Patent Application
20160357492
This application claims the benefit of and priority to French patent application No. 15 55177 filed on Jun. 8, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The disclosure herein relates to a display system and method for an aircraft, as well as to an aircraft comprising such a system.
Aircraft, in particular modern transport airplanes, comprise a system for managing the display in the cockpit of CDS (Control and Display System) type. The CDS comprises a plurality of screens in the cockpit of the aircraft, as well as a control unit that is configured so as to command the display on these screens. In a normal display mode corresponding, in particular, to the absence of screen failure, the control unit is configured so as to command the display of at least one display window on each of the screens. Each display window is allocated to one or more systems of the aircraft, and it may be of fixed or variable size. On the occurrence of an event on board the aircraft for which an action by an operator is required (e.g. a warning), an aircraft computer charged with monitoring the event, e.g. a warning management computer of FWS (Flight Warning System) type sends a request to the control unit of the CDS in order to display an interactive element in at least one display window. This display window is referred to as the interaction window throughout the remainder of this document. The control unit commands the display of the interaction window comprising the interactive element on one of the screens of the cockpit, at least while an action by an operator is required on the interactive element. Thus, following the occurrence of an event, an operator such as, in particular, a pilot of the aircraft may carry out an action on board the aircraft by acting on the interactive element by a human-machine interface in the cockpit. This action corresponds, for example, to an acknowledgment of a warning or to a modification in the state of a system of the aircraft (e.g. the shutdown of an engine, the opening or closing of a valve, etc.). The interactive element corresponds, for example, to a button displayed in the interaction window on which the operator may click. Generally, the interaction window also comprises at least one indicator allowing the operator to understand the nature of the event.
In the event of failure of one or more screens of the cockpit, the control unit commands the display on the other, functioning, screens according to a reconfigured display mode. Such a display mode is in particular described by the document FR2,892,092. When a non-functioning screen corresponds to a screen on which, in the normal display mode, a display window that is considered to have priority is displayed, then the display is reconfigured in such a way that the display window is displayed on another, functioning, screen instead of a display window that has lower priority. A human-machine interface, e.g. a push-button, connected to the control unit of the CDS allows the pilot to view, on this other screen, other displays window(s). Thus, each press by the pilot on this push-button allows the display window displayed on this other screen to be changed, according to a predefined order. The pilot may thus scroll through and view all of the display windows that are normally displayed on the various screens of the cockpit in the normal display mode.
The activation of the reconfigured display mode may also correspond, aside from in the event of failure of a screen, to a voluntary request by the pilot to display, on one of the screens of the cockpit, a display window that is normally displayed on a portable device of EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) type. The corresponding display window is then displayed instead of a display window that is normally displayed on this screen of the cockpit in the normal display mode.
When the display is carried out according to the reconfigured display mode, the interactive element that is displayed in the interaction window may not be accessible to a pilot of the aircraft if the interaction window is not displayed on a screen of the cockpit due to the reconfiguration of the display. Indicators are given in the cockpit so as to warn the pilot of the occurrence of the event, generally in the form of a visual and/or acoustic indicator: the pilot must then act on the human-machine interface in order to view the interaction window. If the event occurs at a moment when the pilot's workload is high, the pilot may wish to carry out the actions relating to this event at a later time. However, so as not to be disturbed by the visual or acoustic indicator while he or she carries out other actions, the pilot may sometimes dismiss this visual or acoustic indicator: he or she must then memorize the fact that he or she received this visual or acoustic indicator so as not to forget to request the display of the interaction window at a later time. Additionally, the display of the interaction window may require multiple actions by the pilot on the human-machine interface in order to scroll through multiple windows until the interaction window is displayed and, moreover, the pilot does not know in advance how many actions will be required on this human-machine interface so that the interaction window is displayed on a screen of the cockpit. Specifically, as pointed out above, the various display windows that are able to be viewed on a screen in reconfigured display mode are displayed according to a predefined order during the successive actions by the pilot on the human-machine interface, but the pilot does not know this predefined order, especially as this may depend on the number of non-functioning screens in the cockpit and the position of the non-functioning screen(s). The successive actions on the human-machine interface generate an additional workload for the pilot, especially as the pilot must additionally watch out for the appearance of the interaction window on the display inasmuch as he does not know in advance, on the one hand, how many actions are required on the human-machine interface in order to obtain the display of the interaction window and, on the other hand, on which screen the interaction window will be displayed.
A particular aim or object of the present disclosure is to provide a solution to these problems. It relates to a display system for an aircraft, this display system comprising a plurality of screens in a cockpit of the aircraft, among which at least a first screen and a second screen, the display system also comprising a control unit that is configured so as to command the display on the screens of the plurality of screens according to a normal display mode or according to a reconfigured display mode, in such a way that:
in the normal display mode, the control unit is configured so as to command the display of at least one display window on each of the screens of the plurality of screens, in such a way that subsequent to the occurrence of an event on board the aircraft leading to the display of an interactive element in an interaction window, the control unit commands the display of the interaction window on one of the screens of the plurality of screens at least while an action by an operator is required on the interactive element; and
in the reconfigured display mode, the control unit is configured so as to command the display, on the second screen of the plurality of screens, of a display window that is normally displayed on the first screen in the normal display mode.
This display system is noteworthy in that the second screen comprises a signaling area and, in the reconfigured display mode, the control unit is configured so as to command the display of an indicator in the signaling area if the interaction window is not displayed on a screen of the plurality of screens when an action by an operator is required on the interactive element.
Thus, by virtue of this system, the pilot of the aircraft is informed of the fact that an action is required on his or her part in the interaction window and that, to this end, he or she must carry out an action to display this interaction window.
Advantageously, the display system comprises a human-machine interface connected to a control unit and, in the reconfigured display mode, the control unit is configured so as to command the display of the interaction window when it receives information from the human-machine interface corresponding to an action by an operator on the human-machine interface. Thus, the pilot may directly display the interaction window by carrying out this action on the human-machine interface, without having to scroll through other display windows on the screen. This therefore allows time to be gained and the pilot's workload to be reduced. In one embodiment, the control unit is configured so as to command the display of the interaction window on the second screen when it receives information from the human-machine interface corresponding to an action by an operator on the human-machine interface. Displaying the interaction window on the second screen rather than on another screen improves the ergonomics of the system by allowing the pilot to directly view the interaction window without having to search for it on another screen.
In one particular embodiment of the disclosure herein, the signaling area comprises an interactive element that is actionable using the human-machine interface. Thus, the action by the operator on the human-machine interface may then correspond to an action by the pilot on this interactive element of the signaling area. The pilot may then directly act on this interactive element of the signaling area in order to request the display of the interaction window. This allows the ergonomics of the display system to be improved further.
In one embodiment, the control unit comprises a memory containing an ordered list of display windows that are associated with a second screen in the reconfigured display mode and the control unit is configured so as to modify the display of the second screen, in the reconfigured display mode, during an action by an operator on the human-machine interface:
by displaying, on the second screen, a display window that is consecutive, in the ordered list, to a current window that is displayed during the action by the operator on the human-machine interface, when no action by an operator is required on the interactive element of the display window;
by displaying, on the second screen, the interaction window when an action by an operator is required on this interactive element.
Preferably, the ordered list of display windows contains the interaction window.
In one advantageous embodiment, the second screen comprises a first display area and a second display area, each suitable for displaying at least one display window, and the signaling area is positioned between the first display area and the second display area. This embodiment is particularly compatible with the use of screens of large size in the cockpit, each envisaged to display multiple display windows. Advantageously, the signaling area is able to be configured so as to be combined with the first display area and/or the second display area. This allows a shared signaling area to be used for both display areas and, consequently, the screen surface area used for the signaling area to be limited.
In one particular embodiment, the control unit is configured so as to receive information on the state of the screens of the plurality of screens and to detect potential failure of a screen according to the state information, the control unit furthermore being configured so as to command the display on the screens of the plurality of screens according to the normal display mode in the absence of screen failure and to command the display on the screens of the plurality of screens according to the reconfigured display mode in the event of failure of at least one screen of the plurality of screens. The display system according to the disclosure herein is then particularly advantageous in the event of failure of one screen of the plurality of screens.
The disclosure herein also relates to an aircraft comprising a display system as described above.
The disclosure herein also relates to a display method for an aircraft having a display system comprising a plurality of screens in a cockpit of the aircraft, among which at least a first screen and a second screen, the display system also comprising a control unit, according to which method the control unit commands the display on the screens of the plurality of screens according to a normal display mode or according to a reconfigured display mode, in such a way that:
in the normal display mode, the control unit commands the display of at least one display window on each of the screens of the plurality of screens, in such a way that subsequent to the occurrence of an event on board the aircraft leading to the display of an interactive element in an interaction window, the control unit commands the display of the interaction window on one of the screens of the plurality of screens at least while an action by an operator is required on the interactive element; and
in the reconfigured display mode, the control unit commands the display, on the second screen of the plurality of screens, of a display window that is normally displayed on the first screen in the normal display mode.
The display method is noteworthy in that, the second screen comprising a signaling area, in the reconfigured display mode the control unit commands the display of an indicator in the signaling area if the interaction window is not displayed on a screen of the plurality of screens when an action by an operator is required on the interactive element.
The disclosure herein will be better understood upon reading the following description and upon examining the appended drawings.
The aircraft 1 shown in
The plurality of display screens 18 of the cockpit comprise at least a first display screen and a second display screen. According to one embodiment of the disclosure herein, at least the second display screen comprises a display surface 30 in which the display is shared between a first display area 31 and a signaling area 35, as shown in
In operation, the control unit 12 commands the display on the screens 18 of the cockpit according to information that it receives, in particular from the avionics computers, and according to interactions with members of the aircraft's crew on the human-machine interface 14. The control unit 12 also monitors the proper operation of the screens 18 via the connections 22, so as to detect potential failure of one of the screens. To this end, it is configured so as to receive information on the state of the screens of the plurality of screens, via the connections 22, and to detect potential failure of a screen according to the state information. In the absence of screen failure, the control unit commands the display on the screens 18 of the cockpit according to a display mode referred to as “normal display mode”. In the event of failure of at least the first display screen of the plurality of screens 18 of the cockpit, the control unit commands the display on the other, functioning, screens of the cockpit according to a display mode referred to as “reconfigured display mode”. Aside from in the event of failure of at least one screen, the reconfigured display mode may also be activated following a voluntary request by the pilot, e.g. to display, on one of the screens of the cockpit, a display window that is normally displayed on a portable device of EFB type, the corresponding display window then being displayed instead of a display window that is normally displayed on this screen of the cockpit in the normal display mode.
In the normal display mode, the control unit 12 commands the display of at least one display window on each screen of the plurality of screens 18 of the cockpit. More specifically, when this screen is similar to the second screen and comprises a first display area 31 and, potentially, a second display area 32, the control unit 12 commands the display of at least one display window in the first display area 31 and of at least one display window in the second display area 32 (when the screen comprises the second display area). When the warning management computer 16 detects the occurrence of an event on board the aircraft, if the flight procedures dictate that this event must be signaled to the members of the aircraft's crew and requires an action on the part of a crew member, then the warning management computer 16 sends information relating to this event to the control unit 12 via the connection 26. The control unit 12 then commands the display of an interactive element in an interaction window and it commands the display of the interaction window on one of the screens of the plurality of screens 18, at least while an action by an operator is required on the interactive element. Thus, a crew member, e.g. a pilot of the aircraft, may use the human-machine interface 14 in order to act on the interactive element so as to carry out the required action. As the interaction window is displayed on one of the screens of the cockpit, the pilot may act on the interactive element in this window subsequent to the occurrence of an event, without having to carry out any action to bring about the display of the interaction window.
In the example shown in
In the reconfigured display mode, the control unit 12 is configured so as to command the display, on the second screen of the plurality of screens, of a display window that is normally displayed on the first screen in the normal display mode. This display window is then displayed on the second screen instead of another display window that is normally displayed on the second screen in normal display mode. More specifically, the control unit commands the display of the window in the first display area 31 or in the second display area 32 of the second screen. According to a first alternative embodiment, the control unit automatically commands the display of the display window on the second screen following the failure of the first screen. This first alternative embodiment corresponds in particular to the case in which this display window is parameterized in the control unit 12 as having priority with respect to the other display window that is normally displayed on the second screen in normal display mode. According to a second alternative embodiment, the control unit commands the display of the display window on the second screen following an action by an operator on the human-machine interface 14 after the failure of the first screen. This second alternative embodiment corresponds in particular to the case in which this display window is parameterized in the control unit 12 as having lower priority with respect to the other display window that is normally displayed on the second screen in normal display mode. This second alternative embodiment is illustrated by the example shown in
Subsequent to the occurrence of an event on board the aircraft, the control unit 12 commands the display of an indicator in the signaling area 35c of the second screen if the interaction window is not displayed on a screen of the plurality of screens 18 when an action by an operator is required on the interactive element.
Various variants are possible for the human-machine interface 14. This may, for example, correspond to a push-button, to a pointing device such as a trackball, a touchscreen, etc.
Advantageously, the signaling area 35c comprises an interactive element that is actionable using the human-machine interface 14. When the human-machine interface 14 corresponds to a pointing device, this interactive element corresponds to a portion of the signaling area in which an operator may click. When the human-machine interface 14 corresponds to a touchscreen, the interactive element corresponds to a sensitive surface of the touchscreen, this sensitive surface being defined in the signaling area. Depending on the case, the action of the operator on the human-machine interface 14, subsequent to which the control unit 12 commands the display of the interaction window, then corresponds to an action consisting of clicking on the interactive element or touching the sensitive surface of the interactive element. Acting directly on the interactive element that is located in the signaling area to command the display of the interaction window allows the ergonomics to be improved and the workload of the operator to be reduced.
In one advantageous embodiment, when the control unit 12 commands the display on the screens of the cockpit according to the reconfigured display mode, the control unit commands the display of an indicator in the signalling area 35c, even when no action by an operator is required on the interactive element. The display of such an indicator is illustrated in
In one particular embodiment, the control unit 12 additionally commands the display of a specific indicator in the signaling area 35c when an unread message, originating, for example, from air traffic control, is displayed in the display sub-window of MB type while this window is not displayed. This particular embodiment is illustrated in
When the signaling area is shared between two display areas of one and the same screen, as in the examples shown in
In one particular embodiment shown in
The subject matter disclosed herein can be implemented in software in combination with hardware and/or firmware. For example, the subject matter described herein can be implemented in software executed by a processor or processing unit. In one exemplary implementation, the subject matter described herein can be implemented using a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps. Exemplary computer readable mediums suitable for implementing the subject matter described herein include non-transitory devices, such as disk memory devices, chip memory devices, programmable logic devices, and application specific integrated circuits. In addition, a computer readable medium that implements the subject matter described herein can be located on a single device or computing platform or can be distributed across multiple devices or computing platforms.
While at least one exemplary embodiment of the invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 55177 | Jun 2015 | FR | national |
