# US 11,440,675 B2 · Aircraft flight guidance panels with a display disposed between two input portions

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- Number: US 11,440,675 B2
- Document ID: US11440675B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/984,658
- Filed: 2018-05-21
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-21
- Assignees: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
- Applicants: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
- Inventors: Scott Bohanan; Jeffrey Hausmann; Bethany Davis; Andrew Martin; Kristin Medin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440675B2

## CPC

- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- G01C 23/00: 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
- G06F 3/013: {Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence)}
- G06F 3/02: Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
- G06F 3/0362: with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
- G06F 3/1423: {controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display}
- G06F 2203/04803: Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

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.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

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.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

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.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

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

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

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

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

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.