Process for transmitting data between at least one cockpit display screen and at least one remote client system

• US 20090287787A1
• Filed: 05/14/2009
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Renault, Edith, Cabaret, Remi, Haas, Philippe, Pimouguet, Estelle, Nico, Julien, Rollet, Fulgence
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system

Abstract

A process for transmitting data between at least one display screen in a cockpit and at least one remote client system includes at least one computer, in which the display screen displays a first request to send a message in a first communication protocol; this message is sent to the remote client system over a first link using a second communication protocol. A request to confirm a message is generated and displayed on the display screen via a communication interface designed to receive and generate messages in this first communication protocol, and to receive and generate messages that can be received by the remote client system. The request to confirm the message from the first request is validated by activating a confirmation device separate from the at least one display screen; activating this confirmation device sends a confirmation message via a router system to the remote system awaiting confirmation; this confirmation message, not generated in the first protocol, can be received by the remote client system awaiting confirmation; the router system includes at least one second link separate from the first link.

Claims

1. A process for transmitting data between at least one display screen of an aircraft cockpit and at least one remote client system, with said remote client system including at least one computer, in which said display screen can show a first request to send a message in a first communication protocol, with said message sent to said remote client system over a first link using a second communication protocol, comprising:

generating and displaying a request to confirm the message of said first request on said display screen (5, 6) by a communication interface (11) designed, on one hand, to receive and generate messages in said first communication protocol and, on the other hand, to receive and generate messages that can be received by the remote client system (8, 10) including at least one computer (10),

validating the confirmation request of said message from the first request by activating a confirmation device separate from said at least one display screen;

activation of said confirmation device sends a confirmation message via a router system to the remote system awaiting said confirmation;

said confirmation message, not generated in said first protocol, can be received by said remote client system awaiting said confirmation;

said router system includes at least one second link separate from said first link.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising that said confirmation device is directly connected to said remote system by said second link.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising that said router system includes a central confirmation unit connected, on one hand, to said confirmation device by said second link and, on the other hand, to said remote systems by other separate links;

a raw data message is sent to said central unit in parallel with the sending of the request to confirm said first request;

said raw data message is designed to allow said central unit to identify said remote client system awaiting confirmation of the message from said first request among said remote client systems.

4. The transmission process as claimed in claim 3, further comprising that validation of the message from said first request causes said confirmation device to send a confirmation message over said second link to said central confirmation unit;

after said central confirmation unit receives said message, it verifies that a single request to confirm the message from said first request has been received by said at least one display screen before sending said confirmation message to said remote system awaiting said confirmation.

5. The transmission process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising that said remote client system includes a remote client system connected to said display screen by said first ink and a computer to control said remote client system by being connected to the latter by a third link separate from said first and second links, and by the fact that following receipt of the message from the first request by said client system, said computer sends a raw data message to display information associated with the message from said first request on said display screen, or on another display screen by a link separate from said first and third links, so as to be able to control said message.

6. The transmission process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising that said confirmation request is displayed by said at least one display screen during a response solicitation period t, after which without receipt of said confirmation message by said remote system awaiting confirmation of the message from said first request, said system sends a message canceling said confirmation request to at least said display screen.

7. The transmission process as claimed in claim 1, further comprising that the transmission process is implemented in the aircraft cockpit;

wherein said cockpit includes at least one display screen that can present a means of interactive indication to display a first request to send a message in a first communication protocol and to transmit said message to a remote client system over a first link using a second communication protocol;

said remote client system includes at least one computer, characterized by the fact that said cockpit has a communication interface designed, on one hand, to receive and generate messages in the first communication protocol and, on the other hand, to receive and generate messages that can be received by the remote client system, and wherein

said remote client system awaiting confirmation of the message from said first request, said cockpit includes a manually activated confirmation device designed to generate a confirmation message and a router system to transmit said confirmation message to said remote client system awaiting message confirmation;

said confirmation message, not generated in said first protocol, can be received by said remote system, and said router system includes at least one second link separate from said first link.

8. The transmission process as claimed in claim 7, further comprising that said router system includes a central confirmation unit separate from said remote client systems, and said central unit is connected, on one hand, to said confirmation device by said second link and, on the other hand, to said remote systems by other separate links.

9. An aircraft equipped with the cockpit as claimed in claim 7.

10. The transmission process as claimed in claim 9, comprising remote client systems connected to said cockpit, wherein said remote client systems are chosen from the group including a trio of identical computers, with said central confirmation unit connected to each of these computers;

a remote client system and a computer to control said remote client system, with said computer connected to said remote client system by a third link separate from said first and second links, and a combination of these elements.

11. An aircraft cockpit comprising:

at least one display screen that can present a means of interactive indication to display a first request to send a message in a first communication protocol and to transmit said message to a remote client system over a first link using a second communication protocol;

said remote client system includes at least one computer, wherein said cockpit has a communication interface designed, on one hand, to receive and generate messages in the first communication protocol and, on the other hand, to receive and generate messages that can be received by the remote client system, and wherein

said remote client system awaiting confirmation of the message from said first request, said cockpit includes a manually activated confirmation device designed to generate a confirmation message and a router system to transmit said confirmation message to said remote client system awaiting message confirmation;

said confirmation message, not generated in said first protocol, can be received by said remote system, and said router system includes at least one second link separate from said first link.

12. The aircraft cockpit as claimed in claim 11 further comprising that said router system includes a central confirmation unit separate from said remote client systems, and said central unit is connected, on one hand, to said confirmation device by said second link and, on the other hand, to said remote systems by other separate links.

13. The aircraft cockpit as claimed in claim 11, further comprising remote client systems connected to said cockpit, wherein said remote client systems are chosen from the group including a trio of identical computers, with said central confirmation unit connected to each of these computers;

a remote client system and a computer to control said remote client system, with said computer connected to said remote client system by a third link separate from said first and second links, and a combination of these elements.