Status display system

• US 4,635,030 A
• Filed: 03/28/1985
• Issued: 01/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canadian Marconi Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Canadian Marconi Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rauch, Sol
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US06/716,972
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 F, 340/52 R, 340/521, 340/519, 340/517, 340/525, 340/726, 340/721, 340/945, 340/825.5, 340/973, 340/980, 340/520, 340/523, 364/424, 364/551
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a status display system for aircraft which system receives signals from sensors/transducers monitoring a plurality of parameters and subsystems of the aircraft. The system then displays text identifying faulty ones of the parameters or subsystems in a prioritized sequence. With the system of the invention, only a single indicator is needed to identify a plurality of faults as compared to available systems wherein each parameter and subsystem is monitored by a separate device including a separate display. Thus, the present invention is an improvement over the prior art in that: (1) it requires less cockpit space for displaying faults, and; it presents faults in order of priority so that the pilot does not have to make decisions about the most important fault to attend to when, as in the prior art systems, faced with a plurality of fault indications on a plurality of fault indicators.

Claims

1. A status display system for aircraft for receiving signals from sensors/transducers monitoring a plurality of parameters and subsystems of said aircraft and for providing a display to identify faulty ones of the parameters or subsystems in a prioritized sequence;

comprising;

a signal data converter (SDC) having input means for receiving said signals and output means; and

means for presenting indications of said faulty parameters and subsystems, said means for presenting having input means and output means;

said SDC output means being connected to said means for presenting input means;

said SDC comprising;

means for processing said signals to determine which parameters and subsystems are faulty and for determining the priority of faulty ones thereof; and

means for transmitting information to said means for presenting relating to said faulty parameters and subsystems and to the priorities thereof;

whereby, said means for presenting provides indications to identify the faulty parameters and subsystems in the prioritized sequence;

wherein said visual display means comprises at least upper and lower lines for presenting text; and

further including means for displaying the highest priority one of said faulty ones of said parameters on said upper line, and means for scrolling at least some of the remainder of said faulty ones of said parameters in order of priority on at least said lower line.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for processing comprises processing channel means including means for conditioning said signals and means for analyzing said signals.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said processing channel means comprises two parallel processing channels, each of said processing channels comprising said means for conditioning said signals and said means for analyzing said signals;

and

further including means for selecting one of said processing channels and for transmitting information to said CDU only from said selected one of said channels.

4. A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said signals are classified as warning signals or caution/advisory signals;

said warning signals being fed directly to said two parallel processing channels; and

means for receiving said caution or advisory signals and for directing said signals to one of said processing channels.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 and further including a warning means;

means for turning on said warning means on receipt of a warning signal.

6. A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said warning means comprises warning or caution lights.

7. A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said warning means comprises a master warning light.

8. A system as defined in claim 5 wherein said warning means comprises audio warning means.

9. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for presenting comprises a control display unit (CDU), said output means of said CDU comprising a display face.

10. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein said CDU comprises, on the display face thereof, visual display means;

and

said CDU driving said visual display means.

11. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for presenting comprises audio means.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 wherein said audio means comprises a voice synthesizer.

13. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of checklists are programmed into the system;

means for selecting one of said checklists; and

and

means for sequencing through each of the items in the selected checklist.

14. A system as defined in claim 1 and further including means for logging said faulty ones of said parameters and the times of occurrences thereof.

15. A system as defined in claim 14 and further including means for monitoring selected parameters in addition to said faulty ones of said parameters;

and

means for logging said selected parameters.

16. A system as defined in claim 1 and further including storage means for storing information relating to said faulty ones of said parameters;

and

means for recalling and displaying said information.

17. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for scrolling comprises means for manually scrolling said remainder of said faults on said lower line.

18. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for scrolling comprises means for automatically scrolling said remainder of said faults on said lower line.

19. A system as defined in claim 9 wherein said display face is night vision goggle compatible.