Aircraft Cockpit Display Layout for Flexible Multi-Panel Content

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft cockpit electronic display systems are rigid and inflexible, with content displayed on each display solely dependent on the associated computer, limiting adaptability and user interaction.

Innovation Solution

An electronic display system comprising a set of displays, graphics calculators, and an arrangement module that forms distributed video streams across multiple display surfaces, allowing partial display on contiguous panels and enabling user interaction through sensors and decision modules to dynamically adjust content distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If each display is associated with a dedicated graphics calculator, then the system structure is simple and reliable, but the system becomes rigid and inflexible in content distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoidcontent distribution flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an arrangement module as an intermediary between graphics calculators and displays. This mediator receives calculated streams from one or more graphics calculators and intelligently distributes content to appropriate display surfaces, enabling flexible content routing without compromising the reliability of the dedicated graphics calculator architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the display system into independent display surfaces that can be individually controlled and configured. Each display surface can receive and display portions of calculated streams independently, allowing the system to flexibly distribute content across multiple displays while maintaining the integrity of the underlying graphics calculation architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If content is displayed solely on associated displays, then the system architecture is simple, but adaptability and user interaction are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem architecture complexityVSAvoidcontent adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The arrangement module provides universal content distribution capability, allowing any calculated stream from any graphics calculator to be distributed to any display surface. This multi-functional approach enables dynamic content adaptation and user interaction while maintaining a relatively simple overall system architecture through centralized intelligent routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If distributed video streams are formed from multiple graphics calculators, then content flexibility is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent distribution flexibilityVSAvoidarrangement module complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The arrangement module merges calculated streams from multiple graphics calculators and distributes the combined content to appropriate display surfaces. By consolidating the distribution intelligence in a single module rather than distributing complexity across multiple components, the system achieves high content flexibility while managing overall system complexity effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4574509A1Electronic display system for integration in a cockpit of an aircraft
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 THALES SA
  • EP4574509A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4574509A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4574509A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to an electronic display system intended to be integrated into a cockpit of an aircraft, comprising a set of display(s) (15). The system comprises a set of graphic calculators (20), capable of calculating calculated streams to be displayed on the set of display(s) (15). The system comprises an arrangement module (25) connected to the graphic calculators (20) and to the display(s), and configured to form, from the calculated streams, a distributed video stream. The arrangement module is configured to send each distributed video stream to the corresponding display (15A, 15B) or to the display whose display panel(s) (30) define an associated display surface (32). Each display is further configured to distribute the display of the associated distributed video stream on its display panel (30) or among its display panels (30).