Method and apparatus for an improved flight management system providing for synchronization of control display units in an alternate navigation mode

• US 5,916,297 A
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gunn, Peter D., Hayes, James D., Griffin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US08/638,913
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 701/14, 701/15, 701/16, 701/24, 701/23, 701/114, 701/120, 701/200, 701/201, 701/301, 371/68.1, 395/182.09, 364/551.01, 364/184, 364/130, 364/131, 364/132, 364/133, 364/134, 244/76 R, 244/182
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft

Abstract

An improvement to an aircraft flight management system automatically allows changes entered into one control display unit (CDU) to be transmitted to the remaining CDU'"'"'s upon failure of the onboard flight management computers. Each CDU includes memory allowing it to store the initial flight plan as being implemented by the flight management computer. Upon failure of all onboard flight management computers, detection of the failures by the CDU'"'"'s initiates an alternate navigation mode. In this mode, entries made by a flight crew in one CDU are automatically transmitted to the remaining CDU'"'"'s and, correspondingly, to the navigation displays, to thereby avoid redundant data entries in the remaining CDU'"'"'s of a new, modified flight plan. In addition, all navigation displays are automatically caused to display the new, desired flight plan.

Claims

1. In an aircraft flight management system including at least one flight management computer (FMC) and at least two control display units (CDU'"'"'s), wherein the flight crew enters an initial flight plan into said at least one FMC and said FMC operates through an autopilot system to produce navigation guidance signals to fly the aircraft along said flight plan, the improvement comprising:

CDU memory means for storing said initial flight plan in each CDU;

detection means for detecting failure of said at least one FMC and activating said at least two CDU'"'"'s to an alternate navigation mode; and

logic control means associated with said at least two CDU'"'"'s responsive to activation of said CDU'"'"'s to said alternate navigation mode to;

a) permit flight crew entry into any CDU of a modified flight plan,

b) permit flight crew execution of said modified flight plan;

c) respond to flight crew execution of said modified flight plan to;

i) change the current flight plan in each CDU to said modified flight plan, and

ii) operate through said autopilot system to produce navigation guidance signals to fly the aircraft along said modified flight plan.

2. The improvement of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of navigation displays, each navigation display being associated with one of said CDU'"'"'s, each navigation display producing for flight crew review, a graphic depiction of the flight plan entered in its associated CDU,

wherein said logic control means includes means responsive to said changing of the current flight plan in each CDU to said modified flight plan to correspondingly change said navigation displays to all display said modified flight plan.

4. The aircraft flight management system of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of navigation displays, each navigation display being associated with one of the said CDU'"'"'s, each navigation display producing for flight crew review a graphic depiction of the flight plan entered into its associated CDU; and

wherein said logic control means further includes means responsive to the changes of the current flight plan in each CDU to said modified flight plan to correspondingly change said navigation displays to all display said modified flight plan.

3. An aircraft flight management system including:

an autopilot flight director system for producing navigation control signals to fly the aircraft along a desired route;

at least one flight management computer (FMC) operating with said autopilot flight director system to produce said navigation control signals; and

at least two control display units (CDU'"'"'s) which permit flight crew entry of a desired flight path plan, and further include CDU memory permitting the CDU to store the current flight plan being executed by the said FMC, said each CDU further including detection means for detecting failure of said FMC and activating said CDU to an alternate navigation mode responsive thereto, each CDU including logic control means responsive to said CDU being activated to the alternate navigation mode for;

a) permitting the flight crew to enter into said CDU a modified flight plan,

b) permitting the flight crew to execute said modified flight plan,

c) responding to said flight crew execution of said modified flight plan to;

i) change the current flight plan in each CDU to said modified flight plan, and

ii) operate through said autopilot system to produce navigation guidance signals to fly said aircraft along said modified flight plan.

5. In an aircraft flight management system including at least one flight management computer (FMC) and at least two control display units (CDU'"'"'s), wherein the flight crew enters an initial flight plan into said at least one FMC and said FMC operates through an autopilot system to produce navigation guidance signals to fly the aircraft along said flight plan, an improved method for permitting synchronization of said CDU in the event of FMC failure comprising the steps of:

a) storing said initial flight plan in each CDU;

b) detecting the instance of a failure of said at least one FMC and, responsive thereto, activating said at least two CDU'"'"'s to an alternate navigation mode;

c) providing logic control means associated with said at least two CDU'"'"'s responsive to activation of said CDU'"'"'s to said alternate navigation mode to perform the steps of;

i) permitting the flight crew to enter into any CDU a modified flight plan,

ii) permitting the flight crew to execute said modified flight plan,

iii) responding to flight crew execution of said modified flight plan to perform the steps of;

1) changing the current flight plan in each CDU to said modified flight plan, and

2) operating through said autopilot system to produce navigation guidance signals to fly the aircraft along said modified flight plan.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of navigation displays, each navigation display being associated with one of said CDU'"'"'s, each navigation display producing for flight crew review a graphic depiction of the flight plan entered in its associated CDU; and

wherein said logic control means includes means for performing the further step of responding to the changing of the current flight plan in each CDU to said modified flight plan by changing said navigation displays such that all navigation displays display said modified flight plan.