Next action page key for system generated messages

• US 9,223,413 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Pakki, Sathish, Balu, Sivakumar, T L, Chandrasekhar V
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/873,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 345/172
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224

Abstract

An aerospace messaging system comprises a display unit configured to display data, a user input device configured to receive input from a user, a memory configured to store one or more key associations, and a processing unit configured to direct the display unit to display a label with a corresponding system generated message. The user input device comprises a plurality of modifiable keys. Each respective key association is an association between a respective one of the plurality of modifiable keys, a respective system generated message, and a respective action page from which a user can respond to information in the respective system generated message. The label indicates a corresponding modifiable key that is associated with a corresponding action page based on the respective key association. When the corresponding modifiable key is selected, the processing unit is configured to direct the display unit to display the corresponding action page.

Claims

1. An aerospace messaging system comprising:

a display unit configured to display data;

a user input device configured to receive input from a user, the user input device comprising a plurality of modifiable keys, wherein a modifiable key is a key that has a modifiable function;

a memory configured to store one or more key associations, wherein each respective key association is an association between a respective one of the plurality of modifiable keys, a respective system generated message, and a respective action page from which a user can respond to information in the respective system generated message, wherein the memory is further configured to store a history of user selected pages; and

a processing unit configured to direct the display unit to display a label with a corresponding system generated message, the label indicating a corresponding modifiable key of the plurality of modifiable keys that is associated with a corresponding action page based on the respective key association stored in the memory;

wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the respective modifiable key, the respective system generated message, and the respective action page for at least one key association based on the history of user selected pages;

wherein the at least one key association is configured with a respective default modifiable key, respective default system generated message, and respective default action page;

wherein the processing unit is configured to update the respective default action page based on the history of user selected pages;

wherein, when the corresponding modifiable key is selected, the processing unit is configured to direct the display unit to display the corresponding action page.

2. The aerospace messaging system of claim 1, wherein each respective system generated message comprises one of an Air Traffic Control (ATC) datalink lost message, a Re-Logon to ATC COMM message, an ATC COMM Established message, an Invalid ATC uplink message, an Armed Report message, or a Conditional Clearance message.

3. The aerospace messaging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modifiable keys each comprise one of a physical button or an icon on a display.

4. The aerospace messaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one key association comprises at least one default key association configured with a respective default modifiable key, respective default system generated message, and respective default action page;

wherein the at least one default key association is stored in a static key association memory file.

5. The aerospace messaging system of claim 1, wherein a single action page is included in two or more respective key associations to associate the single action page with two or more respective system generated messages.

6. The aerospace messaging system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more key associations includes a single respective system generated message, two or more respective modifiable keys, and two or more respective action pages.

7. The aerospace messaging system of claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises one of a primary flight display (PFD), or an engine-indicating and crew-alerting system (EICAS) display.

8. A method comprising:

determining if use of an action page key with a system generated message is enabled;

if use of the action page key is enabled;

determining what type of system generated message is to be displayed;

determining if an action page has been specified for the determined type of system generated message;

if an action page has been specified, displaying a label for an action page key together with the system generated message on a display unit; and

displaying the action page specified for the determined type of system generated message when the action page key is selected;

if use of the action page key is not enabled;

displaying the system generated message without a label for an action page key.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the label comprises displaying one of a label for an icon on the display unit, or a label indicating a physical button associated with the display unit.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

if an action page has not been specified, associating an action page with the determined type of system generated message based on a history of user selected pages.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein associating an action page with the determined type of system generated message comprises associating an action page with the determined type of system generated message based on the action page most frequently selected by a user in response to the determined type of system generated message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein associating an action page with the determined type of system generated message comprises associating an action page with the determined type of system generated message based on the action page most recently selected by a user in response to the determined type of system generated message.

13. A program product comprising a non-transitory processor-readable medium on which program instructions are embodied, wherein the program instructions are configured, when executed by at least one programmable processor, to cause the at least one programmable processor to:

determine when to display a respective system generated message;

retrieve a key association from a memory, the key association corresponding to the respective system generated message, wherein the key association is an association between a respective modifiable key, the respective system generated message, and a respective action page from which a user can respond to information in the respective system generated message;

direct a display unit to display the respective system generated message and a label together, the label indicating the respective modifiable key that is associated with the respective action page based on the key association retrieved from the memory;

update the respective action page in the key association based on a history of user selected pages, including;

the action page most frequently selected by a user in response to the respective system generated message;

or

the action page most recently selected by a user in response to the respective system generated message; and

direct the display unit to display the respective action page when input is received indicating that the respective modifiable key was selected by a user.

14. The program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the at least one programmable processor to:

direct the display unit to display one of a label for an icon on the display unit, or a label indicating a physical button associated with the display unit.

15. The program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the at least one programmable processor to direct a display unit to display the respective system generated message and the label indicating the respective modifiable key on a page being displayed when the respective system generated message was generated.