Aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system

• US 7,957,852 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stephen Baxter
• Original Assignee: Stephen Baxter
• Inventors: Baxter, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/904,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/14, 701/120, 340/967, 340/979, 340/945, 340/980, 244/75.1, 244/220, 345/156, 345/204
• US Class Current: 701/3
• 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

An aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system enhances flight safety. The system incorporates a multi-controlled HSI with a yoke heading adjustment control, a yoke VOR radial selector, and a yoke heading centering control positioned on the captain yoke. The system may also incorporate a first officer multi-controlled HSI with a first officer yoke heading adjustment control, a first officer yoke VOR radial selector, and a first officer yoke heading and course centering control positioned on the first officer yoke. An autopilot mode indicator visually indicates whether an autopilot is flying according to a desired heading or according to a VOR radial signal. A side selector-indicator control permits selection of which side controls the flight of the aircraft. A first control unit and a second control unit may be in electrical communication with both sides to fly the aircraft in autopilot.

Claims

1. An aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) for allowing a pilot to sit in a captain'"'"'s seat (12) on a flight deck (10) of an aircraft, to grip a captain yoke (14), to observe an instrument panel (20), and to conveniently and safely modify a desired heading while gripping the captain yoke (14) with both hands, comprising:

(A) a multi-controlled HSI (200), having;

(i) a compass (210) that visually indicates an orientation of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein the compass (210) has a compass perimeter (212) and a plurality of radial measurement indicia (214) that are located along the compass perimeter (212), whereby the compass (210) rotates in response to a change in an actual heading of the aircraft;

(ii) a heading indicator (220) that visually indicates a fixed reference on the multi-controlled HSI (200), wherein the heading indicator (220) is located in readable relationship with the radial measurement indicia (214), whereby the actual heading of the aircraft is determined by assessing the relationship of the radial measurement indicia (214) with the heading indicator (220);

(iii) an adjustable heading bug (230) that visually indicates the desired heading of the aircraft, wherein the adjustable heading bug (230) is selectively positioned along the compass perimeter (212) such that the adjustable heading bug (230) rotates with the compass (210), whereby the desired heading of the aircraft is determined by assessing the relationship of the adjustable heading bug (230) with the radial measurement indicia (214); and

(iv) a heading adjustment control (240) that controls the position of the adjustable heading bug (230), wherein the heading adjustment control (240) is on the multi-controlled HSI (200), whereby operation of the heading adjustment control (240) moves the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212); and

(B) a yoke heading adjustment control (300) that controls the position of the adjustable heading bug (230), wherein the yoke heading adjustment control (300) is on the captain yoke (14), and operation of the yoke heading adjustment control (300) moves the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212).

2. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 1, further including a yoke heading centering control (320) that controls the position of the adjustable heading bug (230), wherein the yoke heading centering control (320) is on the captain yoke (14), and operation of the yoke heading centering control (320) moves the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212) to align with the radial measurement indicia (214) currently aligned with the heading indicator (220).

3. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 2, wherein the yoke heading adjustment control (300) and the yoke heading centering control (320) are incorporated into an after-market component whereby the after-market component is positioned on a left portion of the captain yoke (14).

4. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 1, further including:

(A) a first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), having;

(i) a first officer compass (410) that visually indicates an orientation of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein the first officer compass (410) has a first officer compass perimeter (412) and a plurality of first officer radial measurement indicia (414) that are located along the first officer compass perimeter (412), whereby the first officer compass (410) rotates in response to a change in the actual heading of the aircraft;

(ii) a first officer heading indicator (420) that visually indicates a fixed reference on the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), wherein the first officer heading indicator (420) is located in readable relationship with the first officer radial measurement indicia (414), whereby the actual heading of the aircraft is determined by assessing the relationship of the first officer radial measurement indicia (414) with the first officer heading indicator (420);

(iii) a first officer adjustable heading bug (430) that visually indicates the desired heading of the aircraft, wherein the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) is selectively positioned along the first officer compass perimeter (412) such that the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) rotates with the first officer compass (410), whereby the desired heading of the aircraft is determined by assessing the relationship of the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) with the first officer radial measurement indicia (414); and

(iv) a first officer heading adjustment control (440) that controls the position of the first officer adjustable heading bug (430), wherein the first officer heading adjustment control (440) is on the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), whereby operation of the first officer heading adjustment control (440) moves the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412); and

(B) a first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) that controls the position of the first officer adjustable heading bug (430), wherein the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) is on a first officer yoke (18), and operation of the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) moves the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412).

5. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 4, further including a first officer yoke heading centering control (520) that controls the position of the first officer adjustable heading bug (430), wherein the first officer yoke heading centering control (520) is on the first officer yoke (18), and operation of the first officer yoke heading centering control (520) moves the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412) to align with the first officer radial measurement indicia (414) currently aligned with the first officer heading indicator (420).

6. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 5, wherein the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) and the first officer yoke heading centering control (520) are incorporated into a first officer after-market component whereby the first officer after-market component is positioned on the first officer control yoke (18).

7. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 4, further including a side control selector (800) having a captain side selector (810) and a first officer side selector (820), wherein the side control selector (800) is in electrical communication with the multi-controlled HSI (200), the yoke heading adjustment control (300), the yoke heading centering control (320), the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500), and the first officer yoke heading centering control (520), whereby

(i) operation of the captain side selector (810) facilitates operation of the yoke heading adjustment control (300) to move the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212);

(ii) operation of the first officer side selector (820) facilitates operation of the yoke heading adjustment control (300) to move the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412); and

(iii) operation of the captain side selector (810) and the first officer side selector (820) facilitates operation of the yoke heading adjustment control (300) to move the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212) and the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412).

8. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 7, wherein the side control selector (800) is positioned on the captain yoke (14).

9. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 7, further including a first officer side control selector (900) having a first officer captain side selector (910) and a first officer copilot side selector (920), wherein the first officer side control selector (900) is in electrical communication with the multi-controlled HSI (200), the yoke heading adjustment control (300), the yoke heading centering control (320), the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500), and the first officer yoke heading centering control (520), whereby

(i) operation of the first officer copilot side selector (920) facilitates operation of the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) to move the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412);

(ii) operation of the first officer captain side selector (910) facilitates operation of the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) to move the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212); and

(iii) operation of the first officer captain side selector (910) and the first officer copilot side selector (920) facilitates operation of the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500) to move the adjustable heading bug (230) along the compass perimeter (212) and the first officer adjustable heading bug (430) along the first officer compass perimeter (412).

10. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 9, wherein the first officer side control selector (900) is positioned on the captain yoke (14).

11. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 9, further including a first control unit (1000) in electrical communication with:

(i) the multi-controlled HSI (200) and the yoke heading adjustment control (300); and

(ii) the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500), wherein the first control unit (1000) facilitates operation between;

(a) the multi-controlled HSI (200) and the yoke heading adjustment control (300); and

(b) the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500).

12. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 9, further including a first control unit (1000) and a second control unit (1010), wherein

(A) the first control unit (1000) is in electrical communication with the multi-controlled HSI (200), the yoke heading adjustment control (300), and the second control unit (1010), wherein the first control unit (1000) facilitates operation between the multi-controlled HSI (200) and the yoke heading adjustment control (300);

and

(B) the second control unit (1010) is in electrical communication with the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500), wherein the second control unit (1010) facilitates operation between the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke heading adjustment control (500).

13. An aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) for allowing a pilot to sit in a captain'"'"'s seat (12) on a flight deck (10) of an aircraft, to grip a captain yoke (14), to observe an instrument panel (20), and to conveniently and safely select one of a plurality of VOR radial signals emitted by a VOR station while gripping the captain yoke (14) with both hands, comprising:

(A) a multi-controlled HSI (200), having;

(i) a compass (210) that visually indicates an orientation of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein the compass (210) has a compass perimeter (212) and a plurality of radial measurement indicia (214) that are located along the compass perimeter (212), whereby the compass (210) rotates in response to a change in an actual heading of the aircraft;

(ii) a VOR radial indicator (250) that visually indicates a representation of the VOR radial signal, wherein the VOR radial indicator (250) is positioned within the compass perimeter (212), whereby the VOR radial indicator (250) rotates with the compass (210) in response to a change in the actual heading of the aircraft, and the VOR radial indictor (250) translates within the compass perimeter (212) as the aircraft flies along the actual heading; and

(iii) a VOR radial selector (260) that allows selection of the VOR radial signal, wherein the VOR radial selector (260) is on the multi-controlled HSI (200), whereby operation of the VOR radial selector (260) selects the VOR radial signal displayed by the VOR radial indicator (250); and

(B) a yoke VOR radial selector (310) that controls selection of the VOR radial signal indicated by the VOR radial indicator (250), wherein the yoke VOR radial selector (310) is on the captain yoke (14), and operation of the yoke VOR radial selector (310) selects the VOR radial signal displayed by the VOR radial indicator (250).

14. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 13, further including:

(A) a first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), having;

(i) a first officer compass (410) that visually indicates an orientation of the earth'"'"'s magnetic field, wherein the first officer compass (410) has a first officer compass perimeter (412) and a plurality of first officer radial measurement indicia (414) that are located along the first officer compass perimeter (412), whereby the first officer compass (410) rotates in response to a change in the actual heading of the aircraft;

(ii) a first officer VOR radial indicator (450) that visually indicates a representation of the VOR radial signal, wherein the first officer VOR radial indicator (450) is positioned within the first officer compass perimeter (412), whereby the first officer VOR radial indicator (450) rotates with the first officer compass (410) in response to a change in the actual heading of the aircraft, and the first officer VOR radial indictor (450) translates within the first officer compass perimeter (412) as the aircraft flies along the actual heading; and

(iii) a first officer VOR radial selector (460) that allows selection of the VOR radial signal, wherein the first officer VOR radial selector (460) is on the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), whereby operation of the first officer VOR radial selector (460) selects the VOR radial signal displayed by the first officer VOR radial indicator (450); and

(B) a first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510) that controls selection of the VOR radial signal indicated by the first officer VOR radial indicator (450), wherein the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510) is on the first officer yoke (18), and operation of the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510) selects the VOR radial signal displayed by the first officer VOR radial indicator (450).

15. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 14, further including a side control selector (800) having a captain side selector (810) and a first officer side selector (820), wherein the side control selector (800) is in electrical communication with the multi-controlled HSI (200), the yoke VOR radial selector (310), the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), and the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510), whereby

(i) operation of the captain side selector (810) facilitates operation of the yoke VOR radial selector (310) to select the VOR radial signal displayed by the VOR radial indicator (250);

(ii) operation of the first officer side selector (820) facilitates operation of the yoke VOR radial selector (310) to select the VOR radial signal displayed by the first officer VOR radial indicator (450); and

(iii) operation of the captain side selector (810) and the first officer side selector (820) facilitates operation of the yoke VOR radial selector (310) to select the VOR radial signal displayed by the VOR radial indicator (250) and the first officer VOR radial indicator (450).

16. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 15, wherein the side control selector (800) is positioned on the captain yoke (14).

17. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 15, further including a first officer side control selector (900) having a first officer captain side selector (910) and a first officer copilot side selector (920), wherein the first officer side control selector (900) is in electrical communication with the multi-controlled HSI (200), the yoke VOR radial selector (310), the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400), and the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510), whereby

(i) operation of the first officer copilot side selector (920) facilitates operation of the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510) to select the VOR radial signal displayed by the first officer VOR radial indicator (450);

(ii) operation of the first officer captain side selector (910) facilitates operation of the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510) to select the VOR radial signal displayed by the VOR radial indicator (250); and

(iii) operation of the first officer captain side selector (910) and the first officer copilot side selector (920) facilitates operation of the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510) to select the VOR radial signal displayed by the VOR radial indicator (250) and the first officer VOR radial indicator (450).

18. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 17, wherein the first officer side control selector (900) is positioned on the captain yoke (14).

19. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 15, further including a first control unit (1000) in electrical communication with:

(i) the multi-controlled HSI (200) and the yoke VOR radial selector (310); and

(ii) the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510), wherein the first control unit (1000) facilitates operation between;

(a) the multi-controlled HSI (200) and the yoke VOR radial selector (310); and

(b) the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510).

20. The aviation yoke HSI interface and flight deck control indicator and selector safety system (100) of claim 15, further including a first control unit (1000) and a second control unit (1010), wherein

(A) the first control unit (1000) is in electrical communication with the multi-controlled HSI (200), the yoke VOR radial selector (310), and the second control unit (1010), wherein the first control unit (1000) facilitates operation between the multi-controlled HSI (200) and the yoke VOR radial selector (310);

and

(B) the second control unit (1010) is in electrical communication with the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510), wherein the second control unit (1010) facilitates operation between the first officer multi-controlled HSI (400) and the first officer yoke VOR radial selector (510).