Systems and methods for configurable user interfaces

• US 9,676,472 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Hayes, Andrew Royds, Davidson, Jr., Darcy Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US14/453,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20160159462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 9, 701 11, 701 13, 701 15, 701 16, 701 18, 701 23, 701 24, 701 25, 701117, 701120, 703 2, 707 1, 244 1 R, 244 63, 244 751, 244 76 R, 244120, 2441584, 244175, 244185, 244189, 244190, 180 651, 180402, 340903, 340963, 340991, 345601, 3423572, 3562372
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• 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

A user interface presented to an operator of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be presented to facilitate the ease of operation of the UAV. The information displayed in the user interface may be customized by the operator to display selected data. The display configuration data may be saved and imported into other systems for future use. Various entities related to one or more UAVs may be presented in a hierarchical tree structure illustrating the relationship between the entities. Electronic checklists may be presented to a user to facilitate addressing common and emergency situations.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

determining a plurality of electronic checklists based on unmanned aerial vehicle data;

generating a menu comprising menu items associated with each of the plurality of electronic checklists;

rendering, on a user interface configured to represent controls for the unmanned aerial vehicle, an electronic checklist comprising a plurality of steps for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the rendering comprises generating the electronic checklist in response to a user selection of a menu item associated with the electronic checklist from among the menu items;

detecting, by the user interface, one or more of a user selection of a step from among the plurality of steps, display preferences, or rearrangement of the plurality of steps;

presenting, on the user interface, information associated with the user selection, wherein the information comprises at least one of;

(1) a control that, when activated, manipulates a component configured on the unmanned aerial vehicle, (2) a user input that accepts user provided data and provides the user provided data to a flight planning and control system, and (3) a control that, when activated, indicates to a flight planning and control system that the user selected step is complete; and

saving the user selection as a display configuration data file for subsequent retrieval to recreate an associated display configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to detecting that the step is complete, presenting information associated with a subsequent step.

3. A flight planning and control system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

a memory comprising instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory that, when executing the instructions, effectuates operations comprising;

determining a plurality of electronic checklists based on unmanned aerial vehicle data;

generating a menu comprising menu items associated with each of the plurality of electronic checklists;

rendering, on a user interface configured to represent controls for the unmanned aerial vehicle, an electronic checklist comprising a plurality of steps for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the rendering comprises generating the electronic checklist in response to a user selection of a menu item associated with the electronic checklist from among the menu items;

detecting, by the user interface, one or more of a user selection of a step from among the plurality of steps, display preferences, or rearrangement of the plurality of steps;

presenting, on the user interface, information associated with the user selection, wherein the information comprises at least one of;

(1) a control that, when activated, manipulates a component configured on the unmanned aerial vehicle, (2) a user input that accepts user provided data and provides the user provided data to a flight planning and control system, and (3) a control that, when activated, indicates to a flight planning and control system that the user selected step is complete; and

saving the user selection as a display configuration data file for subsequent retrieval to recreate an associated display configuration.

4. The flight planning and control system of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to detecting that the step is complete, presenting information associated with a subsequent step.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, effectuate operations comprising:

determining a plurality of electronic checklists based on unmanned aerial vehicle data;

generating a menu comprising menu items associated with each of the plurality of electronic checklists;

rendering, on a user interface configured to represent controls for the unmanned aerial vehicle, an electronic checklist comprising a plurality of steps for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the rendering comprises generating the electronic checklist in response to a user selection of a menu item associated with the electronic checklist from among the menu items;

detecting, by the user interface, one or more of a user selection of a step from among the plurality of steps, display preferences, or rearrangement of the plurality of steps;

presenting, on the user interface, information associated with the user selection, wherein the information comprises at least one of;

(1) a control that, when activated, manipulates a component configured on the unmanned aerial vehicle, (2) a user input that accepts user provided data and provides the user provided data to a flight planning and control system, and (3) a control that, when activated, indicates to a flight planning and control system that the user selected step is complete; and

saving the user selection as a display configuration data file for subsequent retrieval to recreate an associated display configuration.