Aircraft Display System Automatic Reconfiguration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional aircraft display systems pose a safety risk due to excessive pilot workload when a critical screen fails, as pilots must search for essential information during high-attention phases like landing or take-off, leading to potential safety issues.

Innovation Solution

The display system incorporates detection means to automatically reconfigure and prioritize images across screens based on predetermined rules, ensuring critical piloting information is always available by transferring priority images to functioning screens, with optional manual reconfiguration options for pilot control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional display systems are used, then the system structure is simple, but pilot workload increases excessively when a screen fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepilot workloadVSAvoiddisplay system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display system automatically detects screen failures and reconfigures itself by transferring priority images to functional screens without pilot intervention. The system monitors its own state and performs self-healing operations, eliminating the need for pilots to manually search for lost information while reducing the complexity burden through automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-establishes priority rules for images before failures occur and pre-configures detection means to identify screen failures immediately. This preliminary preparation enables automatic reconfiguration to occur instantly when failures happen, preventing increased pilot workload during critical phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If automatic reconfiguration is implemented, then information availability is maintained during screen failure, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation availabilityVSAvoiddetection and reconfiguration means
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides screens into functional units with associated images and establishes independent detection means for each screen. The reconfiguration process segments the transfer of priority images to specific functional screens, managing complexity through modular organization rather than monolithic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Detection means continuously monitor screen status and provide feedback to reconfiguration means, which automatically executes transfers based on detected failures. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable information availability while containing complexity through automated response protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If manual search procedures are provided, then pilots can find lost information, but workload becomes excessive during critical flight phases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation recoveryVSAvoidpilot attention requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically recovers and redistributes priority images to functional screens without requiring pilot search procedures. This self-service capability eliminates information loss during screen failures while keeping pilots fully engaged with flying tasks during critical phases like landing and take-off.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7808403B2Display system for an aircraft
Publication Date: 2010.10.05 AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SAS)
  • US7808403B2 patent drawing
  • US7808403B2 patent drawing
  • US7808403B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A display system for an aircraft includes an automatic reconfiguration device that, upon detecting a failure of a screen of the system, displays an image that is associated with the failed screen on an associated valid screen having lesser priority.