Stacked Emissive Display Redundancy for Aircraft Instrument Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft display systems with redundant displays often suffer from sub-optimal backup display locations, leading to increased weight, clutter, and visual search challenges for pilots during high workload situations, as well as the need for additional power and cost due to the requirement for multiple displays.
Innovation Solution
A display system comprising a primary display and at least one secondary display, where the secondary display is configured to serve as a backup by being stacked, positioned behind, or in front of the primary display, and can operate in situ without affecting pilot cross-check habits, reducing clutter and maintaining readability through independent image processors and filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple displays are positioned horizontally across the instrument panel to provide redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but instrument panel clutter and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement of multiple displays to a vertical stacking configuration. The primary and backup displays are arranged one above the other in the vertical dimension, allowing the backup display to be positioned directly behind or below the primary display rather than occupying additional horizontal space on the instrument panel.
2Reliability
If a backup display is positioned at a sub-optimal location to provide redundancy, then system reliability is improved, but pilot visual search time increases during high workload situations
Solution Approach 1:
The backup display is repositioned from a horizontal location that requires pilot eye movement across the panel to a vertical position directly behind or adjacent to the primary display. This maintains the primary display's horizontal position on the instrument panel while placing the backup in the vertical dimension, keeping both displays within the pilot's natural field of view.
3Reliability
If multiple displays are equipped to provide backup functionality, then system reliability is improved, but system weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the primary and backup display units into a single integrated vertical assembly. By stacking the displays one above the other and sharing common support structures, mounting mechanisms, and control systems, the overall weight increase is minimized compared to having separate horizontally-mounted displays with duplicate mounting hardware.
4Reliability
If a backup display is configured to maintain readability across extended field of view, then system reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backup display operates in a periodic manner, remaining in a low-power standby state during normal operation and activating only when the primary display fails. The vertical stacking configuration allows the backup display to be positioned such that it can be selectively powered on without requiring continuous high-power operation to maintain visibility across the extended field of view.
Data Source
AI summary
Redundant display systems and methods for providing display redundancy are disclosed. A display system may include a primary display and at least one secondary display. The primary display and the at least one secondary display may be stacked in series relative to a line of sight of a user, and the at least one secondary display may be configured to serve as a backup to the primary display upon a failure of the primary display.