Device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft, in particular of a transport aircraft

• US 6,697,718 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Mailhou, Philippe, Le Draoullec, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US10/073,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20020120375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/29, 701/31, 701/35, 244/75.R, 244/194, 244/220, 340/945
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements

Abstract

A device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft includes a monitoring unit that monitors the systems and detects a failure of one of the systems. A display device, upon detection of a failure and throughout a corresponding failure-handling procedure, displays on a visual-display screen information identifying the failure-handling procedure, a list of the actions already performed relating to the procedure, and a list of the actions still having to be performed. An information device actuated by an operator informs the monitoring device that a particular action relating to the failure-handling procedure has been performed.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft, the monitoring device comprising:

a monitoring unit that monitors said systems and detects a failure of one of said systems; and

a display means, linked to said monitoring unit, for presenting, on a visual-display screen, information relating to the monitoring of said systems, and, upon detection of said failure, information relating to said failure, as well as a corresponding failure-handling procedure comprising a list of actions having to be carried out by an operator, wherein;

said display means, upon detection of said failure and throughout the corresponding failure-handling procedure, displays, on said visual-display screen;

information identifying said failure-handling procedure;

if appropriate, a list of the actions already carried out relating to said failure-handling procedure; and

if appropriate, a list of the actions still having to be carried out relating to said failure-handling procedure, highlighting a next action having to be carried out,

said monitoring device further includes an information means, for being actuated by said operator, for allowing the operator to inform said monitoring device, if appropriate, of the carrying-out of a particular action relating to said failure-handling procedure,

said display means present, on said visual-display screen, when the failure-handling procedure is terminated, a characteristic sign signaling the completion of this failure-handling procedure, and

said monitoring device further includes a deletion means, for being actuated by said operator, for allowing said operator to delete from said visual-display screen all information relating to said failure-handling procedure.

2. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means continuously present, on said visual-display screen the new limitations to be complied with by reason of a failure, as soon as these new limitations are known.

3. The monitoring device according to claim 1, which further includes a deletion means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to delete information presented on said visual-display screen, and wherein said display means highlight, on said visual-display screen, among the information which is presented there, the information which is capable of being deleted by said deletion means.

4. The monitoring device according to claim 1, which further includes an interrogation means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to request supplementary information relating to a failure, and wherein said display means present, on said visual-display screen, supplementary information relating to a failure, in response to an actuation of said interrogation means by said operator.

5. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means present, on said visual-display screen, for a failure-handling procedure, if appropriate, deferred actions corresponding to actions having to be carried out subsequently, and said monitoring device further including a validation means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to validate these deferred actions so as to carry them out upon said validation.

6. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a database comprising lists of operations to be verified and means making it possible to control said display means so that they present, on said visual-display screen, at least one of said lists of operations to be verified.

7. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 6, which further includes means for automatically correcting said lists of operations to be verified, upon a failure, so as to take into account effects generated by this failure on these lists of operations to be verified.

8. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a validation means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to validate information which he has supplied to said monitoring device.

9. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a recall means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter:

by a first actuation, to recall to the visual-display screen, if appropriate, the last procedure deleted; and

by a second actuation, to recall to the visual-display screen, if appropriate, all the procedures deleted since the start of the flight of the aircraft.

10. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, which further includes a recall means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to recall to the visual-display screen, if appropriate, all the deferred actions which have been deleted and which have not yet been carried out.

11. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display means, while a plurality of fault-handling procedures exist, display all said procedures on the visual-display screen in an order of priority, and said monitoring device further including a means for indicating, on said visual-display screen, the procedure to be dealt with in priority.

12. A device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft, said monitoring device including at least:

a monitoring unit for monitoring said systems and for detecting any failure of one of said systems; and

display means linked to said monitoring unit and for presenting, on at least one visual-display screen, information relating to the monitoring of said systems, and, upon detection of a failure of one of said systems, information relating to said failure, as well as at least one corresponding failure-handling procedure comprising at least a list of actions having to be carried out by at least one operator, wherein;

said display means, upon detection of a failure and at least throughout the corresponding failure-handling procedure, display, on said visual-display screen, at least;

information identifying said failure-handling procedure;

if appropriate, a list of the actions already carried out relating to said failure-handling procedure; and

if appropriate, a list of the actions still having to be carried out relating to said failure-handling procedure, highlighting the next action having to be carried out; and

wherein;

said monitoring device further includes an information means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter (i) to inform said monitoring device, if appropriate, of the carrying-out of at least one particular action relating to said failure-handling procedure and (ii) to inform said monitoring device of the occurrence of a failure, and an interrogation means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to ask said monitoring device to have the display means present, on said visual-display screen, the failure-handling procedure relating to said failure.

13. A device for monitoring a plurality of systems of an aircraft, the monitoring device comprising:

a monitoring unit that monitors said systems and detects a failure of one of said systems;

a display means, linked to said monitoring unit, for presenting, on a visual-display screen, information relating to the monitoring of said systems, and, upon detection of said failure, information relating to said failure, as well as a corresponding failure-handling procedure comprising a list of actions having to be carried out by an operator; and

a selection means, for being actuated by said operator, for allowing the operator, in a conditional failure-handling procedure comprising a plurality of conditions, to select one of said conditions, wherein;

said display means, upon detection of said failure and throughout the corresponding failure-handling procedure, displays, on said visual-display screen;

information identifying said failure-handling procedure;

if appropriate, a list of the actions already carried out relating to said failure-handling procedure; and

if appropriate, a list of the actions still having to be carried out relating to said failure-handling procedure, highlighting a next action having to be carried out,

said monitoring device further includes an information means, actuated by said operator, for allowing the operator to inform said monitoring device, if appropriate, of the carrying-out of a particular action relating to said failure-handling procedure, and

said display means present, on said visual-display screen, various possible conditions and highlight the actions having to be carried out for a particular condition, on said visual-display screen, after a selection of the particular condition by way of said selection means.

14. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 13, which further includes a cancellation means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter, if appropriate, to cancel the previous selection of a condition in a conditional failure-handling procedure.

15. The monitoring device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said display means continuously present, on said visual-display screen the new limitations to be complied with by reason of a failure, as soon as these new limitations are known.

16. The monitoring device according to claim 13, which further includes a deletion means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to delete information presented on said visual-display screen, and wherein said display means highlight, on said visual-display screen, among the information which is presented there, the information which is capable of being deleted by said deletion mans.

17. The monitoring device according to claim 13, which further includes an interrogation means for being actuated by said operator and allowing the latter to request supplementary information relating to a failure, and wherein said display means present, on said visual-display screen, supplementary information relating to a failure, in response to an actuation of said interrogation means by said operator.