Process and device for devising an abridged form of any term that is used in an alarm message intended to be displayed on a screen of the cockpit of an aircraft

A process to devise an abridged form of any term that is used in at least one alarm message displayed on at least one screen of the cockpit of an aircraft, the process comprising:

• subjecting a predetermined initial word, which is used for a concept relating to the aircraft, to a first set of decisional criteria;
• using the predetermined initial word as an appropriate term for said concept, if said initial word satisfies all the decisional criteria of said first set;
• if said initial word does not satisfy all the decisional criteria of said first set, subjecting said initial word and at least one additional word that is used for said concept to a second set of decisional criteria and using the word which satisfies the largest number of decisional criteria of said second set as the appropriate term for said concept;
• and
• implementing on the appropriate term, for said concept, steps a) through d):
• a) subjecting, by a processor, said term to a set of predetermined construction rules in such a way as to form a plurality of different abbreviations of said term, wherein said set of construction rules comprises all the following rules:
• addition of a morphological mark;
• deletion of the vowels;
• truncation;
• retention of the syllables;
• retention of the initial letter of each syllable;
• and
• deletion of the double consonants;
• b) preparing a presentation of the abbreviations for automatic presentation to at least one operator;
• and
• c) receiving an identification of the abbreviations understood by the at least one operator and if several abbreviations are understood by the at least one operator the abbreviation that the at least one operator understood quickest;
• and
• d) automatically selecting, on the basis of the identification, the abridged form for said term, wherein this abridged form is:
• if just one of said abbreviations is understood by the at least one operator, this abbreviation;
• if none of said abbreviations is understood by the at least one operator, said term in full;
• and
• if several of said abbreviations are understood by the at least one operator, that which the at least one operator understood quickest.

A device to devise an abridged form of any term that is used in at least one alarm message displayed on at least one screen of the cockpit of an aircraft, which device comprises:

• at least one first database comprising a set of predetermined construction rules comprising:
• addition of a morphological mark;
• deletion of the vowels;
• truncation;
• retention of the syllables;
• retention of the initial letter of each syllable;
• and
• deletion of the double consonants;
• a processor which is connected to said first database, which is able to receive terms and which automatically subjects every term received to said set of predetermined construction rules in such a way as to automatically form a plurality of different abbreviations of said term, wherein each received term is subjected to said set of predetermined construction rules without previously being subjected to a lexical analysis, a morphological analysis, or a syntactic analysis;
• a first presentation section which receives the abbreviations and which automatically presents them in a first presentation to at least one operator;
• a first input section that receives a first identification of the abbreviations understood by the at least one operator and if several abbreviations are understood by the at least one operator the abbreviation which the at least one operator understood quickest;
• a first selection section which is connected to said first input section and which selects, on the basis of said first identification, an abridged form for said term, wherein said selection section selects:
• if just one of said abbreviations is understood by the at least one operator, this abbreviation;
• if none of said abbreviations is understood by the at least one operator, said term in full;
• and
• if several of said abbreviations are understood by the at least one operator, that which the at least one operator understood quickest;
• a first complementary device comprising:
• at least one second database comprising, for a plurality of terms, preestablished abbreviations;
• a second presentation section for preparing a second presentation of the preestablished abbreviations to the operator;
• a second input section that receives second identification indicating which preestablished abbreviations are understood by the at least one operator;
• and
• a first indicating section connected to said second presentation section that indicates, based on the received second identification, whether said preestablished abbreviations are retained as abridged forms for the corresponding terms;
• a first link that transmits the preestablished abbreviations that are not understood by the at least one operator, according to said received second identification, from said first indicating section to said processor;
• a second complementary device comprising:
• at least one third database comprising initial words that are used for particular concepts relating to the aircraft;
• at least one fourth database comprising a first set of decisional criteria;
• a third presentation section for preparing a third presentation of said initial words to the operator, said third presentation having a characteristic that allows each of the initial words to be subjected to said first set of decisional criteria;
• a third input section that receives a third identification of the initial words, wherein the third identification indicates whether the initial words satisfy the first set of decisional criteria;
• a second indicating section, connected to said third presentation section, that indicates, based on said received third identification, whether said initial words are retained as appropriate terms for said concepts;
• at least one fifth database comprising a second set of decisional criteria;
• at least one sixth database comprising additional words for said concepts;
• a fourth presentation section for preparing a fourth presentation of said initial words not retained and the corresponding additional words for said concepts to the operator, said fourth presentation having a characteristic that allows each of said initial words not retained and the corresponding additional words to be subjected to said second set of decisional criteria;
• a fourth input section that receives a fourth identification of said initial words not retained and said corresponding additional words, wherein the fourth identification indicates the extent to which said initial words not retained and said corresponding additional words satisfy the second set of decisional criteria;
• and
• a third indicating section, connected to said second presentation section, that indicates, based on said received fourth identification related to the second set of decisional criteria, which analyzed words are retained as appropriate terms for the corresponding concepts;
• a second link that transmits the analyzed words not retained from said second indicating section to said processor;
• and
• a third link that transmits a term provided by an operator to said processor.