59results about "Aircraft displays" patented technology

This invention relates to an electronic instrument panel for vehicles consisting of information display that provides on-demand imaging where instruments are not in static, fixed position, but rather change in location, dimension, information presented based on conditions and environment the vehicle is in, and based on user or factory preferences and settings. The display can change colors, be self dimming and offer wide array of telemetry, entertainment, vehicle data, climate control, instrumentation, and powertrain information. The instrument panel will be online through wireless connectivity and provide the occupants real-time on-demand information about the vehicle and its surroundings through electronic display and human voice.

An improved aircraft instrument flight display system employs primary and secondary video graphics processors for generating graphics video imaging information. Both the primary and secondary video graphics processors have associated potential failure threads and are preferably chosen to have different potential failure threads so that the same failure problem will not have a tendency to occur in both of the video graphics processors. The primary video graphics processor generates a graphical display of the aircraft flight information for use by the flight crew in operating the aircraft. The system also includes a video switch for switching between the primary and secondary video graphics processors under control of the integrity checking processor based on the integrity of the graphical display provided by the primary video graphics processor. The switch switches its output to the secondary video graphics processor when the integrity checking processor detects a mismatch condition for the primary video graphics processor in order to maintain critical display data availability when a mismatch has been detected with respect to the primary video graphics processor. The video imaging information provided by the secondary video graphics processor can be a subset of the video imaging information provided by the primary video graphics processor or it can be the same. The integrity checking function may be accomplished by storing a complex checksum, such as a CRC, for a predefined image of each graphics image capable of being rendered as a baseline, and calculating an image checksum for the rendered image and comparing it against the stored complex checksum corresponding to the image for determining any deviations from the baseline.

Systems and methods are provided for integrated control, access, and customizable presentation of navigation related, flight information data on a multifunction display (MFD) within a cockpit. The MFD includes a bezel having controls located thereon which are adapted for controlling display formats, communication devices, navigational devices, and equipment sensors. A display is located adjacent to the bezel. The display is adapted to include at least one display region having navigation related data. At least one of the controls is operable to variably select a display format for the at least one display region.

The present invention comprises methods and apparatuses for sensing attributes of an aircraft and efficiently communicating relevant attributes to a pilot. The invention allows a state of the aircraft to be determined, and then used to control systems, configure displays, select checklists relevant to the determined state, and automatically respond to emergencies based on the aircraft state. Embodiments of the invention can use the determined state of the aircraft to monitor and control electrical sensors and system as appropriate for the determined state; to communication information relevant to the determined state to a pilot (e.g., by displaying gauges in a manner and priority specific to the determined state); and to display contextually-relevant checklists (e.g., displaying a checklist of actions necessary for an aircraft in the determined state).

The present invention provides an aircraft navigational system including a graphical user interface that is capable of displaying navigational information in a split-screen format. The split-screen format includes displaying multiple graphical user panels, each depicting different traffic information. For example, one of the panels displays a plurality of air traffic symbols corresponding to airborne obstacles and another of the panels simultaneously displays ground traffic symbols representing ground obstacles. The obstacles can include other aircraft in the air and on runways as the pilot's aircraft approaches for a landing. The navigational system also is capable of switching between a single graphical user panel and multiple panels in response to a triggering event, such as a change in the course of the aircraft.

The general field of the invention is that of synthetic vision type viewing systems SVS, for a first aircraft, said system comprising at least position sensors of said aircraft, a traffic detection system calculating the position and the dangerousness of at least one second aircraft, also called intruder, presenting a risk of collision with said first aircraft based on data obtained from sensors or from systems such as the TCAS or ADS-B, an electronic computer, a human-machine interface means and a display screen, the computer comprising means of processing different information obtained from the database, from the sensors and from the interface means, said processing means arranged so as to provide the display screen with a synthetic image of the space surrounding the first aircraft and centred on the latter. Said image comprises at least one first symbol of the first aircraft and a second representation of the past and present trajectory of said second aircraft, said second representation comprising a set of second symbols representative of the different positions occupies in space by the second aircraft at different instants in the past and third symbol representing the predictive trajectory of the second aircraft in a near future.

A power situation indicator configured to provide power information in a rotorcraft is presented. The power situation indicator includes a detection unit configured to detect a current value of each of a plurality of control parameters, each of the plurality of control parameters including a pre-determined operating limit; a calculation unit configured to normalize on a common power scale (a) the current value and (b) the pre-determined operating limit of each of the plurality of control parameters, and a display unit configured to dynamically display on the common power scale a first moveable indicator and a second moveable indicator. The first moveable indicator is driven by one of the plurality of control parameters having the highest normalized current value and the second moveable indicator is driven by one of the plurality of control parameters having its normalized current value that is the closest to its corresponding normalized pre-determined operating limit.

One embodiment of the present invention includes an aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel having a first device associated with a first pilot of an aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the first pilot. The first device may include a first display and a first controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the first display and aircraft systems. The instrumentation system may also include a second device associated with a second pilot of the aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the second pilot. The second device may include a second display and a second controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the second display and the aircraft systems. The instrumentation may be configured such that at least one of the first display and the second display presents attitude, altitude and airspeed at all times.

A display screen for displaying multiple sets of information is provided. In one embodiment, an aviation display screen includes a main window and a plurality of miniature windows. The main window is adapted to illustrate one set of information. Each miniature window is adapted to display a set of avionic information. The avionic display is further adapted to toggle a select set of avionic information in one of the miniature windows into the main widow.

An interactive aircraft load management system automates calculation and provides simulation capability to changes in an aircraft C.G. limit for display on a three-dimensional aircraft symbology. The aircraft load management system also communicates with a fly by wire (FBW) flight control system wherein the aircraft's control system is programmed to automatically compensate for C.G. excursions and to alter control laws. The aircraft load management system also selectively reels-in and reels out sling lines as the aircraft pitches and rolls to maintain a load vector from a slung load along the aircraft centerline. Load vector travel is accomplished by coupling a winch control system into the flight control system.

The present invention provides systems and methods for controlling the speed of flap retraction on aircraft, and alerts to the pilot of potentially unsafe flap position. The invention accepts direction from a pilot and senses operation of the aircraft to determine appropriate flap position and flap retraction speed.

The invention relates to aircraft instrument panel equipment. According to the invention, the proposal is for an instrument panel which, in addition to a main display system for horizon and necessary piloting parameters, comprises two items of equipment identical from the point of view of hardware and the point of view of software, each provided with a display screen, automatic pilot set point adjustment buttons, computing means and standby data (standby horizon, altitude, speed). In normal operating conditions, one of the items of equipment is configured in an “automatic pilot set point display” mode; its control buttons are used to give the set points to the automatic pilot computer, and the set points are displayed on the screen. The other item of equipment is configured in “integrated standby data display” mode. It displays on the screen the standby horizon, the standby speed and the standby altitude. The mode may be switched at will or in the event of a failure of one of the two items of equipment.

A device for confirming the engine thrust of an aircraft is disclosed. The device, via an operating logic unit (14) of each engine processing different information, including a warning indicator (15) connected to the unit (14) delivers or not thrust confirmation information at the level of the cockpit.

A smart indicator for an engine, and applications thereof. In an embodiment, the indicator includes a processing module and a display. The processing module receives a plurality of input parameter signals from various engine sensors. The input parameter signals are transformed by the processing module into values that can be displayed on the display. The display depicts at least the most relevant transformed value for controlling the engine and how this transformed value relates to an associated limit value for the engine such as, for example, a temperature limit value, a rotational speed limit value, or a torque limit value. In one embodiment, the input parameter signals are transformed by converting the input parameter signals to a plurality of digital values, subtracting an appropriate limit value for the engine from each digital value, dividing each resulting difference value by the appropriate limit value for the engine, and multiplying the resulting quotient value by a scaling value.

A method of assisting the piloting of an aircraft (1) comprising a first rotor (5) having a plurality of first blades (6) with a first variable collective pitch, and a second rotor (7) having a plurality of second blades (8) with a second variable collective pitch. According to the method, a computer determines a power limit curve (70) and displays said limit curve (70) in a diagram (60) to inform the pilot of the first and second collective pitch margins available before reaching the limits of at least one operating rating of the power plant of the aircraft.

A micro-computer based aircraft system that creates aural messages based upon system-detected threats (e.g., low oil pressure). The messages are unique to the make and model of aircraft. Speech recognition allows the pilot to request aircraft-specific, customized aurally-delivered checklists and to respond via a challenge and response protocol. This permits a hands-free, timely, complete and prudent response to the threat or hazardous situation, while allowing the pilot the relative freedom to do what is paramount: first, fly the airplane (with minimum distraction).