Aircraft flight guidance panels with a display disposed between two input portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440675-B2
Application number	US-201815984658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2018
Priority date	May 21, 2018
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A flight guidance panel for an aircraft includes a first user input portion, a second user input portion, a display, and a controller. The display is disposed between the first user input portion and the second user input portion. The controller is configured for generating a first functional panel associated with a first flight parameter for presentation on the display. The controller is further configured for generating a second functional panel associated with a second flight parameter for presentation on the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flight guidance panel for an aircraft, the flight guidance panel comprising:
a first user input portion disposed on a pilot's side of the flight guidance panel, the first user input portion comprising a first panel selector that receives first panel selection input to select one of a plurality of displayed functional panels to be active for adjustment;
a second user input portion disposed on a co-pilot's side of the flight guidance panel, the second user input portion comprising a second panel selector that receives second panel selection input to select one of the plurality of displayed functional panels to be active for adjustment, wherein the second user input portion provides redundancy for the first user input portion;
a display disposed between the first user input portion and the second user input portion, wherein the first user input portion is distinct and separate from the display, the second user input portion is distinct and separate from the display, and the second user input portion is distinct and separate from the first user input portion; and
a controller configured for:
generating the plurality of displayed functional panels for presentation on the display, each of the plurality of displayed functional panels associated with a respective flight parameter of the aircraft, each of the displayed functional panels being void of control knobs;
selecting one of the plurality of functional panels to be an active functional panel for editing with the first user input portion or the second user input portion, wherein the selecting is responsive to a panel selection input received from the first panel selector or the second panel selector; and
selectively controlling, with input from a first control knob of the first user input portion or input from a second control knob of the second user input portion, the active functional panel to adjust the respective flight parameter of the aircraft that is associated with the active functional panel;

wherein each of the first panel selector and the second panel selector comprises a respective touchscreen input portion, and wherein the controller is further configured to present, on each touchscreen input portion, a list that identifies the plurality of functional panels as selectable icons.

2. The flight guidance panel of claim 1 , wherein the first control knob and the second control knob each includes an outer component and an inner component and the first user input portion and the second user input portion include a third button disposed on the knob, and wherein the controller is further configured to adjust flight parameter values at a first increment in response to rotation of the outer component and at a second increment in response to rotation of the inner component.

3. The flight guidance panel of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for generating a selected panel indicator on at least one of the display, the first panel selector, and the second panel selector indicating whether one of the plurality of functional panels is selected for adjustment.

4. The flight guidance panel of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for generating a multi-function panel on the display, wherein generating the multi-function panel includes generating non-flight parameter based information.

5. The flight guidance panel of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured for generating the multi-function panel in a center of the display.

6. The flight guidance panel of claim 4 , wherein the generating non-flight parameter based information includes generating at least one of an Air Traffic Controller transcription, taxi instructions, a keypad, a clock, a text communication, a mirror of a portable device application, and a cryptographic authentication feature.

7. The flight guidance panel of claim 1 , further comprising an eye tracking sensor, and wherein the controller is further configured for adjusting values based on an input from the eye tracking sensor and based on inputs at one of the first user input portion and the second user input portion.

8. The flight guidance panel of claim 1 , further comprising a proximity sensor, and wherein the controller is further configured for decluttering the display based on an input from the proximity sensor.

9. The flight guidance panel of claim 1 , wherein the display is composed of single touch capable screen.

10. A flight guidance panel for an aircraft, the flight guidance panel comprising:
a user input portion comprising a panel selector that receives panel selection input to select one of a plurality of displayed functional panels to be active for adjustment, and further comprising a control component;
a display disposed next to the user input portion, wherein the user input portion is distinct and separate from the display; and
a controller configured for:
displaying the plurality of functional panels on the display, each of the plurality of functional panels associated with a respective flight parameter of the aircraft, and each of the plurality of functional panels being void of control knobs;
selecting one of the plurality of functional panels to be an active functional panel for editing with the user input portion, wherein the selecting is responsive to a panel selection input received from the panel selector of the user input portion; and
selectively controlling, with input from the control component of the user input portion, the active functional panel to adjust the respective flight parameter of the aircraft that is associated with the active functional panel;

wherein the control component of the user input portion is configured to selectively control any of the plurality of functional panels when selected to be an active functional panel; and
wherein the panel selector of the user input portion comprises a touchscreen input portion, and wherein the controller is further configured to present, on the touchscreen input portion, a list that identifies the plurality of functional panels as selectable icons.

11. The flight guidance panel of claim 10 , wherein the control component of the user input portion includes an outer component and an inner component for adjusting flight parameter values at a first increment in response to rotation of the outer component and at a second increment in response to rotation of the inner component.

12. The flight guidance panel of claim 10 , wherein the panel selector is a touchscreen input portion configured to present a list that identifies the plurality of functional panels.

13. The flight guidance panel of claim 10 , further comprising an eye tracking sensor configured for receiving the panel selection inputs.

14. The flight guidance panel of claim 10 , further comprising a proximity sensor configured for generating outputs indicating when the controller should declutter the display.

15. The flight guidance panel of claim 10 , wherein the display is composed of single touch capable screen configured to present the plurality of functional panels in a single row.

Assignees

• Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Bohanan Scott
• Hausmann Jeffrey
• Davis Bethany
• Martin Andrew
• Medin Kristin

Classifications

• G06F3/1423

  controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• B64D43/00 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

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

• G06F3/02

  Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials · CPC title