Voice-Controlled Electronic Chart Retrieval in Aircraft Avionics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flight crew members face difficulties accessing electronic charts on aircraft due to complex menu systems, which can be time-consuming and cognitively demanding, especially during critical phases of flight like takeoff and landing.
Innovation Solution
A voice-controlled system that uses speech recognition technology to retrieve and display electronic charts based on location data, allowing flight crew members to access relevant charts quickly and efficiently by using speech commands to navigate and toggle between charts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If conventional physical interaction devices and menu systems are used to access electronic charts, then comprehensive chart functionality is available, but the access time and cognitive workload increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical interaction devices (knobs, buttons, touchscreens) with voice recognition technology. Pilots can access electronic charts by speaking commands like 'show approach chart' or 'display departure procedure' instead of manually navigating through menus, significantly reducing access time and cognitive workload during critical flight phases
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically determines which charts are relevant based on the aircraft's current location, flight phase, and active procedures. The avionics system proactively presents appropriate charts without requiring pilots to search through menus, allowing pilots to simply verify and accept the pre-selected charts through voice confirmation
2Ease of operation
If multiple menu levels and physical devices are used for chart access, then precise chart selection is possible, but the operational complexity and training requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the chart selection logic from the pilot's task and relocates it to the avionics system. The system automatically filters and presents only the charts relevant to the current flight context (approach, departure, en-route) based on location data and flight phase, removing the need for pilots to navigate complex menu hierarchies
Solution Approach 2:
The voice recognition interface serves multiple functions: it allows pilots to request specific chart types, confirm automatic selections, navigate between different chart views, and adjust display parameters all through speech commands, replacing multiple specialized controls with a single universal interface
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
The system provides a time-efficient and user-friendly method for accessing electronic charts, reducing cognitive workload and allowing flight crew members to focus on flight operations by simplifying the chart retrieval process through voice-controlled navigation and chart toggling functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a speech recognition (SR) interface, configured to receive and interpret a set of speech data
Implementation Method 2
a global positioning system (GPS), configured to provide location data for the aircraft
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for accessing electronic charts stored on an aircraft is provided. The method receives, via an onboard avionics system, location data for the aircraft; receives a set of speech data via a user interface of the aircraft; identifies one or more applicable electronic charts, based on the received location data and the received set of speech data, wherein the electronic charts stored on the aircraft comprise at least the one or more applicable electronic charts; and presents, via an aircraft display, a first one of the one or more applicable electronic charts.