Methods and systems for integrating auto pilot functions on a display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264254-A1
Application number	US-201514657870-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 13, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for displaying information on a display device of an aircraft. The method comprises receiving aircraft data from one or more aircraft components; displaying on a user interface the aircraft data and at least one interactive display element associated with an autopilot control function; receiving user input based on an interaction with the at least one interactive display element; and selectively changing an appearance of the at least one interactive display element based on the user input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of displaying information on a display device of an aircraft, comprising:
receiving aircraft data from one or more aircraft components; displaying on a user interface the aircraft data and at least one interactive display element associated with an autopilot control function; receiving user input based on an interaction with the at least one interactive display element; and selectively changing an appearance of the at least one interactive display element based on the user input.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive display element is a virtual switch.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive display element is a virtual knob.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive display element is at least one of an aircraft symbol, a current aircraft heading marker, a heading dial indicator, a display window, vertical deviation marker, a flight path angle marker, a course reference window, and a backcourse symbol.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes at least one of a horizontal situation display and a vertical situation display.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the interactive display element is integrated within at least one of the horizontal situation display and the vertical situation display.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively generating at least one of a control message and a control signal to control at least one autopilot function of the aircraft based on the user input.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising synchronizing control of the at least one autopilot function to all redundant systems based on the user input.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively changing the appearance comprises changing at least one of a color, an intensity, a size, a shape, a symbol, and a background.

10 . A system for displaying information on a display device of an aircraft, comprising:
a display device; and a computer module that receives aircraft data from one or more aircraft components, that displays on the display device a user interface, the user interface comprising the aircraft data and at least one interactive display element associated with an autopilot control function, that receives user input based on an interaction with the at least one interactive display element, and that selectively changes an appearance of the at least one interactive display element based on the user input.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the interactive display element is a virtual switch.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the interactive display element is a virtual knob.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the interactive display element is at least one of an aircraft symbol, a current aircraft heading marker, a heading dial indicator, a display window, vertical deviation marker, a flight path angle marker, a course indicator, a backcourse symbol.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the interactive display element is integrated within a display having at least one of lateral and vertical autopilot features.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the user interface includes at least one of a horizontal situation display and a vertical situation display.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the interactive display element is integrated within at least one of the horizontal situation display and the vertical situation display.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer module selectively generates at least one of a control message and a control signal to control at least one autopilot function of the aircraft based on the user input.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the computer module synchronizes control of the at least one autopilot function to all redundant systems based on the user input.

19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer module selectively changes at least one of a color, an intensity, a size, a shape, a symbol, and a background.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Jajur Babitha
• Chandrashekarappa Mohan Gowda
• Venkataramana Kiran Mancheiah
• Sethuraman Deepthi
• Nagaraja Sridevi

Classifications

• G01C23/00

  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 title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · 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

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title