METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DISPLAYING FLIGHT INFORMATION

• US 20160123763A1
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Wischmeyer, Carl Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,459,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Avionics systems, controllers, and methods are provided. An avionics system includes a display and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled with the display. The controller is configured to generate a flight clearance portion of the image including flight clearance information and to generate a flight progress portion of the image including flight progress information.

Claims

1. An avionics system, comprising:

a display; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the display to present an image, the controller configured to;

generate a flight clearance portion of the image including flight clearance information,

generate a flight progress portion of the image including flight progress information,

generate an adjustment input portion of the image, and

adjust the flight clearance portion in response to an input at the adjustment input portion of the image.

2. The avionics system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a waypoint column, a restriction column, a first portion of an airspeed column, a first portion of a vertical speed column, a first portion of an altitude column, a first portion of a heading column, or combinations thereof to generate the flight clearance portion of the image.

3. The avionics system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a hold command to achieve and maintain a constant airspeed in response to selection of a cell of the first portion of the airspeed column, to achieve and maintain a constant altitude in response to selection of a cell of the first portion of the altitude column, to achieve and maintain a constant vertical speed or a constant flight path angle in response to selection of a cell of the first portion of the vertical speed column, and to achieve and maintain a constant heading in response to selection of a cell of the first portion of the heading column.

4. The avionics system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a second portion of a heading column, an estimated time column, a fuel remaining column, or combinations thereof to generate the flight progress portion of the image.

6. The avionics system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a second portion of an airspeed column, a second portion of a vertical speed column, a second portion of an altitude column, a third portion of a heading column, or combinations thereof to generate the adjustment input portion of the image.

7. The avionics system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a vector command and to update the flight clearance portion of the image to reflect a vector in response to an input at the third portion of the heading column, the second portion of the airspeed column, or combinations thereof.

8. The avionics system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) row, a preselect row, or a combination thereof as the adjustment input portion of the image.

9. The avionics system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to generate received CPDLC data in the CPDLC row and to generate an accept CPDLC data button of the image, and wherein the controller is further configured to generate a vector command in response to actuation of the accept CPDLC data button.

10. The avionics system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to deny input of a vertical rate command, a flight path command, or a combination thereof in response to determining that no target altitude is set.

11. The avionics system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a warning that communicates to a pilot that airspeed is unprotected in response to the aircraft being in a mode where airspeed is not controlled.

5. (canceled)

12. A controller for an avionics system, the controller comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit operatively coupled with the processor, the memory unit having instructions, the memory unit and the processor cooperating to cause the controller to;

generate a flight clearance portion of an image including flight clearance information, wherein the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to cause the controller to generate a waypoint column, a restriction column, a first portion of an airspeed column, a first portion of a vertical speed column, a first portion of an altitude column, and a first portion of a heading column to generate the flight clearance portion of the image;

generate a flight progress portion of the image including flight progress information, and

generate a signal that causes a display to present the image.

14. The controller of claim 12, wherein the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to generate a hold command to achieve and maintain a constant airspeed in response to input into a cell of the first portion of the airspeed column, to achieve and maintain a constant altitude in response to input into a cell of the first portion of the altitude column, and to achieve and maintain a constant heading in response to input into a cell of the first portion of the heading column.

15. The controller of claim 12, wherein the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to generate a second portion of a heading column, an estimated time column, a fuel remaining column, or combinations thereof to generate the flight progress portion of the image.

16. The controller of claim 12, wherein the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to generate an adjustment input portion of the image and to adjust the flight clearance portion in response to an input at the adjustment input portion of the image.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to generate a second portion of an airspeed column, a second portion of a vertical speed column, a second portion of an altitude column, a third portion of a heading column, or combinations thereof to generate the adjustment input portion of the image.

18. The controller of claim 17, wherein the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to generate a vector command and to update the flight clearance portion of the image to reflect a vector in response to an input at the third portion of the heading column, the second portion of the airspeed column, or combinations thereof.

19. The controller of claim 16, the memory unit and the processor further cooperate to generate a controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) row, a preselect row, or a combination thereof as the adjustment input portion of the image.

13. (canceled)

20. A method of presenting flight information in a single image, the method comprising:

generating, with a processor, a flight clearance portion of the image including flight clearance information;

generating, with the processor, a flight progress portion of the image including flight progress information;

generating, with the processor, an adjustment input portion of the image;

presenting the image on a display;

receiving an input at the adjustment input portion; and

adjusting the flight clearance portion in response to the input.