According to one embodiment, a cockpit display system includes display tiles that together form a single, continuous display screen, a content generation unit configured to generate content instructions that instruct the display screen to display content comprising a plurality of information portions, a display feedback unit, and a content prioritization unit. Each information portion of the plurality of information portions is to be displayed on one or more display tiles of the plurality of display tiles. The display feedback unit is configured to detect a malfunction of one or more malfunctioning display tiles of the plurality of display tiles. The content prioritization unit is configured to instruct the content generation unit to generate updated content instructions. The updated content instructions move at least some of the information portions associated with the one or more malfunctioning display tiles to one or more display tiles that are not experiencing the malfunction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to cockpit display systems, and more particularly, to a ballistic-resilient cockpit display.

BACKGROUND

A rotorcraft may include one or more rotor systems. One example of a rotorcraft rotor system is a main rotor system. A main rotor system may generate aerodynamic lift to support the weight of the rotorcraft in flight and thrust to counteract aerodynamic drag and move the rotorcraft in forward flight. Another example of a rotorcraft rotor system is a tail rotor system. A tail rotor system may generate thrust in the same direction as the main rotor system's rotation to counter the torque effect created by the main rotor system.

SUMMARY

Particular embodiments of the present disclosure may provide one or more technical advantages. A technical advantage of one embodiment may include the capability to provide a single display with internal redundancy capability. A technical advantage of one embodiment may include the capability to have prioritized content and to relocate content based on the prioritization in response to sensed damage to a portion of the display.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include some, all, or none of the above advantages. One or more other technical advantages may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1shows a rotorcraft100according to one example embodiment. Rotorcraft100features a rotor system110, blades120, a fuselage130, a landing gear140, and an empennage150. Rotor system110may rotate blades120. Rotor system110may include a control system for selectively controlling the pitch of each blade120in order to selectively control direction, thrust, and lift of rotorcraft100. Fuselage130represents the body of rotorcraft100and may be coupled to rotor system110such that rotor system110and blades120may move fuselage130through the air. Landing gear140supports rotorcraft100when rotorcraft100is landing and/or when rotorcraft100is at rest on the ground. Empennage150represents the tail section of the aircraft and features components of a rotor system110and blades120′. Blades120′ may counter the torque effect created by rotor system110and blades120. Teachings of certain embodiments relating to rotor systems described herein may apply to rotor system110and/or other rotor systems, such as other tilt rotor and helicopter rotor systems. It should also be appreciated that teachings from rotorcraft100may apply to aircraft other than rotorcraft, such as airplanes and unmanned aircraft, to name a few examples.

Operation of an aircraft such as rotorcraft100may require that a pilot be able to see a variety of gauges that indicate different operating aspects of the aircraft. Thanks to advances in modern avionics, it is now possible to use electronic displays, such as liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens, to show gauge information instead of using traditional mechanical gauges. In some aircraft, touch screens may be used to allow aircraft personnel to manipulate information shown on the display.

Some information displayed in a cockpit, however, may be critical to operating the aircraft, and a display failure could jeopardize the pilot's ability to safely operate the aircraft. For example, if the aircraft is a military aircraft deployed in a forward area, a bullet could strike a standard display and render the entire display unusable.

Accordingly, some aircraft include redundant cockpit information displays so that if one display malfunctions, the pilot can still see the information on the other display. This approach, however, increases weight and cost by requiring installation of additional, redundant displays in the cockpit. In addition, cockpit space is a limited resource, and eliminating these redundant displays could free up space to display other information.

Accordingly, teachings of certain embodiments recognize the capability to provide a single display with internal redundancy capability. Teachings of certain embodiments recognize the capability of the single display to have prioritized content and to relocate content based on the prioritization in response to sensed damage to a portion of the display.

FIG. 2shows a cockpit display system200that may at least partially be disposed with an aircraft such as within the body130of rotorcraft100. Cockpit display system200features a display210, a content system220, and a transmission unit230, all or some of which may be implemented by one or more computer systems10and accessible by one or more users5. In operation, according to one example embodiment, content system220instructs transmission unit230to display information on display210.

Users5may access cockpit display system200through computer systems10. For example, in some embodiments, users5may provide flight control inputs that may be processed using a computer system10. Users5may include any individual, group of individuals, entity, machine, and/or mechanism that interacts with computer systems10. Examples of users5include, but are not limited to, a pilot, service person, engineer, technician, contractor, agent, and/or employee. Users5may be associated with an organization. An organization may include any social arrangement that pursues collective goals. One example of an organization is a business. A business is an organization designed to provide goods or services, or both, to consumers, governmental entities, and/or other businesses.

Computer system10may include processors12, input/output devices14, communications links16, and memory18. In other embodiments, computer system10may include more, less, or other components. Computer system10may be operable to perform one or more operations of various embodiments. Although the embodiment shown provides one example of computer system10that may be used with other embodiments, such other embodiments may utilize computers other than computer system10. Additionally, embodiments may also employ multiple computer systems10or other computers networked together in one or more public and/or private computer networks, such as one or more networks30.

Processors12represent devices operable to execute logic contained within a medium. Examples of processor12include one or more microprocessors, one or more applications, and/or other logic. Computer system10may include one or multiple processors12.

Input/output devices14may include any device or interface operable to enable communication between computer system10and external components, including communication with a user or another system. Example input/output devices14may include, but are not limited to, a mouse, keyboard, display, and printer.

Network interfaces16are operable to facilitate communication between computer system10and another element of a network, such as other computer systems10. Network interfaces16may connect to any number and combination of wireline and/or wireless networks suitable for data transmission, including transmission of communications. Network interfaces16may, for example, communicate audio and/or video signals, messages, internet protocol packets, frame relay frames, asynchronous transfer mode cells, and/or other suitable data between network addresses. Network interfaces16connect to a computer network or a variety of other communicative platforms including, but not limited to, a public switched telephone network (PSTN); a public or private data network; one or more intranets; a local area network (LAN); a metropolitan area network (MAN); a wide area network (WAN); a wireline or wireless network; a local, regional, or global communication network; an optical network; a satellite network; a cellular network; an enterprise intranet; all or a portion of the Internet; other suitable network interfaces; or any combination of the preceding.

Memory18represents any suitable storage mechanism and may store any data for use by computer system10. Memory18may comprise one or more tangible, computer-readable, and/or computer-executable storage medium. Examples of memory18include computer memory (for example, Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory (ROM)), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), database and/or network storage (for example, a server), and/or other computer-readable medium.

In some embodiments, memory18stores logic20. Logic facilitates operation of computer system10. Logic20may include hardware, software, and/or other logic. Logic20may be encoded in one or more tangible, non-transitory media and may perform operations when executed by a computer. Logic20may include a computer program, software, computer executable instructions, and/or instructions capable of being executed by computer system10. Example logic20may include any of the well-known OS2, UNIX, Mac-OS, Linux, and Windows Operating Systems or other operating systems. In particular embodiments, the operations of the embodiments may be performed by one or more computer readable media storing, embodied with, and/or encoded with a computer program and/or having a stored and/or an encoded computer program. Logic20may also be embedded within any other suitable medium without departing from the scope of the invention.

Various communications between computers10or components of computers10may occur across a network, such as network30. Network30may represent any number and combination of wireline and/or wireless networks suitable for data transmission. Network30may, for example, communicate internet protocol packets, frame relay frames, asynchronous transfer mode cells, and/or other suitable data between network addresses. Network30may include a public or private data network; one or more intranets; a local area network (LAN); a metropolitan area network (MAN); a wide area network (WAN); a wireline or wireless network; a local, regional, or global communication network; an optical network; a satellite network; a cellular network; an enterprise intranet; all or a portion of the Internet; other suitable communication links; or any combination of the preceding. Although the illustrated embodiment shows one network30, teachings of certain embodiments recognize that more or fewer networks may be used and that not all elements may communicate via a network. Teachings of certain embodiments also recognize that communications over a network is one example of a mechanism for communicating between parties, and any suitable mechanism may be used.

In the example ofFIG. 2, display210is comprised of a plurality of display tiles212. These display tiles210together form a single, continuous display210. From the perspective of the pilot or another user5, the fact that display210is comprised of a plurality of display tiles212may not necessarily be apparent.

Display tiles212may be configured to operate independently such that a malfunction of one display tile212does not cause the other display tiles212to malfunction. If, for example, rotorcraft100were to receive gunfire and a bullet were to destroy one of the display tiles212, the remaining display tiles212could continue to operate normally.

Display tiles212may be of any suitable size. Typically, display tiles212would be substantially larger than a pixel, and in fact, one display tile212may contain many pixels. On the other hand, display tiles212may be small enough that a malfunction of one display212does not substantially affect the overall usability of display210.FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow an example display300according to one example embodiment. Display300may represent an example embodiment of the display210ofFIG. 2. Display300may represent, for example, a single cockpit display large enough to be visible by both a pilot and a copilot situated in the cockpit of an aircraft such as rotorcraft100.

In the example ofFIG. 3A, display300is undamaged, with all display tiles working properly. In the example ofFIG. 3B, however, several display tiles312are damaged. In particular, a single display tile312is damaged on the left side of display300, a single display tile is damaged towards the upper center of display300, two adjacent display tiles are damaged toward the lower center of display300, and four adjacent display tiles are damaged toward the right of display300.

Returning to the example ofFIG. 2, content system220provides content for display on display210. This content may be provided in the form of content instructions that instruct display210to display content comprising a plurality of information portions.

FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow example information portions322a-322i. In these examples, information portions322a-322icontain different pieces of information that are displayed for the pilot or copilot. Each information portion322a-322iis displayed on one or more of the display tiles312of display300.

Returning to the example ofFIG. 2, content system220features a content generation unit222and a content prioritization unit224. Content generation unit222generates the information portions for display on display300. In one example embodiment, content generation unit222receives content input from outside sources (such as sensors or other equipment located on or off the aircraft) and converts the received content input into a format suitable for display on display300. As one example, content generation unit222may receive airspeed information from an airspeed sensor, generate an information portion that contains the airspeed information, and provide instructions to display300for how to display the generated information portion.

Content prioritization unit224identifies display priorities among two or more information portions. Priorities among information portions may be used to determine where information portions should be displayed on display300. In some embodiments, content prioritization unit224may identify, for each information portion, a prioritized list of locations where the information portion should be displayed on display300. In some embodiments, content prioritization unit224may identify prioritization between different information portions such that, if two information portions are to be displayed in the same space on display300, content prioritization unit224will instruct transmission unit230to only display the higher-priority information portion in that space and will move the lower-priority information portion to an alternative space.

This latter example might occur if a display tile that includes at least part of an information portion is destroyed. In the example ofFIG. 3B, none of the nonfunctioning display tiles312interfere with information portions322a-322i. In some scenarios, however, display tiles carrying information portions may be destroyed. In these scenarios teachings of certain embodiments recognize the capability to move the information portions to alternative display tiles that are still functioning.

FIGS. 3C and 3Dshow an example scenario in which destruction of a display tile interferes with display of an information portion. In the example ofFIG. 3C, a bullet has penetrated the corners of four display tiles312that were responsible for displaying information portion322d. InFIG. 3D, information portion322dis moved to the right of the four damaged display tiles312so that information portion322dcan be displayed in its entirety. The new location of information portion322dmay have been chosen, for example, based on information provided by content prioritization unit224. For example, the location to the right of the four damaged display tiles312may have been the next-highest-priority location for information portion322d.

If, in an alternative example, the next-highest-priority location for information portion322dinterfered with another information portion, content prioritization unit224would be responsible for resolving the conflict between the two information portions. For example, inFIG. 3D, the next-highest-priority location for information portion322dmay actually have been above the four damaged display tiles312where information portion322cis located, but information portion322cmay have had a higher priority than information portion322d; in this example, the location to the right of the four damaged display tiles312may actually represent the third-highest-priority location for information portion322d, and content prioritization unit224may have chosen this location because the second-highest-priority location (above the four damaged display tiles312) was occupied by a higher-priority information portion (information portion322c).

Prioritization may be based on a variety of criteria. For example, prioritization may be based on how important each information portion is to flight safety. Thus, flight-critical information has a higher priority than non-flight-critical information. As another example, prioritization may be based on the goal of keeping information portions as close to their original locations as possible.

In some scenarios, a single display tile malfunction can trigger relocations of multiple information portions. For example, consider a display300that is large enough to serve as the primary display for both a pilot and a copilot. In this example, some information portions may be shown twice on display300, in one location for the pilot and in another location for the copilot. If a malfunctioning display tile interrupts transmission of one information portion, content prioritization unit224may instruct transmission unit230to display the information portion in a new, single location visible to both the pilot and the copilot.

Returning to the example ofFIG. 2, content system220may provide the content for display on display210. However, as explained above, although display210may resemble a single, continuous display, display210may actually be comprised of a plurality of display tiles, each display tile being capable of independent operation such that a malfunction in one display tile does not render the other display tiles inoperable.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, transmission unit230may be responsible for converting the single content display stream provided by content system220into a plurality of display streams unique to each display tile of display210. In one example embodiment, transmission unit230receives one display stream from content system220, generates a plurality of sub-streams corresponding to each display tile, and transmits each sub-stream to its corresponding display tile.

In the example ofFIG. 2, transmission unit230also features a display feedback unit232. Display feedback unit232may be responsible for identifying the operational status of each display tile. For example, display feedback unit232may be able to alert content system220when a particular display tile of display210has stopped functioning. In this example, the alert may trigger content system220to move one or more information portions, as described above.

Display feedback unit232may identify the operational status of each display tile in a variety of ways. In one example embodiment, display feedback unit232may transmit a status signal to each display tile, and each display tile may be configured to transmit a feedback signal back to display feedback unit232in response to the status signal. In this example, display feedback unit232may presume that a display tile is not functioning properly if it does not return a feedback signal in response to the status signal.

In some embodiments, operational status of a display tile may be determined on a pixel by pixel basis. For example, display feedback unit232may determine the operational status of each pixel, and a display tile may deemed to be malfunctioning if a certain number or percentage of pixels within the display tile are malfunctioning.

Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems and apparatuses described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. Moreover, the operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. The methods may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order.

Although several embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail, it will be recognized that substitutions and alterations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.