Aircraft systems and methods with operator monitoring

• US 9,646,470 B1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Engels, Jary, Wyatt, Ivan Sandy, Gannon, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US14/884,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20170109980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 3404071, 34053911, 340582, 340 76, 340945, 340965, 116200, 116205, 463 30, 463 36, 701 23, 701 70
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/042 operated by hand
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/04 actuated personally
• 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 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• 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: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 9/0064 in which functions not related to time can be displayed digital output to display devices of digital computers G06F3/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A wearable device to be worn by an operator of an aircraft includes a communication unit configured to receive aircraft parameters from an aircraft system. The wearable device further includes a database configured to store adverse control rules that define at least a first adverse control associated with a first aircraft state. The wearable device further includes a first sensor to collect data associated with movement and/or location of the wearable device. The wearable device includes a processing unit configured to identify the first aircraft state based on the aircraft parameters, evaluate operator intent based on the movement and/or location of the wearable device, and initiate a first alert when the operator intent corresponds to the first adverse control during the first aircraft state. The wearable device includes a haptic unit configured to communicate the first alert to the operator.

Claims

1. A wearable device to be worn by an operator of an aircraft, comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive aircraft parameters from an aircraft system;

a database configured to store adverse control rules that define at least a first adverse control associated with a first aircraft state;

a first sensor to collect data associated with at least one of movement and location of the wearable device;

a processing unit coupled to the communication unit, the database, and the first sensor, the processing unit configured to

identify the first aircraft state based on the aircraft parameters,

evaluate operator intent based on the at least one of movement and location of the wearable device, and

initiate a first alert when the operator intent corresponds to the first adverse control during the first aircraft state; and

a haptic unit coupled to the processing unit and configured to communicate the first alert to the operator.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, further comprising a watch housing that at least partially houses the communication unit, database, processing unit, first sensor, and haptic unit.

3. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the haptic unit is configured to communicate the first alert as a tactile signal.

4. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein the haptic unit is configured to communicate the tactile signal as at least one of vibration and tap.

5. The wearable device of claim 3, wherein the haptic unit is configured to communicate the tactile signal as at least one of a virtual tactile wall, apparent tactile motion, and simulated tactile guidance.

6. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is an accelerometer.

7. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to evaluate the operator intent when the movement of the wearable device is towards the first adverse control.

8. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the aircraft state is based on aircraft speed.

9. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the aircraft state is based on aircraft altitude.

10. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the haptic unit is configured to communicate the first alert with a directional component.

11. The wearable device of claim 10, wherein the haptic unit is configured to communicate the first alert with the directional component in a directional toward the first adverse control.

12. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive the aircraft parameters according to an Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) protocol.

13. A method for monitoring an operator of an aircraft, comprising:

receiving, on a wearable device worn by the operator, aircraft parameters from an aircraft system;

identifying, with a processing unit of the wearable device, the first aircraft state based on the aircraft parameters;

collecting, with a first sensor of the wearable device, data associated with at least one of movement and location of the wearable device;

evaluating operator intent based on the at least one of movement and location of the wearable device in view of adverse control rules that define at least a first adverse control associated with the first aircraft state;

initiating, with the processing unit of the wearable device, a first alert when the operator intent corresponds to the first adverse control during the first aircraft state; and

communicating, with a haptic unit on the wearable device, the first alert to the operator.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the wearable device includes a watch housing that at least partially houses a communication unit for receiving the aircraft parameters, database for storing the adverse control rules, the processing unit, the first sensor, and the haptic unit.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the communicating step includes communicating the first alert as a tactile signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communicating step includes communicating the tactile signal as a vibration.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the collecting step includes collecting the data associated with the at least one of movement and location of the wearable device with an accelerometer as the first sensor.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying step includes identifying the first aircraft state based on aircraft speed and aircraft altitude as the aircraft parameters.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the communicating step includes communicating the first alert with a directional component.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving step includes receiving the aircraft parameters from an aircraft system according to an Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) protocol.