Enhanced video system control and yoke integration

A display control system with a thumb wheel input device affixed to a yoke gives a pilot access to video from various sensors. Up and down inputs of the thumb wheel control the brightness of an image on the display while an inward click or depression click of the thumb wheel acts as the yoke clear switch. A directional click left or right may toggle image contrast inversion, cycle input sources, or execute other functionality associated with specific image sources.

BACKGROUND

Heads-up displays (HUD) have the ability to put a video image in front of a pilot from any of a plurality of sources and sensors. State of the art avionics systems include enhanced video systems (EVS) connected to multiple video sources, including two or three camera images that may be merged. The display from a Radar system or synthetic vision system (SVS), generated from an aircraft position and a terrain database, can be sent as a video image to the HUD. EVS, Radar, and SVS can be merged into a combined vision system (CVS). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires a pilot yoke clear switch to remove video images from the pilot's line of sight. Such switch cannot be off of the yoke, as the pilot must be able to de-select video when 200 feet off the ground and close to landing.

Beyond the yoke clear switch, control mechanisms for some enhanced video functions are de-centralized and off the yoke, hindering a pilot's ability to easily manipulate the display. It would be advantageous to have a control mechanism for HUD video inputs that is mounted to the yoke and allows the pilot easy access to EVS, SVS, and CVS type functionality in any of a plurality of image sources.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a display control system with a control input affixed to a yoke to give a pilot access to enhanced functionality associated with various image sources and sensors.

A thumb wheel input device controls the brightness of an image displayed on the display while an inward click or depression click capability of the thumb wheel input device acts as the yoke clear switch.

In a further aspect, the thumb wheel input device includes directional click capabilities such as a left click and right click. A directional click input may toggle image contrast inversion, cycle input sources, or execute other functionality associated with specific image sources.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Broadly, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a display control system with a thumb wheel input device affixed to a yoke to give a pilot access to enhanced functionality associated with one or more video sources and sensors. The thumb wheel input device has a depression click capability acting as the yoke clear switch while the wheel rotation controls the brightness of an image displayed on the display.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, block diagrams of an exemplary embodiments of a system100and aircraft200according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein are shown. The system100includes a processor102, a memory104connected to the processor102for storing processor executable program code, a display106, such as a HUD, a windshield monitor, a display on an instrument panel, connected to the processor102, and one or more thumb wheel input devices108connected to the processor102. The one or more thumb wheel input devices108each provide a depression click capability which the processor102interprets to remove an image from the display106, and rotate up and rotate down functions which the processor102interprets to increase and decrease the brightness of the images on the display106respectively.

The system100also includes one or more image sources110,112connected to the processor102. The one or more thumb wheel input devices108each provide a first directional click capability and a second directional click capability. The processor102may interpret the first directional click and the second directional click to cycle between available image sources110,112, including a combined image source. In some embodiments, each of the one or more thumb wheel input devices108is associated with a specific image source. Alternatively, each of the one or more thumb wheel input devices108is associated with a specific display106.

In some embodiments, such image sources110,112may have specific functional features such as infrared capability, contrast inversion, etc. The processor102may interpret a first directional click to cycle through available image sources110,112while the processor102interprets a second directional click to cycle through available functional features specific to the current image source110or112.

While embodiments described herein are generally directed toward thumb wheel input devices108, other devices with similar functionality are envisioned. For example, some embodiments may comprise one or more spring biased thumb sticks constrained to horizontal or vertical deflection at one time. Some embodiments may comprise a touch sensitive device that is also capable of registering a depression click event.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, environmental views of an aircraft cockpit including an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are shown. An aircraft cockpit includes an aircraft yoke300incorporating a thumb wheel input device302and a display304. The thumb wheel input device302is capable of multiple input modalities400. For example, the thumb wheel input device300has a depression click functionality in addition to rotate up and rotate down. In some embodiments, the thumb wheel input device302also has a first directional click functionality (such as right-click) and a second directional click functionality (such as left-click).

Referring toFIGS. 5A and 5B, a display implementing an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein to adjust display brightness is shown. A processor receiving a rotate up event from a thumb wheel input device108on an aircraft yoke interprets the rotate up event as an instruction to increase brightness500of the display. Likewise, the processor receiving a rotate down event from the thumb wheel input device interprets the rotate down event as an instruction to decrease brightness502of the display.

Referring toFIGS. 6A and 6B, a display implementing an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein to change image sources is shown. A processor receiving a first directional click event (such as a left click) from a thumb wheel input device on an aircraft yoke interprets the first directional click event as an instruction to isolate a first image source600from an ordered list602of available image sources. Subsequent first directional click events may cycle through image sources in the ordered list602, where each image source contributes a portion of a composite image604.

In some embodiments, the processor may interpret a second directional click event (such as a right click) as an instruction to cycle through the ordered list602in an opposite direction. In other embodiments, the processor may interpret the second directional click event as an instruction to restore the composite image604.

Referring toFIGS. 7A and 7B, a display implementing an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts disclosed herein to perform contrast inversion is shown. A processor receiving a directional click event from a thumb wheel input device on an aircraft yoke interprets the directional click event as an instruction to switch between a normal image700and an inverted contrast image702.

In some embodiments, each of a plurality of image sources may be associated with specific functionality. Where a pilot cycles through image sources (such as inFIGS. 6A and 6B) via a first directional click event, the processor may identify specific functionality associated with a selected image source as it is selected, and actuate such special functionality via a second directional click event. Where the selected image source is associated with a plurality of special functions, subsequent second directional click events may cycle through all the available special functions.

Referring toFIG. 8, a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for manipulating display features in a display according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein is shown. An input is received800from a multi-function thumb wheel input device and an input type is determined802. Where the input type is a depression click, a corresponding display (such as a HUD) is cycled804on or off, or the image on the display is otherwise removed. Where the input type is a rotate up event or a rotate down event, the brightness of the display is increased or decreased802accordingly.

Where the input type is determine802to be a first directional click event, the display is cycled808through available image sources to establish a current image source; subsequent first directional click events further cycles through available image sources. Where the input type is determined802to be a second directional click event, all available functions associated with the current image source are identified810and cycled812through, with each subsequent second directional click event, actuating each function accordingly.

Referring toFIG. 9, a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for manipulating display features in a display according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein is shown. An input is received900from a multi-function thumb wheel input device and an input type is determined902. Where the input type is determined902to be a depression click, the corresponding display (such as a HUD) is cycled904to remove or display a signal from a current image source. Further, where multiple image sources are utilized to create a composite image, the depression click event may be interpreted to isolate and remove a single image source from the composite image.

Where the input type is determined902to be a first directional click event, available image sources are cycled906through to establish a current image source; subsequent first directional click events further cycle through available image sources. Where the input type is determined902to be a second directional click event, all available functions associated with the current image source are identified908and cycled910through with each subsequent second directional click event, actuating each function accordingly. Available functions may be displayed912with some indication of the current selected function.

Where the input type is determined902to be a rotate up event or rotate down event, an adjustable parameter associated with the current selected function is identified914and altered916, increasing or decreasing the magnitude of such adjustable parameter accordingly.

It is believed that the inventive concepts disclosed herein and many of their attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description of embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the broad scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein or without sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.