab associated with the first menu tab to display a power allocation selector; and

selecting a maximum allowed power draw for the compartment.

36. An aircraft comprising:

a plurality of overhead stowage compartments each being movable between opened and closed positions;

a motive device operably associated with each of the stowage compartments for moving each of the stowage compartments between an open position and a closed position; and

a graphical user interface in communication with each of the motive device and each of the stowage compartments to enable a user to remotely control operation of the stowage compartments.

37. The aircraft of claim 36, wherein said graphical user interface comprises:

an independent compartment graphical indicator for each of the stowage compartments, for providing an operational status indication for its associated stowage compartment; and

an independent compartment function button for each of the stowage compartments, for enabling a user to initiate a function relative to its associated, stowage compartment.