Methods and systems for displaying assistance messages to aircraft operators

• US 8,082,070 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Gunn, Peter D., Griffin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US12/824,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1- 18, 715700-866, 345594-604
• US Class Current: 701/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

Methods and systems for displaying assistance messages to aircraft operators are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment includes receiving an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck, comparing a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic, and, if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, displaying an assistance message to the aircraft operator. The assistance message can include a complying input and/or an instruction for creating a complying input. The input and the assistance message can be displayed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a computer system for handling aircraft operator inputs, comprising:

receiving configuration information based at least in part on user input from an end user and corresponding to a plurality of assistance messages, wherein individual assistance messages include at least one of a complying input and an instruction for creating a complying input;

storing the plurality of assistance messages; and

configuring the computer system to;

receive an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck;

compare a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic;

if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, display an assistance message selected from the plurality of assistance message to the aircraft operator, wherein displaying the assistance message comprises;

determining whether the input fails to comply with the target value on a first basis or a second basis different from the first basis;

providing a first assistance message if the input fails to comply with the target value for the characteristic on the first basis; and

providing a second assistance message different than the first assistance message if the input fails to comply with the target value for the characteristic on the second basis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving configuration information comprises:

displaying a plurality of available assistance messages; and

receiving input from the user selecting the plurality of assistance messages from the plurality of available assistance messages.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of available assistance messages includes a first assistance message that provides a first level of detail and a second assistance message that provides a second level of detail greater than the first level of detail.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving configuration information comprises:

displaying a plurality of available assistance messages;

receiving a command to modify contents of an individual assistance message of the plurality of available assistance messages; and

adding the modified individual assistance message to the plurality of assistance messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the received command modifies the contents of the individual assistance message by changing at least a portion of the message to a different language.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an individual assistance message of the plurality of assistance messages includes multiple criteria associated with a complying input.

7. A system for handling aircraft operator inputs, comprising:

a first receiving portion configured to receive configuration information based on user input from an end user configuring a plurality of assistance messages, wherein each assistance message includes at least one of a complying input and an instruction for creating a complying input;

a second receiving portion configured to receive an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck;

a comparing portion operatively coupled to the second receiving portion to compare a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic; and

a display portion operatively coupled to the comparing portion to direct a display of an assistance message selected from the plurality of assistance messages to the aircraft operator if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, wherein directing the display of the assistance message comprises;

determining whether the input differs from the at least one target value on a first basis or a second basis different from the first basis;

providing a first assistance message if the input differs from the at least one target value on the first basis; and

providing a second assistance message different than the first assistance message if the input differs from the at least one target value on the second basis.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first receiving portion, the second receiving portion, the comparing portion, and the display portion include computer-readable media.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a display device operatively coupled to the display portion to display the input and the assistance message.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a multifunction display device operatively coupled to the display portion to display the input and the assistance message.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising an aircraft, the aircraft housing the first receiving portion, the second receiving portion, the comparing portion, and the display portion.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first receiving portion is configured to receive configuration information from the user by:

displaying a plurality of available assistance messages; and

receiving input from the user selecting the plurality of assistance messages from the plurality of available assistance messages.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the first receiving portion is configured to receive input from the user by:

displaying a plurality of available assistance messages;

receiving a command to modify contents of an individual assistance message of the plurality of available assistance messages; and

adding the modified individual assistance to the plurality of assistance messages.

14. A computer-readable medium for handling aircraft operator inputs by performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving configuration information based at least in part on user input from an end user and corresponding to a plurality of assistance messages, wherein individual assistance messages include at least one of a complying input and an instruction for creating a complying input;

storing the plurality of assistance messages; and

configuring the computer system to;

receive an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck;

compare a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic;

if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, display an assistance message selected from the plurality of assistance message to the aircraft operator, wherein displaying the assistance message comprises;

determining whether the input fails to comply with the target value on a first basis or a second basis different from the first basis;

providing a first assistance message if the input fails to comply with the target value for the characteristic on the first basis; and

providing a second assistance message different than the first assistance message if the input fails to comply with the target value for the characteristic on the second basis.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receiving configuration information comprises:

displaying a plurality of available assistance messages; and

receiving input from the user selecting the plurality of assistance messages from the plurality of available assistance messages.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of available assistance messages includes a first assistance message that provides a first level of detail and a second assistance message that provides a second level of detail greater than the first level of detail.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein receiving configuration information comprises:

displaying a plurality of available assistance messages;

receiving a command to modify contents of an individual assistance message of the plurality of available assistance messages; and

adding the modified individual assistance message to the plurality of assistance messages.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the received command modifies the contents of the selected individual assistance message by changing at least a portion of the message to a different language.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein an individual assistance message of the plurality of assistance messages includes at least one of a number of characters for a complying input, at least one alphabetic character for a complying input, and at least one numerical character for a complying input.

20. A system for handling aircraft operator inputs, comprising:

first receiving means for receiving configuration information based at least in part on user input from an end user and corresponding to a plurality of assistance messages, wherein each assistance message includes at least one of a complying input and an instruction for creating a complying input;

a storage means for storing the plurality of assistance messages;

second receiving means for receiving an input from an aircraft operator at an aircraft flight deck;

comparing means for comparing a characteristic of the input to at least one target value for the characteristic; and

display means for directing a display of an assistance message to the aircraft operator if the characteristic of the input differs from the at least one target value for the characteristic by at least a threshold amount, the assistance message including at least one of a complying input and an instruction for creating a complying input, wherein directing the display of the assistance message comprises;

determining whether the input differs from the at least one target value on a first basis or a second basis different from the first basis;

providing a first assistance message if the input differs from the at least one target value on the first basis; and

providing a second assistance message different than the first assistance message if the input differs from the at least one target value on the second basis.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first receiving means, the second receiving means, the comparing means, and the display means include computer-readable media.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the display means includes a display device for displaying the plurality of assistance messages.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising an aircraft housing the first receiving means, the second receiving means, the comparing means, and the display means.