Method and device for revising the lateral flight plan of an aircraft

• US 5,340,061 A
• Filed: 05/26/1992
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Original Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Inventors: de Beco, Hugues, Vaquier, Mariannick
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLIS, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US07/888,069
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/444, 364/448, 364/449, 244/175, 73/178 R, 73/178 H, 340/990, 340/995, 340/971, 340/710
• US Class Current: 244/175
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan

Abstract

A method for revising the lateral flight plan of an aircraft uses a designator and validator device connected to the flight management system of the aircraft to obtain on the ND screen of this system, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan selected by the pilot, a touch-sensitive area associated with each point of the ND screen and dynamically assigned function areas for constructing menus. A cursor is moved on the ND screen by action of the pilot on the designator device. The cursor can be moved to a function area or a touch-sensitive area. activating the function represented by the function area or selecting the touch-sensitive area being achieved by action of the pilot on the validator device. The method simplifies the task of the pilot who has only one display screen to monitor.

Claims

1. Method for revising an initial flight plan of an aircraft provided with a flight management system coupled to a navigation display screen having a plurality of points, each associated with a corresponding sensitive area, said method using a designator and validator device connected to the flight management system so as to generate on said navigation display screen, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan which comprises a plurality of way points:

function areas used to construct menus, each function area having a variable function which varies from one menu to another and which is shown on the screen in corresponding relationship to that function area, and

a cursor moved on the navigation display screen by effecting a displacement of a finger on a sensitive surface of the designator and validator device so as to designate one of said function areas as well as one of said points,

the function represented by the function area which is designated by the cursor as well as the coordinates of the point which is designated by the cursor being validated by exerting a pressure on said surface by means of said finger,

which method comprises the following successive phases;

a first phase of selecting a particular revision mode from various revision modes offered by a main menu by moving said cursor to the corresponding function area and validating, this action clearing said main menu and replacing it with a secondary menu specific to the selected revision mode,

a second phase of selecting required way points on the navigation display screen to create a temporary revised flight plan, said second phase comprising, depending on the revision mode selected, at least a step of designating by means of the designation device a first way point of the flight plan from which the revision is to be made and a second way point of the flight plan at which the revision is to terminate, a step of validating the said first and second way points and a step of assigning to the chosen way points once validated a temporary identifying pattern, and

a third phase for confirming or cancelling the revision by moving said cursor onto a confirm function area or a cancel function area and then operating said validator device, the system then displaying the revised flight plan when the confirm function area is validated or the initial flight plan when the cancelled function is validated.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said designator and validator device comprises a touch-sensitive surface provided with validator means.

3. Method according to claim 1, comprising, during said phases, a display of messages on said navigation display screen indicating the revision mode selected and the action required of the operator.

4. Method according to claim 1 wherein the functions proposed by said main menu comprise the following revision modes:

"NEW WPT" to insert a new way point into the flight plan,

"DIR TO" to indicate a way point on the screen to which the aircraft must fly from its current position,

"CLEAR" to delete a way point,

"CLR DISC" to eliminate a discontinuity between two way points.

5. Device for revising an initial flight plan of an aircraft using a designator device provided with a validator unit and coupled to a flight management system of the aircraft so as to generate on a navigation display screen of the flight management system, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan comprising a plurality of way points:

a touch-sensitive area associated with each point on the navigation display screen,

function areas used to construct menus, each function area having a variable function which varies from one menu to another and which is shown on the screen in corresponding relationship to that function area, and

a cursor moved on the navigation display screen by effecting a displacement of a finger on a sensitive surface of the designator device so as to designate one of said function areas as well as one of said points, the function area being activated or a point of said touch-sensitive area being selected by action of the pilot on the validator unit,

the validator unit comprising means for validating the function represented by the function area which is designated by the cursor as well as the coordinates of the point which is designated by the cursor, which method comprises the following phases;

a first phase of selecting a particular revision mode from various revision modes offered by a main menu by moving said cursor to the corresponding function area and validating, this selection clearing said main menu and replacing it with a secondary menu specific to the selected revision mode,

a second phase of selecting a first way point from which the revision is to be made and the choice of a second way point at which the revision is to terminate, said choices being made by using said designator device to move said cursor to the sensitive areas associated with said first and second points and validating these points, whereupon the system assigns these way points identifying patterns, and

a third phase for confirming or cancelling the revision by moving said cursor onto a confirm function area which, once validated, causes the revised flight plan to be displayed or by moving said cursor onto a cancel function area which, once validated, causes the initial flight plan to be displayed.

6. Method for revising an initial flight plan of an aircraft provided with a flight management system coupled to a navigation display screen having a plurality of points, each associated with a corresponding sensitive area, said method using a designator and validator device connected to the flight management system so as to generate on said navigation display screen, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan which comprises a plurality of way points:

function areas used to construct menus, each function area having a variable function which varies from one menu to another and which is shown on the screen in corresponding relationship to that function area, and

a cursor moved on the navigation display screen by effecting a displacement of a finger on a sensitive surface of the designator and validator device so as to designate one of said function areas as well as one of said points,

the function represented by the function area which is designated by the cursor as well as the coordinates of the point which is designated by the cursor being validated by exerting a pressure on said surface by means of said finger,

which method comprises the following successive phases;

selecting from various revision modes offered by a main menu a revision mode "NEW WPT" to insert a new way point into the flight plan, a selection of this revision mode causing a clearance of said main menu, a redisplay of a second menu having a function "QUIT" whose activation causes a redisplay of the main menu and a display of a message indicating the current mode and inviting the operator to select a start way point representing the start of the revision,

selecting the start way point,

validating the selected start way point, this validation clearing the second menu and replacing it with a third menu for selecting a new way point to be added, said third menu comprising a function "CANCEL" whose activation causes canceling of the newly added way point and returning to the second menu and a function "QUIT" whose activation causes a return to the main menu, and a message inviting the operator to use the cursor to indicate a new way point,

validating the newly added way point, this validation replacing the second menu by a third menu and temporarily indicating a new path between the start way point and the new way point provided with a temporary identifying pattern, the third menu comprising a function area marked "QUIT" to return to the main menu, a function area marked "CONFIRM" to confirm the new flight plan so as to cause the system to adopt it, display it without any temporarily identifying pattern and return to the main menu, and a function marked "CANCEL" to eliminate the new way point and to return to the second menu.

7. Method for revising an initial flight plan of an aircraft provided with a flight management system coupled to a navigation display screen having a plurality of points, each associated with a corresponding sensitive area, said method using a designator and validator device connected to the flight management systems so as to generate on said navigation display screen, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan which comprises a plurality of way points:

function areas used to construct menus, each function area having a variable function which varies from one menu to another and which is shown on the screen in corresponding relationship to that function area, and

a cursor moved on the navigation display screen by effecting a displacement of a finger on a sensitive surface of the designator and validator device so as to designate one of said function areas as well as one of said points,

the function of the function area which is designated by the cursor as well as the coordinates of the point which is designated by the cursor being validated by exerting a pressure on said surface by means of said finger,

which method comprises the following successive phases;

selecting from various revision modes offered by a main menu a revision mode "CLR DISC" to eliminate a discontinuity between two way points, the selection of this revision mode clearing the main menu and replacing it with a second menu comprising a function area marked "QUIT" to return to the main menu and a message inviting the operator to use the cursor to indicate an end of the discontinuity way point, validating this way point, this validation changing the second menu by a third menu and temporarily indicating a path eliminating the discontinuity, the third menu comprising a function area marked "QUIT" to return to the main menu, a function area marked "CONFIRM" to confirm the new flight plan and a function area marked "CANCEL" to eliminate the previously indicated way point and return to the second menu, confirming the new flight plan by selecting the function area marked "CONFIRM", this confirmation causing the system to adopt it, display it and return to the main menu.

8. Method for revising an initial flight plan of an aircraft provided with a flight management system coupled to a navigation display screen having a plurality of points, each associated with a corresponding sensitive area, said method using a designator and validator device connected to the flight management system so as to generate on said navigation display screen, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan which comprises a plurality of way points:

function areas used to construct menus, each function area having a variable function which varies from one menu to another and which is shown on the screen in corresponding relationship to that function area, and

a cursor moved on the navigation display screen by effecting a displacement of a finger on a sensitive surface of the designator and validator device so as to designate one of said function areas as well as one of said points,

the function of the function area which is designated by the cursor as well as the coordinates of the point which is designated by the cursor being validated by exerting a pressure on said surface by means of said finger,

which method comprises the following successive phases;

selecting from various revision modes offered by a main menu a revision mode "DIRTO" to indicate a way point on the screen to which the aircraft must fly from its current position, the selection of this revision mode clearing the main menu and replacing it with a second menu comprising a function area marked "QUIT" to return to the main menu and a message inviting an operator to use the cursor to select a new way point to which the aircraft must fly, validating this new way point, this validation changing the second menu by a third menu and temporarily indicating the new path to this new way point, the third menu comprising a function area marked "QUIT" to return to the main menu, a function area marked "CONFIRM" to confirm a new flight plan including said new path and a function area marked "CANCEL" to eliminate the new way point and return to the second menu, and confirming the new flight plan, this confirmation causing the system to adopt it, display it and return to the main menu.

9. Method for revising an initial flight plan of an aircraft provided with a flight management system coupled to a navigation display screen having a plurality of points, each associated with a corresponding sensitive area, said method using a designator and validator device connected to the flight management system so as to generate on said navigation display screen, in addition to a geographical representation of the flight plan which comprises a plurality of way points:

function areas used to construct menus, each function area having a variable function which varies from one menu to another and which is shown on the screen in corresponding relationship to that function area, and

a cursor moved on the navigation display screen by effecting a displacement of a finger on a sensitive surface of the designator and validator device so as to designate one of said function areas as well as one of said points,

the function of the function area which is designated by the cursor as well as the coordinates of the point which is designated by the cursor being validated by exerting a pressure on said surface by means of said finger,

which method comprises the following successive phases;

selecting from various revision modes offered by a main menu a revision mode "CLEAR" to delete a way point, the selection of this revision mode clearing the main menu and replacing it with a second menu comprising a function area marked "QUIT" to return to the main menu and a message inviting an operator to move the cursor to select a wrong way point to be eliminated, validating this wrong way point, selecting the mode for confirming the new flight plan, this confirmation causing the system to adopt it, to display it and to return to the main menu.