Aircraft display system

The present invention relates to a display system, in particular a head-down display system, which is mounted in the flight deck of an aircraft, in particular of a transport airplane.

This display system is of the type comprising:

at least one interactive window which can be viewed on at least one screen and which comprises at least one sensitive object associated with a particular function; a cursor management device; a means of managing the display which is carried out on said interactive window; a first cursor control device which is capable of being actuated by a first pilot of the aircraft and which comprises:

at least one actuatable movement means, capable of moving a first cursor over said interactive window so as to designate a sensitive object; and at least one actuatable validation means, capable of validating a sensitive object which is designated by way of said first cursor so as to execute the function which is associated with said sensitive object; and

a second cursor control device which is capable of being actuated by a second pilot of the aircraft and which comprises:

at least one actuatable movement means, capable of moving a second cursor over said interactive window so as to designate a sensitive object; and at least one actuatable validation means, capable of validating a sensitive object which is designated by way of said second cursor so as to execute the function which is associated with said sensitive object.

Within the framework of the present invention:

the expression “execution of a function” is understood to mean in particular:

a implementation of a control of an element (engine, lighting, etc.) of the aircraft or of a particular action; a data input; access to information pages on a screen; and/or access to information or complementary actions without changing page; and

the expression “interactive window” is understood to mean a window which comprises sensitive objects (points, ranges, alphanumeric values, lists, menus, etc.) which are associated respectively with particular functions of the aforesaid type and which are sensitive to the presence of a cursor. Said cursor can be moved by a movement means (such as aforesaid) which is actuatable by an operator of the aircraft, so as to be able to be brought onto a sensitive object so as to designate it or mark it. When a sensitive object is designated, that is to say when the cursor is brought onto it, said sensitive object is marked or brought to the fore, in particular by a change of appearance such as a change of color or a highlighting for example. Said sensitive object is then said to be furnished with an “object marker” or “focus”. The validation (with the aid of an actuatable validation means such as aforesaid) of a sensitive object which is furnished with such an object marker triggers the execution of the function which is associated with said sensitive object.

Various dialog devices capable of designating and validating a sensitive object of the aforesaid type are known (FR-2 677 149 or FR-2 743 921).

Additionally, it is known that, increasingly often, certain interactive windows which are situated on the central screens of the flight deck, are common to the pilot and to the copilot, and require interactive access by these two pilots, it being possible for the crew's task to be managed alternately or in a concurrent manner by the pilot and/or the copilot. Thus, at a given instant, the cursor controlled by the pilot and the cursor controlled by the copilot can be allocated simultaneously to the same interactive window. It is then necessary, in particular for interaction consistency reasons and in order to avoid confusion, to manage the concurrence of use of these two cursors on the same interactive window.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,241 discloses a display system which comprises two cursor movement devices which are each capable of controlling a particular cursor and which are intended for two different operators (the pilot and the copilot of the aircraft for example). Except for the case where the two cursors designate the same sensitive object (in this case it is the control of the cursor that designated this sensitive object first which prevails), no priority is given to one or other of the pilots so that the two pilots can designate and validate simultaneously different sensitive objects of the same interactive window. Such a possibility entails risks of confusion and of error of interpretation between the various actions carried out by the pilot and the copilot and risks of inconsistency relating to the controlled operations. Such freedom of action can be dangerous for the safety of the flight, in particular when the interactive window, access to which is common to the two cursors, relates to functions, for example piloting functions, which act directly on the flight of the aircraft and on its immediate safety.

Additionally, document FR-2 821 445 (or U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,167) discloses a device for dialog between an operator of an aircraft and a system of the aircraft, which allows the operator, in particular a pilot of the aircraft, to control the execution of an emergency function if necessary, even if at this moment he is currently executing another (routine or non-routine) function. This dialog device comprises:

at least one screen capable of depicting at least two sensitive objects on at least two interactive windows, each of said sensitive objects being associated with one of a plurality of functions; and at least one cursor control device which is arranged so as to be able to be actuated by said operator and which comprises at least:

an actuatable movement means, capable of moving a cursor over a window so as to designate a sensitive object while revealing a main object marker; and an actuatable validation means, capable of validating a sensitive object which is furnished with said main object marker so as to execute the function which is associated with said sensitive object; and

auxiliary control means which are arranged so as to also be able to be actuated by said operator, which are intended to control an auxiliary object marker, without acting on the control of said main object marker, and which comprise:

at least one actuatable movement element, making it possible to generate a discrete movement of said auxiliary object marker, sensitive object by sensitive object, over an interactive window; and at least one actuatable validation element, making it possible to validate a sensitive object which is furnished with said auxiliary object marker so as to execute the function associated with said sensitive object.

Thus, when during the execution of a particular function [which has been controlled in a routine manner by designating and validating a sensitive object by way of said cursor control device controlling the main object marker (or cursor)], another function, in particular an emergency function, must be executed, the operator (who accesses said cursor control device and said auxiliary control means at one and the same time) can trigger the execution of this other function by way of said auxiliary control means, since the auxiliary object marker (or cursor) which is controlled by the latter means does not act on the control carried out by way of the main object marker (or cursor). Consequently, the second function (an emergency function for example) can be executed without the operator having to interrupt the ongoing execution of the first function (routine function envisaged in advance for example). The two executions are consequently controlled by the same operator.

This previous document FR-2 821 445 therefore does not relate to the cursor controls, which are carried out by different operators, but the possibility of one and the same operator controlling, in addition to the routine cursor, an auxiliary cursor which is intended for emergency situations. For this purpose, this previous document simply envisages the possibility of executing, at the same instant, different functions controlled by the two cursors. It therefore permits the auxiliary cursor to be able to also be controlled during routine control of the main cursor. This previous document does not therefore envisage any management of the concurrence of use of the two cursors on an interactive window and therefore does not make it possible to remedy the aforesaid drawbacks.

The present invention relates to a display system for an aircraft, in particular for a transport airplane, which makes it possible to remedy the aforesaid drawbacks.

For this purpose, according to the invention, said display system of the type comprising:

at least one interactive window which can be viewed on at least one screen and which comprises at least one sensitive object associated with a particular function; a cursor management device which comprises a first means which is capable of bringing a cursor into one of the following states:

an unallocated state, for which the corresponding cursor is not situated on the interactive window considered; and an active state, for which the cursor is situated on the interactive window, it can be moved over this interactive window, and it can validate a designated sensitive object;

at least one means of managing the display which is carried out on said interactive window; a first cursor control device which is capable of being actuated by a first pilot of the aircraft and which comprises:

at least one actuatable movement means, capable of moving a first cursor over said interactive window so as to designate a sensitive object; and at least one actuatable validation means, capable of validating a sensitive object which is designated by way of said first cursor so as to execute the function which is associated with said sensitive object; and

a second cursor control device which is capable of being actuated by a second pilot of the aircraft and which comprises:

at least one actuatable movement means, capable of moving a second cursor over said interactive window so as to designate a sensitive object; and at least one actuatable validation means, capable of validating a sensitive object which is designated by way of said second cursor so as to execute the function which is associated with said sensitive object,

is noteworthy in that said cursor management device comprises:

at least said first means which is controllable and which is capable of bringing each of said first and second cursors into one of the following states:

an unallocated state; an active state; a standby state, for which the corresponding cursor is situated on the interactive window, it can be moved over this interactive window, and it can validate a designated sensitive object, but only after having been brought into the active state by an actuation of the corresponding cursor control device; and an inactive state, for which the corresponding cursor is situated on the interactive window, but it cannot validate a designated sensitive object; and

at least one second means:

which is associated with said first means and controls said first means relating to the respective states of said first and second cursors, when they are both situated on the same interactive window; which comprises a memory for recording the last actions carried out on said cursor control devices; which controls said first means while taking account of said last actions carried out and recorded and of predetermined rules; and which controls said first means so that one of said cursors and one only is on each occasion in the active state when they are both situated on the same interactive window.

Thus, by virtue of the invention, the cursor management device makes it possible to manage the concurrence of use of two cursors when these two cursors (which are controlled by two different pilots of the aircraft) are situated simultaneously on one and the same interactive window. Moreover, as specified below, this management of the concurrence of use of the two cursors is particularly advantageous since it takes account of the last actions carried out on the cursor control devices and of predetermined (control) rules.

Consequently, the display system in accordance with the invention makes it possible to avoid the risk of confusion and of inconsistency of interaction which exists on the aforesaid routine display systems.

Accordingly, the present invention envisages in particular, in addition to the routine unallocated and active states, a standby state and an inactive state.

Preferably, said display system comprises a plurality of interactive windows, and said second means manages the respective states of said first and second cursors each time that they simultaneously lie on one and the same interactive window of the display system.

Of course, within the framework of the present invention, said cursor management device brings a cursor into one of the following states: the active state and the standby state, when this cursor is the only one that lies on an interactive window.

Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, said second means takes account of the following rules:

the first cursor is brought to the active state:

if it is placed on an interactive window and the second cursor is not in the active state on this interactive window; if it is in the standby state and the corresponding cursor control device is actuated; if it is in the inactive state and the corresponding cursor control device is actuated, while the second cursor is not in the active state;

the first cursor is brought to the inactive state:

if it is placed on an interactive window and the second cursor is already in the active state on this interactive window; if it is in the standby state and the second cursor is brought to the active state; and

the first cursor is brought to the standby state:

if it is in the active state and the corresponding cursor control device is not actuated for a predetermined duration; if it is in the inactive state and the second cursor is removed from the interactive window.

Furthermore, in a particular embodiment, said display system comprises a plurality of screens, some of which are intended for the first pilot of the aircraft and are capable of receiving said first cursor, some others of which are intended for the second pilot of the aircraft and are capable of receiving said second cursor, and yet others of which are common to said first and second pilots and are capable of receiving at one and the same time said first cursor and said second cursor, and each of said screens comprises at least one interactive window.

The figures of the appended drawing will clearly elucidate the manner in which the invention can be carried out. In these figures, identical references designate similar elements.

FIG. 1 is the schematic diagram of a display system in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a display system in accordance with the invention in a particular embodiment comprising a plurality of viewing screens.

FIG. 3 is a graphic making it possible to clearly portray the rules taken into account in the present invention for choosing the current state of two cursors situated on one and the same interactive window.

FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically show examples representing cursors, respectively in an active state and an inactive state.

The display system 1 in accordance with the invention and schematically represented in FIG. 1 is on board an aircraft, in particular a civil transport airplane, not represented, and is, preferably, arranged in the flight deck of this aircraft. This display system 1 can, in particular, be intended to allow dialog between at least one operator of the aircraft, in particular a pilot, and an embedded routine system (not represented), for example a flight management system.

Said display system 2 is of the type comprising:

a display set 3 which comprises at least one interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B. This interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B can be viewed on at least one screen E 1 and comprises at least one sensitive object (not represented) associated with a particular function, specified below; a cursor management device 2 which comprises a means 8 which is capable of bringing a cursor into one of the following states:

an unallocated state ET 1 , for which the corresponding cursor is not situated on the interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B considered; and an active state ET 2 , for which the cursor is situated on the interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B, it can be moved over this interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B, and it can validate a designated sensitive object, as specified below;

at least one routine means 4 for managing the display which is carried out on the interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B, this means 4 being connected by way of a link 5 to said screen E 1 ; a cursor control device 6 which is connected by way of a link 7 to said display set 3 , which is capable of being actuated by a first pilot of the aircraft, for example the controlling pilot, and which comprises:

at least one actuatable movement means 9 A, capable of moving a first cursor over said interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B so as to designate a sensitive object (not represented); and at least one actuatable validation means 9 B, capable of validating a sensitive object which is designated by way of said first cursor so as to execute the function which is associated with this sensitive object; and

a cursor control device 10 which is connected by way of a link 11 to said display set 3 , which is capable of being actuated by a second pilot of the aircraft, for example the copilot, and which comprises:

at least one actuatable movement means 13 A, capable of moving a second cursor over said interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B so as to designate a sensitive object; and at least one actuatable validation means 13 B, capable of validating a sensitive object which is designated by way of said second cursor so as to execute the function which is associated with this sensitive object.

In a particular embodiment represented in FIG. 2 , said display set 3 comprises a plurality of screens E 1 to E 8 . This set 3 is divided into two: one part being intended for the pilot, the left part 14 A for example, and the other part (right part 14 B) being intended for the copilot. With such a split, preferably, the screens E 3 to E 5 are intended for the pilot, the screens E 6 to E 8 are intended for the copilot, and the screens E 1 and E 2 are common to both. Said screens E 3 , E 5 , E 6 and E 8 each comprise one window respectively F 3 , F 5 , F 6 and F 8 , while the screens E 1 , E 2 , E 4 and E 7 each comprise two windows F 1 A and F 1 B, F 2 A and F 2 B, F 4 A and F 4 B, and F 7 A and F 7 B. It is of course conceivable that some screens comprise more than two windows.

Moreover, within the framework of the present invention, at least some of said windows F 1 A to F 8 , and at least one common window F 1 A, F 1 B, F 2 A, F 2 B, are interactive windows. An interactive window is a window which comprises sensitive objects (points, ranges, alphanumeric values, lists, menus, etc.) which are associated respectively with particular functions and which are sensitive to the presence of a cursor. A cursor can be moved by an associated movement means 9 A, 13 A which is actuatable by a pilot of the aircraft, so as to be able to be brought onto a sensitive object in order to designate it or mark it. When a sensitive object is designated, that is to say when the cursor is brought onto it, said sensitive object is marked or brought to the fore, in particular by a change of appearance such as a change of color or a highlighting for example. Said sensitive object is then said to be furnished with an “object marker” or “focus”. The validation (with the aid of an actuatable validation means 9 B, 13 B) of a sensitive object which is furnished with such an object marker triggers the execution of the function which is associated with said sensitive object.

It will be noted that the execution of a function can in particular correspond to:

the implementation of a control of an element (engine, lighting, etc.) of the aircraft or of a particular action; data input; access to information pages on a screen; and/or access to information or complementary actions without changing page.

According to the invention, said cursor management device 2 comprises:

said means 8 which is controllable and which is capable of bringing each of said first and second cursors into one of the following states:

an unallocated state ET 1 such as aforesaid; an active state ET 2 such as aforesaid; a standby state ET 3 , for which the corresponding cursor is situated on the interactive window considered, it can be moved over this interactive window, and it can validate a designated sensitive object, but only after having been brought into the active state ET 2 by an actuation of the corresponding cursor control device 6 , 10 , as specified below; and an inactive state ET 4 , for which the corresponding cursor is situated on the interactive window considered, but it cannot validate a designated sensitive object;

a means 15 which is connected by way of a link 16 to said means 8 and which controls this means 8 as regards the respective states of said first and second cursors, when they are both situated on one and the same interactive window of the display set 3 , as specified below; a memory 17 which comprises control rules specified below and which is either integrated within the element 15 , or connected to the latter by way of a link 18 ; and a recording means 19 which records the last actions carried out on the cursor control devices 6 and 10 by the pilots and which transmits this information by way of a link 20 to said element 15 . Accordingly, said recording means 19 is connected to said cursor control devices 6 and 10 respectively by way of links 21 and 22 which represent, preferably, CAN buses.

Moreover, according to the invention, said means 15 controls said means 8 while taking account of the last actions carried out by the pilots and recorded by the recording means 19 , as well as rules stored in the memory 17 , and it controls said means 8 so that one of said cursors and one only is on each occasion in the active state, when they are both situated on one and the same interactive window of the display system 1 , namely on one of the windows F 1 A, F 1 B, F 2 A and F 2 B of the display set 3 in the example of FIG. 2 .

Thus, by virtue of the invention, the cursor management device 2 makes it possible to manage the concurrence of use of two cursors when these two cursors (which are controlled by two different pilots of the aircraft) simultaneously lie on one and the same interactive window F 1 A, F 1 B, F 2 A, F 2 B. Moreover, this management of the concurrence of use of the two cursors is particularly advantageous, since it takes account of the last actions carried out on the cursor control devices 9 and 10 and of predetermined (control) rules.

Consequently, the display system 1 in accordance with the invention makes it possible to avoid the risk of confusion and of inconsistency of interaction which exists on the routine display systems.

Accordingly, the present invention envisages in particular, as specified above, in addition to the routine unallocated and active states, a standby state ET 3 and an inactive state ET 4 . It will be noted that, in the standby state ET 3 , the interactivity remains allocated to the cursor previously in the active state ET 2 (a first cursor for example). In this case:

if an action is detected at the level of the first cursor, it goes back to the active state ET 2 to allow the interactions of the crew; and if an action is detected at the level of the second cursor (for example movement of the second cursor or allocation of the second cursor to the window), then it is the second cursor which goes to the active state ET 2 and simultaneously the first cursor goes to the inactive state ET 4 .

It is therefore the standby state ET 3 which makes it possible to effectively manage the sharing of interactivity between the two cursors (decrease in the crew burden to restore a cursor to the active state), since a pilot can have the opportunity to restore the interactivity on his cursor without the other pilot being compelled by any means (or action) to place his cursor (previously active) either in the inactive state, or in the unallocated state.

As indicated previously, said display system 1 preferably comprises a plurality of interactive windows F 1 A to F 8 , and said means manages the respective states of said first and second cursors each time that they simultaneously lie on one and the same interactive window of the display system 1 .

Of course, within the framework of the present invention, said cursor management device 2 brings a cursor into one of the following states: the active state ET 2 or the standby state ET 3 , when this cursor is the only one that lies on an interactive window.

Represented in FIG. 3 is a graphic illustrating the control rules taken into account within the framework of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. These control rules are integrated in the memory 17 . In this preferred embodiment:

a first cursor (which can be either of the two cursors) is brought to the active state ET 2 :

if it is placed (that is to say if it is brought) on an interactive window and the second cursor is not in the active state on this interactive window, as illustrated by an arrow I 1 ; or if it is in the standby state ET 3 and the corresponding cursor control device 6 , 10 is actuated, as illustrated by an arrow T 2 ; or if it is in the inactive state ET 4 and the corresponding cursor control device 6 , 10 is actuated, while the second cursor is not in the active state, as illustrated by an arrow T 5 ;

the first cursor is brought to the inactive state ET 4 :

if it is placed (or brought) on an interactive window and the second cursor is already in the active state on this interactive window, as illustrated by an arrow 12 ; or if it is in the standby state ET 3 and the second cursor is brought to the active state, as illustrated by an arrow T 3 ;

the first cursor is brought to the standby state ET 3 :

if it is in the active state ET 2 and the corresponding cursor control device 6 , 10 has not been actuated for a predetermined duration, for example for three seconds, as illustrated by an arrow T 1 ; or if it is in the inactive state ET 4 and the second cursor is removed from the interactive window, as illustrated by an arrow T 4 ; and

said first cursor is brought to the unallocated state ET 1 (as illustrated by arrows K 1 , K 2 and K 3 ) if it is removed from the interactive window considered.

Thus, the display system 1 in accordance with the invention manages various states of the two cursors, so as to alternately allocate interactivity to one or other of the cursors according to the last actions carried out by the crew. Only a cursor which is in the active state ET 2 or in the standby state ET 3 is able to interact with a sensitive object which, preferably, complies with a routine standard of ARINC 661 type.

Additionally, to avoid confusion and allow each pilot to know whether his cursor can or cannot validate a sensitive object, the symbol illustrating the cursor can take, on an interactive window, one of the two forms represented respectively in FIGS. 4 and 5 . In this case, the symbol S 1 of FIG. 4 relates to an active state ET 2 or a standby state ET 3 , while the symbol S 2 of FIG. 5 relates to an inactive state ET 4 .