Multifunction controller/standby instrument

• US 7,928,863 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Firra, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US11/988,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 340/971, 340/973, 340/974, 340/975, 340/977, 340/980, 701/3, 701/14
• US Class Current: 340/971
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/002 giving both analog and numerical indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/02 Indicating value of two or more variables simultaneously

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes an aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel having a first device associated with a first pilot of an aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the first pilot. The first device may include a first display and a first controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the first display and aircraft systems. The instrumentation system may also include a second device associated with a second pilot of the aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the second pilot. The second device may include a second display and a second controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the second display and the aircraft systems. The instrumentation may be configured such that at least one of the first display and the second display presents attitude, altitude and airspeed at all times.

Claims

1. An aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel, comprising:

a first device associated with a first pilot of the aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the first pilot, the first device including;

a first display; and

a first controller having a first set of controls for controlling the first display and aircraft systems; and

a second device associated with a second pilot of the aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the second pilot, the second device including;

a second display; and

a second controller having a second set of controls for controlling the second display and the aircraft systems;

wherein at least one of the first display and the second display presents attitude, altitude and airspeed at all times.

2. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 1, wherein the first controller and the second controller are configured to control at least one of a communication device, a navigational device, a display device, an auxiliary power device, a weather detection/information device, a cabin pressurization control device, a fuel loading and offloading device, an electronic checklist device, or a pilot memorized display configuration device.

3. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 1, wherein the first controller controls the first display to present aircraft system data and system menus only if the second display concurrently presents attitude, altitude and airspeed and the second controller controls the second display to present aircraft system data and system menus only if the first display concurrently presents attitude, altitude and airspeed.

4. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 3, wherein the first display defaults to presenting attitude, altitude and airspeed in the event the first controller is inactive for a predetermined period of time and the second display defaults to presenting attitude, altitude and airspeed in the even the second controller is inactive for the predetermined period of time.

5. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined period of time is approximately 5 seconds.

6. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 1, wherein both the first display and the second display present attitude, altitude and airspeed in the event of an emergency.

7. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 1, wherein both the first display and the second display automatically present attitude, altitude and airspeed in the event the aircraft reverts to battery power.

8. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 1, wherein first device is mounted above a first multifunctional display (MFD) and the second device is mounted above a second MFD.

9. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 8, wherein the aircraft includes a glare shield and the first device and the second device are substantially located in the glare shield.

10. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 8, further comprising a first design eye point (DEP) for the first pilot and a second DEP for the second pilot and wherein the first DEP, the first MFD, and the first display are positioned in a first substantially vertical plane and the second DEP, the second MFD, and the second display are positioned in a second substantially vertical plane.

11. The aircraft instrumentation system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device comprises at least one system menu, wherein the at least one system menu comprises at least one of the following:

sensor menu, standby flight display menu, enhanced vision system/synthetic vision system menu, auxiliary power unit menu, controller pilot data link communication menu, weather detection menu, cabin pressurization control system menu, fuel menu, checklist menu, primary flight display menu, map menu, chart menu, windows management menu, memory menu, or synoptic menu.

12. A method of displaying standby flight data and managing aircraft systems from a cockpit instrument panel of an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

associating a first device with a first pilot, the first device having a first display and a first set of controls;

associating a second device with a second pilot, the second device having a second display and a second set of controls, each of the first device and the second device including a standby mode and a controller mode, each of the first device and the second device in the controller mode configured to control at least one aircraft system;

setting the first device and the second device in the standby mode, the first display configured to present standby flight data when the first device is in the standby mode and the second display configured to present standby flight data when the second device is in the standby mode;

placing the first device in the controller mode only if the second device is in the standby mode; and

placing the second device in the controller mode only if the first device is in the standby mode;

wherein the standby flight data includes attitude, altitude, and airspeed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one aircraft system includes at least one of:

a communication system, a navigational system, a sensor system, a standby flight display system, a enhanced vision system/synthetic vision system, an auxiliary power unit system, a controller pilot data link communication system, a weather detection system, a cabin pressurization control system, a fuel system, a checklist system, a primary flight display system, a map system, a chart system, a windows management system, a memory system, or a synoptic system.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first device in the controller mode is configured to present, on the first display, menu options associated with the at least one aircraft system and the second device in the controller mode is configured to present, on the second display, menu options associated with the at least one aircraft system.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of locking the first device and the second device in the standby mode in the event of an emergency.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of locking the first device and the second device in the standby mode in the event the aircraft reverts to battery power.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

defaulting the first device into the standby mode after a predetermined period of inactivity in the controller mode; and

defaulting the second device into the standby mode after the predetermined period of inactivity in the controller mode.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined period of inactivity is approximately 5 seconds.