Method of system for verifying entry of manually adjustable data in a multi-parameter aircraft instrument display

• US 7,752,567 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Solutions and Support Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Innovative Solutions and Support Incorporated
• Inventors: Hedrick, Geoffrey S. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Ba
• Application Number:
  US11/635,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20070180394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 715/709, 715/710, 715/767, 715/771, 715/772, 715/815, 715822-828, 701 1- 23, 701/99, 701116-124
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters

Abstract

A method and system for providing an easily recognizable visual feedback to a user in a multi-parameter aircraft instrument display, such as a flat panel display, of manually induced variations in individually selected manually adjustable data associated with a selected one of a plurality of displayable parameters in a simultaneous display of these parameters. The method and system provides visual confirmation of the parameter being manually varied in response to such manual variations by enlarging the display of the selected parameter, such as by zooming out the displayed image of the selected parameter to between two and four times its normal size in response to the manual variation of this parameter, and returns the image size to its original size, such as by zooming in, in response to a cessation in the manual adjustments by the user of the associated dimensional data, such as within a predetermined interval after such cessation, such as two to four seconds thereafter. A frame may be provided about the enlarged image to provide further visual confirmation to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing an easily recognizable visual feedback to a user in a multi-parameter aircraft instrument display of manually induced variations in individually selected manually adjustable dimensional data associated with a selected one of a plurality of displayable parameters in said multi-parameter aircraft instrument display, said multi-parameter aircraft instrument display containing a plurality of said displayable parameters in a simultaneous visual display thereof, each of said parameter displays varying in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated therewith for providing variations in said dimensional data, each of said individually selectable parameters having a unique associated visible indicia which uniquely visually identifies a particular one of said individually selectable manually variable parameters as being associated with a particular one of said plurality of displayable parameters;

said method comprising the step of providing visual confirmation that the correct parameter in said multi-parameter display which the user intends to vary is having its associated dimensional data manually varied, said visual confirmation being provided by visually enlarging the display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters with respect to said non-selected simultaneously displayed parameters from an original normal display size in said display for a predetermined time period in response to said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated therewith;

whereby the user may easily recognize whether the correct parameter is being manually varied, said method further comprising the steps of visually reducing the display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters back to its original normal display size after said predetermined time period in response to a cessation in said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated therewith, said predetermined time period being dependent on a continuation of said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated with said displayed parameter being varied, initializing a predetermined timing sequence in response to said visually enlarging of said display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters and continuing to iteratively determine if said manual adjustments of said selected one of said parameters are continuing during said predetermined timing sequence in order to reinitialize said predetermined timing sequence each time said iterative determination indicates said manual adjustments to be continuing until said manual adjustments cease, said predetermined time period of said enlargement being determined by said cessation in said manual adjustments and comprising said initialized predetermined timing sequences which comprise said iterative determination.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of providing visual confirmation comprises the step of zooming out the image size of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters for visually enlarging the display thereof.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said step of visually reducing the display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters back to its original normal display size comprises the step of zooming in the image size of said selected one of said visually displayed parameters.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said step of zooming out the image size comprises the step of zooming out said image size to approximately twice its original normal display size.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an image frame around said enlarged display of said selected one of said parameters for enhancing said visual confirmation.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said predetermined time interval is within the range of approximately two to four seconds.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said aircraft instrument display is a flat panel display.

8. A multi-parameter aircraft instrument display system for providing an easily recognizable visual feedback to a user of manually induced variations in individually selected manually adjustable dimensional data associated with a selected one of a plurality of manually adjustable displayable parameters, said system comprising a multi-parameter aircraft instrument display, said multi-parameter aircraft instrument display comprising a plurality of displayable parameters in a simultaneous visual display thereof;

means for individually manually adjusting said dimensional data associated with each of said parameter displays;

means for varying each of said parameter displays in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated therewith for providing variations in said dimensional data, each of said individually selectable parameters having a unique associated visible indicia which uniquely visually identifies a particular one of said individually selectable manually variable parameters as being associated with a particular one of said plurality of simultaneously displayable parameters; and

means for providing visual confirmation that the correct parameter in said multi-parameter simultaneous display which the user intends to vary is having its associated dimensional data manually varied, said visual confirmation means comprising means for visually enlarging the display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters with respect to said non-selected simultaneously displayed parameters from an original normal display size in said display for a predetermined time period in response to said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated therewith;

whereby the user may easily recognize whether the correct parameter is being manually varied, said visual confirmation means further comprising means for visually reducing the display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters back to its original normal display size after said predetermined time period in response to a cessation in said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated therewith, said predetermined time period being dependent on a continuation of said manual adjustments of said dimensional data associated with said displayed parameter being varied, said multi-parameter aircraft instrument display comprising means for initializing a predetermined timing sequence in response to said visually enlarging of said display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters and means for continuing to iteratively determine if said manual adjustments of said selected one of said parameters are continuing during said predetermined timing sequence in order to reinitialize said predetermined timing sequence each time said iterative determination indicates said manual adjustments to be continuing until said manual adjustments cease, said predetermined time period of said enlargement being determined by said cessation in said manual adjustments and comprising said initialized predetermined timing sequences which comprise said iterative determination.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for visually enlarging the display of said selected one of said simultaneously displayed parameters comprises means for zooming out said image size to approximately twice its original normal display size.