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

• US 8,032,270 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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:
  US12/946,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701 3- 4, 701 13- 18
• US Class Current: 701/14
• 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 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;

presenting at the display medium at least one operator selectable element;

receiving a signal input by the operator and corresponding to a selection of the operator selectable element; and

based on the signal input by the operator, changing at least a portion of the information presented at the display medium.

2. 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 at least a portion of the information presented at the display medium includes updating the information to include the input.

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

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

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

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting at least one operator selectable element includes presenting a plurality of operator selectable elements arranged in two columns.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting at least one operator selectable element includes presenting a plurality of operator selectable elements and highlighting one of the at least one operator selectable elements upon receiving the signal input by the operator.

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

10. The method of claim 1 wherein changing at least a portion of information presented at the display medium includes updating a flight plan list that includes the plurality of flight segments.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the signal includes receiving the signal when the operator strikes an input key.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input corresponding to a proposed value to be submitted to the flight manager;

displaying the input at a preview display field; and

upon receiving an authorizing signal by the operator, submitting the proposed update to a flight manager, the flight manager being configured to receive and direct instructions for automatically controlling aircraft behavior at a future time.

12. A computer-implemented 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;

receiving a proposed update for the information from an operator via a keypad;

presenting the proposed update at a preview field of the display medium;

presenting at the display medium at least one operator selectable icon corresponding to an active field of the display medium;

receiving a signal input by an operator and corresponding to a selection of the operator selectable icon when the operator manipulates a tracking device to move a control icon into alignment with the operator selectable icon and activates the tracking device; and

based on the signal input by the operator, updating the active field presented at the display medium to include the proposed update.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically implementing the instruction to change a behavior of the aircraft.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein updating at least a portion of the information includes updating a numerical value.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting at least one operator selectable icon includes presenting a plurality of operator selectable icons, with a first one of the operator selectable icons displayed in a first manner and a second one of the operator selectable icons displayed in a second manner visually different than the first manner, with the second operator selectable icon corresponding to the active field.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting at least one operator selectable icon includes presenting an icon representing a switch.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting the information includes presenting the information in a manner generally similar to a manner in which the information is displayed at an aircraft control display unit.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting at least one operator selectable icon includes presenting a plurality of operator activatable elements arranged in two columns.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting at least one operator selectable icon includes presenting a plurality of operator selectable icons and highlighting one of the at least one operator selectable icons upon receiving an authorizing signal by the operator.