System and method to automatically configure an aircraft for an operational flight phase
First Claim
1. An operational flight phase determination, indication and configuration system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a) input/output circuitry for receiving an operational flight phase selector output signal, aircraft sensor signals, and on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information;
b) a processor coupled to said input/output circuitry;
c) a flight phase data table coupled to said processor, said flight phase data table including a list of the defined operational flight phases for the aircraft;
d) a flight phase transition rules set coupled to said processor, said flight phase transition rules set including flight rules for defining flight phase transitions;
e) an aircraft system configuration data table coupled to said processor, said aircraft system configuration data table including a list of the defined configurations for each operational flight phase and the aircraft system configuration settings for each said configuration;
f) program memory and working memory coupled to said processor, wherein said processor uses input from said input/output circuitry, said flight phase data table, said flight phase transition rules set, said program memory, said working memory and said aircraft system configuration data table to provide an operational mode signal indicating the operational mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal;
g) a display indicator driver coupled to said processor for providing display indicator driver signals to an operational flight phase indicator in accordance with said operational mode signal; and
,h) a plurality of output drivers coupled to said processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with said configuration command signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An operational flight phase determination, indication and configuration system for an aircraft includes input/output circuitry for receiving an operational flight phase selector output signal, aircraft sensor signals, and on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information. A processor is coupled to the input/output circuitry. A flight phase data table is coupled to the processor. The flight phase data table includes a list of the defined operational flight phases for the aircraft. A flight phase transition rules set is coupled to the processor. The flight phase transition rules set includes flight rules for defining flight phase transitions. An aircraft system configuration data table is coupled to the processor. The aircraft system configuration data table includes a list of the defined configurations for each operational flight phase and the aircraft system configuration settings for each configuration. Program memory and working memory are coupled to the processor. The processor uses input from the input/output circuitry, the flight phase data table, the flight phase transition rules set, the program memory, the working memory, and the aircraft system configuration data table to provide an operational mode signal indicating the operational mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal. A display indicator driver is coupled to the processor for providing display indicator driver signals to an operational flight phase indicator in accordance with the operational mode signal. Output drivers are coupled to the processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with the configuration command signal.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An operational flight phase determination, indication and configuration system for an aircraft, comprising:
-
a) input/output circuitry for receiving an operational flight phase selector output signal, aircraft sensor signals, and on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information; b) a processor coupled to said input/output circuitry; c) a flight phase data table coupled to said processor, said flight phase data table including a list of the defined operational flight phases for the aircraft; d) a flight phase transition rules set coupled to said processor, said flight phase transition rules set including flight rules for defining flight phase transitions; e) an aircraft system configuration data table coupled to said processor, said aircraft system configuration data table including a list of the defined configurations for each operational flight phase and the aircraft system configuration settings for each said configuration; f) program memory and working memory coupled to said processor, wherein said processor uses input from said input/output circuitry, said flight phase data table, said flight phase transition rules set, said program memory, said working memory and said aircraft system configuration data table to provide an operational mode signal indicating the operational mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal; g) a display indicator driver coupled to said processor for providing display indicator driver signals to an operational flight phase indicator in accordance with said operational mode signal; and
,h) a plurality of output drivers coupled to said processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with said configuration command signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for determining, indicating, and configuring an operational flight phase of an aircraft, comprising:
-
a) receiving an operational flight phase selector output signal, aircraft sensor signals, and on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information, utilizing input/output circuitry; b) providing an operational mode signal indicating the operational mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal, utilizing a processor, using input from said input/output circuitry, a flight phase data table, a flight phase transition rules set, an aircraft system configuration data table, program memory and working memory, wherein, said flight phase data table includes a list of the defined operational flight phases for the aircraft, said flight phase transition rules set include flight rules for defining flight phase transitions, said aircraft system configuration data table includes a list of the defined configurations for each operational flight phase and the aircraft system configuration settings for each said configuration; c) providing display indicator driver signals in accordance with said operational mode signal; d) providing a plurality of output drivers coupled to said processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with said configuration command signal; e) displaying the active operational flight phase of the aircraft in response to said display indicator driver signals; and
,f) configuring aircraft systems in response to said configuration command signal. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. An aircraft configuration determination system, comprising:
-
a) input/output circuitry for receiving a configuration selector output signal; and
, on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information;b) a processor coupled to said input/output circuitry; c) an aircraft system configuration data table coupled to said processor, said aircraft system configuration data table including a list of the defined configurations for each configuration selectable by a configuration selector; d) program memory and working memory coupled to said processor, wherein said processor uses input from said input/output circuitry, said program memory, said working memory and said aircraft system configuration data table to provide a configuration mode signal indicating the selected configuration mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal; e) a display indicator driver coupled to said processor for providing display indicator driver signals to a configuration indicator in accordance with said configuration mode signal; and
,f) a plurality of output drivers coupled to said processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with said configuration command signal. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
Specification