# US 9,520,065 B2 · Navigation aid information display device of an aircraft and primary flight display for an aircraft

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- Number: US 9,520,065 B2
- Document ID: US9520065B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/492,864
- Filed: 2014-09-22
- Published: 2015-03-26
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-20
- Assignees: Thales
- Applicants: Thales
- Inventors: Bruno Aymeric; Xavier Servantie; Cécile Andre
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520065B2

## CPC

- G08G 5/50: Navigation or guidance aids
- G01C 5/005: {altimeters for aircraft (G01C5/02, G01C5/06 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
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G01D 7/04: using a separate indicating element for each variable
- G01D 2207/10: Displays which are primarily used in aircraft or display aircraft-specific information
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- 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)
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A navigation aid information display device of an aircraft and primary flight display for an aircraft are disclosed. In one aspect, the navigation aid information display system includes a display screen including at least one first display area configured to display a first altitude scale including graduations, the current altitude of the aircraft on the first scale, and set altitude value. The graduations of the first scale are distributed on an arc of a first disc including a first needle centered in the disc and the first needle is configured to indicate the current altitude on the first scale. The distribution of the graduations on the arc is nonlinear and symmetrical relative to a graduation corresponding to the set altitude value and defines extension graduations decreasing from the set altitude value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for displaying information for navigational aid of an aircraft, comprising:
a display screen including at least one first display area configured to display:
a first altitude scale including graduations; the current altitude of the aircraft on the first scale; and
a set altitude value, wherein the graduations of the first scale are distributed on an arc of a first disc including a first needle centered in the disc, the first needle configured to indicate the current altitude on the first scale,
wherein the distribution of the graduations on the arc is nonlinear and symmetrical relative to a graduation corresponding to the set altitude value and defines extension graduations decreasing from the set altitude value, and
wherein the display screen includes a second display area configured to display a second altitude scale including graduations distributed on the periphery of a second disc, the second disc including a second needle configured to indicate the value of the first needle between two graduations of the first scale.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the graduation corresponding to the set altitude value is located on the horizontal axis passing through the center of the first disc.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the second disc is less than the diameter of the first disc and wherein the second disc is placed at the center of the first disc.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a third display area configured to display a number corresponding to the current altitude of the aircraft, inside the second disc.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claims 1, wherein the difference between two neighboring graduations of the first scale and the complete revolution of the second needle in the second disc correspond to a change in altitude of the aircraft of 1,000 ft.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a fourth display area located between the first disc and the second disc and configured to display way points of the trajectory provided by the flight plan of the aircraft from its current position, located at a horizontal distance of less than a predetermined visibility distance.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined visibility distance is 10 Nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein:
each way point is displayed on a radius of the first disc corresponding to the intended passage altitude at the way point;
the radial distance between the first disc and the second disc represents the predetermined visibility distance; and
the radial distance between the displayed way point and the periphery of the first disc represents the horizontal distance between the aircraft and the way point.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the flight plan is provided by a flight management system (FMS) and includes information on the overflown ground.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the flight management system (FMS) is adapted so as to modify the display of a way point if a passage altitude constraint is a burden on the way point.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the flight management system (FMS) is adapted so as to modify the display of a way point if the prediction of an actual trajectory of the aircraft is incompatible with a passage altitude constraint in the way point.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a display area configured to display the maximum ascent capability of the aircraft from its current position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a display area configured to display the maximum descent capability of the aircraft from its current position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the flight management system (FMS) is configured to compute the maximum ascent capability.

### Claim 15

A primary flight display (PFD) of an aircraft, comprising:
a display screen including at least one first display area configured to display;
a first altitude scale including graduations; the current altitude of the aircraft on the first scale; and
a set altitude value,
wherein the graduations of the first scale are distributed on an arc of a first disc including a first needle centered in the disc, the first needle configured to indicate the current altitude on the first scale,
wherein the distribution of the graduations on the arc is nonlinear and symmetrical relative to a graduation corresponding to the set altitude value and defines extension graduations decreasing from the set altitude value, and
wherein the display screen includes a second display area configured to display a second altitude scale including graduations distributed on the periphery of a second disc, the second disc including a second needle configured to indicate the value of the first needle between two graduations of the first scale.