Systems and methods for a smart navigation tuning panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12306779-B2
Application number	US-202318318471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2023
Priority date	May 16, 2023
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A line-replaceable unit (LRU) for an aircraft includes an interface configured to couple to an aircraft data bus. The LRU further includes one or more processors coupled to the interface. The one or more processors are configured to monitor communications over the aircraft data bus between a pilot interface device and a second LRU. The LRU is distinct from the second LRU and is distinct from the pilot interface device. The one or more processors are further configured to, in response to detecting a particular page being transmitted over the aircraft data bus, extract target data associated with the particular page from the aircraft data bus. The one or more processors are further configured to store the target data at a memory associated with the one or more processors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A line-replaceable unit (LRU) for an aircraft, the LRU comprising:
an interface configured to couple to an aircraft data bus;
one or more processors coupled to the interface and configured to:
monitor communications over the aircraft data bus between a pilot interface device and a second LRU, wherein the LRU is distinct from the second LRU and is distinct from the pilot interface device;
in response to detection of a particular page being transmitted over the aircraft data bus, extract target data associated with the particular page from the aircraft data bus, wherein the particular page corresponds to a display page to be displayed via the pilot interface device, and wherein extraction of the target data includes conversion of particular text to be displayed on the display page to a particular aircraft system control parameter; and
store the target data at a memory associated with the one or more processors.

2. The LRU of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit the target data from the memory to an aircraft control system responsive to receiving user input from the user interface.

3. The LRU of claim 2 , wherein the aircraft control system includes a radio tuning device configured to tune a radio to a particular radio frequency identified in the target data.

4. The LRU of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are integrated within a navigation (NAV) radio tuning panel.

5. The LRU of claim 1 , wherein the pilot interface device comprises a control display unit (CDU).

6. The LRU of claim 1 , wherein the second LRU comprises a flight management computer (FMC).

7. The LRU of claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to output data stored in the memory.

8. A method comprising:
monitoring, at one or more processors of a first line-replaceable unit (LRU), communications over an aircraft data bus between a pilot interface device and a second LRU, wherein the first LRU is distinct from the second LRU and is distinct from the pilot interface device;
in response to detecting a particular page being transmitted over the aircraft data bus, extracting target data associated with the particular page from the aircraft data bus, wherein the particular page corresponds to a display page to be displayed via the pilot interface device, and wherein the extracting the target data includes converting particular text to be displayed on the display page to a particular aircraft system control parameter; and
storing the target data at a memory associated with the one or more processors.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising comparing the target data to stored data stored at the memory, wherein the target data is stored at the memory responsive to the target data being distinct from the stored data.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the particular page corresponds to an approach reference page.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising comparing monitored data communicated on the aircraft data bus to a specified string, wherein the particular page is detected responsive to the specified string being detected.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the specified string includes “approach ref”.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the target data corresponds to content of a data field having a predetermined offset to the specified string.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the target data corresponds to an instrument landing system (ILS) frequency.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the target data corresponds to a ground-based augmentation system landing system (GLS) frequency.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the target data is stored in memory as a standby radio frequency, and further comprising transmitting the standby radio frequency from the memory to a radio tuning device responsive to receiving user input from a user interface, wherein the standby radio frequency is not transmitted to the radio tuning device prior to receiving the user input.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the memory identifies an active radio frequency, and wherein the active radio frequency is stored as a second standby radio frequency and the standby radio frequency is stored as a second active radio frequency responsive to the user input.

18. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a line-replaceable unit (LRU), cause the one or more processors to:
monitor communications over a data bus between an interface device and a second LRU, wherein the LRU is distinct from the second LRU and is distinct from the interface device;
in response to detection of a particular page being transmitted over the data bus, extract target data associated with the particular page from the data bus, wherein the particular page corresponds to a display page to be displayed via the interface device, and wherein extraction of the target data includes conversion of particular text to be displayed on the display page to a particular aircraft system control parameter; and
store the target data at a memory.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to compare the target data to standby frequency data stored at the memory, and wherein the target data is stored at the memory responsive to the target data being distinct from the standby frequency data.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the particular page corresponds to an approach page.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Cornell Bradley D
• Hammack Jason
• Younkin Katie

Classifications

• G06F2213/40

  Bus coupling · CPC title

• G08G5/54

  for approach or landing · CPC title

• G08G5/26

  Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations · CPC title

• G08G5/21

  located onboard the aircraft · CPC title

• G01C23/005

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