Systems and methods for crew interaction and coordination using portable electronic data storage and display devices

• US 7,437,220 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: ARINC Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Stefani, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/919,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20060041340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/4, 701/36, 701/29
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0095 Aspects of air-traffic control not provided for in the other subgroups of this main group

Abstract

To facilitate crew coordination and interaction using portable electronic data storage and display devices, automated and interactive capabilities allow any of several crew members to forward information regarding a page of data which the crew member has selected using the user interface of his or her portable electronic data storage and display device to the portable electronic data storage and display device of any other crew member or all other crew members particularly those who, due to task loading, may be unable to immediately employ the data manipulation and control functions resident in their own portable electronic data storage and display device. Data thus displayed is available for independent or interactive manipulation as though it had been locally rather than remotely selected.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating crew interaction and coordination, comprising:

at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices positioned remotely from one another, each of which includes;

a data storage unit;

a data display unit;

a user interface;

a data input/output interface; and

a data processor that processes at least one of user inputs received through the user interface and automated inputs received through the data input/output interface to select data stored in the data storage unit and display the selected data on the data display unit; and

a data transfer device that links the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices to form a data communications link between the data input/output interfaces of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices,

wherein information regarding data selected at a first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is transmitted to and received by at least a second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices, and the received information is processed by the data processor in the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices so that the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices automatically displays data recovered from the data storage unit of the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein data is displayed on the display unit of the first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices and identical data to that displayed on the first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is displayed on the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices with no user input through the user interface of the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a normally hidden portion of the data display unit, and is activated by initial user input of touching the data display unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interface of the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is automatically activated when data is displayed on the display unit of the first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices and identical data to that displayed on the first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is displayed on the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices with no user input through the user interface of the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recipient selection device wherein the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices designated to receive the information regarding data selected at the first of the two at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices can be selected from among a plurality of at least a second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices on the first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices before the information is transmitted to and received by the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices designated.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a confirmation device requiring positive confirmation of intent to transmit information regarding data to be displayed from the first of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices to the at least the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein when identical data is displayed on at least the first and the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices and that identical data provides for interactive individual user coordination with the data display, user input via the user interfaces of any display unit on at least one of the first and the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices will result in the display units of at least the first and the second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices displaying identical data being coincidentally and immediately updated to reflect the changes to any interactive data displayed on the display units of any of the at least first and second of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data transfer device for linking the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is at least one of a permanently-installed and a temporary and a combination temporary/permanent cable connection.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data transfer device for linking the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is a wireless data transfer connection.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices positioned remotely from one another are Electronic Flight Bags.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a separate data storage unit for storing information regarding the information exchange between the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices wherein such information can be directly received from at least one of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices and the data transfer device, the information being later downloadable for review in support of any beneficial purpose for which such information may be reviewed.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the data transfer device for linking the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices is a cockpit-installed private local area network.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a private local area network server to provide at least one of additional data storage capacity and additional data processing capability.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the private local area network server is usable to store information regarding the information exchange between the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices wherein such information can be directly received from at least one of the at least two portable electronic data storage and display devices and the data transfer device, the information being later downloadable for review in support of any beneficial purpose for which such information may be reviewed.