# US 10,766,632 B2 · System and method to manage check-lists for an aircraft pilot

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,766,632 B2
- Document ID: US10766632B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/238,059
- Filed: 2019-01-02
- Published: 2019-07-04
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-01-04
- Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH
- Applicants: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
- Inventors: Freddy Le Provost; Alexandre Duchevet; Estelle Delpech; Vincent Souffrant; Benoît Papaïx; Nicolas Chatrenet; Yannick Deleris
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766632B2

## CPC

- B64D 45/00: Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for
- B64C 13/10: comprising warning devices
- B64C 19/00: Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
- B64D 31/04: actuated personally
- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- B64D 47/02: Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices
- G06F 3/014: {Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves}
- G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence)
- G08B 7/06: using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources}
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A system (1) including an identification unit (2) for identifying at least one actuation element to be actuated to implement a current control from a check-list, a signaling unit (3) for visually highlighting the identified actuation element, a detection unit (4) for detecting a position of a hand of a pilot, a checking unit (5) for checking whether the detected position of the hand of the pilot is consistent with the position of the identified and highlighted actuation element for the actuation thereof, an alert unit (6) for alerting the pilot to a risk of incorrect actuation, in case of absence of consistency between the detected position of the hand of the pilot and the position of the actuation element, and a recovery unit (15) for identifying, in case of incorrect actuation, at least one suggest correct actuation element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for aiding management of at least one check-list, managed by at least one pilot of an aircraft, the method includes:
an identification step, implemented by an identification unit, including identifying at least one actuation element to be actuated to implement a current control from a check-list;
a signaling step, implemented by a signaling unit, including visually highlighting the identified at least one actuation element;
a detection step, implemented by a detection unit, including detecting a position of a hand of a pilot;
a checking step, implemented by a checking unit, including checking whether the detected position of the hand of the pilot is consistent with a position of the identified at least one actuation element which is visually highlighted, and
a first alert step, implemented by an alert unit, including alerting the pilot to a risk of incorrect actuation in response to an inconsistency between the detected position of the hand of the pilot and the position of the highlighted actuation element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, including a second alert step, implemented by the alert unit, including informing the pilot in response to an incorrect actuation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the first alert step includes identifying at least one recommended actuation element using a recovery unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, including a first confirmation step implemented by a confirmation unit and including generating a confirmation signal in response to the checking step determining that the detected position of the hand of the pilot is consistent with the position of the highlighted actuation element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, including a second confirmation step implemented by the confirmation unit and including confirming a correct actuation of the identified at least one actuation element and the highlighted at least on actuation element.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first alert step includes implementing at least one of the following alerts: at least one visual alert and at least one audible alert.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, including, implemented before the identification step:
a monitoring step implemented by a monitoring unit and including detecting a condition relating to implementation of a check-list; and
a checking step implemented by a checking unit and including checking the detected condition to confirm that the check-list corresponds to at least one predetermined check-list.

### Claim 8

A system for aiding in the management of at least one check-list, managed by at least one pilot of an aircraft, which comprises:
an identification unit configured to identify at least one actuation element to be actuated to implement a current control from a check-list;
a signaling unit configured to visually highlight the identified actuation element;
a detection unit configured to detect a position at least of a hand of a pilot;
a checking unit configured to check whether the detected position of the hand of the pilot is consistent with a position of the identified actuation element which is visually highlighted, for the actuation thereof; and
an alert unit configured to alert the pilot to a risk of incorrect actuation of an inconsistency between the detected position of the hand of the pilot and the position of the actuation element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system according to claim 8, further including:
a monitoring unit configured to detect a certain condition relating to the implementation of a check-list;
a data base storing one or more predetermined check-lists; and
a checking unit configured to check if a check-list corresponding to the detected condition corresponds to one of the check-lists stored in the data base.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system according to claim 8, including a confirmation unit configured to confirm whether an actuation intention conforms or a correct actuation.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system according to claim 8, including a recovery unit configured to respond to incorrect actuation by assisting in correcting the incorrect actuation.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system according claim 8, wherein the detection unit comprises a plurality of sensors.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system according claim 8, wherein the signaling unit comprises a plurality of signaling elements.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

An aircraft including a system as recited in claim 8 for aiding in the management of at least one check-list.

### Claim 15

A method to assist an aircrew to execute a check-list to actuate elements in a cockpit of an aircraft, the method includes:
an identification step which automatically identifies an actuation element to be actuated to implement a current control from a check-list;
a signaling step automatically highlighting the identified actuation element;
a detection step automatically detecting a position of a hand of a pilot in response to the signaling step and until the pilot actuates the identified actuation element or another actuation element in the cockpit;
a checking step performed in conjunction with the detection step and automatically determining if a position of the hand of the pilot is at a position corresponding to the identified actuation element, and
a first alert step to issue an alert to the pilot in response to the checking step determining that the position of the hand of the pilot does not correspond to a position of the identified actuation element.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the checking step is performed during a period between the highlighting of the identified actuation element and actuation on the identified actuation element or the another actuation element.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the checking step further detects that the hand is at a position corresponding to the another actuation element and the first alert step issues the alert in response to the checking step detecting the hand at the position corresponding to the another actuation element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the signaling step includes illuminating on or a light adjacent the identified actuation element to highlight the identified actuation element.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the light is arranged to bracket the identified actuation element.