Patent ID: 8493240
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: G01R,G05D,G08G

Abstract:
1. An operational flight phase determination, indication and configuration system for an aircraft, comprising: a) input/output circuitry for receiving an operational flight phase selector output signal, aircraft sensor signals, and on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information; b) a processor coupled to said input/output circuitry; c) a flight phase data table coupled to said processor, said flight phase data table including a list of the defined operational flight phases for the aircraft; d) a flight phase transition rules set coupled to said processor, said flight phase transition rules set including flight rules for defining flight phase transitions; e) an aircraft system configuration data table coupled to said processor, said aircraft system configuration data table including a list of the defined configurations for each operational flight phase and the aircraft system configuration settings for each said configuration; f) program memory and working memory coupled to said processor, wherein said processor uses input from said input/output circuitry, said flight phase data table, said flight phase transition rules set, said program memory, said working memory and said aircraft system configuration data table to provide an operational mode signal indicating the operational mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal; g) a display indicator driver coupled to said processor for providing display indicator driver signals to an operational flight phase indicator in accordance with said operational mode signal; and, h) a plurality of output drivers coupled to said processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with said configuration command signal.