Systems and methods for providing user-manipulated primary flight display (PFD) data onboard an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10761674-B2
Application number	US-201815874066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Jan 18, 2018
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A method for providing flight data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method obtains avionics data, by a processor communicatively coupled to a display device onboard the aircraft; presents a graphical user interface (GUI), by the display device, wherein the GUI comprises at least a speed tape graphical element and an altitude tape graphical element; receives user input manipulations via a user interface communicatively coupled to the processor; executes the user input manipulations for the altitude tape graphical element or the speed tape graphical element, to generate a revised altitude tape graphical element or a revised speed tape graphical element; generates a revised GUI comprising the revised altitude tape graphical element or the revised speed tape graphical element; and presents the revised GUI, via the display device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing flight data onboard an aircraft, the method comprising:
obtaining avionics data, by a processor communicatively coupled to a display device onboard the aircraft, wherein the display device comprises a touch screen;
presenting a graphical user interface (GUI), by the display device, wherein the GUI displays at least a speed tape graphical element and an altitude tape graphical element, wherein the speed tape graphical element presents at least a maximum displayed speed value, a flap reference speed value, a minimum displayed speed value, and a range of speed values therebetween, and the altitude tape graphical element presents a maximum displayed altitude value, a minimum displayed altitude value, and a range of altitude values therebetween, wherein one or more first indicators presented by the speed tape graphical element or the altitude tape graphical element are selected based on current aircraft condition data obtained from a flight management system, the one or more first indicators selected at least from current aircraft speed or altitude, a maximum envelope speed or altitude and a minimum envelope speed or altitude;
receiving user input manipulations to the speed tape graphical element or the altitude tape graphical element via touch screen communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the user input manipulations comprise at least a user input zoom-out and zoom-in functions;
executing the user input manipulations for the altitude tape graphical element or the speed tape graphical element, to generate a revised altitude tape graphical element or a revised speed tape graphical element;
in response to the user input zoom-out function comprising the user touch contact on the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element displayed on the touch screen, presenting a first revised GUI, via the display device, comprising the first revised speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element that include a new maximum displayed speed or altitude value, a new minimum displayed speed or altitude value and a new range of speed or altitude values therebetween, wherein the new maximum displayed speed or altitude value is greater than the maximum displayed speed or altitude value and the new minimum displayed speed or altitude value is less than the minimum displayed speed or altitude value when the user input zoom-out function is executed, and wherein the revised altitude tape graphical element or the revised speed tape graphical element shows one or more second indicators, the one or more second indicators including at least one of current aircraft speed or altitude, a maximum envelope speed or altitude and a minimum envelope speed or altitude that is not shown by the speed tape graphical element or the altitude tape graphical element;
in response to detecting removal of the user touch contact on the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element displayed on the touch screen, replacing the first revised GUI with the GUI;
in response to the user input zoom-in function comprising the user touch contact on the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element displayed on the touch screen, presenting a second revised GUI, via the display device, comprising the second revised speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element that enlarge a portion of the displayed speed or altitude values of the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element, wherein the enlarged portion of the displayed speed or altitude values of the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element present a subset of a maximum displayed speed or altitude value, the minimum displayed speed or altitude value, and the range of speed or altitude values between the maximum displayed speed value or altitude value and the minimum displayed speed value or altitude value, based on the user manipulations, wherein the subset comprises a user-selected point of interest (POI); and
in response to detecting removal of the user touch contact on the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element displayed on the touch screen, replacing the second revised GUI with the GUI.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input manipulations comprise at least a user input scroll function.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting overlapping graphical elements or overlapping graphical element labels of the revised GUI; and
presenting the overlapping graphical elements or the overlapping graphical elements using distinguishing visual characteristics.

4. A system for providing flight data onboard an aircraft, the system comprising:
a system memory element;
a communication device configured to communicate with aircraft onboard avionics systems;
a display device, configured to present a graphical user interface (GUI) graphical element onboard the aircraft, wherein the GUI comprises at least a speed tape graphical element and an altitude tape graphical element, wherein the display device comprises a touch screen;
a user interface, configured to receive user input manipulations of the GUI; and
at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the system memory element, the communication device, the display device, and the user interface, the at least one processor configured to:
obtain avionics data, via the communication device;
present a graphical user interface (GUI), via the display device, wherein the GUI displays at least a speed tape graphical element and an altitude tape graphical element, wherein the speed tape graphical element presents at least a maximum displayed speed value, a flap reference speed value, a minimum displayed speed value, and a range of speed values therebetween, and the altitude tape graphical element presents a maximum displayed altitude value, a minimum displayed altitude value, and a range of altitude values therebetween, wherein one or more indicators presented by the speed tape graphical element or the altitude tape graphical element are selected based on current aircraft condition data obtained from a flight management system, the one or more first indicators selected at least from current aircraft speed or altitude, a maximum envelope speed or altitude and a minimum envelope speed or altitude;
receive user input manipulations to the speed tape graphical element or the altitude tape graphical element via the touch screen, wherein the user input manipulations comprise at least a user input zoom-out function and zoom-in functions;
execute the user input manipulations for the altitude tape graphical element or the speed tape graphical element to generate a revised altitude tape graphical element or a revised speed tape graphical element;
in response to the user input zoom-out function comprising the user touch contact on the speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element displayed on the touch screen, present a first revised GUI, via the display device, comprising the first revised speed tape graphical element or altitude tape graphical element that include a new maximum displayed speed or altitude value, a new minimum displayed speed or altitude value and a new range of speed or altitude values therebetween, wherein the new maximum displayed speed or altitude value is greater than the maximum displayed speed or altitude value and the new minimum displayed speed or altitude value is less than the minimum displayed speed or altitude value when the user input zoom-out function is executed, and wherein the revised altitude tape graphical element or the revised speed tape graphical element shows one or more second indicators, the one or more second indicators including at least one of current aircraft speed or altitude, a maximum envelope speed or altitude and a minimum env

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Ramachandra Sripathi
• Pearson Mark
• Ayyathurai Praveenkumar

Classifications

• G01C23/005 Primary

  Flight directors (indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32) · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  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 · CPC title

• G06F2203/04806

  Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation · CPC title

• G06F3/0485

  Scrolling or panning · CPC title