CONTROL PANEL FOR USE IN CONTROLLING A LARGE AREA DISPLAY

• US 20140266979A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Miener, Steven John
• Granted Patent: US 9,505,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0161 characterised by the relative positioning of the constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

In one aspect, an aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel of an aircraft is provided. The system includes a first display operable to display at least one of flight mission data or aircraft systems monitoring data, and a second display operable to control a plurality of display options of the first display. The first display and the second display are positioned outside an ejection envelope of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel of an aircraft, said system comprising:

a first display operable to display at least one of flight mission data or aircraft systems monitoring data; and

a second display operable to control a plurality of display options of said first display, wherein said first display and said second display are positioned outside an ejection envelope of the aircraft.

2. The aircraft instrumentation system of claim 1, wherein at least one said first display or said second display is a touch screen display.

3. The aircraft instrumentation system of claim 1, wherein said second display is positioned such that a pilot can maintain a view ahead of the aircraft while viewing said second display.

4. The aircraft instrumentation system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a head up display (HUD), said second display positioned below said HUD and above said first display.

5. The aircraft instrumentation system of claim 1, wherein said second display is within reach of a pilot of the aircraft locked in a torso harness and said first display is outside the reach of the pilot locked in the torso harness.

6. The aircraft instrumentation system of claim 1, wherein said ejection envelope is defined at least partially by a forward ejection clearance plane, said second display positioned forward of said forward ejection clearance plane.

7. The aircraft instrumentation system of claim 1, wherein said second display is smaller than said first display.

8. An aircraft comprising:

a cockpit including a cockpit instrument panel and an ejection seat including an ejection envelope; and

an aircraft instrumentation system coupled to said instrument panel, said aircraft instrumentation system comprising;

a first display operable to display at least one of flight mission data or aircraft systems monitoring data; and

a second display operable to control a plurality of display options of said first display, wherein said first display and said second display are positioned outside the ejection envelope.

9. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein at least one of said first display or said second display is a touch screen display.

10. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein said second display is positioned such that a pilot can maintain a view ahead of said aircraft while viewing said second display.

11. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein said aircraft instrumentation system further comprises a head up display (HUD), said second display positioned below said HUD and above said first display.

12. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein said second display is within a reach of a pilot of the aircraft locked in a torso harness and said second display is outside the reach of the pilot locked in the torso harness.

13. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein said ejection envelope is at least partially defined by a forward ejection clearance plane, said second display is positioned forward of said forward ejection clearance plane.

14. The aircraft of claim 8, wherein said second display is smaller than said first display.

15. A method of assembling an aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel of an aircraft, said method comprising:

providing a first display operable to display at least one of flight mission data or aircraft systems monitoring data;

providing a second display operable to control a plurality of display options of the first display; and

positioning the first display and the second display outside an ejection envelope of the aircraft.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning the second display such that a pilot can maintain a view ahead of the aircraft while viewing the second display.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a heads-up-display (HUD).

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning the second display below the HUD and above the first display.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning the second display forward of a forward ejection clearance plane of the ejection envelope.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein providing a second display comprises providing a second display smaller than the first display, the second display positioned further aft in the aircraft than the first display.