ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080208399A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Pham, Tuan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/4
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 using redundant signals or controls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications

Abstract

An electronic flight bag (EFB) system for use on a mobile platform, for example, a commercial or military aircraft. The EFB system includes first and second independent processors that run first and second independent software applications. The first software application may be a Type C application requiring a high level of governmental agency certification for use on an aircraft while the second application may be a commercially available, off-the-shelf software application that requires no certification. The two processors share a common display, although the first processor is provided with control over the display so that use of the display by the second processor can be inhibited or limited by the first processor as may be needed to display more critical flight or aircraft related information. The first processor is also provided with control over a switching subsystem that can interrupt the flow of information from external I/O devices to and from the second processor, if needed.

Claims

1. An system for controlling the display of information to a user, comprising:

a display;

a first processor operating a first application, and being in communication with said display for generating first information to be displayed on said display;

a second processor operating a second application, and in communication with said display for generating second information to be displayed on said display; and

said first processor further controlling said display so that the presentation of said second information on said display can be modified depending on operation of said first application.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a video controller controlled by said first processor, and in communication with both of said processors, for controlling the displaying of said first information and second information on said display,

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first processor uses one or more logic functions to determine a specific format that information from said second application should be presented in on said display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first processor controls said display so that said first information generated by said first application has priority over said second information generated by said second application, and such that said second information is prevented from being displayed on said display while said first information is being displayed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first processor controls said display so that said first information generated by said first application has priority over said second information generated by said second application, and such that said first information is presented over and at least partially occludes said second information on said display.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switching subsystem controlled by said first processor for interrupting a flow of information to said slave processor depending on operation of said first application.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said switching subsystem comprises an electro-mechanical switch.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said switching subsystem comprises an electrical switch.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said switching comprises a software switch controlled by said first processor.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said first processor controls said video controller to command said video controller to present said first information and said second information to one of the following formats:

said second information is prevented from being displayed on said display, while said first information is displayed on said display; and

said first information is overlayed onto said second information, to partially occlude said second information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first application comprises a software application certified by a governmental agency for operation in an aircraft.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said second application comprises. a commercially available software program requiring no government certification for use on an aircraft.

13. An electronic flight bag system for controlling the display of information to a user, comprising:

a display;

a first processor operating a first application, and being in communication with said display for generating first information to be displayed on said display, said first application representing an application certified by a governmental regulating agency for use on an aircraft;

a second processor operating a second application, and in communication with said display for generating second information to be displayed on said display, said second application representing an application that requires no prior governmental regulating agency certification for use on an aircraft;

said first processor further controlling said display so that the presentation of said second information on said display can be at least one of;

completely eliminated, depending upon operation of said first application; and

partially blocked by presenting said first information over a substantial portion of said display, depending upon operation of said first application.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a video controller controlled by said first processor, and in communication with both of said processors, for controlling the displaying of information on said display.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said first application comprises a software application requiring certification by a governmental regulating agency for approval for use on an aircraft,

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said second application comprises a software application that does not require prior certification by a governmental regulating agency for use on an aircraft.

17. A method for controlling the display of information to a user on a mobile platform, comprising:

a) operating a first application that performs a first task having a first level of priority, and that controls a display of first information relating to said first task on a display;

b) operating a second application that performs a second task having a second level of priority, the second processor operating to control a display of second information relating to said second task on said display; and

c) further controlling said display to override a presentation of said second information on said display, while permitting a presentation of said first information on said display, in response to operation of said first application.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein operation a) further comprises using a first processor to operate said first application, and operation b) comprises using a second processor to operate said second processor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said first processor to controllably interrupt a flow of data from an external source to said second processor, in accordance with operation of said first application

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

operation a) comprises operating a first application that requires certification from a governmental regulating body for use on said mobile platform; and

operation b) comprises operating a second application that does not require certification by a governmental regulating body for use on said mobile platform.