US 5,668,542 A · Color cockpit display for aircraft systems

Abstract

A new aircraft cockpit instrument panel display system for showing the operating status of different aircraft systems is disclosed. The color display includes a plurality of display segments. Each display segment combines trend qualitative information of the direction of movement of aircraft system parameters, categorical qualitative information of whether aircraft system parameters are inside or outside acceptable ranges, and quantitative information of the actual level of aircraft system parameters. Trend information is indicated by an analog dial display element having a moving needle to indicate rising, falling or constant values of the parameter. The dial display also includes peg positions to indicate that the value of a system parameter has "pegged" at its lowest or highest value. Categorical qualitative information is indicated by the color of the dial, generally green for safe values, yellow for cautionary values and red for danger values. Quantitative information is indicated by a digital indicator. The display also includes labels for each parameter and a indicator of the then current flight status of the aircraft. The ranges for safe, cautionary and danger values, and for trend values, dynamically change according to flight status and pilot-programmable parameters.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An instrument panel display system for showing the operating status of selected systems for an apparatus having more than one possible operating condition, comprising:

(a) a computer controlled video display;
(b) shown on the display, a plurality of display segments, each display segment corresponding to a selected system parameter for the apparatus, wherein each display segment includes:
(i) a numeric representation of a current quantitative value of the selected system parameter;
(ii) an analog dial representation of the trend qualitative value of the selected system parameter, the analog dial including a needle, wherein:
(1) clockwise movement of the needle indicates an increasing value for that parameter;
(2) counterclockwise movement of the needle indicates a decreasing value for that parameter;
(3) a first preselected position for the needle indicates a lower limit for that parameter;
and,
(4) a second preselected position for the needle indicates an upper limit for that parameter;
(5) wherein the range of values for the selected system parameter for the apparatus between the first preselected needle position and the second preselected needle position is dynamically selected according to the then current operating condition of the apparatus;
and,
(iii) a color corresponding to a dynamically selected category defined by a preselected range of operating status values for the selected system parameter, wherein the dynamically selected category is dynamically selected according to the then current operating condition of the apparatus;
and,
(c) wherein the then current operating condition of the aircraft is automatically determined.

11 more elements

An aircraft instrument panel display system for showing the operating status of selected aircraft systems for an aircraft having more than one possible flight condition, comprising a plurality of display segments, each display segment corresponding to a selected aircraft system parameter, wherein each display segment includes:

(a) a numeric representation of a current quantitative value of the selected aircraft system parameter;
(b) an analog dial representation of the trend qualitative value of the selected aircraft system parameter, the analog dial including a needle, wherein:
(i) clockwise movement of the needle indicates an increasing value for that parameter;
(ii) counterclockwise movement of the needle indicates a decreasing value for that parameter;
(iii) a first preselected position for the needle indicates a lower limit for that parameter;
and,
(iv) a second preselected position for the needle indicates an upper limit for that parameter;
(v) wherein the range of values for the selected aircraft system parameter between the first preselected needle position and the second preselected needle position is dynamically selected according to the then current flight condition of the aircraft;
and,
(c) a color corresponding to a dynamically selected category defined by a preselected range of operating status values for the selected system parameter, wherein the dynamically selected category is dynamically selected according to the then current flight condition of the aircraft, and wherein the then current flight condition of the aircraft is automatically determined.

7 more elements

A method for showing the operating status of selected aircraft systems on an aircraft instrument panel display for an aircraft having more than one possible flight condition, comprising the step of displaying on an aircraft instrument panel display a plurality of display segments, each display segment corresponding to a selected aircraft system parameter, wherein each display segment includes:

(a) a numeric representation of a current quantitative value of the selected aircraft system parameter;
(b) an analog dial display of the trend qualitative value of the selected aircraft system parameter, the analog dial display including a needle, wherein:
(i) clockwise movement of the needle indicates an increasing value for that parameter;
(ii) counterclockwise movement of the needle indicates a decreasing value for that parameter;
(iii) a first preselected position for the needle indicates a lower limit for that parameter;
and,
(iv) a second preselected position for the needle indicates an upper limit for that parameter;
(v) wherein the range of values for the selected aircraft system parameter between the first preselected needle position and the second preselected needle position is dynamically selected according to the then current flight condition of the aircraft;
(c) a color corresponding to a dynamically selected category defined by a preselected range of operating status values for the selected system parameter, wherein the dynamically selected category is dynamically selected according to the then current flight condition of the aircraft;
and,
(d) wherein the then current flight condition of the aircraft is automatically determined.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Color cockpit display for aircraft systems

Life of this patent

Color cockpit display for aircraft systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14