Systems and Methods for Presenting and Obtaining Flight Control Information

• US 20090062972A1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bresley, William M., Gunn, Peter D., Mumaw, Randall J., Griffin, John C. III, Boorman, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• 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: G01D 7/00 Indicating measured values

Abstract

Systems and methods for presenting and obtaining flight control information are disclosed. In one embodiment, information corresponding to a vertical motion of the aircraft can be displayed between information corresponding to a lateral motion of the aircraft and information corresponding to an airspeed of the aircraft. The information displayed can include a current mode for controlling the motion of the aircraft, a current target to which the aircraft is being directed and, at least proximate to both the current mode and the current target, a subsequent target to which the aircraft will be directed after attaining the current target.

Claims

1-50. -50. (canceled)

51. An aircraft system including a computer-readable medium having contents that perform a method, comprising:

displaying a series of instructions for controlling aircraft behavior, the instructions to be automatically implemented at a future time;

for instructions that have been cleared for implementation, displaying the instructions in a first manner; and

for instructions that have not been cleared for implementation, displaying the instructions in a second manner different than the first manner.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising a computer having at least one output device to display the instructions.

53. The system of claim 51, further comprising a flight guidance computer having a flight plan list display to display the instructions.

54. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

the aircraft; and

a computer having at least one output device to display the instructions.

55. The system of claim 51 wherein the contents of the computer-readable medium are configured to display the instructions in the first manner to have in a first font, and display the instructions in the second manner in a second font different than the first font.

56. The system of claim 51 wherein the contents of the computer-readable medium are configured to display the instructions in the first manner in a first color, and display the instructions in the second manner in a second color different than the first color.

57. An aircraft system including a computer-readable medium having contents that perform a method, comprising:

displaying at a display location a target to which an aircraft is being directed;

receiving a first input corresponding to a requested change for a motion path of the aircraft;

receiving a second input corresponding to a request to cease the change for the motion path; and

displaying at the display portion at least one of an estimated target and an actual target to which the aircraft will be directed when the request to cease the change for the motion path is implemented.

58. The system of claim 57, further comprising a computer having at least one input device to receive the input and at least one output device to display the target.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein a receiver portion receives the first and second inputs and a display portion displays the target.

60. The system of claim 57, further comprising:

the aircraft; and

a computer having at least one input device to receive the input and at least one output device to display the target.

61. The system of claim 57 wherein the contents of the computer-readable medium are configured to receive a first input corresponding to a request to begin a turn, and receive a second input corresponding to a request to roll the aircraft out of the turn.

62. The system of claim 57 wherein the contents of the computer-readable medium are configured to receive a first input corresponding to a request to change an altitude of the aircraft, and receive a second input corresponding to a request to level out the aircraft.

63. The system of claim 57 wherein the contents of the computer-readable medium are configured to display the estimated target and then subsequently display the actual target.

64-95. -95. (canceled)