Unit Alarm System and Method for Mobile Platforms

Abstract

A crew alerting system and method for a mobile platform, the crew alerting system comprising: a display device that defines a display area; a processor operatively coupled to the display device; and a memory storing instructions that cause the processor to perform the following operations: upon receiving a notification of a manual system configuration occurrence related to the mobile platform, generate a first output for causing the display device to display a first indication in the display area, the first indication including a first text message. The processor is further configured to: upon receiving a notification of an automatic system configuration occurrence related to the mobile platform, generate a second output for causing the display device to display a second indication in the display area, the second indication including a second text message and a supplementary indication, such as a graphical indication.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to aircraft and other mobile platforms, and more particularly to a crew alerting system. Background Art

[0002] Aircraft are typically equipped with a Crew Alerting System (CAS) to provide notifications to the flight crew related to various aircraft systems. The combination of the engine indications and such a crew alerting system is commonly referred to as an Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS).

[0003] The messages provided by traditional display-based crew alerting systems are typically text messages having 12 - 42 characters and are organized in different colors corresponding to the alert level or related condition. These messages are used to alert the flight crew of system failures or to notify the flight crew of specific conditions of the aircraft systems. The messages are static in nature, and the flight crew typically has to consult information sources separate from the crew alerting system to supplement such messages. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect, there is provided a crew alerting system for a mobile platform, the system including: a display device that defines a display area; one or more data processors operatively coupled to the display device; a non-transitory machine-readable memory operatively coupled to the one or more data processors and storing instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations: generating a first output upon receiving a notification of a manual system configuration occurrence related to the mobile platform for causing the display device to display a first indication in the display area, the first indication including a first text message; generating a second output upon receiving a notification of an automatic system configuration occurrence related to the mobile platform for causing the display device to display a second indication in the display area, the second indication including a second text message and a supplementary indication.

[0005] In some embodiments, the first text message and the second text message have the same color.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first text message and the second text message are white.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first text message and the second text message include the same content.

[0008] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is arranged on the same line as the second text message.

[0009] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is arranged in front of the second text message.

[0010] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication has a different color from the second text message.

[0011] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is adjacent to the second text message.

[0012] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is a graphical indication.

[0013] In some embodiments, the graphical indication includes a circle.

[0014] In some embodiments, the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration are associated with the same system of the aircraft.

[0015] In some embodiments, the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration perform equivalent actions on the systems of the aircraft.

[0016] According to another aspect, an aircraft is provided that includes the crew alerting system described herein.

[0017] According to another aspect, a crew alerting system for a mobile platform is provided, the system including: a display device that defines a display area; one or more data processors operatively coupled to the display device; a non-transitory machine-readable memory operatively coupled to the one or more data processors and storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors and configured to cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations: upon receiving a notification that an automatic system configuration related to the mobile platform has occurred, generate an output for causing the display device to display an indication in the display area, the indication including a text message and a graphical indication, the text message having a color related to a status message, and the graphical indication having a color related to an advisory alert.

[0018] According to another aspect, a method for alerting a crew of a mobile platform about a system configuration related to the mobile platform using a display area of a crew alerting system for the mobile platform is provided, the method including: upon receiving a notification that a manual system configuration related to the mobile platform has occurred, displaying a first indication in the display area of the crew alerting system for the mobile platform, the first indication including a first text message; and upon receiving a notification that an automatic system configuration related to the mobile platform has occurred, displaying a second indication in the display area of the crew alerting system for the mobile platform, the second indication including a second text message and a supplementary indication.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first text message and the second text message have the same color.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first text message and the second text message are white.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first text message and the second text message include the same content.

[0022] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is arranged on the same line as the second text message.

[0023] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is arranged in front of the second text message.

[0024] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication has a different color from the second text message.

[0025] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is adjacent to the second text message.

[0026] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication is a graphical indication.

[0027] In some embodiments, the graphical indication includes a circle.

[0028] In some embodiments, the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration are associated with the same system of the aircraft.

[0029] In some embodiments, the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration perform equivalent actions on the systems of the aircraft.

[0030] Other features will become apparent from the accompanying drawings in conjunction with the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In the figures showing exemplary embodiments,

[0032] Figure 1 an aircraft cockpit according to one embodiment and a corresponding aircraft including the cockpit are shown;

[0033] Figure 2 a schematic diagram of a crew alerting system of an aircraft according to one embodiment is shown; Figure 1 of an aircraft;

[0034] Figure 3 a display area related to the crew alerting system is shown, the display area including status indications; and Figure 2 of the crew alerting system;

[0035] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a method for automatically configuring crew alerting related to a mobile platform of an aircraft such as Figure 1 an aircraft with the systems of the mobile platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The present disclosure describes systems, display devices, and methods related to a flight crew alerting system for an aircraft and other mobile platforms. Although various aspects of the present disclosure are described in the context of an aircraft, it should be understood that the aspects disclosed herein are equally applicable to centralized alerting systems for other systems and mobile platforms (such as vehicles, such as trains, ships, and buses). In various embodiments, compared to traditional flight crew alerting systems, the systems, display devices, and methods disclosed herein can be considered to provide enhanced functionality to the flight crew alerting system by providing awareness-enhancing indications, while taking note of the limited space available on an aircraft cockpit.

[0037] In various embodiments, in some cases, the systems, display devices, and methods disclosed herein can provide enhanced awareness of configuration changes to components or systems of an aircraft that have been manually performed by a flight crew or automatically performed by an aircraft's automation system. Thus, in some embodiments, the systems, display devices, and methods disclosed herein can help enhance the awareness of the flight crew and reduce the workload of the flight crew when alerting the flight crew of relevant conditions that require the attention of the flight crew.

[0038] Aspects of various embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] Figure 1 A partial schematic view of an exemplary aircraft 10 (i.e., a mobile platform) and a cockpit 12 is shown, which cockpit may be part of the aircraft 10. The aircraft 10 can be a corporate, private, commercial, or any other type of aircraft. For example, the aircraft 10 can be a fixed-wing aircraft. In various embodiments, the aircraft 10 can be a narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner, (e.g., ultra-long-range) business jet, twin-engine turboprop airliner, or regional jet. The cockpit 12 can include more or fewer elements than those shown and described herein. The cockpit 12 can include a left portion 12A intended for use by a pilot (sometimes referred to as the "captain") of the aircraft 10 and a right portion 12B intended for use by a co-pilot (sometimes referred to as the "first officer") of the aircraft 10. The left portion 12A and the right portion 12B can include functionally identical components such that at least some operational redundancy can be provided between the left portion 12A and the right portion 12B of the cockpit 12. As used herein, the term "flight crew" is intended to encompass one or more individuals responsible for the operation of the aircraft 10 during flight. Such individuals can include, for example, a pilot and / or a co-pilot. Similarly, the term "crew" is intended to encompass one or more individuals responsible for the operation of or associated with a mobile platform that includes the flight crew alerting system disclosed herein.

[0040] The cockpit 12 can include one or more display devices 14 that provide corresponding display areas 16. In Figure 1In the exemplary configuration of the cockpit 12 shown, both the left portion 12A and the right portion 12B may include two display devices 14, and additional display devices 14 may be provided in the base area 18 of the cockpit 12. The display devices 14 provided in the base area 18 may be shared between the pilot and the co-pilot during normal operation of the aircraft 10. The display devices 14 may include one or more cathode ray tubes (CRTs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays, light emitting diode (LED)-based displays, and organic light emitting diode (OLED)-based displays, or any known or other type of display device suitable for use in the cockpit 12. The display devices 14 may be configured to dynamically display operation and status information about various systems of the aircraft 10, information related to flight / mission planning, maps, and any other information that may be useful to the flight crew (e.g., the pilot) during operation of the aircraft 10. The display devices 14 may facilitate a dialogue between the flight crew and the various systems of the aircraft 10 through a suitable graphical user interface. The cockpit 12 may include one or more data input devices, such as one or more cursor control devices 20, one or more multifunctional keyboards 22, and one or more (e.g., stand-alone or multifunctional) controllers 23 that may allow the flight crew to input data. For example, such controllers 23 may be arranged in a sun visor above one or more display devices 14.

[0041] During one or more operating phases of the aircraft 10, one or more display devices 14 may include a CAS (and hereinafter referred to as "CAS24") display area 16A dedicated to the centralized crew alerting system 24 schematically shown Figure 2 therein. In some embodiments, an example of a single CAS display area 16A may be displayed on a display device 14 that is conveniently positioned to be visible to both the pilot and the co-pilot. Alternatively, in some embodiments, examples of more than one CAS display area 16A may be displayed on more than one corresponding display device 14. In some embodiments, the display device 14 provided with the CAS display area 16A may further include engine indications, and thus the CAS display area 16A may be part of an engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS). In some embodiments, the CAS display area 16A may be selectively displayed on one or more display devices 14 of the cockpit 12 based on input from the flight crew.

[0042] It should be understood that the display of the CAS display area 16A and its content is not limited to one or more display devices 14 carried on board the aircraft 10. For example, the CAS display area 16A may alternatively or additionally be provided on a display device outside the aircraft 10. For example, the CAS display area 16A may be provided on a display device of a ground station to alert a ground operator or support (e.g., maintenance) personnel of the aircraft 10. Thus, even though the present disclosure relates to alerting the flight crew of the aircraft 10, it should be understood that according to various aspects of the present disclosure, relevant information may be transmitted from the aircraft 10 to a location remote from the aircraft 10 (e.g., a ground station) to alert persons at such locations.

[0043] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary CAS 24 that may be part of the aircraft 10 is shown. The CAS 24 may be integrated with the cockpit 12. The CAS 24 may include one or more computers 26 (hereinafter referred to in the singular), which are operatively coupled to one or more display devices 14 (hereinafter referred to in the singular) of the cockpit 12. The computer 26 may include one or more data processors 28 (hereinafter referred to in the singular) and one or more computer-readable memories 30 (hereinafter referred to in the singular), which store machine-readable instructions 32 that are executable by the data processor 28 and are configured to cause the data processor 28 to generate one or more outputs 34 (hereinafter referred to in the singular). The output 34 may include one or more signals for causing the display device 14 of the aircraft 10 to display the CAS display area 16A and its content.

[0044] The computer 26 may receive an input 36 in the form of data or information, which may be processed by the data processor 28 based on the instructions 32 to generate the output 34. For example, the input 36 may include information (data) indicating a configuration or reconfiguration related to one or more systems 38 of the aircraft 10.

[0045] The systems 38 of the aircraft 10 may include, for example, a hydraulic system, an electrical system, a fuel system, flight control surfaces, a navigation system, engines, and / or any other aircraft systems.

[0046] One or more systems 38 of the aircraft 10 may be controlled or actuated by a control system 50, e.g., to configure or reconfigure the system 38 or various components of the system 38. In some embodiments, the control system 50 may include one or more computers, e.g., similar to the computer 26 described herein. In some embodiments, the control system 50 may be part of the computer 26. Thus, in an example, the automatic configuration of the system 38 may be caused by the control system 50 without any manual input from the flight crew. The control system 50 may be considered part of the avionics suite of the aircraft 10. For example, the control system 50 may be configured to perform additional functions other than those described herein. In some embodiments, the control system 50 may be of a type known as a flight control computer (FCC) of the aircraft 10. In some embodiments, the control system 50 may include a fly-by-wire control system of the aircraft 10.

[0047] One or more systems 38 of the aircraft 10 may also be controlled or actuated by the flight crew, e.g., by directly accessing the system 38, to configure or reconfigure the system 38 or various parameters of the system 38. The flight crew may also control one or more systems 38 via manual input to the control system 50. Thus, the manual configuration of the system 38 may be caused by manual actions performed by the flight crew. In some embodiments, the same changes to the system 38 may be caused by manual system configuration or automatic system configuration. Additionally, in some embodiments, manual system configuration and automatic system configuration may perform equivalent actions on the systems 38 of the aircraft.

[0048] In some embodiments, the input 36 may alternatively or additionally include information (data) indicating or notifying the occurrence of a configuration related to one or more systems 38 of the aircraft 10, and whether the configuration related to one or more systems 38 of the aircraft 10 is an automatic configuration or a manual configuration. Examples of configuration changes may include: switching from magnetic heading to true heading (or vice versa) in a navigation system, activation or deactivation of a hydraulic pump, change in the position of a flight control surface, discharge of a fire extinguisher, and opening or closing of a bleed air system valve.

[0049] In some embodiments, the input 36 may include or indicate sensed signals obtained via one or more (e.g., pressure, position, acceleration, temperature, or other) sensors 40 associated with one or more aircraft systems 38. Thus, the input 36 may include one or more sensed parameters indicating one or more states or configurations of the aircraft system 38.

[0050] As further described below, the computer 26 may generate an output 34 based on the input 36 for causing the display device 14 to display in the CAS display area 16A one or more combinations of advisories and status indications described below and related to the configuration of the systems 38 of the aircraft 10.

[0051] The computer 26 may be part of the avionics suite of the aircraft 10. For example, in some embodiments, the computer 26 may perform additional functions beyond those described herein, including managing one or more graphical user interfaces of the cockpit 12 and / or other parts of the aircraft 10. In various embodiments, the computer 26 may include more than one computer or data processor, where multiple computers or data processors may be used, or alternatively a single computer or data processor may be used entirely to perform the methods (or a portion of the methods) disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the computer 26 may be physically integrated with the display device 14 (e.g., embedded therein).

[0052] The data processor 28 may include any suitable means configured to cause a series of steps to be performed by the computer 26 so as to implement computer-implemented processing such that, when the instructions 32 are executed by the computer 26 or other programmable device, the functions / actions specified in the methods described herein are caused to be executed.

[0053] The memory 30 may include any suitable known or other machine-readable storage medium. The memory 30 may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The memory 30 may include any storage device (e.g., apparatus) suitable for retrievably storing machine-readable instructions 32 executable by the data processor 28.

[0054] Aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, and / or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Additionally, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (e.g., the memory 30) having computer-readable program code (e.g., instructions 32) thereon. The computer program product may be executed, for example, by the computer 26 so as to perform all or part of one or more of the methods disclosed herein.

[0055] The computer program code for performing operations in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. Such program code may be executed in whole or in part by the computer 26 or other data processing device. It should be understood that, based on the present disclosure, those skilled in the relevant art can readily write computer program code for implementing the methods disclosed herein.

[0056] In some embodiments, the flight crew alerting system 24 can include a display device 14 that defines a CAS display area 16A dedicated to the flight crew alerting system 24. A data processor 28 of a computer 26 can be operatively coupled to the display device 14. A machine-readable memory 30 is operatively coupled to the data processor 28 and stores instructions 32 executable by the processor 28. Such instructions 32 can be configured to cause the processor 28 to use data representative of an input 36 and generate an output 34 that is configured to cause the display device 14 to display a first indication 41 and / or a second indication 42 (e.g., as Figure 3 shown and described in further detail below).

[0057] The data used by the data processor 28 can indicate a condition such as a configuration or reconfiguration associated with the system 38 and whether such configuration was caused manually or automatically. The presence of a particular configuration can be based on an evaluation of a logical expression, such as a comparison of a sensed value to a threshold. Thus, based on whether the evaluated logical expression is true or false, the data indicative of the presence of such associated condition can be binary in nature. For example, such associated conditions can include system degradation (e.g., a fault), an abnormal condition, or a status associated with one or more aircraft systems 38.

[0058] In some embodiments, the data used by the data processor 28 can include a substantially real-time value of a variable of the system 38, and the variable can define a parameter or configuration of the system 38 or a component of the system 38. Such value can be obtained by a sensor 40. The variable value can indicate a configuration of the system 38. Non-limiting examples of such variables can include: the status of a fuel pump of the aircraft 10; the rotational speed (e.g., RPM) associated with an auxiliary power unit (APU) of the aircraft 10 during startup; the amount of fuel remaining in a fuel tank of the aircraft 10; an external temperature indicative of an icing risk; the position of a flight control surface of the aircraft 10; the temperature inside a cabin of the aircraft 10; and the pressure inside a cabin of the aircraft 10. Aspects of the present disclosure are not intended to be limited to the variables enumerated herein as examples. Instead, aspects of the present disclosure can be applicable to any suitable known or other relevant conditions that can be indicated by a conventional or other flight crew alerting system.

[0059] In some embodiments, the data used by the data processor 28 can indicate whether a configuration or reconfiguration or a system 38 has been successfully completed and whether such configuration was commanded manually or automatically by the flight crew of the aircraft.

[0060] Figure 3 Shown is the CAS display area 16A associated with Figure 2 the CAS 24, where the CAS display area 16A includes a first indication 41 and a second indication 42.

[0061] The CAS display area 16A can be a sub - area of the larger display area 16 of the display device 14. For example, the CAS display area 16A can be arranged adjacent to the engine - related indications, and thus in some embodiments, the CAS display area 16A can be considered part of the EICAS.

[0062] In some embodiments, a plurality of first indications 41 and / or a plurality of second indications 42 can be displayed in the CAS display area 16A.

[0063] "Status" can be understood as a specific aircraft system condition identified using visual indications, but without the need for an alert and without the need for a flight crew response. These types of messages are sometimes used to determine the aircraft dispatch capabilities for subsequent flights.

[0064] "Alert" can be understood as a term used to describe cockpit indications that are intended to draw the attention of the flight crew and enable the flight crew to identify abnormal operations or aircraft system conditions. Alerts can be classified into levels or categories corresponding to warnings, cautions, and advisories, as discussed in further detail below. Alert indications can also include markings outside the normal range (e.g., over - limits of instruments and gauges).

[0065] "Advisory" can be understood as an alert level or category for a condition that requires the flight crew to be aware of and may require a subsequent flight crew response.

[0066] Indications (e.g., status, alert, advisory) can be displayed in the CAS display area 16A in a color that indicates the urgency or level of the alert associated with the relevant condition, to provide the flight crew with a visual indication of the condition and its priority.

[0067] For example, red can be used for indications related to the "warning - alert" level that requires the flight crew to be immediately aware and take action, amber or yellow can be used for indications related to the "caution - alert" level that requires the flight crew to be immediately aware and take subsequent action, cyan or any color other than green or red can be used for indications related to the "advisory" level that requires the crew to be aware, and white can be used for status indications related to system status.

[0068] The first indication 41 may provide an indication or message of the system status on the CAS display area 16A. In some embodiments, the first indication 41 may be a "status" indication and may be displayed in white to indicate that the first indication 41 represents the system status. In some embodiments, the first indication 41 may include one or more text messages. In some embodiments, the text message of the first indication 41 may be longer than 42 characters, or may be relatively short (e.g., less than 42 characters), and may be binary in nature and displayed based on the evaluation of a logical expression, e.g., whether the system has been configured or reconfigured. For example, when the relevant logical expression is true, the text message of the first indication 41 may be displayed, and when the relevant logical expression is false, it may be hidden or removed from the CAS display area 16A.

[0069] In some embodiments, the first indication 41 may be used to confirm to the flight crew that the system 38 of the aircraft 10 has been manually reconfigured, e.g., for the remainder of the flight. Thus, the first indication 41 may show that the system 38 is configured according to the intention of the flight crew (e.g., the pilot).

[0070] As Figure 3 shown in the example of, the first indication 41 may include a text message that contains the text "System Reconfiguration" displayed in white. In this particular example, "System Reconfiguration" may represent a status indication related to the system status, i.e., the system 38 has been reconfigured via a manual input from the flight crew and no alert is required and no response from the flight crew is required.

[0071] Figure 3 A second indication 42 is also shown. The second indication 42 may provide an indication or message of a combined "status" and "advisory" message to the flight crew, particularly the system status "status" and "advisory" alerts. In some embodiments, the second indication 42 may include one or more text messages 44A as the "status" indication, and one or more supplementary indications 44B as the "advisory" indication. The supplementary indication 44B may accompany the text message 44A and may be displayed and hidden simultaneously with the text message 44A. In some embodiments, the text message 44A and the supplementary indication 44B of the second indication 42 may be displayed in the CAS display area 16A adjacent to each other.

[0072] In some embodiments, the text message 44A of the second indication 42 may have any or all of the same text, shape, color, and position as the first indication 41. In one example, the text message 44A of the second indication 42 and the text message of the first indication 41 may both contain white text. The text message 44A may thus also perform the same "status" indication function as the associated first indication 41 for the same system.

[0073] The supplementary indication 44B may include a text or non - text indication to perform the "advisory" indication function. For example, the supplementary indication 44B may include alphanumeric indications, such as one or more numerical values and / or one or more text indications, which may indicate additional configuration details or variables related to the relevant condition indicated by the text message 44A.

[0074] Alternatively or additionally, the supplementary indication 44B may include a graphical (e.g., picture) indication, which may facilitate the flight crew's interpretation of the supplementary indication 44B. The term "graphical" is intended to cover any non - text indication, such as pictures, symbols, charts, curves, color - coded labels, line segments, caret symbols, connectors, markers, icons, bars, and circles. In some cases, using a graphical indication may be preferred to facilitate the interpretation of the supplementary indication 44B by providing "overview" information without having to read an alphanumeric message.

[0075] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication 44B may have the same color as the text message 44A, such as white. In some embodiments, the supplementary indication 44B may have a different color from the text message 44A.

[0076] In an example, the supplementary indication 44B may be a graphical indication of a cyan circle with or without a fill. In other examples, the supplementary indication 44B may form a different shape (such as a triangle or a square) or a graphical image (such as a smiling face), or have a different color.

[0077] In some embodiments, the second indication 42 (e.g., "System Reconfiguration" with a cyan circle) may be displayed at a location on the CAS display area 16A that at least partially corresponds to the location on the CAS display area 16A where the first indication 41 for the same configuration and / or reconfiguration (e.g., "System Reconfiguration") is displayed. For example, in some embodiments, the text message 44A of the second indication 42 (e.g., "System Reconfiguration") may be displayed at the same location on the CAS display area 16A as the text message of the first indication 41 (e.g., "System Reconfiguration").

[0078] In some embodiments, all or part of the second indication 42 may be displayed in the CAS display area 16A in a color indicating the urgency or level of an alarm related to the "status" of the relevant condition (such as the configuration or reconfiguration of the system 38) indicated by the text message 44A, to provide the flight crew with a visual indication of the condition and its priority.

[0079] The supplementary indication 44B can indicate the type of configuration or reconfiguration being performed on the associated system 38. For example, the presence of the supplementary indication 44B in the second indication 42 can be related to the automatic configuration or reconfiguration of the associated system 38. Similarly, the absence of the supplementary indication 44B in the second indication 42, or the presence of only the first indication 41 which is related to the configuration or reconfiguration of the associated system 38, can indicate that the configuration or reconfiguration indicated by the text message 44A or the first indication 41 was manually performed by the flight crew. Thus, the supplementary indication 44B can be, for example, an indication of a configuration or reconfiguration automatically performed by the control system 50.

[0080] In some embodiments, the presentation or display of the supplementary indication 44B can supplement the text message 44A such that the flight crew is alerted to the same condition or configuration state as provided by the first indication 41, while further alerting the flight crew that they themselves did not perform any manual control to cause the state of the system 38, rather, the state was automatically obtained, for example, by the control system 50. In some embodiments, the same change to the system 38 results from either manual or automatic configuration. Further, in some embodiments, manual system configuration and automatic system configuration can perform equivalent actions on the aircraft's system 38.

[0081] Thus, in an example, the combination of the color of the text message 44A and the graphical indication 44B can be used for the second indication 42 related to the type of system configuration or reconfiguration.

[0082] As Figure 3 shown, the supplementary indication 44B can accompany the text message 44A in the second indication 42 within a single CAS display area 16A dedicated to CAS 24. In some embodiments, the text message 44A and the accompanying supplementary indication 44B can be displayed together as a single-line item, thereby forming the second indication 42 within the CAS display area 16A. In some embodiments, the supplementary indication 44B can be arranged in front of the text message 44A.

[0083] For example, text message 44A and supplementary indication 44B can be displayed side by side adjacent to each other in the CAS display area 16A. Alternatively, in some embodiments, due to the length of text message 44A and / or the amount of display space required for the associated supplementary indication 44B, text message 44A and the associated supplementary indication 44B can be displayed as adjacent line items. In some embodiments, text message 44A and the associated supplementary indication 44B can be considered to be displayed together to achieve visual cohesion, thereby allowing text message 44A and the associated supplementary indication 44B to be interpreted together as the second indication 42. In some embodiments, visual cohesion can be achieved by the proximity of text message 44A and the associated supplementary indication 44B. For example, text message 44A and the associated supplementary indication 44B can be positioned such that there is a vertical and / or lateral space (gap) of less than about 0.5 inches (13 mm) between them.

[0084] As Figure 3 shown in the example shown, the second indication 42 can include a text message 44A that includes the white text "System Reconfiguration", and an adjacent supplementary indication 44B that includes a circular image. In this particular example, "System Reconfiguration" can represent a "status" indication that the system 38 has been reconfigured. The supplementary indication 44B can represent an "advisory" indication to graphically indicate that the system reconfiguration is automatic, e.g., performed by the control system 50 without manual input from the flight crew. The supplementary indication 44B can be cyan (indicating automatic reconfiguration).

[0085] In some embodiments, the automatic system reconfiguration can be the result of one or more actions or a series of events within the aircraft 10. For example, in a fire suppression sequence, some aircraft systems (such as the fuel and hydraulic systems of the engines) can be configured to automatically shut down.

[0086] Examples of the text in text message 44A include "Navigation Magnetic Heading" (e.g., relating to magnetic heading system configuration), "L Bleed Valve Closed" (e.g., relating to bleed system configuration), "Spoilers Deployed" (e.g., relating to flight control surface system configuration), "L Main Fuel Pump Off" (e.g., relating to fuel pump system configuration), and "Fire Extinguisher Discharge" (e.g., relating to fire extinguisher system configuration), which can represent "status" indications of the configuration or reconfiguration of a particular system 38.

[0087] In some embodiments, the second indication 42 can be displayed in the CAS display area 16A instead of in the computer 26 that generates the "advisory" output, such that the display device 14 displays a system-related "advisory" message on the CAS display area 16A.

[0088] In some embodiments, the configuration of the system 38 of the aircraft 10 may be overridden or disabled. Accordingly, the second indication 42 may be removed from the CAS display area 16A. In some embodiments, the second indication 42 may be replaced by another message.

[0089] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an example method 400 for alerting a flight crew of an aircraft 10 of relevant conditions associated with the aircraft 10, such as "status" and "advisory" of the configuration of the system 38. The method 400 may also be used to alert a crew of a mobile platform of relevant conditions. The method 400 may be performed using the CAS 24. For example, blocks S410 and subsequent of the method 400 may be stored on the computer 26 in the form of instructions 32 and executed by the data processor 28 of the computer 26.

[0090] In block S410, the computer 26 evaluates whether a notification of a manual system configuration of the system 38 of the aircraft 10 has been received. If a notification of a manual system configuration is received, the control flow proceeds to block S420. If a notification of a manual system configuration is not received, the control flow proceeds to block S430.

[0091] In block S420, upon receiving a notification of a manual system configuration of the system 38 of the aircraft 10, the computer 26 displays a first indication 41 in the CAS display area 16A. As described herein, the first indication 41 may include a text message.

[0092] In block S430, the computer 26 evaluates whether a notification of an automatic system configuration of the system 38 of the aircraft 10 has been received. The automatic system configuration of the system 38 may perform actions equivalent to the manual system configuration of the system 38 evaluated in block S410. If a notification of an automatic system configuration is received, the control flow proceeds to block S440. If a notification of an automatic system configuration is not received, the control flow returns to block S410.

[0093] In block S440, upon receiving a notification of an automatic system configuration of the system 38 of the aircraft 10, the computer 26 displays a second indication 42 in the CAS display area 16A. The second indication 42 may include a text message 44A, such as a "status" message, similar to the first indication 41 defined by block S420, which may be combined with a supplementary indication 44B, which may be in the form of a graphical indication and may serve as an "advisory" message indicating the automatic execution of the configuration of the system 38.

[0094] In some embodiments, the supplementary indication 44B may include a graphical indication and / or a text indication.

[0095] In some embodiments, the text message 44A and the supplemental indication 44B may be displayed together as a single line item in the CAS display area 16A. For example, the text message 44A and the supplemental indication 44B may be displayed side-by-side adjacent to each other in the CAS display area 16A. In some embodiments, the text message 44A and the supplemental indication 44B may be displayed in any suitable manner to achieve visual cohesion, thereby allowing the text message 44A and the associated supplemental indication 44B to be interpreted together as the second indication 42.

[0096] The method 400 may further include removing the second indication 42 from the CAS display area 16A at the end of the relevant condition or configuration of the system 38.

[0097] Conveniently, by providing, for example, an "advisory" message through the supplemental indication 44B, providing the same or a similar function or purpose as the "advisory" message, supplementing the text message or "status" indication in the second indication 42 to indicate automatic configuration or reconfiguration (e.g., as opposed to manual configuration or reconfiguration performed by the flight crew), the number of other advisories displayed to the flight crew on the CAS display area 16A, for example, can be reduced. Thus, the supplemental indication 44B of the second indication 42 can be used in place of an additional or separate "advisory" indication or alert that automatically performs configuration, which may occupy more substrate area on the display or distract the flight crew. In this way, for example, in the event of a loss of redundancy or a system failure, the flight crew can more easily pick out and identify other advisories or alerts that can be displayed.

[0098] The second indication 42 can provide information about the relevant condition to the flight crew in a clear and integrated manner, which is intuitive and relatively easy for the flight crew to interpret, and can reduce the confusion caused when providing advisory messages to the flight crew. The second indication 42 can provide information about the relevant condition to the flight crew without providing a complete "advisory" message. This position and the adjacent position of the text message 44A and the supplemental indication 44B can help reduce the workload of the flight crew during critical periods when the attention of the flight crew is required.

[0099] In addition, more and more aircraft functions are being automated, and there is a trend towards using single-pilot cockpits, which may lead to an increase in the type of "advisory" messages displayed to the flight crew. Therefore, various embodiments of the second indication 42 with the text message 44A and the supplemental indication 44B disclosed herein, and the associated reduction in "advisory" messages, can prevent the flight crew from becoming insensitive to more important "advisory" messages.

[0100] The foregoing description is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that changes can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the subject matter of the claims. Similarly, those skilled in the relevant art will understand that although the systems, devices, and methods disclosed and illustrated herein may include a specific number of elements / steps, the systems, devices, and methods can be modified to include more or fewer such elements / steps. The present disclosure also aims to cover and encompass all suitable changes in technology. Upon review of the present disclosure, modifications that fall within the scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, the scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments presented in the examples, but rather should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the entire specification.

Claims

1. A crew alerting system for a mobile platform, the system comprising: A display device that defines a display area; One or more data processors operatively coupled to the display device; And A non-transitory machine-readable memory operatively coupled to the one or more data processors and storing instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations: When receiving a notification of a manual system configuration occurring related to the mobile platform, generate a first output for causing the display device to display a first indication in the display area, the first indication including a first text message; And When receiving a notification of an automatic system configuration occurring related to the mobile platform, generate a second output for causing the display device to display a second indication in the display area, the second indication including a second text message and a supplementary indication; Wherein there is a supplementary indication including a graphical indication in the second indication related to the automatic system configuration of the mobile platform, and there is no supplementary indication including a graphical indication in the first indication or the second indication related to the manual system configuration of the mobile platform, and the presence or absence of the graphical indication itself provides an overview of the automatic or manual system configuration without having to include an alphanumeric message; Wherein the first text message and the second text message include the same content, the first indication and the second indication related to the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration are respectively associated with the same system of the aircraft, and when receiving notifications of the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration occurring in the same system of the aircraft respectively, display the first text message and the second text message; and Wherein the display area is a crew alerting system display area that displays a plurality of text messages for notifying the status of the mobile platform, and the plurality of text messages are organized in different colors corresponding to the alert level or the relevance of the status.

2. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein The first text message and the second text message have the same color.

3. The unit alarm system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The first text message and the second text message are white.

4. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein, The supplementary indication is arranged on the same line as the second text message.

5. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein The supplementary indication is arranged in front of the second text message.

6. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein The supplementary indication has a different color from the second text message.

7. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein, The supplementary indication is adjacent to the second text message.

8. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein The supplementary indication is a graphical indication.

9. The unit alarm system according to claim 8, wherein, The graphical indication includes a circle.

10. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein, The manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration perform equivalent actions on the system of the aircraft.

11. The unit alarm system according to claim 1, wherein, Some of the plurality of text messages are mainly displayed as line items.

12. An aircraft comprising the crew alerting system according to claim 1.

13. A crew alerting system for a mobile platform, the system comprising: A display device that defines a display area; one or more data processors, the one or more data processors being operatively coupled to the display device; and a non-transitory machine-readable memory, the non-transitory machine-readable memory being operatively coupled to the one or more data processors and storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors and configured to cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations: upon receiving a notification that an automatic system configuration associated with the mobile platform has occurred, generate an output for causing the display device to display an indication in the display area, the indication including a text message and a graphical indication, the text message having a color associated with a status message and the graphical indication having a color associated with an advisory alert; wherein the presence of the graphical indication along with the text message is associated with the automatic system configuration of the mobile platform and the absence of the graphical indication along with the text message is associated with the manual system configuration of the mobile platform, and wherein the presence or absence of the graphical indication itself provides an overview of the automatic or manual system configuration without having to include an alphanumeric message; and wherein the display area is a crew alert system display area that displays a plurality of text messages for notifying the status of the mobile platform, the plurality of text messages being organized in different colors corresponding to the alert level or the relevance of the status; and wherein the plurality of text messages are displayed upon receiving notifications of manual system configuration and automatic system configuration of the same system of the mobile platform respectively.

14. The unit alarm system according to claim 13, wherein Some of the plurality of text messages are displayed primarily as line items.

15. A method for using a display area of a crew alert system of a mobile platform to alert a crew of the mobile platform of a system configuration associated with the mobile platform, the method comprising: upon receiving a notification that a manual system configuration associated with the mobile platform has occurred, displaying a first indication in the display area of the crew alert system of the mobile platform, the first indication including a first text message; and upon receiving a notification that an automatic system configuration associated with the mobile platform has occurred, displaying a second indication in the display area of the crew alert system of the mobile platform, the second indication including a second text message and a supplementary indication; wherein the presence of the supplementary indication including a graphical indication in the second indication is associated with the automatic system configuration of the mobile platform and the absence of the supplementary indication including a graphical indication in the first indication or the second indication is associated with the manual system configuration of the mobile platform, and wherein the presence or absence of the graphical indication itself provides an overview of the automatic or manual system configuration without having to include an alphanumeric message; The first text message and the second text message include the same content, the first indication and the second indication related to the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration are respectively associated with the same system of the mobile platform, and the first text message and the second text message are displayed when notifications of the occurrence of the manual system configuration and the automatic system configuration of the same system of the mobile platform are received; and The display area is a crew alert system display area, and the crew alert system display area displays a plurality of text messages for notifying the status of the mobile platform, and the plurality of text messages are organized in different colors corresponding to the alert level or the relevance of the status.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The first text message and the second text message have the same color.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The first text message and the second text message are white.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The supplementary indication is arranged on the same line as the second text message.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein The supplementary indication is arranged in front of the second text message.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein Some of the plurality of text messages are mainly displayed as line items.

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