Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Aeronautical vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-29
2001-05-22
Louis-Jacques, Jacques H. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Aeronautical vehicle
C701S014000, C340S972000, C340S973000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C244S221000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236913
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to processes and devices for assisting aerial navigation.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, it is known that in aerodynes (aircraft, helicopters, etc.) of modern design, the pilot must carry out a dialogue with a flight management system, this being a computer on board the aerodyne (we shall subsequently speak of an aircraft) for assisting the pilot in a number of operations. These operations are mainly operations for defining the flight plan before take-off, piloting (manual or automatic) operations during take-off and landing, aerial navigation operations (path calculations, etc.), systematic monitoring operations while cruising or when approaching an airport.
The flight management system operates on the basis of data entered by the pilot, data supplied by sensors distributed throughout the aircraft, and possibly digital data transmitted by radio from the ground or from other aircraft or even satellites (“DATALINK” system which is undergoing generalization). The dialogue between the flying crew and the flight management system is carried out mainly by means of at least three interfaces, viz.:
a navigation display on which is represented the plot of the desired course of the aircraft, that is to say a graphical representation of the flight plan of the aircraft and the situation of the aircraft within this plan;
a primary flight display which depicts an artificial horizon which tilts as the aircraft tilts, an indication of the longitudinal attitude of the aircraft, and other useful flying indications, in particular the mode of guidance of the aircraft;
a flight control unit having manual controls for selecting settings such as the desired heading of the aircraft;
and finally a keyboard/display console, termed the MCDU (“Multipurpose Control Display Unit”), this being a data display and input console allowing the flying crew to enter data into the flight management system and to read information forwarded by the flight management system on the basis of the data entered.
The data display and input console possesses firstly a screen, secondly function keys and finally an alphanumeric keyboard.
As is known, the operations to be performed by the flying crew (one pilot or two pilots) during the various phases of the flight are numerous; they have to be executed systematically, in such a way that the flight management system has access to all the necessary flight scheduling and monitoring data.
In particular, a series of monitoring and data input operations have to be performed by the flying crew during the preflight phase and before the approach phase. Still other operations have to be performed en-route.
The pilot who performs the operations must take care that all the operations provided for within the procedure have been executed properly. Furthermore, in the case of dual controls, these operations have to be shared with the assistant pilot and the operations performed by one of the pilots have to be verified by the other. The communication between the two pilots is verbal, the cockpit comprising two identical sets of flying controls located side by side, each set containing identical interfaces with the single flight management system (or twin system together with a synchronization mechanism).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the invention is to propose a process and a device for aiding aerial navigation which make it easier for the pilot to execute the tasks incumbent upon him in connection with the flight management system during the various phases of a flight.
The process uses the flight management system and its data display and input console; the console is of a type which makes it possible in particular to select predetermined zones of the display in order to trigger the execution of operations corresponding to the selected zone. The process consists in:
simultaneously displaying on the screen of the console a series of main zones which follow one another from the top to the bottom of the screen, each zone corresponding to a step of a navigation procedure,
in the event that a user selects a main zone corresponding to a specified procedural step, displaying on the console elements of information necessary for executing this step,
in the event that an item for validating the procedural step corresponding to the selected main zone is input into the console, once again displaying the series of main zones, the main zones for which the procedural step has been validated appearing at least in part in a different colour from the main zones for which the procedural step has not been validated.
And in the case in which two control panels are provided, with two display and data input consoles communicating with one and the same flight management system, there is preferably provision for another main zone corresponding to the same procedural step to be associated with each main zone, one of the zones being situated on the right and the other on the left of the screen. A procedural validation performed from the left-hand control panel causes the left-hand zone to appear in a different colour, on both consoles, whereas a validation performed from the right-hand control panel causes the right-hand zone to appear in a different colour, on both consoles. In this way it is easy to see on the screen on the one hand whether all the procedural steps have been executed, and on the other hand who has performed each of them.
In this case of a duplicate zone for each procedural operation, provision may be made either for two separate zones, side-by-side, to be provided, with written indications repeated in the two zones, or for a single duplicate zone to be provided, divided into two, with a single written indication extending over the two parts of the duplicate zone. Half of the zone then changes colour depending on the console from which the validation was made.
The invention relates not only to the process which has just been summarized, but also to a device for aiding aerial navigation.
The device according to the invention uses a flight management system which carries out a dialogue with the pilot by means of several interfaces which include at least one data display and input console, and it is characterized in that it comprises means for simultaneously displaying on the screen of the console a series of main zones which follow one another from the top to the bottom of the screen, each zone corresponding to a step of a navigation procedure, user-actuatable means for selecting a specified main zone, means for exhibiting on the console, when a main zone is selected, a display necessary for executing the procedural step corresponding to this main zone, means for inputting into the console an item for validating the procedural step and for then once again displaying the series of main zones, the main zones for which the procedural step has been validated appearing in a different colour from the main zones for which the procedural step has not been validated.
Among the advantages of the invention may be mentioned in particular the fact that the system is proof against interruptions: the pilots are frequently interrupted in their check sequences, most especially in the preflight phase. With the invention, they have available a summary of the steps already performed and they can return rapidly to their sequence of checks; they need not run through successions of pages of tasks in order to recollect the steps already performed.
Moreover, the process will support the new “DATALINK” mode of dialogue in which information is transmitted between the ground and the panel by radio: it will be possible for information sent by the ground to the flight management system to appear in the steps of the procedure, in a particular form which attracts the attention of the pilot. The pilot will verify and accept this information in the same way as if he had entered it himself.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4774670 (1988-09-01), Palmieri
patent: 4811230 (1989-03-01), Graham et al.
patent: 4970683 (1990-11-01), Harshaw et al.
patent
Bomans Muriel
Grand-Perret Sylvie
Louis-Jacques Jacques H.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Sextant Avionique
LandOfFree
Method and device for inputting and controlling flight data does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and device for inputting and controlling flight data, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and device for inputting and controlling flight data will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2566908