FLIGHT DECK MULTIFUNCTION CONTROL DISPLAY UNIT

• US 20160034250A1
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McCullough, Sue, Pearson, Mark, Dairman, Charles, Toews, Phillip, Lai, Shane, Saptharishi, Hariharan, Mummadi, Venkat Ramana
• Granted Patent: US 9,665,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling a flight deck multifunction control display unit are disclosed. In various embodiments, the systems may comprise a flight management system or other MCDU driven devices, a command database that stores a plurality of voice commands and a plurality of multifunction control display unit commands. In various embodiments, each voice command is associated with one of the plurality of multifunction control display unit commands. The systems may further comprise a pilot voice interface configured to receive a voice command from a pilot and transmit the voice command to the multifunction control display unit. The multifunction control display unit can receive the voice command from the pilot voice interface and, in response, access the command database to identify a multifunction control display unit command in the command database that is associated with the voice command.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a multifunction control display unit (“

MCDU”

);

an MCDU driven avionics system in operable communication with the MCDU;

a command database, the command database in operable communication with the MCDU and storing a plurality of voice commands and a plurality of MCDU commands, each voice command associated with one of the plurality of MCDU commands; and

a pilot voice interface configured to receive a voice command from a pilot and transmit the voice command to the MCDU, the MCDU configured to;

receive the voice command transmitted by the pilot voice interface,

access the command database in response to identify an MCDU command in the command database that is associated with the voice command, and

transmit the MCDU command to the MCDU driven avionics system for execution thereby.

2. The system of claim 1, the MCDU comprising a voice recognition module, the voice recognition module comprising voice recognition software.

3. The system of claim 1, the MCDU comprising a processor and a tangible, non-transitory, processor-readable, memory, the memory storing voice recognition software, the processor executing the voice recognition software to convert the voice command into a text command.

4. The system of claim 3, the MCDU matching the text command to one of the plurality of MCDU commands.

5. The system of claim 1, the MCDU communicatively coupled to an existing data bus, the MCDU transmitting the MCDU command to the MCDU interface by way of the existing avionics data bus.

6. The system of claim 1, the MCDU communicatively coupled to a conversion device that converts the MCDU command from a universal serial bus (“

USB”

) standard to an avionics data bus standard.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the avionics data bus standard is an Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (“

ARINC”

) 429 standard.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice command bypasses selection of a plurality of manual MCDU commands.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the MCDU communicates with the conversion device at least one of:

via a wired connection or via a wireless connection.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the MCDU includes a gesture recognition device.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the conversion device replaces conventional MCDU hardware and fits within a conventional MCDU cabinet.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the MCDU is removable from a mounting system that is mechanically coupled to a conventional MCDU cabinet.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the MCDU comprises a tablet computing device.

14. A method comprising:

accessing, by a multifunction control display unit (“

MCDU”

) processor, a command database in response to receiving a voice command;

identifying, by the MCDU processor, a multifunction control display unit (“

MCDU”

) command in the command database, the MCDU command associated with the voice command; and

transmitting, by the MCDU processor, the MCDU command to MCDU driven avionics system that is communicatively coupled to the MCDU processor for execution thereby.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising executing, by the MCDU processor, voice recognition software to convert the voice command into a text command.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising matching, by the MCDU processor the text command to one of a plurality of MCDU commands.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, by the MCDU processor, the MCDU command to the MCDU driven avionics system by way of the existing avionics data bus.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising converting, by a conversion device coupled to the MCDU processor, the MCDU command from a universal serial bus (“

USB”

) standard to an avionics data bus standard.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the MCDU comprises a tablet computing device that includes a gesture recognition device.

20. A system comprising:

a touchscreen, voice responsive, multifunction control display unit (“

MCDU”

), the MCDU including a command database, the command database storing a plurality of MCDU commands; and

a pilot voice interface that receives a voice command from a pilot and transmits the voice command to the MCDU;

the MCDU;

converting the voice command to a text command,

accessing the command database in response to receiving the voice command,

identifying an MCDU command from the plurality of MCDU commands in the command database that matches the text command, and

transmitting the MCDU command to a conversion device that converts the MCDU command into data that is configured to be transmitted on an avionics data bus.