Avionics Display Layout Without Cursor for Multi-Window Flight Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional avionics displays are limited by the need for a cursor function, inability to display multiple pages or windows simultaneously, and abrupt transitions when switching between topographical data resolutions, which can lead to reduced pilot situational awareness and safety during altitude approaches.
Innovation Solution
The system allows selection and display of information using knobs to pan and highlight items on a geographical representation, enables multiple independent windows or tiles on a single screen, and provides smooth transitions between multiple levels of terrain resolution, eliminating the need for a cursor and enhancing altitude cueing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cursor function is used to access items on avionics screens, then information can be selected and displayed, but the interface becomes more complex and requires additional control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cursor function entirely from the avionics display system. Instead of using a cursor to navigate and select items, the system directly responds to knob inputs by highlighting and selecting items on the display screen, simplifying the interface while maintaining full information access capability
Solution Approach 2:
The display system automatically highlights and selects items based on knob rotation and pressing actions without requiring a separate cursor element. The system serves itself by directly translating control inputs into selection actions, eliminating the need for an intermediate cursor mechanism
2Quantity of substance
If multiple pages or windows are displayed simultaneously on a single screen, then information density increases, but the display layout becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is divided into multiple independent windows or tiles that can be arranged in various configurations. Each window can display different information pages simultaneously, allowing high information density while maintaining simple, modular layout structures that can be independently controlled
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the two-dimensional screen space by displaying multiple windows side-by-side or in grid arrangements, effectively increasing information capacity without adding physical complexity to the display hardware or requiring additional control mechanisms
3Productivity
If abrupt transitions are used when switching between topographical data resolutions, then data loading is simpler, but pilot situational awareness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic resolution transitions where the topographical data resolution changes smoothly rather than abruptly. As the display range changes, the resolution adjusts progressively to maintain constant visual quality, ensuring continuous pilot situational awareness while adapting to different viewing scales
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the resolution parameter dynamically based on display range. Instead of fixed resolution switching, the system continuously adjusts resolution parameters to maintain optimal visual quality across different zoom levels, preventing abrupt transitions that would disrupt pilot awareness
4Reliability
If multiple cues are provided on the altitude tape, then pilot awareness of critical altitudes increases, but the display becomes more cluttered
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the altitude tape are assigned different cue markers with distinct visual characteristics. Each marker type provides specific information about critical altitudes, and their placement and appearance are optimized for their local context within the display, providing comprehensive awareness without uniform clutter
Data Source
AI summary
The present general inventive concept relates to methods and systems to select and display information on an avionics display screen. The systems and methods allow for the selection and display of information using knobs to highlight and select the desired information for display, eliminating the need for a cursor function. The systems and methods also provide for multiple pages and/or multiple windows or “tiles” within these pages and/or windows simultaneously on a single screen of a display, with each window, page, and/or tile being fully controlled independently when selected. The present general inventive concept also relates to systems and methods to provide multiple cues on an electronic display system altitude tape to a pilot in advance and impending approach to a predefined altitude. The present general inventive concept also relates to systems and methods to employ variable resolution topographical data based on display range for an avionics navigation display.