# US 11,442,471 B2 · Flight guidance controller interface

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- Number: US 11,442,471 B2
- Document ID: US11442471B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/859,540
- Filed: 2020-04-27
- Published: 2021-10-28
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-27
- Assignees: Honeywell International Inc.
- Applicants: Honeywell International Inc.
- Inventors: Jan Urbanec; Carlos Eduardo Viana Ribeiro
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442471B2

## CPC

- G05D 1/101: {specially adapted for aircraft}
- 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
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 35/25: using haptic output
- B60K 35/81: for controlling displays
- B64C 13/042: {operated by hand}
- B64C 13/16: actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors
- B64D 43/00: Arrangements or adaptations of instruments
- G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence)
- 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 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface}
- G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- 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
- B60K 2360/126: Rotatable input devices for instruments
- B60K 2360/1438: Touch screens
- B60K 2360/145: Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- 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)

## Abstract

Methods and systems are provided including a flight guidance controller interface. The flight guidance controller interface includes a rotatable knob including a rotatable element disposed around a periphery of a touch control display. A graphical presentation is output on the touch control display including a plurality of sections. The plurality of sections includes an indication of respective functions of an automatic flight control system. A touch input is received to one of the plurality of sections, thereby activating control of a corresponding one of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system. A rotation input to the rotatable element is received, thereby providing information about a value for the corresponding one of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system. The information about the value is output to the automatic flight control system so that the automatic flight control system can responsively control aircraft trajectory while maintaining/honoring selected target references and values.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flight guidance controller system, comprising:
a flight guidance controller interface including a rotatable knob including a rotatable element disposed around a periphery of a touch control display;
at least one processor in operable communication with the flight guidance controller interface, the at least one processor configured to execute program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:
output a display on the touch control display including a plurality of sections, the plurality of sections including an indication of respective functions of an automatic flight control system;
receive a touch input to one of the plurality of sections, thereby activating control of a corresponding one of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system;
receive a rotation input to the rotatable element, which provides information about a value for the corresponding one of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system; and
output the information to the automatic flight control system so that the automatic flight control system can responsively set the corresponding one of the respective functions based on the value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable element is rotatable relative to the touch control display.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 1, wherein the value for the corresponding one of the respective functions is a target value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 1, wherein the functions of the automatic flight control system include at least one of: heading, airspeed, course, flight path angle, vertical speed, altitude, and automatic flight control system mode, or target reference.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable knob has indexed positions distributed evenly throughout 360° of rotation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 5, wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:
receive a swipe input to the touch control display; and
change a step size of the value per indexed position based on the swipe input.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sections includes an upper section and first and second lower sections, and wherein the program instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to:
output an indication of a first function of the automatic flight control system in the first lower section and output an indication of a second function of the automatic flight control system in the second lower section;
receive a touch input to one of the first and second lower sections, thereby activating control of a corresponding one of the first and second functions of the automatic flight control system;
in response to the touch input to the one of the first and second lower sections:
cause to be displayed the indication of the corresponding one of the first and second functions in the upper section; and
receive a rotation input to the rotatable knob, which provides a value for the corresponding one of the first and second functions of the automatic flight control system; and
output the value to the automatic flight control system so that the automatic flight control system can responsively set the corresponding one of the first and second functions to the value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 7, wherein the first function and the second function are selected from altitude, vertical speed, flight path angle, heading, course and speed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 1, wherein the touch control display is disc shaped.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The flight guidance controller system of claim 9, wherein the rotatable element is ring shaped and receives the disc shaped touch control display therein.

### Claim 11

A method of setting a target value of an automatic flight control system of an aircraft, the method comprising:
outputting a graphical presentation on a touch control display of a flight guidance controller interface, wherein the flight guidance controller includes a rotatable knob including a rotatable element disposed around a periphery of the touch control display, the graphical presentation including a plurality of sections, the plurality of sections including an indication of respective functions of an automatic flight control system;
receiving, via at least one processor, a touch input to one of the plurality of sections;
in response to the touch input to one of the plurality of sections, activating, via the at least one processor, control of a corresponding one of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a rotation input to the rotatable element;
in response to the rotation input to the rotatable element, providing, via the at least one processor, information about a target value for the corresponding one of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system; and
outputting, via the at least one processor, the information about the target value to the automatic flight control system;
flying the aircraft, via the automatic flight control system, using the target value for the corresponding one of the respective functions.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the rotatable element is rotatable relative to the touch control display.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the functions of the automatic flight control system include at least one of: heading, airspeed, course, flight path angle, vertical speed, altitude and mode of the automatic flight control system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the rotatable knob has indexed positions distributed evenly throughout 360° of rotation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, comprising:
receiving, via the at least one processor, a swipe input to the touch control display; and
changing, via the at least one processor, a step size of the target value per indexed position based on the swipe input.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of sections includes an upper section and first and second lower sections, the method comprising:
outputting the graphical presentation including an indication of a first function of the automatic flight control system in the first lower section and an indication of a second function of the automatic flight control system in the second lower section;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a touch input to one of the first and second lower sections;
in response to the touch input to the one of the first and second lower sections:
activating, via the at least one processor, control of a corresponding one of the first and second functions of the automatic flight control system; and
displaying, via the at least one processor, the indication of the corresponding one of the first and second functions in the upper section;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a rotation input to the rotatable knob;
providing, via the at least one processor, information about a target value for the corresponding one of the first and second functions of the automatic flight control system based on the rotation input of the rotatable knob;
outputting, via the at least one processor, the information about the target value to the automatic flight control system; and
flying the aircraft, via the automatic flight control system, using the target value for the corresponding one of the respective functions.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the first function and the second function are selected from altitude, vertical speed, flight path angle, heading, course and speed.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the touch control display is disc shaped.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the rotatable element is ring shaped and receives the disc shaped touch control display therein.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, comprising
receiving, via the at least one processor, a touch input to a first of the plurality of sections;
in response to the touch input to the first of the plurality of sections, activating, via the at least one processor, control of a first of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a first rotation input to the rotatable knob;
in response to the first rotation input to the rotatable input, providing, via the at least one processor, information about a first target value for the first of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system; and
receiving, via at least one processor, a touch input to a second of the plurality of sections;
in response to the touch input to the second of the plurality of sections, activating, via the at least one processor, control of a second of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system;
receiving, via the at least one processor, a second rotation input to the rotatable knob;
in response to the second rotation input to the rotatable input, providing, via the at least one processor, information about a second target value for the second of the respective functions of the automatic flight control system
outputting, via the at least one processor, the information about the first and second target values to the automatic flight control system;
flying the aircraft, via the automatic flight control system, using the first and second target values for the first and second functions.