Method and system for alerting cues for an aircraft head-up display

Abstract

A method for alerting for an aircraft head-up display is disclosed, comprising: receiving an alert trigger signal from an alert system of an aircraft, the alert trigger signal triggering an alert related to the aircraft; determining whether an alert light needs to be used as an alerting manner based on receiving the alert trigger signal; activating a real alert light corresponding to the alert in the aircraft in response to determining that the alert light needs to be used as the alerting manner; and activating a virtual alert light on a head-up display of the aircraft synchronously with activating the real alert light, wherein an indication manner of the virtual alert light is consistent with the real alert light.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of avionics human-machine interface design, and specifically to a warning prompting method and system for an aircraft head-up display. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of civil aviation, the onboard electronic equipment used in civil aircraft is becoming increasingly complex and integrated, and the number of warning signals in the cockpit is also increasing. These warning signals are designed to alert the crew when the aircraft is in an abnormal operating or system state, thereby attracting the crew's attention.

[0003] Head-up displays (HUDs), as a new technology in civil aircraft navigation, play a vital role in improving civil aviation safety and reducing operating costs. HUDs project various information, such as flight parameters and self-test data, into a transparent display device directly in front of the cockpit using optical elements. When pilots observe the outside world through the transparent display, they can simultaneously see the characters and images superimposed on the external scenery. This eliminates the need for pilots to look down at instrument displays, allowing them to maintain an upward posture at all times. It also reduces the delay and discomfort caused by the rapid changes in the external environment caused by looking down and looking up, and the constant adjustment of eye focus.

[0004] However, due to limitations in the airworthiness certification basis during the model certification process, the existing HUD devices do not achieve consistency between HUD and Head-Down Display (HDD) alarms. Therefore, for alarms, especially warnings, alerts, or even time-critical warnings that require immediate crew awareness, pilots may not be able to distinguish or recognize them when using the HUD and still primarily rely on hearing to obtain alarm status information. After the crew perceives the alarm status audibly, they then use the HDD to further operate and handle the alarm.

[0005] This problem is particularly noticeable in models using a dual HUD configuration. Especially when two crew members are using the head-up display, the crew's ability to observe and identify the alarm lights is greatly reduced because the alarm lights are usually installed on the sunshade. They may not be able to identify the alarm lights turning on or flashing in time, and thus fail to detect the alarm in a timely manner.

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, it is desirable to provide an improved alarm notification method for aircraft head-up displays (HUDs) to ensure that the crew can promptly identify relevant alarm notifications and obtain notification information consistent with that displayed on the lower warning lights. This would enhance the crew's awareness of alarm status and further improve flight safety. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify the key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description that follows.

[0008] The present invention provides an alarm notification method for an aircraft head-up display (HUD), comprising: receiving an alarm trigger signal from an aircraft alarm system, the alarm trigger signal triggering an alarm related to the aircraft; determining, based on receiving the alarm trigger signal, whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method; activating a real alarm light in the aircraft corresponding to the alarm in response to determining that an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method; and activating a virtual alarm light on the aircraft's HUD synchronously with activating the real alarm light, wherein the indication method of the virtual alarm light is consistent with that of the real alarm light.

[0009] In some embodiments, determining whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on receiving the alarm trigger signal further includes: determining auxiliary information related to the alarm triggered by the alarm trigger signal, the auxiliary information including at least one of the type, level, and presentation method of the alarm; and determining whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on the auxiliary information.

[0010] In some embodiments, activating the real alarm light includes one of the following: turning on the real alarm light; or causing the real alarm light to flash.

[0011] In some embodiments, activating the virtual warning light includes one of the following: displaying the virtual warning light on the display page of the head-up display; or causing the virtual warning light to flash on the display page.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method further includes: detecting whether the real warning light or a specific button in the aircraft is pressed; determining that the alarm has been perceived when the real warning light or the specific button is detected to be pressed; and turning off the real warning light and removing the virtual warning light in response to determining that the alarm has been perceived.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when it is detected that the alarm has been cleared, turning off the real alarm light and removing the virtual alarm light.

[0014] The present invention also provides an alarm notification system for an aircraft head-up display, comprising: an alarm triggering module configured to: receive an alarm triggering signal from the aircraft's alarm system, the alarm triggering signal triggering an alarm associated with the aircraft; an alarm notification mode module configured to: determine whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification mode based on receiving the alarm triggering signal; and an alarm light indicating module configured to: activate a real alarm light in the aircraft corresponding to the alarm in response to determining that an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification mode; and activate a virtual alarm light on the aircraft's head-up display synchronously with activating the real alarm light, wherein the indication mode of the virtual alarm light is consistent with that of the real alarm light.

[0015] In some embodiments, the alarm notification module is further configured to: determine auxiliary information related to the alarm triggered by the alarm trigger signal, the auxiliary information including at least one of the type, level and presentation mode of the alarm; and determine whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method based on the auxiliary information.

[0016] In some embodiments, the alarm light indicator module is further configured to activate the real alarm light by: turning on the real alarm light; or causing the real alarm light to flash.

[0017] In some embodiments, the alarm light indicator module is further configured to activate the virtual alarm light by displaying the virtual alarm light on the head-up display's display page, or by causing the virtual alarm light to flash on the display page.

[0018] In some embodiments, the system further includes an alarm light deactivation module configured to: detect whether the real alarm light or a specific button in the aircraft is pressed; determine that an alarm has been detected when the real alarm light or the specific button is detected to be pressed; and turn off the real alarm light and remove the virtual alarm light in response to determining that the alarm has been detected.

[0019] In some embodiments, the alarm light deactivation module is further configured to: turn off the real alarm light and remove the virtual alarm light when it is detected that the alarm has been cleared.

[0020] The present invention also provides a computer-readable medium storing computer programs for alarm prompts for an aircraft head-up display, the computer programs being executable by a processor to perform the aforementioned alarm prompting method for an aircraft head-up display.

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention adds virtual warning lights to the head-up display and makes the indication method of the virtual warning lights consistent with that of the real warning lights, which can improve the crew's ability to perceive warnings when using the head-up display and improve flight safety. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The features, essence, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which provide a detailed description. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are consistently used. It should be noted that the described drawings are schematic and non-limiting. Some components in the drawings may be enlarged and are not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0023] Figure 1 A flowchart of the alarm notification method for an aircraft head-up display according to the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 An exemplary process for activating the alarm light according to the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 An exemplary process for disabling warning lights according to the present invention is shown.

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an exemplary real alarm light and a virtual alarm light of the present invention is shown.

[0027] Figure 5 A block diagram of the alarm notification system for an aircraft head-up display according to the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 6 A block diagram of an apparatus including the warning prompts for an aircraft head-up display of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of this disclosure. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the various aspects described in the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily without conflict.

[0030] Airworthiness standards are the minimum safety standards established to ensure the airworthiness of civil aircraft. They are a special type of technical standard developed, revised, and improved based on extensive experimental research and the results of numerous air crash investigations. With the development of new in-cockpit airborne technologies, these standards have exceeded existing requirements, necessitating continuous revision and improvement.

[0031] The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) formulated CCAR-25.1322 (Warning Lights, Alert Lights, and Warning Lights) on December 31, 1985, and this regulation has not been revised since its implementation. However, with technological advancements, advanced integrated display and crew warning systems are increasingly being used in the cockpits of mainstream aircraft. To adapt to these technological trends, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) issued amendments on November 2, 2010, redefining the airworthiness requirements for crew warning systems on multiple aircraft. The amendments require that warning and alert levels of alerts "require immediate crew awareness."

[0032] With the increasing stringency of airworthiness requirements, the alarm designs of some existing aircraft models can no longer meet the new requirements. In particular, for models equipped with head-up displays (HUDs), ensuring that the crew can still immediately perceive alarms, especially warning and alert levels, when using the HUDs poses a significant challenge to the airworthiness certification of the crew alarm system and the consistency of integrated alarms in the cockpit.

[0033] As mentioned above, warnings, alerts, and even time-critical warnings that require immediate crew awareness may be difficult for pilots to discern and recognize when using head-up displays (HUDs), forcing them to rely primarily on auditory cues for alert status. This is especially true in aircraft with dual HUD configurations, where both crew members are using HUDs, significantly reducing their ability to observe and identify warning lights, potentially making it impossible to promptly recognize their illumination or flashing.

[0034] This invention provides an improved alarm notification method and system for aircraft head-up displays (HUDs), adding a virtual warning light indication method to the HUD. By configuring the virtual warning lights to use the same activation and deactivation logic as the real warning lights, it helps enhance the crew's awareness of alarm status when using the HUD, thereby improving flight safety.

[0035] Figure 1 A flowchart of an alarm notification method 100 for an aircraft head-up display according to the present invention is shown.

[0036] Method 100 begins at step 105. In step 105, an alarm trigger signal is received from the aircraft's alarm system, which triggers an alarm associated with the aircraft.

[0037] During aircraft operation, when an abnormal state is detected (such as aircraft malfunction, abnormal flight parameters, or the discovery of a potential threat), the aircraft's alarm system will issue an alarm trigger signal to activate the corresponding alarm. Alarms can be of various types. For example, if the flight altitude is too low, a terrain alarm will be triggered. If the aircraft stalls, a stall alarm will be triggered. Furthermore, alarms can be presented in various ways, such as visual alarms, audible alarms, and tactile alarms.

[0038] In step 110, it is determined whether an alarm light should be used as an alarm notification method based on the received alarm trigger signal.

[0039] In some embodiments, determining whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on receiving the alarm trigger signal may further include: determining auxiliary information related to the alarm triggered by the alarm trigger signal, the auxiliary information including at least one of the type, level, and presentation method of the alarm; and determining whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on the auxiliary information.

[0040] Taking aircraft as an example, the higher the alarm level, the more urgent the situation (e.g., the more serious the aircraft malfunction). Therefore, in some implementations, a predetermined threshold level can be set, and when the alarm level reaches or exceeds the threshold level, it can be determined that an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method.

[0041] If the alarm level is low, it indicates a less urgent situation. In this case, the crew does not need to be immediately aware of the alarm, so alarm lights are not necessary. For example, in such situations, alarm messages can be displayed in specific areas that the crew periodically checks to alert them.

[0042] Similarly, different types of alarms may be prioritized within the same alarm level. For example, alarms related to stall, wind shear, or collision avoidance may be more urgent than alarms related to other system malfunctions.

[0043] Additionally, some alarms may not have corresponding physical warning lights in their established presentation methods. For example, alarms such as wind shear, stall, or ground proximity are highly urgent and closely related to flight attitude. In such cases, it is preferable to display a prominent alarm message in the main field of view of the PFD (Primary Flight Display) rather than using warning lights as an alarm notification method.

[0044] In practice, certain conditions can be preset according to the actual situation (e.g., certain combinations of alarm types, levels and presentation methods). When an alarm meets these conditions, it can be determined that an alarm light should be used as an alarm notification method.

[0045] In step 115, in response to determining that an alarm light is needed as an alarm notification method, the actual alarm light in the aircraft corresponding to the alarm is activated.

[0046] In some embodiments, activating a real warning light may include illuminating the real warning light or causing it to flash. When a pilot observes the real warning light illuminated or flashing, they can identify the relevant alarm and take appropriate action.

[0047] In step 120, a virtual warning light is activated on the aircraft's head-up display in sync with the activation of the real warning light, wherein the virtual warning light indicates the same way as the real warning light.

[0048] As mentioned earlier, when pilots use head-up displays, the crew's ability to observe and identify warning lights (i.e., actual warning lights) is significantly reduced because the warning lights are usually located on the sunshade, and they may not be able to detect the warning lights illuminating or flashing in time.

[0049] In such cases, a virtual warning light on the head-up display can be activated simultaneously when the real warning light is lit or flashing, so that the virtual warning light appears in the pilot's line of sight, which helps the pilot perceive the warning more promptly.

[0050] In some embodiments, activating a virtual alarm light may include displaying the virtual alarm light on the head-up display screen or causing the virtual alarm light to flash on the display screen.

[0051] Virtual warning lights can mimic the indication method of real warning lights, thus aiding pilots in quickly perceiving and responding to alerts. Specifically, virtual warning lights can employ the same activation and deactivation mechanisms as real warning lights. For example, when a real warning light is activated, the virtual warning light is simultaneously activated on the head-up display (HUD), and when the real warning light is deactivated, the virtual warning light is simultaneously deactivated on the HUD. In other words, the virtual warning light is essentially a mirror image of the real warning light.

[0052] Furthermore, virtual warning lights can adopt the same or similar appearance as real warning lights, such as using icons similar to real warning lights. If a real warning light flashes at a specific frequency, the virtual warning light will also flash at the same frequency on the display screen. In this way, it makes it easier for pilots to perceive and judge the warning lights.

[0053] In some embodiments, after activating the real alarm light and the virtual alarm light, method 100 may optionally further include: detecting whether a real alarm light or a specific button in the aircraft is pressed; determining that an alarm has been detected when a real alarm light or a specific button is detected to be pressed; and turning off the real alarm light and removing the virtual alarm light in response to determining that an alarm has been detected.

[0054] When the crew observes an active virtual alarm light on the head-up display (HUD), they are aware of an alarm. At this point, the crew can press a real alarm light to indicate successful alarm recognition. Therefore, when a real alarm light is detected being pressed, it can be determined that the crew has recognized the alarm and will take appropriate action. At this point, the real alarm light can be turned off, and the virtual alarm light can be removed from the HUD.

[0055] In some embodiments, when the crew observes an active virtual warning light on the head-up display, they can also press a specific button to indicate that they have perceived the alarm. For example, a dedicated HUD confirmation button can be provided in the cockpit, allowing alarm confirmation only when the HUD is in use; or, after an alarm for abnormal autopilot disconnection is triggered, the crew can typically confirm their awareness of the alarm by pressing the autopilot disconnect button on the joystick.

[0056] It should be noted that the aforementioned pressing of a real warning light or a specific button in the aircraft is merely exemplary and not limiting. In specific implementations, those skilled in the art can set other suitable confirmation actions as needed. When a confirmation action is detected, it can be determined that the pilot has perceived the warning.

[0057] In some embodiments, after activating the real alarm light and the virtual alarm light, method 100 may optionally further include: turning off the real alarm light and removing the virtual alarm light when it is detected that the alarm has been cleared.

[0058] If the pilot resolves the aircraft malfunction by taking appropriate measures and the aircraft returns to normal operation, the corresponding alarm can be cleared.

[0059] When the alarm is detected to have been cleared, the real alarm light can be turned off and the virtual alarm light removed from the head-up display, even if the pilot does not press the real alarm light or a specific button.

[0060] As can be seen from Method 100, by adding a virtual warning light notification method to the head-up display and keeping the lighting and extinguishing logic of the virtual warning light consistent with that of the real warning light, the crew can perceive the warning in more ways, thereby taking more rapid countermeasures and further improving flight safety.

[0061] Figure 2 An exemplary process 200 for activating an alarm light according to the present invention is shown.

[0062] For ease of explanation, in process 200, it is assumed that the real alarm light is activated by lighting up the real alarm light.

[0063] like Figure 2As shown, when an abnormality or malfunction is detected in the aircraft, the aircraft's alarm system can issue an alarm trigger signal (205). This alarm trigger signal can trigger alarms related to the aircraft.

[0064] After receiving the alarm trigger signal, it can be determined whether the alarm light needs to be turned on as an alarm notification method (210).

[0065] As mentioned above, the decision to illuminate the alarm light as an alarm notification method can be made based on one or more of the alarm type, level, and presentation method.

[0066] If it is determined that there is no need to illuminate the alarm light as an alarm notification method (decision box 210 = "No"), then process 200 ends (215).

[0067] If it is determined that the alarm light needs to be lit as an alarm notification method (decision box 210 = "Yes"), then the actual alarm light corresponding to the alarm is lit (220).

[0068] If a head-up display is not used (decision box 225 = "No"), then process 220 ends.

[0069] If a head-up display is used (decision box 225 = "Yes"), the corresponding virtual warning light (230) on the head-up display can be activated. For example, a virtual warning light in the form of an icon can be displayed on the head-up display's display page.

[0070] As can be seen from process 200, when the unit uses a head-up display, in addition to illuminating the real alarm lights, virtual alarm lights can also be used as an additional alarm prompt, which helps the unit to perceive the alarm more quickly and take corresponding measures.

[0071] Figure 3 An exemplary process 300 for disabling warning lights according to the present invention is shown.

[0072] Process 300 can occur when both real and virtual alarm lights are activated. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that real alarm lights are activated and deactivated by turning on and off, and virtual alarm lights are activated and deactivated by showing and removing them.

[0073] At position 305, the real alarm lights are illuminated, and the virtual alarm lights are displayed on the head-up monitor. That is, both the real and virtual alarm lights are active at this time.

[0074] If a real alarm light or a specific button is pressed (decision box 310 = "Yes"), it indicates that the unit has detected an alarm, and the alarm light can be deactivated. Specifically, the real alarm light can be turned off, and the virtual alarm light in the head-up display can be removed (315).

[0075] If the unit does not press the real alarm light or the specific button (decision box 310 = "No"), the alarm light can also be disabled (i.e., the real alarm light is turned off and the virtual alarm light is removed) when the alarm is detected to have been cleared (decision box 320 = "Yes").

[0076] If neither the real alarm light nor the specific button is pressed (decision box 310 = "No"), and the alarm is not cleared (decision box 320 = "No"), then the real alarm light and the virtual alarm light remain active.

[0077] It should be noted that process 300 is merely exemplary and not restrictive. In actual implementation, the order of decision blocks 310 and 320 can be changed. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can employ other suitable methods to activate / deactivate the alarm lights. For example, activation can be achieved by causing a real alarm light to flash. As another example, in cases where the head-up display uses multiple colors, different colors can be used to activate / deactivate the virtual alarm lights. For instance, a green virtual alarm light can be used to activate the virtual alarm light, and a grayed-out virtual alarm light can be used to deactivate it.

[0078] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an exemplary real alarm light and a virtual alarm light of the present invention is shown.

[0079] like Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, (4a) illustrates a schematic of a real warning light. As an example, two warning lights are shown: the aircraft's main warning light ("MASTER WARN") and the main alert light ("MASTER CAUT").

[0080] (4b) shows a schematic diagram of the head-up display's page. As an example, a virtual warning light is shown in the upper left corner of the head-up display's page. As shown, the virtual warning light shown on the page corresponds to the real warning light in (4a). The virtual warning light's icon is similar in shape to the real warning light, and the displayed message text is the same.

[0081] (4c) illustrates the deactivation of a virtual warning light. For example, when a unit presses a physical warning light (e.g., the MASTER WARN light), the physical warning light turns off. Simultaneously, the virtual warning light corresponding to the physical warning light on the head-up display can be deactivated (e.g., removed).

[0082] As can be seen from (4c), the "MASTER WARN" icon has been removed from the head-up display, while the "MASTER CAUT" icon remains displayed. In other words, the crew has either detected an alarm associated with the "MASTER WARN" virtual warning light or the alarm has been cleared, while the crew has not detected an alarm associated with the "MASTER CAUT" virtual warning light and the alarm has not been cleared.

[0083] It should be noted that Figure 4 The real and virtual alarm lights shown are merely examples. In actual implementations, various other types of alarm lights exist. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can employ other suitable methods to activate / deactivate virtual alarm lights on the head-up display (e.g., activating / deactivating virtual alarm lights in different ways, placing virtual alarm lights in different positions, displaying virtual alarm lights in different colors, etc.).

[0084] Figure 5 A block diagram of the alarm notification system 500 for an aircraft head-up display of the present invention is shown.

[0085] See Figure 5 The system 500 may include an alarm triggering module 502, an alarm indication module 504, an alarm light indicator module 506, and an alarm light deactivation module 508. Each of these modules may be directly or indirectly connected to or communicate with each other on one or more buses 510.

[0086] In various embodiments of the present invention, the alarm triggering module 502 may be configured to receive an alarm triggering signal from the alarm system of the aircraft, the alarm triggering signal triggering an alarm related to the aircraft.

[0087] The alarm notification module 504 can be configured to determine whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on the received alarm trigger signal.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present invention, the alarm notification module 504 may also be configured to: determine auxiliary information related to an alarm triggered by an alarm trigger signal, the auxiliary information including at least one of the type, level and presentation mode of the alarm; and determine whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method based on the auxiliary information.

[0089] The warning light indicator module 506 can be configured to: activate a real warning light in the aircraft corresponding to an alarm in response to determining that an alarm light is needed as an alarm notification method; and activate a virtual warning light on the aircraft's head-up display in sync with the activation of the real warning light, wherein the indication method of the virtual warning light is consistent with that of the real warning light.

[0090] In some embodiments of the present invention, the alarm light indicator module 506 may also be configured to activate the real alarm light by: lighting the real alarm light; or causing the real alarm light to flash.

[0091] In some embodiments of the present invention, the alarm light indicator module 506 may also be configured to activate the virtual alarm light by displaying the virtual alarm light on the display page of the head-up display; or by causing the virtual alarm light to flash on the display page.

[0092] The alarm light deactivation module 508 can be configured to: detect whether a real alarm light or a specific button in the aircraft is pressed; determine that an alarm has been detected when the real alarm light or the specific button is detected; and turn off the real alarm light and remove the virtual alarm light in response to determining that the alarm has been detected.

[0093] In some embodiments of the present invention, the alarm light deactivation module 508 may also be configured to: turn off the real alarm light and remove the virtual alarm light when it is detected that the alarm has been cleared.

[0094] Although Figure 5 The diagram illustrates specific modules of system 500, but it should be understood that these modules are exemplary and not limiting. In different implementations, one or more of these modules may be combined, split, removed, or additional modules may be added. For example, in some implementations, the alarm light indicator module 506 may be split into a real alarm light indicator module and a virtual alarm light indicator module. In some implementations, system 500 may also include additional modules.

[0095] Figure 6 A block diagram of a device 600 including the warning prompts for an aircraft head-up display according to the present invention is shown.

[0096] This device illustrates a typical hardware environment in which the invention can be applied according to exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0097] Now refer to Figure 6 Device 600 is described as an exemplary embodiment of a hardware device that can be applied to various aspects of the present invention. Device 600 can be any machine configured to perform processing and / or computation, and can be, but is not limited to, a workstation, server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, or any combination thereof. The above-described system can be implemented wholly or at least partially by device 600 or similar devices or systems.

[0098] Device 600 may include components that can be connected to or communicate with bus 612 via one or more interfaces. For example, device 600 may include bus 612, processor 602, memory 604, input device 608, and output device 610, etc.

[0099] Processor 602 can be any type of processor and may include, but is not limited to, general-purpose processors and / or special-purpose processors (e.g., special-purpose chips), intelligent hardware devices (e.g., general-purpose processors, DSPs, CPUs, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs, programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic components, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof). In some cases, processor 602 may be configured to use a memory controller to operate a memory array. In other cases, a memory controller (not shown) may be integrated into processor 602. Processor 602 may be responsible for managing the bus and general processing, including executing software stored in memory. Processor 602 may also be configured to perform various functions described herein related to warning prompts for aircraft head-up displays. For example, processor 602 may be configured to: receive an alarm trigger signal from the aircraft's alarm system, the alarm trigger signal triggering an alarm associated with the aircraft; determine, based on receiving the alarm trigger signal, whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm indication method; activate a real alarm light in the aircraft corresponding to the alarm in response to determining that an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm indication method; and activate a virtual alarm light on the aircraft's head-up display synchronously with activating the real alarm light, wherein the indication method of the virtual alarm light is consistent with that of the real alarm light.

[0100] Memory 604 can be any storage device capable of storing data. Memory 604 may include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state storage, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tape or any other magnetic media, optical discs or any other optical media, ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random access memory), cache memory and / or any other memory chip or cartridge, and / or any other medium from which a computer can read data, instructions and / or code. Memory 604 may store computer-executable software 606 including computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the various functions described herein related to warning prompts for an aircraft head-up display.

[0101] Input device 608 can be any type of device that can be used to input information.

[0102] The output device 610 can be any type of device used for outputting information. In one case, the output device 610 can be any type of output device capable of displaying information.

[0103] The detailed description above, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes examples but does not represent all examples that can be implemented or fall within the scope of the claims. The terms "example" and "exemplary" are used in this specification to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and do not imply "superiority or superiority over other examples."

[0104] Throughout this specification, the terms "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the use of these phrases may refer to more than one embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0105] The preceding description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will readily be understood by those skilled in the art, and the universal principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be granted the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein references to the singular form of an element, unless specifically stated otherwise, are not intended to mean “one and only one,” but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. All structural and functional equivalents of the various aspects of the invention described throughout are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims.

[0106] It should also be noted that these embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of these operations can be executed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of these operations can be rearranged.

[0107] While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the precise configurations and components described above. Various modifications, substitutions, and improvements that will be apparent to those skilled in the art can be made to the arrangement, operation, and details of the apparatus disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A warning notification method for an aircraft head-up display, comprising: Receive an alarm trigger signal from the aircraft's alarm system, the alarm trigger signal triggering alarms related to the aircraft; Based on the received alarm trigger signal, determine whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method; In response to determining that an alarm light is needed as an alarm notification method, the actual alarm light in the aircraft corresponding to the alarm is activated. as well as A virtual warning light is activated on the aircraft's head-up display in sync with the activation of the real warning light, wherein the virtual warning light is indicated in the same manner as the real warning light.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on receiving the alarm trigger signal further includes: Determine auxiliary information related to the alarm triggered by the alarm trigger signal, the auxiliary information including at least one of the alarm type, level, and presentation method; and Based on the auxiliary information, it is determined whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Activating the real alarm light includes one of the following: Light up the actual warning lights; Make the actual warning light flash.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Activating the virtual alarm light includes one of the following: The virtual alarm light is displayed on the head-up display screen; The virtual warning light is made to flash on the display page.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Further includes: Detect whether the actual warning light or a specific button in the aircraft is pressed; When the actual alarm light or the specific button is pressed is detected, it is determined that the alarm has been detected; and In response to determining that the alarm has been detected, the real alarm light is turned off and the virtual alarm light is removed.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Further includes: When the alarm is detected to have been cleared, the real alarm light is turned off and the virtual alarm light is removed.

7. A warning and alerting system for an aircraft head-up display, comprising: An alarm triggering module is configured to receive an alarm triggering signal from the aircraft's alarm system, the alarm triggering signal triggering an alarm related to the aircraft; The alarm notification module is configured to determine whether to use an alarm light as an alarm notification method based on the received alarm trigger signal. as well as The alarm light indicator module is configured to: In response to determining that an alarm light is needed as an alarm notification method, the actual alarm light in the aircraft corresponding to the alarm is activated. as well as A virtual warning light is activated on the aircraft's head-up display in sync with the activation of the real warning light, wherein the virtual warning light is indicated in the same manner as the real warning light.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The alarm notification module is also configured to: Determine auxiliary information related to the alarm triggered by the alarm trigger signal, the auxiliary information including at least one of the alarm type, level and presentation method; as well as Based on the auxiliary information, it is determined whether an alarm light needs to be used as an alarm notification method.

9. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The alarm light indicator module is also configured to activate the actual alarm light in the following ways: Turn on the actual warning light; or Make the actual warning light flash.

10. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The alarm light indicator module is also configured to activate the virtual alarm light in the following ways: The virtual alarm light is displayed on the head-up display screen; or The virtual warning light is made to flash on the display page.

11. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, It further includes an alarm light deactivation module, which is configured to: Detect whether the actual warning light or a specific button in the aircraft is pressed; When the actual alarm light or the specific button is pressed is detected, it is determined that the alarm has been detected; and In response to determining that the alarm has been detected, the real alarm light is turned off and the virtual alarm light is removed.

12. The system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The alarm light deactivation module is also configured to: When the alarm is detected to have been cleared, the real alarm light is turned off and the virtual alarm light is removed.

13. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for providing warnings on an aircraft head-up display, the computer program being executable by a processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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