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Flight deck touch-sensitive hardware controls

  • US 9,471,176 B2
  • Filed: 10/08/2014
  • Issued: 10/18/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for producing a visual indication that a user is touching or nearly touching a control device on a control panel, comprising:

  • using a sensor to produce an electrical user proximity signal whenever the sensor detects that the user is currently touching or nearly touching the control device and not produce said electrical user proximity signal whenever the sensor does not detect that the user is touching or nearly touching the control device;

    producing a first electrical display control signal in response to the absence of an electrical user proximity signal for a time interval having a duration greater than a first threshold value;

    while said first electrical display control signal is being produced, displaying a first image in an area on a display screen that is associated with the control device, but is not part of or collocated with the control panel, said first image comprising a visual indication of a current setting of the control device;

    producing a second electrical display control signal in response to the presence of an electrical user proximity signal for a time interval having a duration greater than a second threshold value; and

    displaying a second image in said area on said display screen while said second electrical display control signal is being produced, said second image comprising said visual indication of said current setting of the control device, wherein said second image is different than said first image.

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