FLEXIBLE-USE DISPLAY AND CONTROL ELEMENT PANEL FOR CONTROLLING CABIN FUNCTIONS

• US 20100020038A1
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schulz, Stefan, Vogel, Carsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A display- and control element panel for controlling cabin functions in an aircraft, comprising a bi-stable display element and a control elements wherein the bi-stable display element and the control element are arranged so as to be essentially congruent, wherein the bi-stable display element is adapted to reproduce information at least in one sub-region, and wherein an event is triggerable by activating the control element.

Claims

1. A display- and control element panel for controlling cabin functions in an aircraft, comprising:

a bi-stable display element having at least one subregion; and

a control element;

wherein

the bi-stable display element and the control element arranged so as to be essentially congruent;

wherein

the bi-stable display element is adapted to reproduce information at least in one sub-region;

wherein

an event is triggerable by activating the control element, wherein the display- and control element panel is decouplable from at least one element from the group consisting of a display-control element, image-rendering element and energy supply element, associated with the display- and control element panel; and

wherein the display- and control element panel is operable in the operating state in the aircraft without the at least one element.

2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the control element is essentially transparent.

3. The panel of claim 1, wherein the bi-stable display element is essentially arranged behind the control element.

4. The panel of claim 1, wherein the control element is essentially arranged behind the bi-stable display element.

5. The panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of control elements.

6. The panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bi-stable display elements.

7. The panel of claim 1, wherein the control element is selected from the group consisting of a discrete control element, key button, switch, pressure-sensitive region, wherein the position of activation is determinable, and a touchpad.

8. The panel of claim 5, wherein each control element is associated with a discrete bi-stable display element.

9. The panel of claim 5, further comprising at least one discrete control element with at least one discrete bi-stable display element as well as at least one touch-sensitive region with at least one bi-stable display element.

10. The panel of claim 1, further comprising

a further display element, associated with at least one bi-stable display element.

11. The panel of claim 10, wherein the further display element is an LED element.

12. The panel of claim 1, further comprising an illumination element for at least partial illumination of at least one bi-stable display element.

13. The panel of claim 10, further comprising an illumination element for at least partial illumination of a further display element.

14. The panel of claim 1, further comprising at least one element from the group consisting of a display-control element, image-rendering element, control element-controlling element and an interface element.

15. An aircraft comprising:

a display- and control element panel for controlling cabin functions according to claim 1.

16. The aircraft of claim 15, further comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of a display-control element, image-rendering element and energy supply element, associated with the display- and control element panel;

wherein

the display- and control element panel and the at least one element are decouplable.