Methods, systems, and apparatus for layered and multi-indexed flight management interface

• US 8,694,184 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Boorman, Daniel J., Mumaw, Randall J., Riley, Victor A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Behncke, Christine
• Application Number:
  US12/887,366
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/3, 701/14, 701/9, 715/777, 715/780, 715/853, 715/854, 715/738, 715/810, 715/825, 715/841, 715/737, 715/733, 340/945, 340/971, 340/979, 244/221, 703/7, 703/8
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• 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: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for tab-pane-based flight plan management interface are disclosed. The tab-pane-based flight management interface system (FMIS) is optimally Layered and Multi-Indexed (LMI) such that the management of flight management (FM) functions and associated parameters that affect the airplane'"'"'s flight are easily and efficiently operable by pilots. The LMI-FMIS provides a flexible tab-pane-based architecture that allows pilots to start a flight plan modification, proceed to engage in other tasks not related to the modification, and return to the pending modification to continue the modification process. The LMI-FMIS also provides task-oriented menu structures that provide pilots tailored options or menus applicable to the task at hand thus efficiently guiding pilots to complete a task while maintaining easy access to information that was displayed prior to the commencement of the task.

Claims

1. A task-oriented method of organizing a flight management interface system, the method activating a plurality of tabs associated with flight management tasks, comprising:

displaying a first tab-pane comprising operational information associated with a plurality of flight management tasks;

responsive to a first event, wherein the first event is one of a pilot input or a system input, activating a second tab-pane comprising of a plurality of modification options for at least one flight management task;

activating a third tab-pane comprising information related to the flight management task presented in the first tab-pane wherein the information comprises at least one of descriptive data, predictive data, and planning data;

responsive to a second event, wherein the second event is one of a second pilot input or a second system input to a plurality of modification fields of at least one of the modification options, storing a pending modification for the flight management task for at least one of a review step or an execution step; and

responsive to a third event, wherein the third event is a pilot input, executing the pending modification.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the operational information of the first tab-pane is presented in at least one of a tabular format and a graphical format.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a modification made from the second tab-pane updates at least one flight management task in the first tab-pane.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein storing a pending modification further includes means for cancelling at least one pending modification.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein storing a pending modification further includes means for activating at least one reminder associated with the pending modification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein storing a pending modification further includes means for reporting information associated with the pending modification.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a variable-access means for defining views of the first tab-pane.

8. A system for a flight management interface comprising:

a computer having instructions having contents that perform a method that includes;

configuring a plurality of flight management functions in a first tab-pane;

configuring a plurality of modification options for the flight management functions in a second tab-pane;

configuring a third tab-pane comprising information related to the flight management functions presented in the first tab-pane wherein the information comprises at least one of descriptive data, predictive data, and planning data; and

a display operatively coupled to the computer to display the first tab-pane and the second-tab pane; and

a control input device operatively coupled to the display to provide pilot input for the flight management functions and the modification options.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second tab-pane activates upon selection of a flight management function of the first tab-pane.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein a modification made from the second tab-pane updates at least one flight management function in the first tab-pane.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the second tab-pane deactivates upon at least one of an execution of a modification or a cancellation of a modification.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of flight management functions of the first tab-pane is presented in at least one of a tabular format or a graphical format.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the display further comprises a variable-access means for defining views of the first tab-pane.

14. The system of claim 8 operatively connected to aircraft systems including a flight management system, an aircraft control system, a navigation system, and a communication system.

15. A computer-implemented method of managing modification states of aircraft flight management functions, the method comprising:

displaying a first tab-pane comprising operational information associated with a plurality of flight management functions;

responsive to a pilot input to modify at least one flight management function, activating a second tab-pane of a plurality of modification options for making at least one pending modification for the at least one flight management function;

activating a third tab-pane comprising information related to the flight management task presented in the first tab-pane wherein the information comprises at least one of descriptive data, predictive data, and planning data;

storing the at least one pending modification in memory;

updating the first tab-pane with the at least one pending modification for at least one of a review step or an execution step; and

responsive to a third event, wherein the third event is a pilot input, executing the at least one pending modification to cause a change in at least one of a flight path or a performance of an aircraft.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 further comprising, cancelling the at least one pending modification in the review step.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 further comprising, cancelling the at least one executed modification.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 wherein the operational information of the first tab-pane is presented in at least one of a tabular format and a graphical format.