PFD Speed and Altitude Tape User Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Primary Flight Display (PFD) systems do not allow users to easily view flight parameters outside the currently displayed range, limiting pilot situational awareness and decision-making capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that enables user input manipulations, such as zooming and scrolling, of graphical elements like speed and altitude tapes on a PFD, allowing users to generate revised displays that present additional or alternative flight data based on user selections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the PFD displays only the currently configured range of flight parameters, then the display layout remains standard and easy to understand, but pilots cannot easily view parameters outside the current range
Solution Approach 1:
The PFD system enables dynamic manipulation of flight parameter displays through user interactions such as scrolling and zooming. The graphical elements (speed tape, altitude tape) can be dynamically adjusted to expand the visible range or focus on specific parameter values, transforming the static display into an adaptive interface that responds to pilot needs in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds an interactive dimension to the traditional PFD by implementing scroll and zoom capabilities. This allows pilots to navigate through parameter ranges along an additional dimensional axis (beyond the standard parameter value axis), enabling access to out-of-range parameters without changing the fundamental display layout or adding complex physical controls
2Adaptability or versatility
If the PFD displays a fixed range of flight parameters, then the display configuration remains simple and standardized, but additional or alternative flight data cannot be easily accessed
Solution Approach 1:
The PFD system achieves multi-functionality by enabling a single display interface to serve multiple purposes: displaying standard flight parameters, expanding parameter ranges through scrolling, zooming into specific values, and presenting alternative data views. This universal interface eliminates the need for multiple specialized displays or complex configuration changes while maintaining adaptability to various pilot needs
3Loss of information
If pilots use standard PFD configurations, then the interface remains consistent and easy to operate, but situational awareness is limited to currently displayed parameter ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares additional flight parameter ranges in advance through pre-loaded data structures and ready-state graphical elements. When pilots need to view out-of-range parameters, the system can quickly render the expanded view without requiring time-consuming data retrieval or configuration changes, as the capability is pre-established in the display system
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing flight data onboard an aircraft is provided. The method obtains avionics data, by a processor communicatively coupled to a display device onboard the aircraft; presents a graphical user interface (GUI), by the display device, wherein the GUI comprises at least a speed tape graphical element and an altitude tape graphical element; receives user input manipulations via a user interface communicatively coupled to the processor; executes the user input manipulations for the altitude tape graphical element or the speed tape graphical element, to generate a revised altitude tape graphical element or a revised speed tape graphical element; generates a revised GUI comprising the revised altitude tape graphical element or the revised speed tape graphical element; and presents the revised GUI, via the display device.