Apparatuses and methods for displaying autoflight information

• US 8,494,691 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Boorman, Daniel J., Gunn, Peter D., Griffin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): RINK, RYAN J
• Application Number:
  US13/008,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 701/11, 701/14
• 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

Apparatuses and methods for displaying autoflight information and controlling autoflight systems. In one embodiment, a flight deck for an aircraft having an autoflight system includes at least one pilot seat, at least one window positioned forward of the pilot seat, and a forward instrument panel positioned forward of the pilot seat. In one aspect of this embodiment, the forward window provides a forward field of view out of the aircraft for a pilot seated in the pilot seat. In another aspect of this embodiment, the flight deck further includes a display device configured to provide information related to one or more autoflight modes. The display device can be positioned at least approximately between the forward instrument panel and the forward window to provide the pilot with autoflight information at least proximate to the forward field of view. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the display device can be configured to provide information related to one or more target flight parameters.

Claims

1. An autoflight system for use with an aircraft, the aircraft including a window positioned forward of a pilot seat, and a forward instrument panel positioned in front of the pilot seat in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, the autoflight system comprising:

an autothrottle;

an autopilot;

a flight management computer configured to control the autothrottle and the autopilot; and

a display device operatively connected to the flight management computer and configured to exchange information with the flight management computer, the display device including;

a first display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to airspeed;

a second display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to the first display screen, the second display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to vertical guidance; and

a third display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to at least one of the first and second display screens, the third display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to lateral guidance; and

wherein the aircraft further includes at least one primary flight display (PFD) positioned at least proximate to the forward instrument panel, and wherein the display device is positioned closer to the forward field of view than the PFD is to the forward field of view.

2. The autoflight system of claim 1, wherein the first display screen is configured to provide target flight parameter information related to airspeed, wherein the second display screen is configured to provide target flight parameter information related to altitude, and wherein the third display screen is configured to provide target flight parameter information related to lateral direction.

3. The autoflight system of claim 1, further comprising a data entry device positioned at least proximate to at least one of the first, second, and third display screens, the data entry device configured to receive input for the flight management computer.

4. The autoflight system of claim 1, further comprising a data entry device positioned at least proximate to at least one of the first, second, and third display screens, the data entry device configured to receive input for the flight management computer via a rotary knob.

5. The autoflight system of claim 1, wherein the active situation line includes first autoflight mode and target flight parameter information related to the manner in which the autoflight system is controlling the aircraft, and wherein the next event line includes second autoflight mode and target flight parameter information related to the manner in which the autoflight system will be controlling the aircraft.

6. The autoflight system of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are configured to collectively display an active situation line, wherein the active situation line includes information related to the manner in which the autoflight system is controlling the aircraft.

7. The autoflight system of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are configured to collectively display a next event line, wherein the next event line includes information related to the manner in which the autoflight system will be controlling the aircraft.

8. An autoflight system for use with an aircraft, the aircraft including a window positioned forward of a pilot seat, and a forward instrument panel positioned in front of the pilot seat in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, the autoflight system comprising:

an autothrottle;

an autopilot;

a flight management computer configured to control the autothrottle and the autopilot; and

a display device operatively connected to the flight management computer and configured to exchange information with the flight management computer, the display device including;

a first display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to airspeed;

a second display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to the first display screen, the second display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to vertical guidance; and

a third display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to at least one of the first and second display screens, the third display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to lateral guidance, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are configured to collectively display an active situation line, wherein the active situation line includes information related to the manner in which the autoflight system is controlling the aircraft, wherein the aircraft further includes a primary flight display (PFD) positioned at least proximate to the forward instrument panel, wherein the display device is positioned closer to the forward field of view than the PFD is to the forward field of view.

9. The autoflight system of claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are configured to collectively display the active situation line and a next event line, wherein the active situation line includes first information related to the manner in which the autoflight system is currently controlling the aircraft, and wherein the next event line includes second information related to the manner in which the autoflight system will be controlling the aircraft.

10. The autoflight system of claim 9, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are arranged in a horizontal line and are configured to collectively display the active situation line and a next event line.

11. An autoflight system for use with an aircraft, the aircraft including a window positioned forward of a pilot seat, and a forward instrument panel positioned in front of the pilot seat in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, the autoflight system comprising:

an autothrottle;

an autopilot;

a flight management computer configured to control the autothrottle and the autopilot; and

a display device operatively connected to the flight management computer and configured to exchange information with the flight management computer, the display device including;

a first display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to airspeed;

a second display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to the first display screen, the second display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to vertical guidance; and

a third display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to at least one of the first and second display screens, the third display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to lateral guidance, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are configured to collectively display a next event line, wherein the next event line includes information related to the manner in which the autoflight system will be controlling the aircraft, wherein the aircraft further includes a primary flight display (PFD) positioned at least proximate to the forward instrument panel, wherein the display device is positioned closer to the forward field of view than the PFD is to the forward field of view.

12. An autoflight system for automatically controlling thrust, roll and pitch of an aircraft, the aircraft including a window positioned forward of a pilot seat, a forward instrument panel positioned in front of the pilot seat in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, and a glare shield positioned below the window and above the forward instrument panel, wherein the glare shield is configured to reduce glare on one or more flight instruments positioned on the forward instrument panel, and wherein the autoflight system comprises:

an autothrottle;

an autopilot;

a flight management computer configured to control the autothrottle and the autopilot; and

a display device incorporated into the glareshield in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, wherein the display device receives autoflight mode information from the flight management computer, the display device including;

a first display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to airspeed;

a second display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to the first display screen, the second display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to vertical guidance; and

a third display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to at least one of the first and second display screens, the third display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to lateral guidance wherein the aircraft further includes at least one primary flight display (PFD) positioned at least proximate to the forward instrument panel, wherein the display device is positioned closer to the forward field of view than the PFD is to the forward field of view.

13. The autoflight system of claim 12, further comprising an autoflight performance selector positioned at least generally forward of the pilot seat, the autoflight performance selector configured to control the response of the autoflight system to autoflight guidance input.

14. The autoflight system of claim 12, further comprising an autoflight performance selector positioned at least generally forward of the pilot seat, the autoflight performance selector configured to control the rate of roll and pitch of the aircraft in response to autoflight guidance input.

15. An autoflight system for automatically controlling thrust, roll and pitch of an aircraft, the aircraft including a window positioned forward of a pilot seat, a forward instrument panel positioned in front of the pilot seat in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, and a glare shield positioned below the window and above the forward instrument panel, wherein the glare shield is configured to reduce glare on one or more flight instruments positioned on the forward instrument panel, and wherein the autoflight system comprises:

an autothrottle;

an autopilot;

a flight management computer configured to control the autothrottle and the autopilot; and

a display device incorporated into the glareshield in the pilot'"'"'s forward field of view, wherein the display device receives autoflight mode information from the flight management computer, the display device including;

a first display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to airspeed;

a second display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to the first display screen, the second display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to vertical guidance; and

a third display screen positioned at least approximately adjacent to at least one of the first and second display screens, the third display screen configured to provide autoflight mode information related to lateral guidance, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are configured to collectively display an active situation line, wherein the active situation line includes information related to the manner in which the autoflight system is controlling the aircraft, wherein the first display screen displays a first portion of the active situation line, the second display screen displays a second portion of the active situation line, and the third display screen displays a third portion of the active situation line, wherein the first, second, and third portions of the active situation line extend colinearly across the first, second, and third display screens, and wherein the first display screen displays the first portion of the active situation line in the absence of the second and third portions of the active situation line, the second display screen displays the second portion of the active situation line in the absence of the first and third portions of the active situation line, and the third display screen displays the third portion of the active situation line in the absence of the first and second portion of the active situation line.

16. The autoflight system of claim 15, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are further configured to collectively display a next event line, wherein the next event line includes information related to the manner in which the autoflight system will be controlling the aircraft, and wherein the first display screen displays a first portion of the next event line, the second display screen displays a second portion of the next event line, and the third display screen displays a third portion of the next event line, and wherein the first, second, and third portions of the next event line extend colinearly across the first, second, and third display screens.

17. The autoflight system of claim 16, wherein the first, second, and third display screens are arranged in a horizontal line.