Touch Screen Toolbar System for Aircraft Navigation Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft cockpit touch screen displays lack precision in zooming, rotating, and tilting operations, which are crucial for navigational purposes, as they often rely on two-finger gestures or dedicated buttons that are less comfortable and less precise.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a toolbar system on the touch screen display that includes dedicated bars for zoom, rotation, and tilt functions, allowing users to interact with precise scale and angle settings through graduated cursors and buttons, providing immediate feedback and allowing for precise control of map configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If two-finger gestures or dedicated buttons are used for zooming, rotating, and tilting operations, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol interface complexityVSAvoidzooming precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control interface is segmented into dedicated toolbars for different functions (zoom, rotate, tilt), each with its own control elements. This segmentation allows each function to have specialized controls that provide precise input while keeping the overall system organized and manageable in complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by adding toolbar elements that extend the control interface beyond simple button presses or gestures. The graduated cursors and slider bars provide continuous analog-style control in a digital interface, enabling precise adjustment through positional variation rather than discrete steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If two-finger gestures or dedicated buttons are used for zooming, rotating, and tilting operations, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol interface complexityVSAvoidoperational comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the interface are assigned different qualities and functions. The toolbars provide localized control mechanisms tailored to specific operations, allowing users to interact with each function using the most appropriate control type for that task, thereby improving overall ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The interface provides immediate visual feedback through graduated cursors and toolbar indicators that show the current state and allow continuous adjustment. This feedback mechanism enables users to make precise adjustments and see the effect immediately, improving operational comfort and control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If toolbar system with graduated cursors is implemented, then measurement precision and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvezooming precisionVSAvoidcontrol interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The toolbar system serves multiple functions within a unified interface structure. The same toolbar mechanism handles zoom, rotate, and tilt operations, providing a consistent interaction model across different functions. This universality reduces the need for separate control systems for each function, managing complexity while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The toolbar acts as an intermediary layer between the user and the map configuration parameters. Rather than directly manipulating complex parameters, users interact with intuitive toolbar elements that translate their input into precise map transformations, simplifying the interface while maintaining control precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2578999B1Methods and systems for operating a touch screen display
Publication Date: 2018.05.30 THE BOEING CO
  • EP2578999B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2578999B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2578999B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for operating a touch screen display for a cartographic device is described. The method includes sensing a touch on the touch screen display of the cartographic device, the cartographic device operable to display a map, causing at least one toolbar to be displayed at an edge of the touch screen display in response to the sensed touch, sensing a finger movement along one of the displayed toolbars on the touch screen display, and changing a configuration of the displayed map based on the sensed finger movement.