Systems and methods for handling the display and receipt of aircraft control information

• US 7,844,372 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Chen, Sherwin S., Gunn, Peter D., Wiedemann, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/197,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701 14- 16, 340971-972, 340/976, 340/979
• US Class Current: 701/11
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems for handling aircraft control information are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a display medium coupleable to a flight manager, with the flight manager configured to receive and direct instructions for automatically controlling aircraft functions at a future time during flight of the aircraft. The system can further include a display controller coupled to the display medium to present at least one operator activatable element at the display medium and update information presented at the display medium when the operator activates the operator activatable element. For example, the operator activatable element can include an icon presented at a computer display screen, and can be activated by a keystroke.

Claims

1. A method for handling aircraft control information, comprising:

presenting at a display medium a plurality of operator activatable elements arranged in a two-column format, the display medium being positioned at a pedestal between operator seats of the aircraft; and

in response to receiving a signal input by the operator and corresponding to an activation of at least one of the operator activatable elements, changing a computer-based flight plan of the aircraft that is to be automatically implemented at a future time during flight of the aircraft, and presenting information corresponding to the changed flight plan at the display medium.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting at least one operator activatable element includes presenting an icon representing a switch.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a signal includes receiving a signal when the operator activates the operator activatable element by manipulating a tracking device to align a control icon with the operator selectable icon and activating the tracking device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the information corresponding to the instructions in a manner generally similar to a manner in which the information is displayed at an aircraft control display unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting a plurality of operator activatable elements includes highlighting one of the at least one operator activatable elements upon receiving a signal authorized by the operator.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting at a display medium includes displaying at a computer screen.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting information corresponding to the changed flight plan includes updating a flight plan list that includes flight segments to be flown at a future time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from the operator corresponding to a proposed update for information presented at the display medium; and

presenting the input at a preview field of the display medium, and wherein changing a computer-based flight plan includes updating the information to include the input.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the signal input by the operator, and wherein receiving the signal includes receiving the signal when the operator strikes an input key.

10. A method for handling aircraft control information, comprising:

presenting information at a display medium, the information corresponding to instructions for flying a plurality of flight segments with at least one of the instructions to be executed at a future time during aircraft flight in accordance with a computer-based flight plan;

presenting at the display medium a plurality of operator selectable elements arranged in a two-column format;

receiving a signal input by the operator and corresponding to a selection of at least one of the operator selectable elements;

displaying at a preview display field a value corresponding to the operator'"'"'s selection; and

based on the signal input by the operator and a subsequent operator authorization of the value displayed at the preview display field, changing at least a portion of the flight plan and presenting information the display medium corresponding to the changed flight plan.