Consolidated Datalink Interface Reduces Pilot Workload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airline communication datalink systems require pilots to navigate through multiple pages to identify and send downlink messages, leading to increased workload and inefficient use of network bandwidth due to the transmission of multiple small messages at a time.
Innovation Solution
A consolidated collapsible/expandable panel layout for downlink content display that populates messages from a customer-defined modifiable database based on a vehicle's phase of travel, allowing users to select and combine messages for transmission, reducing the need for multiple network transmissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If multiple small messages are sent at a time, then each message can be transmitted individually, but network bandwidth is used inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple downlink messages into a single consolidated message for transmission. The system gathers multiple individual messages (such as flight data, performance reports, and operational information) and merges them into one combined message package that is transmitted over the network in a single transmission event, thereby improving bandwidth utilization and communication efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If a single downlink message is sent at a given time, then message transmission is simple, but pilot workload increases due to navigating multiple pages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple downlink message pages into a single integrated message structure. Instead of requiring pilots to navigate through separate pages to compose messages, the system merges all necessary message components into one unified interface where pilots can review and transmit all messages in a single operation, significantly reducing the time and cognitive load required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary gathering and organization of multiple downlink messages before presentation to the pilot. Messages are pre-collected from various aircraft systems and databases, pre-validated for completeness, and pre-formatted into a consolidated structure, so that when the pilot reviews the messages, they are ready for immediate transmission without requiring additional navigation or data entry.
3Reliability
If pilots traverse through different pages to identify mandatory data, then complete data can be collected, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation and organization of mandatory data fields before presenting messages to the pilot. All required data elements are pre-identified, pre-checked for completeness, and pre-associated with their corresponding messages. The consolidated interface then presents only those messages that have complete mandatory data, or clearly indicates which data is missing, eliminating the need for pilots to manually traverse multiple pages to verify data completeness.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle communication system is provided. The system includes a modifiable database that contains customer defined messages to be downlinked. A user interface is provided that includes a downlink content display and user input functions that enable a user to select which of a plurality of downlink content messages provided in a consolidated panel layout of the downlink content display to include in a combined downlink content message. A communication controller determines a phase of travel and causes to be displayed a plurality of downlink content messages from the modifiable database based on the determined phase of travel on the downlink content display of the user interface and communicate a combined downlink content message of the user selected downlink content to a remote location via the transceiver upon activation of a send input on the user interface.