Flight Deck Touch-Sensitive Hardware Controls for No-Look Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face challenges in accurately identifying control devices on a flight deck without looking directly at the control panel, leading to potential errors due to similar shapes and textures, which can result in unintended changes to aircraft performance.
Innovation Solution
Integration of touch or proximity sensors into control devices on the control panel, which send signals to a control output processor to highlight the corresponding area on a display screen, allowing pilots to verify the correct control device is being manipulated without looking at the panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If control devices are made with similar shapes and textures to reduce panel complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of control operation deteriorates due to increased risk of selecting wrong controls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by illuminating specific control devices with different colors or color patterns based on their operational state. When a control device is selected or active, it displays a distinct color or illumination pattern that helps the pilot identify the correct control without confusion, thereby maintaining reliability while allowing similar physical shapes and textures on the panel.
2Measurement precision
If pilots look at the control panel to verify control selection, then control selection accuracy improves, but productivity deteriorates due to distraction from primary flight displays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces visual indicators as an intermediary between the control devices and the pilot's verification process. These indicators provide tactile or visual feedback (such as illumination or texture changes) that allow pilots to confirm control selection through touch or peripheral vision without shifting their primary focus to the control panel, thus maintaining both accuracy and productivity.
3Ease of operation
If tactile distinctions are added to control devices to improve identification, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases due to additional textures or features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding tactile distinctions only to specific regions or surfaces of control devices where they are most needed for identification. This could include localized texture variations, raised edges, or selective illumination zones that provide tactile feedback without requiring complex structural modifications to the entire control device, thus improving ease of operation while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables 'no-look' interaction with control panels, reduces the risk of errors by confirming the correct control device is touched before action, and simplifies the control panel by consolidating information on the main display, thereby enhancing user safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
touch or proximity sensors are integrated into control devices such as knobs, dials, levers, or wheels incorporated in a user control panel
Data Source
AI summary
Touch or proximity sensors are integrated into control devices such as knobs, dials or wheels incorporated in a user control panel. A control output processor detects whether any of the sensors are outputting signals indicating that a control device is being touched (or nearly touched) by a user. The control output processor causes an associated display area to be highlighted or otherwise modified on a display screen to indicate to the user which control device is being touched. This feature allows for “no-look” interaction with control panels, and keeps the user's eyes focused on the relevant displays where the control devices produce effects. This allows users to preview and verify that the correct control device is being manipulated prior to taking any (potentially erroneous) control actions.