INTEGRATING COMMUNICATION AND SURVEILLANCE

• US 20100094484A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Cornell, Bradley D., Kuan, Cara
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,025 B1
• 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

Abstract

An aircraft control unit has modules for interfacing with various systems of an aircraft to integrate control of the systems. The modules include a communication module configured to be coupled to a communication system of the aircraft and a surveillance module configured to be coupled to a surveillance system of the aircraft. The aircraft control unit also includes a display screen for displaying information and a user interface usable to interact with the modules. Each of the modules is configured to display information on the display screen and to receive user input from the user interface.

Claims

1. An aircraft control unit installed in an aisle stand in a cockpit of an aircraft configured to control multiple systems of the aircraft, the aircraft control unit comprising:

a display screen for displaying information to an operator of the aircraft;

a user interface for use by the operator and used in conjunction with the display screen;

a communication module configured to interact with the user interface and to be coupled to a communication system of the aircraft, wherein the communication module is configured to store an active radio frequency in memory for later use in response to an operator selection of a command associated with a “

store active”

prompt on the display screen, and wherein the communication module comprises at least one of a very high frequency (VHF) radio module, a high frequency (HF) radio module, a satellite communication (SATCOM) radio module, and a cabin interphone module;

a surveillance module configured to interact with the user interface and to be coupled to a surveillance system of the aircraft, wherein the surveillance module comprises at least one of a ground proximity warning system (GPWS) module, a weather radar module, an air traffic control (ATC) transponder module, and a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) module; and

wherein the communication module and the surveillance module are configured to display information on the display screen and to receive operator input from the user interface.

4. The aircraft control unit of claim 1, further comprising a navigation module configured to be coupled to a navigation system of the aircraft.

5. The aircraft control unit of claim 4, wherein the navigation module comprises at least one of a global positioning satellite (GPS) system module, an inertial reference system (IRS) module, an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) module, an instrument landing system (ILS) module, and a ground based augmentation landing system (GLS) module.

6. The aircraft control unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a warning system module configured to be coupled to a warning system of the aircraft, an emergency response system module configured to be coupled to an emergency response system of the aircraft, an environmental sensor system module configured to be coupled to an environmental sensor system of the aircraft, and a climate control system module configured to be coupled to climate control system of the aircraft.

7. The aircraft control unit of claim 1, wherein the aircraft control unit has dimensions of not more than 146 millimeters wide, 142 millimeters deep, and 162 millimeters high.

9. An aircraft comprising an isle stand having at least two of the aircraft control units of claim 1.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. An aircraft control unit installed in a cockpit of an aircraft configured to control multiple systems of the aircraft, the aircraft control unit comprising:

a display screen for displaying information;

a user interface disposed about a perimeter of the display screen;

modules configured to control one or more aircraft systems, the modules including;

a very high frequency (VHF) radio module;

a high frequency (HF) radio module;

wherein the communication module is configured to store an active radio frequency in memory for later use in response to the operator selection of a command associated with a “

store active”

prompt on the display screen;

a satellite communication (SATCOM) radio module;

a cabin interphone module;

a weather radar module;

an air traffic control (ATC) transponder module;

a navigation module;

a warning system module configured to be coupled to a warning system of the aircraft;

an emergency response system module configured to be coupled to an emergency response system of the aircraft;

an environmental sensor system module configured to be coupled to an environmental sensor system of the aircraft;

a climate control system module configured to be coupled to climate control system of the aircraft;

wherein the user interface is usable to interact with each of the modules, and

each of the modules are configured to display information on the display screen and to receive operator input from the user interface.

11. The aircraft control unit of claim 10, wherein the navigation module is configured to be coupled to an aircraft navigation system.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions for:

displaying, via a display screen, a communication interface that includes a tuner indicating an active frequency;

presenting a designator next to the active frequency;

storing the active frequency to memory for subsequent use in response to a an operator selection of the designator associated with a “

store active”

prompt on the display screen; and

displaying, via the display screen, any one of a cabin interphone interface, a surveillance interface, or a navigation interface in response to the operator selecting a user interface mode select key associated with respective interfaces.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the tuner comprises at least one of a very high frequency (VHF) tuner, a high frequency (HF) tuner, and a satellite communication (SATCOM) tuner.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions for displaying the surveillance interface include displaying at least one of a ground proximity warning system (GPWS) interface, a weather radar interface, an air traffic control (ATC) transponder interface, and a traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) interface.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions for displaying the navigation interface include displaying at least one of a global positioning satellite (GPS) system interface, an inertial reference system (IRS) interface, an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) interface, an instrument landing system (ILS) interface, and a ground based augmentation landing system (GLS) interface.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the communication interface comprises a very high frequency (VHF) tuner, and further comprises instructions for displaying:

a high frequency (HF) tuner;

a satellite communication (SATCOM) tuner;

a cabin interphone interface;

a weather radar interface; and

an air traffic control (ATC) transponder interface.

17. (canceled)