Digital Flight Deck Autobrake Mode Selection Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic braking systems on aircraft face challenges with limited space on the instrument panel, difficulty in accommodating new modes, high maintenance needs, and weight and cost issues due to analog controls with mechanical interlocks.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a processor unit to display available modes of an automatic braking system on a display device, allowing operators to select modes via an intuitive interface, such as a rotatable knob or touchscreen, decoupling the control logic from the user interface to reduce hardware requirements and improve space efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If analog devices are used to display and control automatic braking modes, then the controls are tangible and familiar to operators, but the instrument panel space is limited and cannot accommodate additional modes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical analog controls with a graphical user interface displayed on a computer screen. The GUW presents braking mode selections and controls digitally, eliminating the need for physical analog devices and freeing up instrument panel space while allowing for additional braking modes to be displayed and selected.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface serves multiple functions: displaying available braking modes, showing selected modes, providing tactile feedback through haptic elements, and enabling mode selection. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would traditionally require multiple separate analog controls into a single integrated system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more instruments and controls are added to the instrument panel, then more functions are available, but the available space on the panel is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical controls with a digital graphical user interface that can display multiple control functions in a compact format. The computer screen can present numerous braking modes and parameters without requiring proportional increases in physical space, as digital displays can dynamically adjust their content density.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional physical space on the instrument panel to a digital display dimension where information can be densely packed and dynamically organized. The graphical interface can present multiple layers of information and control options without linearly increasing the physical footprint on the panel.
3Reliability
If analog devices with mechanical interlocks are used, then the controls are reliable, but the weight and cost of the aircraft increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical interlock systems with software-based control logic implemented in the graphical user interface. The computer system can enforce mode selection constraints and validate inputs through software, eliminating the need for heavy mechanical interlocks while maintaining or improving reliability through programmable control sequences and error checking.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of control implementation from mechanical to digital. By using software-based control with the graphical user interface, the system achieves the same reliability functions (mode validation, constraint enforcement) without the physical mass of mechanical components, thereby reducing aircraft weight.
4Reliability
If analog controls are used, then the system is proven reliable, but maintenance requirements are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical controls with a graphical user interface controlled by software. This substitution eliminates wear and tear associated with mechanical components such as switches, dials, and interlocks. The software-based system can be updated, reset, and diagnosed through digital means, significantly reducing maintenance complexity while maintaining reliability through software validation protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for braking an aircraft. A processor unit identifies an operating condition of the aircraft. The processor unit displays available modes indications on a display device on the aircraft. The available modes indications indicate modes of operating an automatic braking system on the aircraft that are available for selection by an operator based on the operating condition of the aircraft. The processor unit receives a mode selection from an operator interface. The mode selection indicates a selected mode of operating the automatic braking system that is selected by the operator from the available modes. The processor unit displays on the display device a selected mode indication indicating the selected mode.