Aircraft visual display system with direct page navigation

• US 8,432,298 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: McCullough, Sue
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/609,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 340/979, 340/945, 340/971, 340/973, 340/974, 340/977, 340/978, 701/206
• US Class Current: 340/979
• 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: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan

Abstract

A visual display system is provided for an aircraft having a flight plan with a plurality of flight plan pages. The system includes a display unit configured to display at least one of the flight plan pages; an input device configured to receive an input from a user corresponding to a selected flight plan page from the plurality of flight plan pages; and a processor coupled to the monitor and the input device. The processor is configured to receive the input from the input device and provide the selected flight plan page to the display unit for display based on the input.

Claims

1. A visual display system for an aircraft having a flight plan with a plurality of flight plan pages, the system comprising:

a display unit configured to display at least one of the flight plan pages;

an input device configured to receive an input from a user corresponding to a selected flight plan page from the plurality of flight plan pages, wherein the input device is a keyboard that receives the input as text from the user; and

a processor coupled to the display unit and the input device, the processor configured to receive the input from the input device and provide the selected flight plan page to the display unit for display based on the input,

wherein the input corresponds to a waypoint of the flight plan and the processor is configured to display the selected flight plan page that includes the waypoint.

2. The visual display system of claim 1, wherein the input device and display unit form a portion of a multifunctional control display unit (MCDU).

3. The visual display system of claim 1, wherein the display unit is configured to display the text representing the input.

4. The visual display system of claim 1, wherein the input is a complete waypoint name.

5. The visual display system of claim 1, wherein the input is a partial waypoint name.

6. The visual display system of claim 1, further comprising memory configured to store a data table that links the inputs with the flight plan pages.

7. A visual display system for an aircraft having a flight plan with a plurality of flight plan pages, the system comprising:

a display unit configured to display at least one of the flight plan pages;

an input device configured to receive an input from a user corresponding to a selected flight plan page from the plurality of flight plan pages, wherein the input device is a keyboard that receives the input as text from the user; and

a processor coupled to the display unit and the input device, the processor configured to receive the input from the input device and provide the selected flight plan page to the display unit for display based on the input,

wherein the input corresponds to a position within the flight plan and the processor is configured to display the selected flight plan page that corresponds to the position.

8. The visual display system of claim 7, wherein the position is a midpoint of the flight plan.

9. The visual display system of claim 7, wherein the position is the end of the flight plan.

10. The visual display system of claim 7, wherein the position is a flight plan page number.

11. A method for navigating to a selected flight plan page of a flight plan on a multifunctional control display unit (MCDU), the method comprising:

receiving a text input on a keyboard indicating the selected flight plan page; and

displaying the selected flight plan page in a visual display of the MCDU,

wherein the receiving step includes receiving the input that comprises a position within the flight plan.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving step includes receiving the input that comprises a waypoint name.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving step includes receiving the input that comprises a flight plan page number.