Aircraft flat panel display system

• US 6,791,476 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innovative Solutions and Support Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innovative Solutions and Support Incorporated
• Inventors: Hedrick, Geoffrey S. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/713,133
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 340/971, 340/963, 340/945, 345/116, 345/136, 701/3, 701/9, 701/14, 714/38, 714/41, 717/127, 717/128, 717/130
• US Class Current: 340/971
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures

Abstract

A flat panel display system for an aircraft display includes a graphics rendering computer for rendering of anti-aliased graphical imaging data derived from aircraft sensors for full-field imaging on a cockpit display screen. A comparator processor independently generates, from the same sensor data, a selected subset or “points of light” of the display screen image and compares the points of light data to the data generated by the rendering computer for the same display screen pixel locations. The minimized processing requirements and simplified design of the comparator processor enable ready FAA certification of the comparator processor, whereas the extreme complexity and processing operations required of the rendering computer make FAA certification thereof unusually time consuming and expensive. The comparator processor checks a meaningful subset of the imaging data generated by the rendering computer for each display refresh scan and thereby obviates the need for the otherwise-required level of rendering computer certification that is impractical or unavailable. The rendering computer may be implemented by commercial single-board personal computer hardware with a replaceable graphics processor to enable ease of use of improved components.

Claims

1. A method for imaging, on an aircraft instrumentation display system bit-mapped display formed of a multiplicity of individually-addressable pixels at locations through the display and actuatable to create images on the display, aircraft flight information based on data that is input to the display system for presentation on the display, comprising the steps of:

generating, by a rendering computer operable for graphically rendering the aircraft flight information on the display for use by flight crew of the aircraft in operating the aircraft and for receiving the input data, from the received input data anti-aliased graphical imaging data for selectively actuating the multiplicity of display pixels with the generated anti-aliased graphical imaging data to create on the bit-mapped display the graphically-depicted flight information comprising a dynamically-changeable graphically-depicted flight parameter, the flight parameter being graphically depicted by rendering computer generated imaging data visibly imaged at a predetermined location on the display by selective actuation of a subject plurality of the pixels of said multiplicity of display pixels to visually form the graphical flight parameter depiction at the display location;

generating, by a comparator processor operable for receiving the input data, from the received input data comparison imaging data for comparison by the comparator processor with selected parts of the rendering computer generated imaging data for the flight parameter to thereby validate the imaging data that is generated by the rendering computer for graphically rendering the flight information on the display, said comparison imaging data corresponding to the rendering computer generated imaging data which is for use in actuating only a predetermined subset of said subject plurality of the pixels of said multiplicity of display pixels for visibly imaging the flight parameter at the predetermined location, so that the comparison imaging data comprises imaging data for actuating only said predetermined subset of the said subject plurality of pixels; and

comparing, by the comparator processor, said comparison imaging data to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for actuating the predetermined subset of said subject plurality of pixels for the flight parameter to thereby evaluate the graphically rendered aircraft flight information generated by the rendering computer for presentation on the display by checking, from among all of the imaging data generated by the rendering computer, only a predetermined portion of the rendering computer generated imaging data comprising a meaningful plurality of individual data values of the rendering computer generated imaging data for actuating the predetermined subset of said subject plurality of pixels.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving and buffering, by an input/output processor, the input data; and

transferring the buffered input data to the rendering computer and to the comparator processor.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said transferring step comprises transferring the buffered input data to the rendering computer and to the comparator processor along a bus connecting the input/output processor, the rendering computer and the comparator processor.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the comparison imaging data comprises not-anti-aliased imaging data, and wherein said comparing step comprises comparing the not-anti-aliased comparison imaging data to the corresponding rendering computer generated anti-aliased imaging data in a manner so as to enable, by said comparison, validation of the imaging data generated by the rendering computer.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits, and wherein said comparing step further comprises comparing a predetermined number of the plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits, and wherein said comparing step further comprises comparing a predetermined number of the most-significant bits of said plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the color information is presented as a data byte comprising 8 data bits, and wherein said predetermined number comprises two.

8. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits for each of red, green and blue colors, and wherein said comparing step further comprises comparing, for each of the colors red, green and blue, a predetermined number of the most-significant bits of said plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rendering computer comprises a commercial, general purpose, motherboard-based personal computer having a microprocessor, data storage and a graphics processor, and wherein the comparator processor comprises a custom-designed apparatus having a microprocessor, data storage and a comparator and is specially designed and configured for said generating of the comparison imaging data and for said comparing of the comparison imaging data to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving from the rendering computer, in a buffer of the comparator processor, the rendering computer generated imaging data, and wherein said comparing step comprises comparing the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from the buffer.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising the step of storing, in a FIFO stack of the comparator processor, the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor, and wherein said comparing step further comprises serially providing the stored comparison imaging data from the FIFO stack for comparison of the serially-provided comparison imaging data with the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from the buffer.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein said comparing step further comprises comparing an address of a display pixel to be actuated by the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data in the buffer to a display address of comparison imaging data stored in the FIFO stack, and comparing the comparison imaging data stored in the FIFO stack to the rendering computer generated imaging data in the buffer in response to a successful comparison of the display pixel address and the display address.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits, and wherein said step of comparing the comparison imaging data stored in the FIFO stack to the rendering computer generated imaging data in the buffer in response to a successful comparison of the display pixel address and the display address comprises comparing a predetermined number of the plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

14. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting the rendering computer generated imaging data from the buffer to the display, for graphically rendering the aircraft flight information on the display for use by the flight crew of the aircraft, after said step of comparing the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from the buffer.

15. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting the rendering computer generated imaging data from the buffer to the display, for graphically rendering the flight parameter on the display for use by the flight crew of the aircraft, after said step of comparing the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer for said flight parameter.

16. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flight parameter is represented on the display by a graphically-presented elongated pointer that rotates about a point defined at one end of the pointer, and wherein the comparison imaging data for said one flight parameter comprises the predetermined subset of pixels for imaging discrete locations along the length of the graphically-presented pointer.

17. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flight parameter is represented on the display by a graphically-presented alphanumeric character, and wherein the comparison imaging data for said flight parameter comprises the predetermined subset of pixels for imaging discrete locations on the graphically-presented alphanumeric character.

18. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of generating an error indication in response to a predeterminately unsuccessful comparison of the comparison imaging data and the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data to thereby inform the flight crew of a validation failure of the rendering computer generated imaging data.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein said step of generating an error indication comprises graphically presenting on the display a visual error indication.

20. An aircraft instrumentation display system for imaging, on a bit-mapped display formed of a multiplicity of individually-addressable pixels at locations throughout the display and actuatable to create images on the display, aircraft flight information based on data that is input to the display system, comprising:

a rendering computer operable for graphically rendering the aircraft flight information on the display for use by flight crew of the aircraft in operating the aircraft and for receiving the input data and generating from the received input data anti-aliased graphical imaging data for selectively actuating the multiplicity of display pixels with the generated anti-aliased graphical imaging data to create on the bit-mapped display the graphically-depicted flight information comprising a dynamically-changeable graphically-depicted flight parameter, said flight parameter being graphically depicted by rendering computer generated imaging data visibly imaged at a predetermined location on the display by selective actuation of a subject plurality of the pixels of said multiplicity of display pixels to visually form the graphical flight parameter depiction at the display location; and

a comparator processor for receiving the input data and generating from the received input data comparison imaging data for comparison by said comparator processor with selected parts of the rendering computer generated imaging data for the flight parameter to thereby validate the imaging data that is generated by the rendering computer for graphically rendering the flight information on the display, said comparison imaging data corresponding to the rendering computer generated imaging data which is for use in actuating only a predetermined subset of said subject plurality of the pixels of said multiplicity of display pixels for visibly imaging the flight parameter at the predetermined location, so that the comparison imaging data comprises imaging data for actuating only said predetermined subset of the said subject plurality of pixels, and said comparator processor being further operable for comparing said comparison imaging data to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for actuating the predetermined subset of said subject plurality of pixels for the flight parameter to thereby evaluate the graphically rendered aircraft flight information generated by the rendering computer for presentation on the display by checking, from among all of the imaging data generated by the rendering computer, only a predetermined portion of the rendering computer generated imaging data comprising a meaningful plurality of individual data values of the rendering computer generated imaging data for actuating the predetermined subset of said subject plurality of pixels.

21. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, further comprising an input/output processor for receiving and buffering the input data for transfer of the buffered sensor data to the rendering computer and to the comparator processor.

22. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 21, further comprising a data transfer bus connecting the rendering computer, the comparator processor and the input/output processor.

23. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor is not anti-aliased, and wherein the comparator processor comprises means for comparing the not-anti-aliased comparison imaging data to the corresponding rendering computer generated anti-aliased imaging data in a manner so as to enable, by said comparison, validation of the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

24. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 23, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits, and wherein said comparing means comprises a comparator for comparing a predetermined number of the plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

25. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 23, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits, and wherein said comparing means comprises a comparator for comparing a predetermined number of the most-significant bits of said plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

26. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 25, wherein the color information is presented as a data byte comprising 8 data bits, and wherein said predetermined number comprises two.

27. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 23, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits for each of red, green and blue colors, and wherein said comparing means comprises a comparator for comparing, for each of the colors red, green and blue, a predetermined number of the most-significant bits of said plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

28. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said rendering computer comprises a commercial, general purpose, motherboard-based personal computer having a microprocessor, data storage and a graphics processor, and wherein said comparator processor comprises a custom-designed apparatus having a microprocessor, data storage and a comparator and is specially designed and configured for generating the comparison imaging data and for comparing the comparison imaging data to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data.

29. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said comparator processor comprises a buffer for receiving from the rendering computer the rendering computer generated imaging data, and a comparator array for comparing the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer.

30. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 29, wherein said comparator processor further comprises a FIFO stack for receiving and storing the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor and for serially providing the stored comparison imaging data from the FIFO stack to said comparator array for comparison of the serially provided comparison imaging data with the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer.

31. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 30, wherein said comparator array comprises a first comparator for comparing an address of a display pixel to be actuated by the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data in said buffer to a display address of comparison imaging data stored in said FIFO stack, and a second comparator for comparing the comparison imaging data stored in said FIFO stack to the rendering computer generated imaging data in said buffer when said first comparator identifies a successful comparison of said display pixel address and said display address.

32. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 31, wherein each of said rendering computer generated imaging data and said comparison imaging data comprises color information presented as a plurality of data bits, and wherein said second comparator compares a predetermined number of the plural data bits of said comparison imaging data and of said corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data for validating the imaging data generated by said rendering computer.

33. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 29, wherein said comparator processor further comprises a video transmitter for transmitting the rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer to the display, for graphically rendering the aircraft flight information on the display for use by the flight crew of the aircraft, after said comparing by the comparator array of the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer.

34. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 29, wherein said comparator processor further comprises a video transmitter for transmitting the rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer to the display, for graphically rendering the plural flight parameters on the display for use by the flight crew of the aircraft, after said comparing by the comparator array of the comparison imaging data generated by the comparator processor to the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data from said buffer for all of said plural flight parameters.

35. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said flight parameter is represented on the display by a graphically-presented elongated pointer that rotates about a point defined at one end of the pointer, and wherein the comparison imaging data for said flight parameter comprises the predetermined subset of pixels for imaging discrete locations along the length of the graphically-presented pointer.

36. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said flight parameter is represented on the display by a graphically-presented alphanumeric character, and wherein the comparison imaging data for said flight parameter comprises the predetermined subset of pixels for imaging discrete locations on the graphically-presented alphanumeric character.

37. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said comparator processor further comprises means for generating an error indication to inform the flight crew of a predeterminately unsuccessful comparison by the comparator processor of the comparison imaging data and the corresponding rendering computer generated imaging data.

38. An aircraft instrumentation display system in accordance with claim 37, wherein said error indication is graphically presented on the display so as to be readily visible to the flight crew.