Touch screen instrument panel

• US 9,772,712 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Kneuper, Jeremy Joseph, Pinkerton, Christopher Adair
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/642,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20150261379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer-storage media are provided for a touch-screen interface panel (TSIP) of an aircraft. The TSIP may communicate with one or more aircraft systems. In other words, the TSIP is configured to display information of one or more aircraft systems. For example, the TSIP may receive a request for weather information. In response, the TSIP receives weather information from a weather system and displays it via the TSIP screen. In another example, the TSIP may display warnings or alerts that are detected by an aircraft warning system, maintenance system, or the like. Furthermore, information that may have typically been looked up physically or called in to a tower may now be provided via the TSIP by the interfacing of the TSIP with the systems maintaining the information. For example, a charts database may communicate with the TSIP and the information thereof displayed via the TSIP.

Claims

1. A method for providing information using a touch-screen instrument panel (TSIP) having a single interactive display, the method comprising:

receiving an indication to display information associated with an aircraft via the single interactive display of the TSIP;

receiving information associated with the aircraft from a plurality of subsystems managing aircraft or flight information;

displaying a real-time external view, captured by a camera mounted to the aircraft, the real-time view being displayed on the single interactive display of the TSIP; and

providing on the single interactive display of the TSIP at least one user interface overlaying the real-time external view, the at least one user interface corresponding to the indication, the at least one user interface being associated with at least one of the plurality of subsystems, and the at least one user interface may be dragged to a desired location on the single interactive display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is received via a touch input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subsystems includes anti-icing subsystems, an environmental control subsystem, an electrical subsystem, a flight control subsystem, a hydraulic subsystem, an exterior lighting subsystem, an oxygen subsystem, a cabin pressurization subsystem, a propulsion subsystem, an internal lighting subsystem, a climate control subsystem, a fuel subsystem, a warning subsystem, a global positioning subsystem (GPS), and a cabin control subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subsystems includes a Traffic Collision Avoidance Subsystem (TCAS).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein information provided by the TCAS results in traffic information being presented via the TSIP.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of systems includes a Terrain Awareness Warning Subsystem (TAWS).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the TSIP spans a width of a cockpit of the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface further includes a mapping component, a charts component, a flight plan component, an autopilot component, a radio frequency component, a weather component, and a virtual flight path component.

9. An aircraft cockpit system for an aircraft, the aircraft having a plurality of subsystems, the cockpit system comprising:

a touch-screen instrument panel (TSIP) comprising a single interactive display, the single interactive display being positioned to be accessible to more than one user;

a camera mounted to the aircraft for capturing a real-time external view for displaying on the single interactive display of the via the TSIP;

a computer including processes enabling the interfacing by said more than one user with the plurality of aircraft subsystems, for receiving an indication of aircraft or flight information, and for managing said aircraft or flight information; and

providing on the single interactive display of the TSIP at least one user interface overlaid upon the external real-time view, the at least one user interface corresponding to the indication, and the at least one user interface being associated with at least one of the plurality of subsystems, and the at least one user interface may be dragged to a desired location on the single interactive display.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of subsystems includes anti-icing subsystems, an environmental control subsystem, an electrical subsystem, a flight control subsystem, a hydraulic subsystem, an exterior lighting subsystem, an oxygen subsystem, a cabin pressurization subsystem, a propulsion subsystem, an internal lighting subsystem, a climate control subsystem, a fuel subsystem, a warning subsystem, a global positioning subsystem (GPS), and a cabin control subsystem.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the TSIP spans a width of a cockpit of the aircraft.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the camera is a high-definition camera and the real-time external view is panoramically displayed via the TSIP.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the camera is mounted to the aircraft in a forward-facing orientation and the forward view provided by the camera spans an angle of about 120 degrees to about 180 degrees.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the camera includes an infrared camera configured to receive infrared light, and the TSIP is configured to display a synthetic real-time view based on the received infrared light.

15. A touch-screen instrument panel spanning a cockpit of an aircraft, comprising:

the panel comprising a single interactive display, the display configured to display a real-time image captured by a camera on the exterior of the aircraft; and

at least one user interface overlaid upon the real-time image on the single interactive display, and

the at least one user interface may be dragged to a desired location on the single interactive display.

16. The touch-screen instrument panel of claim 15, wherein the touchscreen instrument panel comprises the single interactive display that spans a substantial portion of the cockpit and the at least one user interface may be dragged to a desired location on the single interactive display such that a pilot and a copilot may have easy access to the at least one user interface.

17. The touch-screen instrument panel of claim 15, wherein the real-time image includes a panoramic wide-angle view illustrating a live view ahead of the aircraft.

18. The touch-screen instrument panel of claim 15, wherein the at least one user interface is overlaid upon the real-time image enabling a heads up view.

19. The touch-screen instrument panel of claim 15, wherein the at least one user interface is configured to receive an indication from an aircraft subsystem, including one or more of an anti-icing subsystem, an environmental control subsystem, an electrical subsystem, a flight control subsystem, a hydraulic subsystem, an exterior lighting subsystem, an oxygen subsystem, a cabin pressurization subsystem, a propulsion subsystem, an internal lighting subsystem, a climate control subsystem, a fuel subsystem, a warning subsystem, a global positioning subsystem (GPS), and a cabin control subsystem.

20. The touch-screen instrument panel of claim 15, wherein the at least one user interface further includes a mapping component, a charts component, a flight plan component, an autopilot component, a radio frequency component, a weather component, and a virtual flight path component.

21. The touch-screen instrument panel of claim 15, wherein the camera includes an infrared camera configured to receive infrared light, and the touch-screen instrument panel is configured to display a synthetic real-time image based on the received infrared light.