Workload management system and method

• US 8,928,498 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Dorneich, Michael Christian, Rogers, William, Whitlow, Stephen, Hamblin, Chris, Keinrath, Claudia
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/173,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/963, 340/964, 340/971, 701/2, 701/3, 701/14, 701/29, 701/120, 701/121, 244/180, 244/189
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A system and method are provided for facilitating workload management. The system processes first sensor data to estimate the current cognitive state of a first person, and processes second sensor data to estimate the current cognitive state of a second person. Information representative of the estimates of the current cognitive states of the first person and the second person is simultaneously rendered on a display device.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating workload management, comprising the steps of:

processing first sensor data to estimate current cognitive state of a first person;

processing second sensor data to estimate current cognitive state of a second person;

storing at least a portion of the estimates of the current cognitive state states of the first person and the second person in a memory storage device;

simultaneously rendering, on a display device, information representative of (i) the estimates of the current cognitive states of the first person and the second person and (ii) at least a portion of the stored estimates of the current cognitive state states of the first person and the second person;

processing aircraft mission data and the first sensor data to estimate both current and imminent task loading of the first person;

processing the aircraft mission data and the second sensor data to estimate both current and imminent task loading of the second person;

comparing the estimates of the current and imminent task loadings of the first and second persons;

selectively generating task sharing recommendations based on the comparison of the estimates of the current and imminent task loadings; and

rendering the selectively generated task sharing recommendations on the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information representative of at least a portion of the stored estimates of the current cognitive states of the first person and the second person are rendered on the display device in a manner that depicts cognitive state histories of the first and second person over a predetermined period of time.

3. A flight crew workload management system, comprising:

a display device configured to render images;

a first plurality of workload sensors, each of the first plurality of workload sensors configured to (i) sense a parameter representative of first pilot workload level and (ii) supply first sensor data representative thereof;

a second plurality of workload sensors, each of the second plurality of workload sensors configured to (i) sense a parameter representative of second pilot workload level and (ii) supply second sensor data representative thereof;

an aircraft mission data source configured to supply data representative of current aircraft mission; and

a processor in operable communication with the display device and coupled to receive the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the aircraft mission data, the processor configured, upon receipt of these data, to;

estimate current workload states of a first pilot and of a second pilot,

estimate current task loads of the first and second pilots,

estimate imminent task loading of the first pilot,

compare the estimates of the current task loads of the first and second pilots,

compare the estimates of the imminent task loading of the first and second pilots,

selectively generate task sharing recommendations based on the comparison of the estimates of the current task loads and the comparison of the imminent task loadings, and

command the display device to simultaneously render information representative of the estimates of the current workload states of the first pilot and the second pilot, and the selectively generated task sharing recommendations.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a memory storage device in operable communication with the processor for storing at least a portion of the estimates of the current workload cognitive states of the first pilot and the second pilot,

wherein the processor is further configured to command the display device to simultaneously render information representative of at least a portion of the stored estimates of the current cognitive states of the first pilot and the second pilot.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the information representative of at least a portion of the stored estimates of the current cognitive states of the first pilot and the second pilot are rendered on the display device in a manner that depicts cognitive state histories of the first and second pilot over a predetermined period of time.