Flight management system providing for automatic control display unit backup utilizing structured data routing

• US 6,112,140 A
• Filed: 05/12/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gunn, Peter D., Hayes, James D., Herald, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M.
• Application Number:
  US08/854,645
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/4, 701/11, 701/14, 701/23, 701/24, 701/29, 701/31, 701/34, 244/75 R, 244/76 R, 244/194, 700/4, 709/238
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0077 using redundant signals or controls

Abstract

An improved aircraft flight management system includes a flight management computer (FMC), left and right control display units (CDU'"'"'s) and a backup CDU. A triple redundant digital databus links the FMC and three CDU'"'"'s. Upon detecting a failure in either the left or right CDU, the FMC utilizes reconfiguration rules stored in a look-up table to automatically cause the backup CDU to replace the failed CDU in operation, thereby relieving the flight crew of the burden of interfacing to the FMC through only one CDU. Upon detection of a failed databus, the system similarly utilizes structured data routing to reconfigure around the failed databuses. In addition, if any two CDU'"'"'s have failed in a three CDU system, automatic data rerouting is implemented to the non-failed CDU to insure FMC to CDU communication.

Claims

1. In an aircraft flight management system including at least one flight management computer (FMC), at least two control display units (CDU'"'"'s) and at least two databuses permitting interfaces to said CDU'"'"'s from said FMC, the improvement comprising:

logic control means associated with said at least one FMC for;

a) automatically detecting failure of one of said CDU'"'"'s or one of said databuses and responsive thereto,

b) utilizing structured data routing to predeterminedly reroute signals over a non-failed databus to connect a non-failed CDU to the FMC in a manner to minimize flight crew impact as a result of a failure, the rules for the structured data routing being set forth in a predetermined look-up table which includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s or databuses.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the aircraft flight management system includes a second FMC and said logic control means predetermined look-up table includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s, databuses or FMC'"'"'s.

3. An aircraft flight management system comprising:

at least one flight management computer (FMC);

left and right control display units (CDU'"'"'s) permitting interfaces to said at least one FMC from left and right pilot positions, respectively;

a third, backup CDU;

at least two databuses linking said FMC to said left, right and backup CDU'"'"'s; and

logic control means associated with said at least one FMC for;

a) automatically detecting failure of one of said left and right CDU'"'"'s or one of said databuses and, responsive thereto,

b) utilizing structured data routing to predeterminedly route appropriate signals over a non-failed databus means such that said third, backup CDU is fully functional in place of said failed left or right CDU in a manner to minimize flight crew impact as a result of a failure, the rules for the structured data routing being set forth in a predetermined look-up table which includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s or databuses.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the aircraft flight management system includes a second FMC and said logic control means predetermined look-up table includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s, databuses or FMC'"'"'s.

5. In an aircraft flight management system including at least one flight management computer (FMC), left and right control display units (CDU'"'"'s) permitting interfaces to said at least one FMC from left and right pilot positions over two or more databuses, an improved method for automatically rerouting signals between the FMC and a non-failed CDU over a non-failed databus, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing logic control means, associated with said at least one FMC, said logic control means performing the steps of;

i) automatically detecting failure of one of said left and right CDU'"'"'s or one of said databuses and, responsive thereto,

ii) automatically rerouting signals over a non-failed databus to a non-failed CDU to the FMC in a manner to minimize flight crew impact as a result of a failure, the rules for the structured data routing being set forth in a predetermined look-up table which includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s or databuses.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein the aircraft flight management system includes a second FMC and said logic control means predetermined look-up table includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s, databuses or FMC'"'"'s.

7. In an aircraft flight management system including at least one flight management computer (FMC), left and right control display units (CDU'"'"'s) permitting interfaces to said at least one FMC from left and right pilot positions over multiple, redundant databuses respectively, the improvement comprising:

a third backup CDU;

redundant databuses linking said FMC to said left, right and backup CDU'"'"'s; and

logic control means associated with said at least one FMC for;

a) automatically detecting failure of one of said left and right CDU'"'"'s or one of said databuses and responsive thereto,

b) utilizing structured data routing to route signals over a valid databus to cause said backup CDU to operate in place of said failed left or right CDU in a manner to minimize flight crew impact as a result of a failure, the rules for the structured data routing being set forth in a predetermined look-up table which includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s or databuses.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein the aircraft flight management system includes a second FMC and said logic control means predetermined look-up table includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s, databuses or FMC'"'"'s.

9. An aircraft flight management system comprising:

at least one flight management computer (FMC);

left and right control display units (CDU'"'"'s) permitting interfaces to said at least one FMC from left and right pilot positions, respectively;

a third, backup CDU;

multiple, redundant databuses linking said FMC to said left, right and backup CDU'"'"'s; and

logic control means associated with said at least one FMC for;

a) automatically detecting failure of one of said left and right CDU'"'"'s or one of said databuses and, responsive thereto,

b) utilizing structured data routing to route appropriate signals over a non-failed databus means such that said third, backup CDU is fully functional in place of said failed left or right CDU in a manner to minimize flight crew impact as a result of a failure, the rules for the structured data routing being set forth in a predetermined look-up table which includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s or databuses.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the aircraft flight management system includes a second FMC and said logic control means predetermined look-up table includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s, databuses or FMC'"'"'s.

11. In an aircraft flight management system including at least one flight management computer (FMC), left and right control display units (CDU'"'"'s) permitting interfaces over multiple, redundant databuses to said at least one FMC from left and right pilot positions, respectively, and a third, backup CDU, an improved method for permitting said backup CDU to automatically function in place of a failed left or right CDU or databus, the method comprising the steps of:

a) linking said FMC to said left, right and backup CDU'"'"'s via the multiple redundant databuses;

b) providing logic control means, associated with at least one FMC, said logic control means performing the steps of;

i) automatically detecting failure of one of said left and right CDU'"'"'s or one of said databuses and, responsive thereto,

ii) utilizing structured data routing to automatically route signals over a non-failed databus to said backup CDU such that said backup CDU is fully functional in place of said failed left or right CDU in a manner to minimize flight crew impact as a result of a failure, the rules for the structured data routing being set forth in a predetermined look-up table which includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s or databuses.

12. The improvement of claim 11 wherein the aircraft flight management system includes a second FMC and said logic control means predetermined look-up table includes a hierarchy of reconfiguration scenarios based on the possible failures of the CDU'"'"'s, databuses or FMC'"'"'s.