Cockpit instrument panel systems and methods with variable perspective flight display

• US 6,867,711 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Langner, Dale R., Straub, Philip I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHMOOD, JENNIFER
• Application Number:
  US10/086,573
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 340/979, 340/973, 340/971, 434/35, 434/38
• US Class Current: 340/979
• 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: G01D 2207/10 Displays which are primarily used in aircraft or display aircraft-specific information

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for integrated control, access, and customizable presentation of navigation related, flight information data on a multifunction display (MFD) within a cockpit. The MFD includes a bezel having controls located thereon which are adapted for controlling display formats, communication devices, navigational devices, and equipment sensors. A display is located adjacent to the bezel. The display is adapted to include at least one display region having navigation related data. At least one of the controls is operable to variably select a display format for the at least one display region.

Claims

1. A multifunction display (MFD), comprising:

a bezel having controls located thereon which are adapted for controlling display formats, communication devices, navigational devices, and equipment sensors;

a display adjacent to the bezel, wherein the display is adapted to include at least one display region having navigation related data, and wherein at least one of the controls is operable to variably select a display format for the at least one display region; and

wherein the at least one display region can interchangeably display a dynamic motion for a set of aircraft wingtip markers relative to a geographic horizon line while the horizon line is maintained in a fixed position and on the same display, interchangeably display a dynamic motion of the horizon line and other geographical features while the set of aircraft wingtip markers is maintained in a fixed parallel orientation with a top of the bezel.

2. The MFD of claim 1, wherein the display further includes a first and a second display region adapted to provide navigation related data in different display formats.

3. The MFD of claim 2, wherein the first display region includes a primary display region and the second display region includes an inset overlaid on the primary display region.

4. The MFD of claim 1, wherein the display format includes a display format selected from the group consisting of a perspective view, a top down view, and a birds-eye view.

5. The MFD of claim 1, wherein the at least one display region includes navigation related data in a cockpit perspective view, wherein the data include an aircraft nose marker, a set of aircraft wingtip markers, a horizon line, and a number of geographic features.

6. A cockpit instrument system, comprising:

a first cockpit instrument panel, including a first display enclosed within a first bezel, wherein the first bezel includes controls located thereon which are adapted for controlling display formats, communication devices, navigational devices, and equipment sensors, and wherein the first display is adapted to include a number of display regions having navigation related data, wherein at least one of the controls is operable to variably select a display format for the number of display regions, wherein a geographical data presentation fills the entire first display, and wherein at least one display region can interchangeably display a dynamic motion for a set of aircraft wingtip markers relative to a geographic horizon line while the horizon line is maintained in a fixed position and on the same display, interchangeably display a dynamic motion of the horizon line and other geographical features while the set of aircraft wingtip markers is maintained in a fixed parallel orientation with a top of the bezel; and

a second cockpit instrument panel located adjacent to the first cockpit instrument panel, the second cockpit instrument panel including a second display enclosed within a second bezel, wherein the second bezel includes controls located thereon which are adapted for controlling display formats, communication devices, navigational devices, and equipment sensors, and wherein the second display is adapted to include a number of display regions having navigation related data, and wherein at least one of the controls is operable to variably select a display format for the number of display regions.

7. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein first display includes a primary display region, and wherein data in the primary display region includes an aircraft nose marker, a set of aircraft wingtip markers, and a horizon line along with the geographical data presentation.

8. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein the second display includes a number of display regions to provide navigation related data in different display formats.

9. The cockpit instrument system of claim 8, wherein the different display formats include display formats selected from the group consisting of a perspective view, a top down view, an instrument view, and a birds-eye view.

10. The cockpit instrument system of claim 8, wherein the number of display regions include a primary display region and a number of secondary display regions, the number of secondary display regions including a number of inset displays overlaid on the primary display region.

11. The cockpit instrument system of claim 10, wherein the controls on second bezel are adapted to switch a display format provided on the primary display region to a display format provided on any one of the number of inset displays, and wherein the controls are adapted to switch a display format provided on any of the number of inset displays to a display format provided on the primary display region.

12. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein at least one display format for the number of display regions in the first and the second display includes a three dimensional (3-D) display format.

13. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein at least one display format for the number of display regions in the first and the second displays includes a dynamic image associated with at least one of a weather condition, a terrain condition, and a traffic condition.

14. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein the first cockpit instrument panel is a primary flight display (PFD) and the second cockpit instrument panel is a navigation display (NAV display).

15. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein the first cockpit instrument panel and the second instrument panel are positioned side by side, and wherein the system further includes an audio instrument panel located between the first cockpit instrument panel and the second instrument panel.

16. The cockpit instrument system of claim 6, wherein the first bezel and the second bezel further include at least one of transponder controls, GPS controls, autopilot controls, and messaging controls affixed thereon.

17. A cockpit instrument system, comprising:

a primary flight display (PFD) adapted to simultaneously provide a number of navigation related views in a set of variable display formats, wherein a geographical data presentation fills the entire primary flight display as a background view, and wherein at least one display region can interchangeably display a dynamic motion for a set of aircraft wingtip markers relative to a geographic horizon line while the horizon line is maintained in a fixed position and on the same display, interchangeably display a dynamic motion of the horizon line and other geographical features while the set of aircraft wingtip markers is maintained in a fixed parallel orientation with a top of the bezel;

a secondary flight display (MFD) adapted to simultaneously provide a number of navigation related views in a set of variable display formats, wherein the PFD and the MFD are adjacent to one another; and

wherein the number of navigation related views in both the PFD and the MFD are dynamically interchangeable.

18. The cockpit instrument system of claim 17, wherein the set of variable display formats for both the PFD and the MFD include variable display formats selected from the group consisting of a perspective view, a top down view, an instrument view, and a birds-eye view.

19. The cockpit instrument system of claim 17, wherein the set of variable display formats for both the PFD and the MFD include at least one dynamic image associated with at least one of a weather condition, a terrain condition, and a traffic condition.

20. The cockpit instrument system of claim 17, wherein the set of variable display formats for both the PFD and the MFD are dependent upon an aircraft type.

21. The cockpit instrument system of claim 17, wherein the PFD and the MFD are positioned side by side having an audio instrument panel located therebetween, and wherein the number of navigation related views in both the PFD and the MFD are dynamically interchangeable upon the activation of a button located on the audio instrument panel.

22. The cockpit instrument system of claim 17, wherein both the PFD and the MFD are adapted to display the number of navigation related views in the set of variable display formats, as previously displayed on either the PFD or MFD, on a remaining one of the PFD and the MFD in the event of a failure of a display screen on either the PFD or MFD.

23. A method for providing navigation related, flight information data in a cockpit, comprising:

dynamically providing a number of display regions to present navigation related data on a multifunction display (MFD), including interchangeably displaying a dynamic motion for a set of aircraft wingtip markers relative to a geographic horizon line while the horizon line is maintained in a fixed position and on the same display, interchangeably displaying a dynamic motion of the horizon line and other geographical features while the set of aircraft wingtip markers is maintained in a fixed parallel orientation with a top of the bezel; and

individually controlling a display format for each of the number of display regions using a number of input controls proximately located to the MFD.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein dynamically providing a number of display regions to present navigation related data on an MFD includes providing a first display region which includes a primary display region having a geographical data presentation filling the entire first, display region and a heading indicator directly thereon, and providing a second display region which includes a number of insets overlaid on the primary display region.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein dynamically providing a number of display regions to present navigation related data on an MFD includes providing at least one display region having navigation related data in a cockpit perspective view, and wherein the at least one display region includes an aircraft nose marker, a set of aircraft wingtip markers, and a horizon line along with the geographical data presentation.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein individually controlling a display format for each of the number of display regions using a number of input controls proximately located to the MFD includes dynamically providing a number of different display formats in each of the number of display regions.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein dynamically providing a number of different display formats in each of the number of display regions includes dynamically providing a number of different displays selected from the group consisting of a perspective view, a top down view, an instrument view, and a birds-eye view.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the method further includes dynamically swapping a display format provided in one of the number of display regions with a display format provided in another one of the number of display regions.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein dynamically providing a number of display regions to present navigation related data on an MFD includes providing at least one display region having a dynamic image associated with at least one of a weather condition, a terrain condition, and a traffic condition.

30. A cockpit instrument system, comprising:

a primary flight display (PFD) adapted to simultaneously provide a number of navigation related views in a set of variable display formats, wherein a geographical data presentation fills the entire primary flight display as a background view, and wherein a full horizontal situation indicator (HSI) is directly overlaid on the geographical data presentation;

a secondary flight display (MFD) adapted to simultaneously provide a number of navigation related views in a set of variable display formats, wherein the PFD and the MFD are adjacent to one another;

wherein the number of navigation related views in both the PFD and the MFD are dynamically interchangeable, and;

wherein the PFD and the MFD are positioned side by side having an audio instrument panel located therebetween, and wherein the number of navigation related views in both the PFD and the MFD are dynamically interchangeable upon the activation of a button located on the audio instrument panel.

31. The cockpit instrument system of claim 30, wherein the set of variable display formats for both the PFD and the MFD include variable display formats selected from the group consisting of a perspective view, a top down view, an instrument view, and a birds-eye view.

32. The cockpit instrument system of claim 30, wherein the set of variable display formats for both the PFD and the MFD include at least one dynamic image associated with at least one of a weather condition, a terrain condition, and a traffic condition.

33. The cockpit instrument system of claim 30, wherein the set of variable display formats for both the PFD and the MFD are dependent upon an aircraft type.

34. The cockpit instrument system of claim 30, wherein both the PFD and the MFD are adapted to display the number of navigation related views in the set of variable display formats, as previously displayed on either the PFD or MFD, on a remaining one of the PFD and the MFD in the event of a failure of a display screen on either the PFD or MFD.