Civil aircraft software audio control system and device with automatically configurable channel

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an aircraft audio control system and method. The system comprises: an audio control module configured to determine a layout of tabs related to audio control on a graphical user interface of the audio control system, including: determining one or more wireless audio channel devices, one or more navigation devices equipped by the aircraft according to an AOT; determining priorities of wireless audio channels of the one or more wireless audio channel devices, navigation audio of the one or more navigation devices, PA function, CAB function, INT function according to an aircraft personalization module (APM) profile; determining the layout of the tabs on the graphical user interface of the audio control system according to the determined priorities, the layout including which tab slot area on the graphical user interface of the audio control system each tab corresponds to; an audio UI display module configured to render the tabs in the corresponding tab slot areas based on the layout determined by the audio control module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of avionics systems, and more particularly to a software-defined audio control system and device for civil aircraft with automatically configurable channels. Background Technology

[0002] The audio control subsystem is a crucial communication subsystem that enables flight crew communication with the outside world and provides volume control to the crew. Traditionally, the audio control subsystem is implemented in the form of an ACP (Audio Control Panel), installed on the central control panel in the cockpit, typically with three or more units installed. Traditional ACPs contain numerous channel-specific control devices (such as knobs and buttons).

[0003] However, too many dedicated switches reduce the expandability of the equipment; and the numerous cumbersome switches on the ACP increase the equipment's size, occupying valuable central control panel space. For example, an ACP system typically has more than twenty dedicated knobs / buttons for performing functions such as communication channel selection, navigation tone monitoring, and volume adjustment.

[0004] This disclosure addresses, but is not limited to, the many factors mentioned above. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address this, this disclosure proposes a software-defined audio control system, designing a novel audio control system and interaction method that enables implementation independent of dedicated ACP equipment. This allows the audio control system's interaction method / functions to reside as software on other devices. Furthermore, this disclosure proposes a method for automatically configuring audio control channels based on the aircraft configuration, enabling a single ACP solution to adapt to all possible customer radio configuration options without requiring changes to hardware or software.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, an audio control system for an aircraft is provided, comprising: an audio control module, the audio control module being configured to determine the layout of audio control-related tabs on a graphical user interface of the audio control system, the audio control-related tabs including at least one of the following: wireless audio channel, navigation tone, passenger broadcast PA function, cabin intercom CAB function, and intercom INT function, wherein the audio control module determining the layout of the audio control-related tabs on the graphical user interface of the audio control system includes: determining one or more wireless audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices equipped on the aircraft according to an aircraft option table (AOT); determining the priority of the wireless audio channel of each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices, the navigation tone, PA function, CAB function, and INT function of each of the one or more navigation devices according to an aircraft personalization module (APM) profile; determining the layout of each tab on the graphical user interface of the audio control system according to the determined priority, the layout including which tab slot area on the graphical user interface of the audio control system each tab corresponds to; and an audio UI display module, the audio UI display module rendering the tabs in the corresponding tab slot areas based on the layout determined by the audio control module.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the tab of each of the wireless audio channels includes a mixing status indicator interface element, which indicates whether the corresponding wireless audio channel is being monitored; or the tab of each of the wireless audio channels indicates whether the corresponding wireless audio channel is being monitored by its background color.

[0008] According to another embodiment, the tabs of each of the wireless audio channels further include a gating controller interface element and a volume indicator and control interface element, wherein the gating controller interface element is operated by the pilot to select the corresponding wireless audio channel to transmit a signal, the gating controller interface element has an ungated state, a gated state, and a call-selection state, wherein the gating controller interface element in the ungated state indicates that a signal cannot be transmitted through the corresponding wireless audio channel, the gating controller interface element in the gated state indicates that a signal can be transmitted through the corresponding wireless audio channel, the gating controller interface element in the call-selection state indicates that the corresponding wireless audio channel has received a call, and wherein the volume indicator and control interface element is operated by the pilot to change the volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel and to display the current volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel.

[0009] According to another embodiment, the tab of each of the wireless audio channels further includes a status indicator interface element for displaying a signal strength indication of the wireless audio channel, and when the tab of the wireless audio channel is a VHF channel or an HF channel tab, the status indicator interface element includes a data link status indication and a frequency indication.

[0010] According to another embodiment, the navigation tone tab can be operated by the pilot to bring up the navigation tone channel selection menu, so as to select the navigation tone of any navigation system in the navigation tone channel selection menu for listening.

[0011] According to another embodiment, the PA function tab includes a PA talk key interface element for pilot-operated speech, which enables speech when pressed and held, and switches to the previously selected speech channel when released; the CAB function tab includes a CAB strobe button interface element, which enables cabin communication when both the strobe button interface element and the PTT switch are pressed, and the strobe button interface element is in an unstrobed state by default and becomes a selectable call prompt state when there is a call from the cabin; the INT function tab includes an INT strobe button interface element, which enables intercom when pressed, and the INT strobe button interface element is in an unstrobed state by default and becomes a selectable call prompt state when there is a call from the mechanic.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the graphical user interface of the audio control system is displayed on a touch screen control panel, and the edge of the touch screen control panel is provided with physical buttons or knobs corresponding to each tab slot area for operating the tabs rendered to that tab slot area. The edge of the touch screen control panel is also provided with a PTT / OFF / INT switch for operating PTT calls and intercom calls.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the audio control system further includes an audio input / output device for inputting and outputting audio signals, the audio input / output device including a microphone and a speaker, wherein a speaker volume control knob for controlling the speaker is also provided on the bezel of the touch display control panel, and wherein the speaker volume control knob also has an in position and an out position, wherein the speaker is muted when the speaker volume control knob is in the out position.

[0014] According to another embodiment, the audio control system resides in the cockpit airborne equipment in the form of a software partition, the cockpit airborne equipment including a multipurpose control and display unit (MCDU), or the audio control system application software resides on the integrated modular avionics system (IMA) of the aircraft.

[0015] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, an ARINC600 device is provided, including an audio control system according to a first aspect of this disclosure, wherein the ARINC600 device is interconnected with a wireless audio control channel device, a navigation device, and the touch display control panel via an ARINC429 signal.

[0016] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a control panel with a touch display screen is provided. The control panel has computing and storage resources required for the audio control system according to the first aspect of this disclosure, a device power module, and an interconnection interface for connecting to other external system devices. The interconnection interface includes an A429 interface. The control panel is interconnected with a wireless audio control channel device and a navigation device via an ARINC429 signal.

[0017] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, an audio control method for an aircraft is provided, the method comprising: determining one or more wireless audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices equipped on the aircraft according to an aircraft option table (AOT); determining the priority of the wireless audio channel of each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices and the navigation tone, PA function, CAB function, and INT function of each of the one or more navigation devices according to an aircraft personalization module (APM) configuration file; determining the layout of each tab on a graphical user interface of the audio control system according to the determined priority, the layout including which tab slot area on the graphical user interface of the audio control system each tab corresponds to, and rendering the tab in the corresponding tab slot area based on the determined layout.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, an aircraft is provided, including an audio control system as described in a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0019] The aspects generally include, as substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings and as explained by the drawings, methods, apparatus, systems, computer program products, and processing systems.

[0020] The foregoing has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the examples according to this disclosure so that the following detailed description may be better understood. Additional features and advantages will be described thereafter. The disclosed concepts and specific examples can be readily used as the basis for modifying or designing other structures for implementing the same purposes as this disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the appended claims. The characteristics of the concepts disclosed herein, in both their organization and manner of operation, and their associated advantages, will be better understood by considering the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Each drawing is provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes and does not define any limitation on the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To gain a more detailed understanding of the features described above in this disclosure, reference can be made to various aspects of the above-briefly summarized content, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings illustrate only certain typical aspects of this disclosure and should not be considered as limiting its scope, as other equivalent aspects are permissible in this description. Identical reference numerals in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an audio control system for an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 A schematic screenshot of the graphical user interface of an audio control system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 3 A schematic screenshot of the VHF2 wireless audio channel tab according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A schematic screenshot of the VHF2 wireless audio channel tab according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the function key area and background area (i.e., non-function key area) of a tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 6 A schematic screenshot of the graphical user interface of an audio control system according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 A schematic screenshot of a wireless audio channel VHF3 tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 8 A state change logic diagram of a gating controller interface element according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 9 A schematic screenshot of the tabs of a wireless audio channel VHF3 according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 10 A schematic screenshot of the graphical user interface of an audio control system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 11 A schematic screenshot of the graphical user interface of an audio control system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 12 A flowchart of an audio control method for an aircraft according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 13 A schematic diagram of an aircraft according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The inventors recognized that traditional ACP relies on dedicated physical buttons and knobs for communication channel management and audio control, which has various drawbacks: 1. Poor scalability: Too many dedicated switches reduce the scalability of the equipment. Adding new communication channels (such as 5G ATG (Air To Ground) and LDACS (L-band Digital Aeronautical Communications System) requires redesigning the hardware. 2. Limited information display: It cannot dynamically display key information such as signal strength and device health status; 3. Low integration and space occupation: The numerous redundant dedicated switches on the ACP not only take up space but also have low button reuse.

[0024] To address this, this disclosure proposes a software-based design for the audio control system, outlining a novel audio control system and interaction method. This allows the system to be implemented using a novel audio control panel design with a touchscreen display, as presented herein; alternatively, it can operate independently of dedicated ACP equipment, enabling the audio control system's interaction method / functions to reside as software on other devices. Furthermore, this disclosure proposes a method for dynamically configuring audio control channels based on the aircraft configuration, allowing a single ACP solution to adapt to all possible customer radio configuration options without requiring changes to hardware or software.

[0025] In the methods and systems disclosed herein: 1. Visual status indicators (signal strength, health status) can enhance pilots' awareness of audio control scenarios and situational awareness; 2. The highly integrated design of the ACP interface and the integration of buttons disclosed herein can further improve the efficiency and accuracy of pilot communication audio control; 3. Enhance system adaptability, enabling a single ACP solution to be compatible with all possible radio configuration options for customers without requiring changes to software or hardware; 4. Decoupling hardware resources from audio control channels enables deep integration of avionics and communication systems and efficient reuse of hardware resources. In the future, universal avionics system displays can be reused, eliminating some dedicated physical buttons or knobs and reducing manufacturing costs. 5. It can reduce the operating, upgrading, and maintenance costs for airlines, and has significant economic value.

[0026] This disclosure also provides a method for dynamically expanding the audio control function of a communication channel and a highly integrated software ACP system. The dynamic expansion method for audio control disclosed herein allows a single ACP solution to be adapted to all possible radio configuration options available to the customer (without requiring changes to hardware or software). This disclosure visualizes key states of the communication channel (e.g., signal strength, equipment availability, channel mode, etc.) for pilot real-time awareness; furthermore, this disclosure improves the efficiency and accuracy of pilot audio control (traditional solutions have low integration, dispersing important information such as system availability and mode across multiple systems, requiring pilots to expend significant effort to manipulate this scattered information).

[0027] Therefore, this disclosure constructs a pilot-centric mission collaboration method: a unified communication control layer that eliminates the fragmentation of subsystem operation caused by traditional hardware panels, and makes heterogeneous communication equipment such as VHF (Very High Frequency), HF (High Frequency), SATCOM (Satellite Communication), and LDACS form an organic whole, significantly improving mission collaboration efficiency and control consistency.

[0028] This disclosure also provides an audio control system and an implementable device (the device includes multiple control buttons and knobs unbound from channels). One embodiment includes an audio management human-computer interaction method, an audio management module, multiple hardware controllers unbound from channels (the controllers can be configured to select channels, perform audio output, control volume, etc.), a device resident in ACP software (the device includes multiple control buttons and knobs unbound from channels, a display, a processor, a storage unit, an A429 interface for external connections, etc.), several communication system devices providing wireless channels, and several navigation system devices providing navigation information such as navigation tones. This achieves: 1. Automated configuration of communication channel audio control function; 2. Real-time perception of key communication channel status (signal strength, device availability status indication, channel mode); 3. Achieve higher integration of audio control for communication systems (solving the problem that traditional control panels, due to their purely hardware-based human-computer interaction, could not update the gating status, potentially causing confusion for pilots).

[0029] The detailed description that follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein can be practiced. This detailed description includes specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts can be practiced without these specific details.

[0030] refer to Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic of an audio control system 100 for an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] As shown in the figure, the audio control system 100 may include an audio control module 101 and an audio UI display module 103. It will be understood that, although... Figure 1 The two modules are shown in the figure, but the audio control system of this application may include any other suitable number of modules, such as the two modules may be integrated into a single module, or either of these modules may be broken down into individual sub-modules, as long as they perform the corresponding functions.

[0032] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the audio control module 101 is used to determine the layout of the various tabs related to audio control on the graphical user interface of the audio control system 100. According to this embodiment, the various tabs related to audio control may include at least one of the following: wireless audio channel, navigation tone, PA function, CAB function, and INT function.

[0033] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the audio control module 101 determines the layout of each tab related to audio control on the graphical user interface of the audio control system 100. This may include: determining one or more wireless audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices equipped on the aircraft according to the AOT (Aircraft Option Table); determining the priority of the wireless audio channel of each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices and the navigation tone, PA function, CAB function, and INT function of each of the one or more navigation devices according to the APM (Aircraft Personality Module Configuration File); and determining the layout of each tab on the graphical user interface of the audio control system according to the determined priority, the layout including which tab slot area on the graphical user interface of the audio control system each tab corresponds to. Subsequently, the audio UI display module 103 renders the tabs in the corresponding tab slot areas based on the layout determined by the audio control module 101.

[0034] Thus, the audio control module 101 can adapt a single audio control system to all radio configuration combinations of the aircraft without modifying the hardware or upgrading the software.

[0035] Specifically, every aircraft includes customer-optional system configurations and mandatory system configurations. The audio control system 100 can obtain the mandatory and optional configuration equipment of the aircraft through the AOT on the aircraft. It will be understood that the AOT is a storage system providing aircraft and avionics configuration data, and it may have other names. In one example, the AOT may include a combination of parameter names and parameter values ​​to characterize the aircraft's optional configurations, where the parameter name is the name of the installed system, a parameter value of 1 indicates that the system is installed, and a parameter value of 0 indicates that the system is not installed.

[0036] The audio control system 100 may also include an APM (Automated Management Platform), which stores the priority configurations of the communication devices (i.e., wireless audio channel devices) and onboard internal communication function tabs (CAB / INT / PA) supported by the audio control system 100. At the factory, the APM sets a default value for required devices and onboard internal communication function tabs, while optional devices or functions are not configured and are set to null. After the audio control system 100 is powered on, the pilot can manually set the priority of each audio control tab, thereby customizing the display order of the various audio channels in the audio control system 100.

[0037] In a specific example, the steps for automatically configuring the audio channels in the audio control system 100 are as follows: 1) The audio control system 100 reads the AOT, parses the communication devices configured as optional in the AOT database (in one example, the AOT parameter is configured as 1 to represent optional, such as SATCOM:1, HF2:1, indicating that the aircraft is equipped with SATCOM and HF2), and generates a list of installed optional devices L1.

[0038] 2) Required equipment identification: Information on required radio communication configuration equipment and onboard internal communication tabs (such as CAB, INT, CAB) is predefined and configured in the configuration file of the audio control system 100. The required radio communication configuration equipment and onboard internal communication tabs are assigned values ​​according to the priority of the configuration file, and a queue Q1 is generated.

[0039] 3) Initialize priority k=0.

[0040] 4) If k has the same priority as any configured function in APM (e.g., k=0 is occupied by VHF1), then k is incremented until an idle value is found (if all priorities of Q1 are regarded as a set, then k does not belong to set Q1); each communication device in L1 obtains a unique priority k (e.g., SATCOM:7, HF2:8), and a new optional device priority queue L2 is obtained.

[0041] 5) Merge queues Q1 and L2, and generate an ordered queue Q2 based on priority.

[0042] 6) Render each tab to the corresponding tab slot on the graphical user interface of the audio control system 100 in ascending order according to the Q2 queue, following the row priority principle (or column priority).

[0043] In one example, the graphical user interface of the audio control system 100 can be divided into configurable and non-configurable areas. The configurable area can be further divided into N regions depending on the specific circumstances. There are N card slots, and each card slot can render one audio control tab.

[0044] Here is a specific example: The communication system configuration of a certain aircraft model is as follows: mandatory configurations include VHF1, VHF2, VHF3, and HF1; optional configurations include HF2, SATCOM, 5G ATG, LDACS, and AeroMACS. If an aircraft of the aforementioned model is equipped with HF2, SATCOM, 5G ATG, LDACS, and AeroMACS, the AOT database parameters on that aircraft will be set to 1 for these optional systems. During power-on initialization, the audio control system 100 automatically reads the AOT parameter configuration items located on the IMA (Integrated Modular Avionics). In this example, the initialized channel tab will display all communication systems with an AOT parameter value of 1, and render them sequentially to their corresponding card slots. When the number of devices exceeds the capacity of a single page, multiple pages will be displayed.

[0045] refer to Figure 2 The image shows a schematic screenshot of a graphical user interface for an audio control system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 As shown, the layout of a single page of the graphical user interface is 2. 3. A maximum of six audio control tabs can be displayed per page. Therefore, in the above optional configuration, two pages are needed to display all the communication equipment installed on the aircraft. Furthermore, as can be seen in this example, each card slot has a corresponding set of hardware operating devices (e.g., row selection keys S91 and knobs S92). Each set of devices can control the volume, selective calling, and mixing operations of the channel corresponding to the current tab on the current page. In other words, these keys are decoupled from channels, and one set of devices can control multiple channels depending on the page it is on. Pilots can use the hardware operating devices corresponding to each card slot for audio control operations when the touchscreen is unavailable.

[0046] Specifically, Figure 2 The diagram shows a total of six sets of controllable devices for the pilot. These devices are decoupled from the channel; the three sets at the top of the panel control the three audio control tabs above the display screen, and the three sets at the bottom of the panel control the three audio control tabs below the display screen. This will make it clear... Figure 2 This is only for the purpose of illustrating the invention concept, and it is conceivable that it can also be used in a left-right manner or other tab slot-controller mapping configuration to arrange the tabs displayed on the display screen.

[0047] It will be understood that the audio control system 100 can also customize the list of navigation tone devices available on the navigation tone menu by reading the AOT and APM configuration files, which will not be elaborated here.

[0048] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the user may choose to save all configuration options of the graphical user interface and store them in non-volatile memory so that the pilot can configure the channel settings of the audio control system with one click when the audio control system is started again or when the system equipment residing in the audio control system is powered on.

[0049] In one embodiment of this disclosure, a wireless audio channel (also referred to as a wireless communication channel) may include a channel for providing air-to-ground and air-to-air communication, implemented by a voice signal receiving and transmitting device, such as HF, VHF, satellite communication (SATCOM), LDACS, 5G ATG, and other communication systems. According to this embodiment, each wireless audio channel corresponds to a tab on the graphical user interface of the audio control system 100 and optionally corresponds to a set of corresponding operable physical buttons or knobs for controlling the wireless audio channel.

[0050] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the tab for each of the wireless audio channels may include a mix status indicator interface element for indicating whether the corresponding wireless audio channel is being monitored; or the tab for each of the wireless audio channels may indicate whether the corresponding wireless audio channel is being monitored by its background color.

[0051] Further according to this embodiment, the tab for each of the wireless audio channels may also include a gating controller interface element, a volume indicator and control interface element, wherein the gating controller interface element is operated by the pilot to select the corresponding wireless audio channel to transmit a signal, the gating controller interface element has an ungated state, a gated state, and a call-selection prompt state, wherein the gating controller interface element in the ungated state indicates that a signal cannot be transmitted through the corresponding wireless audio channel, the gating controller interface element in the gated state indicates that a signal can be transmitted through the corresponding wireless audio channel, the gating controller interface element in the call-selection prompt state indicates that the corresponding wireless audio channel has received a call, and wherein the volume indicator and control interface element is operated by the pilot to change the volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel and to display the current volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel.

[0052] refer to Figure 3 The image shows a schematic screenshot of the VHF2 wireless audio channel tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 As can be seen, the VHF2 tab S110 consists of a mixing status indicator interface element S120, a gating controller interface element S130, and a volume indicator and control interface element S140. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the audio control system allows monitoring of one or more voice channels. The mixing status indicator interface element S120 of the channel tab is used to indicate whether the channel is in monitoring mode. Figure 3As shown, when the pilot is not listening to the VHF2 channel, the mix status indicator interface element is displayed as 'BLOCK'. Preferably, the default state of the mix status indicator interface element is 'BLOCK'. The pilot can access the mix status by pressing the channel tab ( Figure 3 The mixing status indicator element on the VHF2 tab (S110) is used to select the channel to monitor. After selection, the mixing status indicator element changes from 'BLOCK' to 'Receive', at which point the audio from the VHF2 channel is being monitored. For example, Figure 4 A schematic screenshot of a VHF2 wireless audio channel tab according to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure is shown, wherein the VHF2 tab S110 is selected to monitor the VHF2 channel. In addition to the basic functions of conventional ACP control, the illustrated VHF2 tab S110, based on its visual interface, allows additional channel-related information (such as signal strength, communication mode, etc.) useful to the user to be added to the tab for display to the flight crew. It will be understood that related auxiliary information for other channels / communication methods (including but not limited to VHF, HF, SATCOM, etc.) can also be displayed in a similar manner within their respective channel tabs, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0053] In another example, the channel tab may not have an explicit mix status indicator interface element. Instead, it can implement the mix status indicator interface element implicitly by touching the non-function key area within the channel tab to listen to or mute the voice of that channel.

[0054] refer to Figure 5 It illustrates a schematic diagram of the function key area and background area (i.e., non-function key area) of a tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 As you can see, the function button area and the background area are marked with different colors, with the orange area being the background area and the white area being the function button area.

[0055] refer to Figure 6 The image shows a schematic screenshot of a graphical user interface for an audio control system according to an example embodiment of this disclosure. In one example, all channels are muted by default, and the background color of each channel tab can be white. The pilot cannot hear the muted channels. (Reference) Figure 6When the background area of ​​the VHF1 and VHF3 channel tabs is touched, the background color of the VHF1 and VHF3 channel tabs turns green, and a 'Receive' prompt appears at the bottom of the channel tabs, indicating that the VHF1 and VHF3 channels have entered listening mode. At this time, the pilot can listen to the voice from VHF1 and VHF3. If a channel tab that is in listening mode is clicked again, that channel will enter muted mode.

[0056] In one embodiment of this disclosure, a gating controller interface element is used to select the appropriate channel to transmit a signal. The pilot can use the appropriate channel to transmit a signal by triggering the gating controller interface element in the channel tab. In one example, the gating controller interface element may have three states: ungated, gated, and call-selection prompt.

[0057] In one embodiment, by default, all voice channel gating controller interface elements are in an unselected state. (See reference...) Figure 7 The image shows a schematic screenshot of a wireless audio channel VHF3 tab according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 In the interface of the gating controller, the unselected state of element S130 is indicated by a white background and a gray circle as the active state indicator S135, such as... Figure 7 As shown in (a), when a call is received in the channel tab, the strobe controller interface element enters the call prompt state. The call prompt state (S132) can be indicated by changing the background color of the strobe controller interface element. Figure 7 As shown in (b), when a call is received on the VHF3 channel, the background color of the gating controller interface element changes to amber, indicating the call prompt status. When a gating controller interface element is selected (e.g., by clicking on a touchscreen), the activation status indicator S135 of the gating controller interface element enters the gating state, indicating that the channel is gated. Figure 7 As shown in (c), the active state indicator S135 in the strobed state is a green circle. It will be understood that the color and shape of the active state indicator S135 can be arbitrary, as long as it can easily distinguish between the strobed and unstrobed states.

[0058] It will also be understood that although the different states of the tabs and their interface elements are shown in various specific colors above, any other appropriate distinctions, such as brightness, other colors, etc., can also be made, which will not be elaborated here.

[0059] refer to Figure 8 It illustrates a state change logic diagram of a gating controller interface element according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] 1) Initially, all wireless audio channel gating controller interface elements are in an ungated state by default, such as... Figure 8 As shown in 810.

[0061] 2) When a channel receives a selective paging request, that channel will enter a selective paging prompt state, such as... Figure 8 As shown in 820. In the call selection prompt state, if the pilot selects a tab for that channel in the strobe controller interface element (e.g., by tapping a touchscreen, such as pressing...), Figure 3-7 The CALL button shown will select the controller interface element, which will then enter the selected state, such as... Figure 8 As shown in 830.

[0062] 3) When a channel is not strobed, selecting (e.g., clicking) the strobe controller interface element of that channel tab will put the channel into strobe mode, meaning the strobe controller interface element will enter strobe mode. When a channel is in strobe mode, the pilot can hear the audio from that channel, even if the channel is in 'BLOCK' mode.

[0063] 4) When a channel is in the strobe state, it will enter the unstrobe state when any of the following events occur: the strobe controller interface element of the channel tab is pressed again; or the strobe controller of another channel tab enters the strobe state.

[0064] 5) When a channel with external transmission capability is in the selected state, if the tuning equipment (such as the tuning control panel) sets the channel to data link mode (DATA) or detects a fault in the channel, the channel will exit the selected state; the audio control system will automatically set it to the INT channel or another available external transmission channel. It will be clear that the VHF, HF, and SATCOM channels on the aircraft have transmitting antennas and are channels with external transmission capability.

[0065] 6) When the channel is in data link mode or in a fault state, it cannot be set to strobe state.

[0066] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the gating controller interface element has an exclusive mechanism, meaning that among all channels with tabs containing the gating controller interface element, only one channel can be in the gating state at any given time. If another channel is selected to be activated when one channel is already in the gating state (e.g., by clicking the call interface element ('CALL' button) of the other channel's tab), the original channel will become ungated (S131), and the new channel will become gating.

[0067] In one embodiment of this disclosure, a volume indicator and control interface element is used by a pilot to change the volume of a corresponding wireless audio channel and to display the current volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel.

[0068] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the tab of each of the wireless audio channels may further include a status indicator interface element for displaying a signal strength indication of the wireless audio channel, and if the tab of the wireless audio channel is a VHF channel or an HF channel tab, the status indicator interface element includes a data link status indication and a frequency indication.

[0069] In one example, when the wireless audio channel tab is a VHF channel or an HF channel tab, the status indicator interface elements may include a data link status indicator and a frequency indicator. When a VHF or HF channel is in data link mode, the corresponding channel tab may include a data link status indicator. (See reference) Figure 9 The image shows a schematic screenshot of a tab for a wireless audio channel VHF3 according to yet another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 9 As shown, when the VHF3 channel is in data link mode, the VHF3 channel tab status indicator interface element S150 has a small-font data link status indicator 'DATA' S152. In this embodiment, when the channel is in the 'DATA' state, its channel tab cannot be set to the strobe state (i.e., it cannot be used to make calls). The channel tab status indicator can also show the frequency at which the current channel is operating (…). Figure 9 (Not shown in the image). In Figure 9 In the example shown, the status indicator interface element S150 of the channel tab may also include a signal strength indicator S154 for the current channel, providing the pilot with real-time signal reception strength. It will be understood that when expanding to other communication bands in the future (such as 5G ATG, AEROMACS), signal strength indicators can also be provided on its channel tab.

[0070] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the navigation tone tab can be operated by the pilot to bring up a navigation tone channel selection menu, allowing them to select the navigation tone of any navigation system in the menu for listening. In this embodiment, the navigation tone is provided by various navigation devices, such as ADF (Automatic Direction Finder), ILS (Instrument Landing System), DME (Distance Measuring Equipment), VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range), etc. In one example, the navigation tone has a corresponding navigation tone tab for crew operation and a set of corresponding operable physical buttons or knobs.

[0071] refer to Figure 10 The image shows a schematic screenshot of a graphical user interface for an audio control system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 As can be seen, the graphical user interface of the audio control system has a navigation tone tab 'VOR1'. The pilot can access the navigation tone channel selection menu S84 by manipulating the discrete knob S81 (which can be a physical knob), and select the navigation tone of any navigation system in the navigation tone channel selection menu S84 for listening. It will be clear that the navigation system shown in the navigation tone channel selection menu S84 is the navigation system possessed by the aircraft.

[0072] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the graphical user interface of the audio control system may further include a navigation tone / voice mode switching interface element for switching between navigation tone mode and voice mode. Continuing to refer to... Figure 10 The example shows the 'ID / VOICE / BOTH' interface element for switching between navigation tone and voice modes. In this example, switching to the 'ID' setting means listening to only the navigation tone, switching to the 'VOICE' setting means listening to only the voice, and switching to the 'BOTH' setting means listening to both the navigation tone and the voice. Pilots can touch this interface element to switch between these modes. Alternatively, as... Figure 10 The navigation tone / voice mode switching interface element 'ID / VOICE / BOTH' shown can also have an associated physical button S83, which the pilot can use to switch between navigation tone / voice modes.

[0073] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the aircraft may be equipped with onboard communication functions such as PA, CAB, and INT. The audio control system 100 will then provide tabs for these functions. For example, the audio control system 100 provides corresponding tabs for the Passenger Announcement (PA) function, the Cabin Talk (CAB) function, and the In-Flight Talk (INT) function. In this example, the PA function has a corresponding passenger announcement tab for crew operation and may optionally have a set of corresponding operable physical buttons; the CAB function has a corresponding cabin talk tab for crew operation and may optionally have a set of corresponding operable physical buttons; and the INT function has a corresponding in-flight talk tab for crew operation and may optionally have a set of corresponding operable physical buttons. In this embodiment, the PA function tab may include a PA speaking key interface element for pilot-operated communication. Speaking is possible when the PA speaking key interface element is pressed and held, and the audio control system switches to the previously selected speaking channel after the PA speaking key interface element is released. The CAB function tab may include a CAB strobe button interface element. When both the strobe button interface element and the PTT switch are pressed, cabin communication is possible. The strobe button interface element is in a non-strobe state by default and becomes a selectable call prompt state when there is a call from the cabin. The INT function tab may include an INT strobe button interface element. When the INT strobe button interface element is pressed, internal communication is possible. The INT strobe button interface element is in a non-strobe state by default and becomes a selectable call prompt state when there is a call from the mechanic.

[0074] refer to Figure 11 The image shows a schematic screenshot of a graphical user interface for an audio control system according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 As shown, the graphical user interface of the audio control system may include a passenger broadcast tab 'PA', a cabin intercom tab 'CAB', and an intercom tab 'INT'. In this embodiment, the pilot can press the PA talk button on the passenger broadcast tab (which can be the corresponding physical button S91 or a virtual button interface element S261 displayed on the touch screen) to select the PA channel, causing the BOOM MIC (microphone on the cantilever microphone headset) or MASK MIC (oxygen mask microphone) to automatically select PTT (Push-To-Talk) mode to speak directly without having to press the PTT button again. When the crew broadcasts to the cabin through the PA system, they need to press and hold the PA talk button. After releasing the PA talk button, the channel switches to the previously selected speaking channel (any of the selectable channels, any of the tabs with talk buttons).

[0075] The Cabin Intercom tab 'CAB' provides cabin intercom functionality. When a call comes from the cabin, the message bar S88 on the audio control system's graphical user interface will display a relevant call selection prompt, and the 'CALL' element on the CAB strobe button interface of the Cabin Intercom tab 'CAB' will enter the call selection prompt state. When the 'CALL' element on the CAB strobe button interface of the Cabin Intercom tab 'CAB' is pressed and the PTT switch is pressed, the call selection prompt for cabin intercom on the message bar S88 will disappear, and the 'CALL' element on the CAB strobe button interface of the Cabin Intercom tab 'CAB' will enter the strobe state.

[0076] The 'INT' tab provides intercom functionality. When a call comes from a mechanic, the S88 message bar will display a relevant call selection prompt, and the 'CALL' strobe button in the 'INT' tab will enter call selection prompt mode. When the 'CALL' strobe button in the 'INT' tab is pressed, the call selection prompt in the S88 message bar will disappear, and the 'CALL' strobe button in the 'INT' tab will enter strobe mode.

[0077] also, Figure 11 The document also shows page up / down keys S95 and S96, which, in response to touch or pressing the page up / down keys S95 and S96, display the previous or next page content when the number of tabs exceeds the maximum number that can be displayed on a single page of the graphical user interface.

[0078] Refer back Figure 1 In another embodiment of this disclosure, the audio control system 100 may optionally include an audio management module 105. The audio management module 105 is used to receive navigation tone signals from the navigation device 107 and voice signals from the wireless audio channel device 109, and transmit them to the audio control module 103. Furthermore, the audio management module 105 is used to receive control signals from the audio control module 103 and transmit them to the navigation device and / or the wireless audio channel device, and is also used to transmit the pilot's voice signals to the radio audio channel device. In other words, the audio management module 105 can be responsible for forwarding control information from the audio control system 100 and audio signals from various communication devices and navigation devices.

[0079] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the graphical user interface of the audio control system 100 is displayed on a touch screen control panel. In this embodiment, the bezel of the touch screen control panel is provided with physical buttons or knobs corresponding to each tab slot area for operating the tabs rendered to that tab slot area. Thus, the physical buttons or knobs are not associated with specific channel tabs, but rather with tab slots, and tabs for specific channels are rendered in different tab slots based on their priority, thereby decoupling them from each audio channel.

[0080] In one embodiment, a PTT / OFF / INT switch may also be provided on the bezel of the touch display control panel for operating PTT calls and intercom calls. (See reference) Figure 11 The PTT / OFF / INT switch S94 on the touch display control panel is as follows: 1) PTT: The PTT position is a momentary on / off switch. Releasing the switch causes it to spring back to the OFF position and turn off. Pressing the switch to the PTT position allows crew members to speak on the selected channel. When the 'CALL' interface element of a channel is in the strobe state, the user can press the PTT / OFF / INT switch S94 to the PTT position (optionally, the PTT switch on the side stick of the aircraft or other locations can be pressed), so that the audio control system 100 can output the audio input from the microphone to the selected transmission channel and transmit the audio signal on the selected channel.

[0081] 2) INT: The INT position is the lock switch. After the flight crew presses the PTT / OFF / INT switch S94 to the INT position (the PTT / OFF / INT switch S94 remains in the INT position without needing to be pressed), the hot microphone function is activated. When the microphone input signal exceeds the minimum volume threshold, crew members can communicate. When using the hot microphone function, crew members do not need to press the PTT transmit button to communicate in the flight intercom channel; 3) OFF: This position is "off". At this time, the crew needs to press the channel selection button to select the corresponding channel, and then press the PTT transmit button to conduct intercom or radio communication.

[0082] Thus, this disclosure also provides a control panel with a touch display screen, the control panel having computing and storage resources required for the audio control system according to various embodiments of this disclosure, a device power module, and an interconnection interface for connecting to other external system devices, the interconnection interface including an A429 interface, the control panel being interconnected with a wireless audio control channel device and a navigation device via an ARINC429 signal.

[0083] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the audio control system 100 may optionally include audio input / output devices 111, such as speakers, BOOM MICs, MASK MICs, etc., for inputting and outputting audio signals. For example, the audio control system 100 may also have speaker control functionality. The pilot can control the speakers on both sides of the cockpit ceiling via a speaker volume control knob on a touchscreen control panel. (Reference) Figure 11 The speaker volume control knob SPKR S98 on the touch display control panel can be rotated in different directions to adjust the volume of speakers on both sides of the cockpit ceiling. In one embodiment, the control knob SPKR S98 may also have an in-position and an out-position (e.g., press-to-eject). For example, when SPKR S98 is in the out-position, the speakers can be muted (preferably except for alarm sounds).

[0084] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the audio control system 100 may reside in the cockpit airborne equipment as a software partition, the cockpit airborne equipment including a multipurpose control and display unit (MCDU), or the audio control system 100 may reside in the integrated modular avionics system (IMA) of the aircraft as application software.

[0085] In one embodiment of this disclosure, an ARINC600 device is also provided, including an audio control system according to this disclosure, wherein the ARINC600 device is interconnected with a wireless audio control channel device, a navigation device, and a touch display control panel via an ARINC429 signal.

[0086] Thus, the audio control system disclosed herein can be used in conjunction with a touch display control panel and hardware controllers, reducing the need for dedicated buttons. Furthermore, displays and hardware controllers from other devices can be reused, reducing costs at the manufacturing and design levels. The audio control system can be customized via software, allowing for flexible configuration of more communication channels to adapt to future, more advanced communication channels such as 5G ATG, LDACS, and AEROMACS, without requiring specific modifications to the hardware button design.

[0087] refer to Figure 12 The diagram shows a flowchart of an audio control method 1200 for an aircraft according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] like Figure 12As shown in block 1210, method 1200 may include determining one or more radio audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices equipped on the aircraft based on the Aircraft Options Table (AOT). In one embodiment, the AOT is a store providing aircraft and avionics configuration data, containing data on customer-optional system configurations and mandatory system configurations. In one example, the AOT may include a combination of parameter names and parameter values ​​to characterize the aircraft's optional configurations, where the parameter name is the name of the installed system, a parameter value of 1 indicates that the system is installed, and a parameter value of 0 indicates that the system is not installed. Thus, the radio audio channel devices and navigation devices equipped on the aircraft can be determined from the AOT. It will be understood that a radio audio channel (also known as a wireless communication channel) may include a channel for providing air-to-ground and air-to-air communication, implemented by voice signal receiving and transmitting equipment, such as HF, VHF, satellite communication (SATCOM), LDACS, 5G ATG, and other communication systems.

[0089] In box 1220, method 1200 may include determining the priority of the wireless audio channel of each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices, the navigation tone of each of the one or more navigation devices, the PA function, the CAB function, and the INT function based on the APM profile.

[0090] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the APM stores the priority configurations of communication devices (i.e., wireless audio channel devices) and non-channel tabs (CAB / INT / PA). At the factory, the APM sets a default priority for mandatory devices and non-channel tabs, while optional devices are not configured with a priority and are set to null. Therefore, for each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices determined in step 1210, if it is a mandatory device, it is assigned the priority configured in the APM; if it is an optional device, it can be assigned a priority different from the priorities already configured in the APM.

[0091] At block 1230, method 1200 may include determining the layout of each tab on the graphical user interface of the audio control system based on a determined priority. In one embodiment, the layout may include which tab slot area on the graphical user interface of the audio control system each tab corresponds to, and then at block 1240, the tab is rendered in the corresponding tab slot area based on the determined layout. In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the pilot may also manually set or adjust the priority of the corresponding device so that the channel tab corresponding to the corresponding device is rendered in the desired tab slot. In this way, tabs may be rendered in different tab slots depending on their priority, thereby decoupling the tab (and further, the corresponding audio channel) from the tab slot.

[0092] refer to Figure 13 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of an aircraft 1300 according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the aircraft 1300 may include an audio control system, such as those described above. Figure 1-11 The audio control system 100 described.

[0093] It will be understood that in this disclosure, the terms “wireless audio channel tab”, “wireless audio channel tab”, and “channel tab” are used interchangeably.

[0094] Thus, the audio control system and method disclosed herein can provide pilots with information such as communication channel display, navigation tone channel display, and audio volume display, providing a graphical interface for pilots to operate / use the functions. The solution disclosed herein allows for component customization, facilitating the addition / deletion / modification of communication channels and offering strong scalability. The graphical user interface of the audio control system disclosed herein may include channel tabs, navigation tone / voice mode switching tabs, navigation tone channel selection menus, etc., providing pilots with rich audio information display. Responding to user input via the graphical user interface or physical buttons / knobs, the audio control system disclosed herein can accordingly adjust the volume of each audio channel, control the mixing source of received audio, and transmit speech, etc. For example, the audio control system disclosed herein may include channel volume control functions, passenger broadcast functions, navigation tone / voice mode switching functions, navigation tone channel selection functions, channel answering control functions, voice transmission control functions, speaker volume control, navigation tone mode ID / VOICE control, navigation tone source selection, radio signal strength indication, etc., providing pilots with rich audio management functions.

[0095] The above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the detailed description. The drawings illustrate specific embodiments that can be practiced by way of illustration. These embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples.” Such examples may include elements other than those shown or described. However, examples including the shown or described elements are also contemplated. Furthermore, examples of any combination or arrangement of those elements shown or described are contemplated, or with reference to specific examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein, or with reference to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.

[0096] In the appended claims, the terms “comprising” and “including” are open-ended, meaning that a system, apparatus, article of manufacture, or process containing elements other than those listed after such terms in a claim is still considered to fall within the scope of that claim. Furthermore, in the appended claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc., are used merely as designations and are not intended to indicate a numerical order of their contents.

[0097] Furthermore, the order of operations described in this specification is exemplary. In alternative embodiments, the operations may be performed in a different order than that shown in the accompanying drawings, and the operations may be combined into a single operation or broken down into more operations.

[0098] The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the examples described above (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in conjunction with other embodiments. Other embodiments may be used by those skilled in the art after reviewing the above description. The abstract allows the reader to quickly determine the nature of this technical disclosure. This abstract is submitted and it is understood that it is not intended to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the above detailed description, various features may be grouped together to make this disclosure flow smoothly. However, the claims may not state every feature disclosed herein, as embodiments may characterize a subset of said features. Furthermore, embodiments may include fewer features than those disclosed in a particular example. Therefore, the appended claims are thus incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim existing independently as a separate embodiment. The scope of the embodiments disclosed herein should be determined by reference to the full scope of the appended claims and equivalents of such claims.

Claims

1. An audio control system for an aircraft, characterized in that, include: An audio control module is provided, wherein the audio control module is used to determine the layout of various tabs related to audio control on the graphical user interface of the audio control system. These audio control-related tabs include at least one of the following: wireless audio channel, navigation tone, passenger broadcast PA function, cabin intercom CAB function, and intercom INT function. The audio control module's function of determining the layout of these audio control-related tabs on the graphical user interface of the audio control system includes: The aircraft is equipped with one or more wireless audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices, as determined by the Aircraft Options Table (AOT). The priority of the wireless audio channel of each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices, the navigation tone, PA function, CAB function, and INT function of each of the one or more navigation devices is determined according to the aircraft personalization module (APM) configuration file. The layout of each tab on the graphical user interface of the audio control system is determined based on the established priority, the layout including which tab slot area on the graphical user interface each tab corresponds to. An audio UI display module renders tabs in the corresponding tab slot areas based on the layout determined by the audio control module.

2. The audio control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the wireless audio channels has a tab that includes a mix status indicator interface element, which indicates whether the corresponding wireless audio channel is being monitored; or The tabs for each of the wireless audio channels indicate whether the corresponding wireless audio channel is being monitored by their background color.

3. The audio control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the wireless audio channels also includes a gating controller interface element, a volume indicator, and a control interface element in its tabs. The gating controller interface element is used by the pilot to select the appropriate wireless audio channel to transmit signals. The gating controller interface element has three states: ungated, gated, and select-call indication. When the gating controller interface element is in the ungated state, it indicates that signal transmission through the corresponding wireless audio channel is not possible. When the gating controller interface element is in the gated state, it indicates that signal transmission through the corresponding wireless audio channel is possible. When the gating controller interface element is in the select-call indication state, it indicates that the corresponding wireless audio channel has received a select call. Furthermore, the volume indicator and control interface elements are used by the pilot to change the volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel and to display the current volume of the corresponding wireless audio channel.

4. The audio control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tab for each of the wireless audio channels also includes a status indicator element for displaying the signal strength indication of the wireless audio channel, and when the tab for the wireless audio channel is a VHF channel or an HF channel tab, the status indicator element includes a data link status indication and a frequency indication.

5. The audio control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The navigation tone tab can be accessed by the pilot to bring up the navigation tone channel selection menu, allowing them to select any navigation system's navigation tone from the menu for listening.

6. The audio control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PA function tab includes a PA speaking key interface element for speaking by pilot operation. Speaking is possible when the PA speaking key interface element is pressed and held, and the audio control system switches to the previously selected speaking channel after the PA speaking key interface element is released. The CAB function tab includes a CAB strobe button interface element. When both the strobe button interface element and the PTT switch are pressed, cabin communication can be conducted. The strobe button interface element is in an unstrobe state by default and becomes a call selection prompt state when there is a call from the cabin. The INT function tab includes an INT strobe button interface element. When the INT strobe button interface element is pressed, internal communication can be initiated. The INT strobe button interface element is in an unstrobe state by default and becomes a call selection prompt state when there is a call from a mechanic.

7. The audio control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The graphical user interface of the audio control system is displayed on the touch screen control panel, and the edge of the touch screen control panel is provided with physical buttons or knobs corresponding to each tab slot area for operating the tabs rendered to that tab slot area. The edge of the touch screen control panel is also provided with a PTT / OFF / INT switch for operating PTT calls and intercoms.

8. The audio control system according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an audio input / output device for inputting and outputting audio signals, the audio input / output device including a microphone / speaker, wherein a speaker volume control knob for controlling the speaker is provided on the bezel of the touch display control panel, and wherein the speaker volume control knob also has an in position and an out position, wherein the speaker is muted when the speaker volume control knob is in the out position.

9. The audio control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The audio control system resides in the cockpit airborne equipment in the form of a software partition, and the cockpit airborne equipment includes a multi-purpose control and display unit (MCDU), or The audio control system application software resides on the aircraft's Integrated Modular Avionics System (IMA).

10. An ARINC600 device comprising an audio control system according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the ARINC600 device is interconnected with a wireless audio control channel device, a navigation device, and the touch display control panel via an ARINC429 signal.

11. A control panel with a touch display screen, the control panel having computing and storage resources required for the audio control system according to any one of claims 1-9, a device power module, and an interconnection interface for connecting to other external system devices, the interconnection interface including an A429 interface, the control panel being interconnected with a wireless audio control channel device and a navigation device via an ARINC429 signal.

12. An audio control method for an aircraft, characterized in that, The method includes: The aircraft is equipped with one or more wireless audio channel devices and one or more navigation devices, as determined by the Aircraft Options Table (AOT). The priority of the wireless audio channel of each of the one or more wireless audio channel devices, the navigation tone, PA function, CAB function, and INT function of each of the one or more navigation devices is determined according to the aircraft personalization module (APM) configuration file. The layout of each tab on the graphical user interface of the audio control system is determined based on the established priority, the layout including which tab slot area on the graphical user interface each tab corresponds to. Based on the determined layout, the tabs are rendered in the corresponding tab slot areas.

13. An aircraft comprising an audio control system according to any one of claims 1-10.

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