PED Mounting Adapter with Display Verification for Avionics
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Solution Overview
Problem
In safely critical industries like avionics, the use of uncertified displays for mission-critical information is hindered by regulatory requirements for high integrity, continuity, and availability (ICA), which are costly and time-consuming to certify, limiting the adoption of new applications on personal electronic devices (PEDs).
Innovation Solution
A mounting system for PEDs in aircraft cockpits that includes an annunciator light and a display disable system, coupled with a controller that captures the display frame and sends it to a data integrity module for verification, enabling the display to be shut off and the light to indicate issues, ensuring ICA compliance without full certification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If uncertified PEDs are used to display critical aeronautical information, then cost and time for implementation are reduced, but reliability and safety compliance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A mounting adapter is introduced as an intermediary device between the uncertified PED and the aircraft display system. The adapter includes a controller that captures display frames, sends them to a data integrity entity for verification, and provides annunciation through annunciator lights. This intermediary structure allows uncertified PEDs to be used while maintaining safety standards through external verification mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by capturing display frames, verifying data integrity through comparison with expected values, and providing real-time annunciation through annunciator lights when discrepancies are detected. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that uncertified displays maintain required integrity levels without needing full certification.
2Reliability
If full certification process is undertaken for PEDs, then display integrity and safety are improved, but cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring full certification of the entire PED system, the invention applies partial verification through the mounting adapter that monitors and verifies display output in real-time. The data integrity entity performs selective verification of critical display elements, providing sufficient assurance for safety-critical applications without the overhead of complete system certification.
Solution Approach 2:
The certification requirement is segmented into two parts: the PED itself remains uncertified, while the mounting adapter and data integrity entity provide the necessary verification. This segmentation allows the PED to be used immediately while the adapter provides the certified verification layer, eliminating the need for time-consuming full PED certification.
3Device complexity
If uncertified displays are used for critical information, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but the ability to ensure continuity and availability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting adapter serves as an intermediary that adds verification capabilities without requiring changes to the PED itself. The adapter captures frames, communicates with the data integrity entity, and provides annunciation, thereby ensuring continuity and availability through external monitoring while keeping the PED architecture simple and unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service verification where the mounting adapter autonomously monitors display output, compares it with expected values from the data integrity entity, and automatically provides annunciation when issues are detected. This self-monitoring capability ensures continuity and availability without requiring complex external certification infrastructure.
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
Enables the use of uncertified PEDs for displaying critical aeronautical information while ensuring integrity, continuity, and availability, allowing for more affordable and rapid adoption of new avionics functionality without compromising safety.
Implementation Method 1
obtain a captured frame of the PED display (e.g., from a screen capture feature of the PED or a camera trained on the PED display)
Implementation Method 2
an annunciator light including an electrically actuated color indicator (e.g., LED strip) for providing an annunciation regarding the PED
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting system configured to mount a personal electronic device (PED) in an aircraft flight deck is provided. The mounting adapter includes: an annunciator light including an LED strip for providing an annunciation regarding the PED; a display disable system mounted within the mounting adapter for disabling the PED display; and a controller configured to: obtain a captured frame of the PED display; send the captured frame to a server for determining whether a problem exists with an image displayed on the PED display; and responsive to receiving an annunciation indicator from the server indicating that the problem exists with the image displayed on the PED display, enable the display disable system to shut off the PED display and command the annunciator light to illuminate in a particular color that indicates that the PED display was shut off because the problem exists with the image displayed on the PED display.