Illuminated Sidestick Controller, Such As An Illuminated Sidestick Controller for Use In Aircraft
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorRobert Edward Voros
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for illuminating one or more sidestick controllers within a cockpit of an aircraft is described. In some embodiments, the system includes a sidestick controller having lighting components that display lighting behaviors representing the movement and/or control of an aircraft. In some embodiments, the system illuminates various different lighting components on a sidestick controller based on information received from aircraft control systems, cockpit lighting systems, and other systems associated with an aircraft.
Claims20
A sidestick controller for use in an aircraft, comprising:
- a control module, wherein the control module is configured to control operation of the aircraft;
- and
- an illumination module, wherein the illumination module is configured to display one or more lighted signals in response to auto-flight operation of the aircraft.
A system for indicating information associated with control of an aircraft, the system comprising:
- an information component, wherein the information component is configured to determine a state of flight control based on information received from an auto-flight operation of the aircraft;
- and
- an illumination component,
- wherein the illumination component is configured to illuminate one or more indicators associated with a sidestick controller of the aircraft in response to the determined state of flight control.
A method for displaying lighted information associated with a sidestick controller of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- identifying whether a sidestick controller is assigned priority;
- and
- when the sidestick controller is not assigned priority:
- receiving pitch control input information from an auto-flight operation within the aircraft;
- illuminating pitch lights of an illumination module based on the received pitch control input information;
- receiving roll control input information from an auto-flight operation within the aircraft;
- and
- illuminating roll lights of the illumination module based on the received roll control input information.
A system for indicating a flight control status of an aircraft, comprising:
- an information component, wherein the information component is configured to determine the flight control status of the aircraft;
- and
- an illumination component,
- wherein the illumination component is configured to illuminate one or more indicators in the aircraft cockpit, thereby indicating the flight control status of the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.