Integrated Avionics Control and Display Unit for Standby Flight Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft avionics systems face challenges in minimizing weight, size, electrical power usage, failure rates, and complexity, with traditional mechanical or electro-mechanical gauges being bulky, costly, and requiring multiple instruments for standby primary flight information, which occupy valuable space and increase maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
An integrated avionics system incorporating multi-product avionics control and display units (CDUs) that provide independent standby primary flight information and control aircraft systems, configurable to operate in modes for displaying primary flight data and controlling aircraft systems, with independent electronic components and software to mitigate common-mode failures, reducing the need for dedicated standby instruments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanical or electro-mechanical gauges are used for standby primary flight information, then reliability is improved through independent standby instruments, but weight, size, and device complexity increase due to multiple separate instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate standby instruments into a single integrated display unit that can present primary flight information from multiple sources (attitude indicator, altimeter, airspeed indicator, heading indicator) on one display, eliminating the need for multiple separate mechanical or electro-mechanical gauges while maintaining standby functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The display unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can display primary flight information in normal operation mode and switch to standby mode to provide independent standby primary flight information, thereby serving as both a primary display and a standby instrument simultaneously
2Reliability
If multiple separate standby instruments are installed, then primary flight information availability is ensured, but weight and space consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate standby instruments are merged into a single integrated display unit that houses all necessary display components in one location, significantly reducing the overall weight of the avionics system while maintaining the ability to provide independent standby primary flight information
3Reliability
If multiple separate standby instruments are installed, then primary flight information availability is ensured, but device complexity and maintenance needs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple instruments into one integrated display unit, the number of separate components that require maintenance is reduced, simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the complexity of troubleshooting while maintaining reliability through independent standby functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-product avionics control and display unit (CDU). In implementations, the CDU may include a display and a processor coupled with the display. The processor is configurable to operate in a first mode to cause the display to present standby primary flight information associated with the aircraft and a second mode to control and display operation of one or more aircraft systems associated with the aircraft.