Integrated time/limit exceedance cue system
First Claim
1. An integrated time/limit exceedance cue system for alerting a pilot that a specific aircraft subsystem has exceeded an established operating range and is operating in a time critical exceedance condition defined by a predetermined time limit, comprising:
- sensor subsystem means for monitoring operation of aircraft subsystems and providing parameter signals representing operating conditions of the aircraft subsystems;
processing means for comparing said parameter signals against stored threshold values defining limits for established operating ranges of the aircraft subsystems and for generating an activation signal indicative of exceedance of the established operating range by the specific aircraft subsystem and operation thereof in the time critical exceedance condition; and
graphics generating/processing means operative in response to said activation signal for generating a visual cue, said visual cue being a symbolic image defined by an outline having a predetermined length and wherein said outline defines a void region, said symbolic image alerting the pilot that the specific aircraft subsystem has exceeded the established operating image and is operating in the time critical exceedance condition;
said graphics generating/processing means being further operative for continually modifying said visual cue by filling in said void region thereof in proportion to said predetermined length of said outline and elapsed time of operation of the specific aircraft subsystem in the time critical exceedance condition with respect to the predetermined time limit thereof to provide the pilot with a time varying visual cue wherein said filled-in void region of said outline is a relative visual indication of the elapsed time of operation of the specific aircraft subsystem within the time critical exceedance condition in relative proportion to the predetermined time limit; and
whereinsaid void region which is unfilled provides a relative visual indication to the pilot of time remaining in the predetermined time limit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated time/limit exceedance cue system including a plurality of dedicated subsystem sensors, a processing unit, and a graphics generating/processing unit that is operative to generate an event dependent, time varying visual cue indicative of the exceedance of an established normal operating limit of a specific aircraft subsystem and operation thereof in a time critical exceedance condition. The time varying visual cue provides a relative indication of the elapsed time of operation of the specific subsystem in the time critical exceedance condition. The time varying visual cue is a symbolic image in the form of an outline, having a predetermined length, that defines a void region. The void region is proportionately opaqued or "filled in" in correspondence with the elapsed time of operation of the specific subsystem in the time critical exceedance condition. The outline of the visual cue may be shaped and/or have a spatial orientation that is cognitively connected to the particular subsystem and/or to a symbolic image or display representing the specific generated status data provided by the dedicated subsystem sensors for monitoring the operation of the particular subsystem. The cue system may provide a corrective action cue in conjunction with the time varying visual cue that provides information as to the appropriate recovery procedure to restore the particular subsystem to operation within its established normal operating range.
20 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An integrated time/limit exceedance cue system for alerting a pilot that a specific aircraft subsystem has exceeded an established operating range and is operating in a time critical exceedance condition defined by a predetermined time limit, comprising:
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sensor subsystem means for monitoring operation of aircraft subsystems and providing parameter signals representing operating conditions of the aircraft subsystems; processing means for comparing said parameter signals against stored threshold values defining limits for established operating ranges of the aircraft subsystems and for generating an activation signal indicative of exceedance of the established operating range by the specific aircraft subsystem and operation thereof in the time critical exceedance condition; and graphics generating/processing means operative in response to said activation signal for generating a visual cue, said visual cue being a symbolic image defined by an outline having a predetermined length and wherein said outline defines a void region, said symbolic image alerting the pilot that the specific aircraft subsystem has exceeded the established operating image and is operating in the time critical exceedance condition; said graphics generating/processing means being further operative for continually modifying said visual cue by filling in said void region thereof in proportion to said predetermined length of said outline and elapsed time of operation of the specific aircraft subsystem in the time critical exceedance condition with respect to the predetermined time limit thereof to provide the pilot with a time varying visual cue wherein said filled-in void region of said outline is a relative visual indication of the elapsed time of operation of the specific aircraft subsystem within the time critical exceedance condition in relative proportion to the predetermined time limit; and
whereinsaid void region which is unfilled provides a relative visual indication to the pilot of time remaining in the predetermined time limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification