Cursor management on a multiple display electronic flight instrumentation system

• US 6,381,519 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Snyder, Mark I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US09/680,874
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/14, 701/211, 701/202, 701/206, 701/208, 345/331, 340/995, 340/971
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

An aircraft display and control system generally includes a processor, a cursor control and selection device, an aeronautical information database, a geographic database, and a plurality of display devices. Users, such as an aircraft pilot and copilot, can perform flight plan entry and modification by manipulating graphical information on the display devices using cursor control. In one embodiment, the present invention allows multiple members of an aircraft crew to share control of common flight information display areas, aids the crew'"'"'s situational awareness by providing software-implemented dynamic symbology and highlighting to indicate cursor location, current panel of entry, and current focus for keyboard and cursor events.

Claims

1. A system for interacting with an aircraft electronic information display, said system comprising:

a first cursor control device configured to accept first user input;

a second cursor control device configured to accept second user input;

a processor coupled to said first cursor control device and said second cursor control device, said processor configured to process said first user input and said second user input and to produce a display on a monitor viewable by a user, wherein said display includes;

a first cursor symbol responsive to said first user input;

a second cursor symbol responsive to said second user input; and

at least one data element associated with the aircraft;

said processor further configured to allow selection and editing of said at least one data element by said first user and said second user; and

a hot-frame, said first cursor symbol changing shape in response to said first cursor symbol entering said hot-frame.

2. A system for interacting with an aircraft electronic information display, said system comprising:

a first cursor control device configured to accept first user input;

a second cursor control device configured to accept second user input;

a processor coupled to said first cursor control device and said second cursor control device, said processor configured to process said first user input and said second user input and to produce a display on a monitor viewable by a user, wherein said display includes;

a first cursor symbol responsive to said first user input;

a second cursor symbol responsive to said second user input; and

at least one data element associated with the aircraft;

said processor further configured to allow selection and editing of said at least one data element by said first user and said second user; and

a hot-frame, said second cursor symbol changing shape in response to said second cursor symbol entering said hot-frame.

3. A system for interacting with an aircraft electronic information display, said system comprising:

a first cursor control device configured to accept first user input;

a second cursor control device configured to accept second user input;

a processor coupled to said first cursor control device and said second cursor control device, said processor configured to process said first user input and said second user input and to produce a display on a monitor viewable by a user, wherein said display includes;

a first cursor symbol responsive to said first user input;

a second cursor symbol responsive to said second user input; and

at least one data element associated with the aircraft;

said processor further configured to allow selection and editing of said at least one data element by said first user and said second user, said processor further configured to remove said first cursor symbol and said second cursor symbol from said display after a time period exceeding a threshold value during which said first cursor control device and said second cursor control device, respectively, have remained inactive.

4. An aircraft information display apparatus comprising:

a first cursor control device configured to accept first user input;

at least a second cursor control device configured to accept at least a second user input;

at least one processor coupled to said first cursor control device and each second cursor control device, each processor configured to process said first user input and each second user input and to produce a display on at least one monitor, each display including a first cursor symbol responsive to said first user input;

at least a second cursor symbol responsive to each second user input and at least one data element associated with the aircraft flight information;

the first user input and the second user input being configured to commonly share the display of each of said monitors; and

a hot-frame, said first cursor symbol changing shape in response to said first cursor symbol entering said hot-frame, said second cursor symbol changing shape in response to said second cursor symbol entering said hot-frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the processor being configured to access avionics data associated with the aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said processor being configured to access at least one data source.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, said first cursor control device including a touch-pad interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, said second cursor control device including a touch-pad interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, said display comprising at least one flat-panel color display device.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, said first cursor symbol having a shape different from said second cursor symbol.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising at least a second hot-frame, wherein said processor is further configured to inactivate one of said first cursor and said second cursor when both said first cursor and said second cursor concurrently occupy said second hot-frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, each cursor having a distinctive shape different from the shape of all other cursors.

13. An display apparatus for displaying aircraft data, the apparatus comprising:

a first cursor control device configured to accept first user input;

at least a second cursor control device configured to accept at least a second user input;

at least one processor coupled to said first cursor control device and each second cursor control device, each processor configured to process said first user input and each second user input and to produce a display on at least one monitor, each display including a first cursor symbol responsive to said first user input, each processor further configured to access avionics data associated with the aircraft and at least one data source,

at least a second cursor symbol responsive to each second user input and at least one data element associated with the aircraft flight information;

the first user input and the second user input being configured to commonly share the display of each of said monitors, each first cursor symbol being shaped different from each of said second cursor symbols; and

a hot-frame, said first cursor symbol changing shape in response to said first cursor symbol entering said hot-frame, said second cursor symbol changing shape in response to said second cursor symbol entering said hot-frame.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, said first cursor control device including a touch-pad interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, said second cursor control device including a touch-pad interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, said display comprising at least one flat-panel color display device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising at least a second hot-frame, wherein said processor is further configured to inactivate one of said first cursor and said second cursor when both said first cursor and said second cursor concurrently occupy said second hot-frame.