Aircraft dialog device for dialog with system of aircraft

• US 7,123,999 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Roux, Nicolas, Lafon, Jean-Francois, Luneau, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/715,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/14, 701/36, 701/200, 345/856, 345/858, 345/157, 345/173, 345/156, 345/859, 340/974, 340/975, 340/995.27
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A dialog method for dialog between an operator of an aircraft and at least one system of the aircraft. The method includes the steps of displaying on a display at least one window including a plurality of responsive objects respectively associated with one of multiple functions of the at least one system of the aircraft, moving a cursor in a continuous manner on the display so as to designate a responsive object, and moving the cursor in a discrete manner on the display, responsive object by responsive object, so as to designate a responsive object.

Claims

1. A dialog method for dialog between an operator of an aircraft and at least one system of the aircraft, comprising the steps of:

displaying on a display a plurality of windows, each including at least one responsive object respectively associated with one of multiple functions of the at least one system of the aircraft, each window including one default field on which a cursor arrives after moving from one window to another window;

moving the cursor in a continuous manner on the display so as to designate a responsive object;

moving the cursor in a discrete manner on the display, responsive object by responsive object, so as to designate a responsive object; and

moving the cursor discretely from one window to another window in the plurality of windows.

2. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of moving the cursor in the continuous manner on the display is performed with a control ball on a mouse, and

wherein the step of moving the cursor in the discrete manner on the display is performed with an arrow key on a keyboard.

3. The dialog method according to claim 1, further comprising:

activating a function associated with the responsive object designated by the step of moving the cursor in the continuous manner on the display, and

activating a function associated with the responsive object designated by the step of moving the cursor in the discrete manner on the display.

4. The dialog method according to claim 3,

wherein the step of activating the function associated with the responsive object designated by the step of moving the cursor in the continuous manner on the display is performed with a key on a mouse, and

wherein the step of activating the function associated with the responsive object designated by the step of moving the cursor in the discrete manner on the display is performed with an Enter key on a keyboard.

5. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein each default field includes one default responsive object.

6. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of moving from said one window to said another window is performed with a Tab key on a keyboard.

7. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of moving the cursor in the discrete manner on the display is activated during an emergency mode of the aircraft.

8. The dialog method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

automatically moving the cursor to a responsive object via a single action by the operator.

9. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of moving the cursor in the continuous manner on the display is performed with a mouse and the step of moving the cursor in the discrete manner on the display is performed with a keyboard.

10. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the step of moving the cursor in the discrete manner on the display moves the cursor discretely on the display, responsive object by responsive object, in a cyclical manner.

11. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the display includes a plurality of displays, and

wherein the method further includes the step of moving the cursor from one display to another display in the plurality of displays means.

12. The dialog method according to claim 11,

wherein each display includes one default field situated on one of the plurality of windows, and on which the cursor arrives after moving from said one display to said another display.

13. The dialog method according to claim 11,

wherein the cursor is moved from said one display to said another display via one of a key on a mouse and a key on a keyboard.

14. The dialog method according to claim 1,

wherein the display includes eight displays, of which three displays are for a pilot of the aircraft, three other displays are for the copilot of the aircraft, and two displays are for common use by the pilot and copilot of the aircraft.

15. The dialog method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

confirming the designated responsive object in an actuatable manner.

16. The dialog method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

confirming the designated responsive object using at least one confirmation key.

17. The dialog method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of moving said cursor directly onto a responsive object associated with a function using a function key.

18. A dialog method for dialog between at least one operator of an aircraft and at least one system of said aircraft, comprising the steps of:

displaying on at least two interactive windows, each of said at least two interactive windows including at least one responsive object associated with one of a plurality of functions of said at least one system of said aircraft;

moving a cursor on said interactive windows in an actuatable manner so as to designate a responsive object;

moving the cursor on said interactive windows in a discrete manner, responsive object by responsive object, so as to designate a responsive object;

confirming said designated responsive object either in an actuatable manner or using at least one confirmation key;

moving said cursor from window to window using an auxiliary displacement key; and

displaying said cursor at a default location in a window after moving said cursor from one window to another window.

19. The dialog method of claim 18, further comprising the step of moving said cursor directly onto a responsive object associated with a function using a function key.

20. The dialog method of claim 19, further comprising the step of displaying said cursor at a default location in a window after moving said cursor from one window to another window.