Instrument panel cross check training device

An assemblage of instruments such as in an aircraft instrument panel, either actually in an aircraft or training simulator pictured in various states of activation, are positioned behind a selectively programmed viewing device. Various individual instruments are programmed for viewing (one or more) while the remainder of the instruments are obscured behind a ported plate having partial instrument indicia on the face thereof and with the pattern of instrument ports having individual windows individually actuated by a control circuit controlling timing and sequence. This is a training aid with timing and sequence viewing improving the viewing comprehension skills of a pilot or student pilot using the training device. One embodiment is a timed and sequentially controlled system using on and off back lighting of individual instruments of a translucent aircraft instrument panel portrayal in order to enhance a users instrument viewing skills. In another embodiment liquid crystal panels are controlled between white translucent scattering and optical clear modes for timed and sequenced through the port viewing of instruments controlled by varied settings of the control circuit.

This invention relates in general to instrument reading training, and more 
particularly, to an aircraft instrument panel cross check training device 
for pilots with various instruments displayed in short period on/off 
controlled intervals in sequential order as determined by a control 
circuit. 
Aviation instrument flying is important and being proficient in instrument 
flying and being able to pass instrument cross checks for instrument 
flying is important for commercial pilots. It is important for a pilot to 
be able to scan an aircraft instrument panel efficiently, comprehending 
the instrument information portrayed in short intervals of time. Many 
instrument flying trainees have tended to develop various bad habits that 
must be overcome for them to develop into good proficient instrument 
pilots. Even experienced instrument flying qualified pilots at times 
develop habits that should be countered and periodically corrected, for 
example, instrument fixation developing without conscious awareness that 
can impair a pilots instrument flying proficiency. In aircraft flight 
training flight instrumentation operation is taught along with 
interpretation of instrument display in the aircraft. An aircraft 
instrument cross check is a very important phase of instrument flying with 
such cross checking a proper division of attention and interpretation of 
the information displayed on the flight instruments of any particular 
aircraft particularly equipped for instrument flying and especially blind 
flying. 
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to optimize the 
division of attention and interpretation of the information displayed by 
instruments on the instrument panel of an aircraft. 
Another object is to improve a pilots instrument flying abilities. 
A further object is to counter and overcome bad habits a pilot may develop 
in instrument flying. 
Still another object is to make instrument flight training more efficient, 
safer and less expensive. 
Another object is to make a pilot more at ease in the instrument flight 
training environment with less stress and strain being experienced in the 
training environment. 
Features of the invention useful in accomplishing the above objects 
include, in an aircraft instrument panel cross check training device, an 
assemblage of instruments such as in an aircraft instrument panel, either 
actually in an aircraft or training simulator or pictured in various 
states of activation, positioned behind a selectively programmed viewing 
device. Various individual instruments are programmed for viewing (one or 
more) while the remainder of the instruments are obscured behind a ported 
plate having partial instrument indicia on the face thereof and with the 
pattern of instrument ports having individual windows individually 
actuated by a control circuit controlling time and sequence. This is a 
training aid with timing and sequence viewing improving the viewing 
comprehension skills of a pilot or student pilot using the training 
device. One embodiment is a timed and sequentially controlled system using 
on and off back lighting of individual instruments of a translucent 
aircraft instrument panel portrayal in order to enhance a users instrument 
viewing skills. In another embodiment liquid crystal panels are controlled 
between white translucent scattering and optical clear modes for timed and 
sequenced through the port viewing of instruments controlled by varied 
settings of the control circuit. With still another embodiment instruments 
are displayed on the face of a CRT tube or on a back projection screen 
with liquid crystal panels placed before sections of the face of a CRT 
tube or a back projection screen being used. Video recording of the 
instrument panel portrayal through an entire aircraft flight can be 
displayed on the CRT tube face or on the back projection screen for use 
with the instrument training device. 
Specific embodiments representing what are presently regarded as the best 
modes of carrying out the invention are illustrated in the accompanying 
drawings.

Referring to the drawings: 
The aircraft instrument panel cross check training device 20 of FIGS. 1, 2 
and 3 is carried in case 21, shown to have lid 22 open in FIGS. 1, 2 and 
3, with the liquid crystal panel 23 having six liquid crystal pads 24 held 
in the top of the case interior by opposite end brackets 25 and opposite 
side brackets 26. Control box 27 is also shown in case 21 below the liquid 
crystal panel 23 that is held in place by case lid 22 resiliently 
compresible pads 27A when the lid is closed, pivoted to the closed state 
about flexible hinge 28, with latches 29 latched at the carrying handle 30 
end of the case 21. The control box 27 has a front control panel face 30A 
with a timer cycle control section 31 with a display timer switch 31A and 
a number of cycles switch 31B, a continuous cycle switch 32, an "ALL ON" 
switch 33, a start button 34, a power switch 35 and an "ON" light 36. 
Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5 the interrelation of the ITO (Indian Tin 
Oxide) film layers, a common ITO layer 37 and individual ITO layers 38A, 
38B, 38C, 38D, 38E and 38F are shown in the plan view of FIG. 4. There is 
an epoxy liquid crystal formulation layer 40 generally coextensive with 
the respective ITO layers 38 (A-F) and between each of the ITO layers 38 
and the common ITO layer 37. The plurality of liquid crystal built up pads 
39 (A-F) are further shown in the partial cut away side elevation showing 
of FIG. 5. Each multiple layer crystal pad structure 39 (A-F) includes a 
center liquid crystal epoxy formulation layer 40, a common ITO (Toray 
Polyester Q-76) film layer 37 below layer 40 and an ITO film 38 (A-F), 
respectively, above each individual layer 40, plastic layer 41 below ITO 
layer 37, and therebelow glass layer 42. There is a plastic layer 43 above 
the ITO films 38 (A-F) and a glass layer 44 thereabove. Referring 
additionally to the FIG. 6 control circuit 45 a sixty cycle 120 volt AC 
power source is connected through plug 46 to transformer coils 47 and 48 
with secondary coil 49 connected across opposite terminals of four diode 
rectifier circuit 50 having opposite dc output terminals connected to dc 
voltage regulator circuit 51 with a plus 5 volt output terminal 52 and a 
ground connection 53. An additional secondary transformer coil 54 is 
series connected with secondary coil 59 to provide AC through lines 55 and 
56 to the control circuit 45 and to the common ITO film layer 37. The plus 
five volt regulated dc output terminal 52 is connected to control circuit 
45 dc terminal points 57, 58, 59 and 60 with dc points 57 circuit bias 
connected to the 0 to 9 second step timer switch 31A and to micro 
processor chip circuit 61. The plus five volt dc point 58 is bias 
connected to the 0 to 9 number of cycles switch 31B and to micro processor 
chip circuit 61. The plus five volt dc point 59 is bias connected to 
continuous cycle switch 32, the "ALL ON" switch 33 and the micro processor 
chip circuit 61. The plus five volt dc point 60 is connected as a dc power 
input to AC output control signal power controlling chip circuits 62 (A-F) 
with, respective, output Ac lines 63 (A-F) connected to individual ITO 
layers 38 (A-F). 
The timer switch 31A is settable in 0 to 9 period intervals, with the 
intervals settable to different values, of on time that AC is applied 
through individual lines 63 (A-F) for individual ITO layers 38 (A-F) to 
make the liquid crystal formulation layer 40 of, respective, multiple 
layer liquid crystal pad structures 39 (A-F) transparent as opposed to 
being opaque for time internal viewing of the instrument showing 
therebehind. In an alternate embodiment liquid crystal formulation layers 
would be used that are transparent when no AC voltage is applied to 
associated ITO layers and translucent when AC voltage is applied. In 
addition the number of instrument scanning cycles can be set from 0 to 9 
cycles by number of cycles switch 31B for control circuit 45 producing the 
set number of instrument viewing cycles. With different instrument viewing 
time interval settings along with varied numbers of viewing cycles being 
set performance of a pilots proficiency in flight instrument cross check 
as to flight instrumentation information perceived can be determined and 
with training practice improved. 
In the control circuit 45 microprocessor 61 is typically a n68705 
intergrated circuit (IC) chip 62A a DAIA058W IC, and chips 62 (B-E) are 
1A05BW intergrated circuits. In each of the various embodiments presented 
herein the liquid crystal panel 23 is mounted on a six circular ported 64 
(A-F) plate 65 with the circular ports 64 (A-F) spaced and sized to the 
aircraft panel display they overlay. The liquid crystal panel 23 can be 
mounted on either the front or the back of plate 65 except not on the back 
of 65' that, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 8A, has a three sided 66L, 66R and 
66B grooved 67 receptacle on the back of plate 65' so it is more 
convenient to mount a liquid crystal panel 23 on the front of plate 65' if 
one were used. 
The control circuit 45 is contained within the control box 27 that is 
connected via multi line cable 68, as shown in FIG. 7, to the liquid 
crystal panel 23 on plate 65 positioned in front of a cathode ray tube 
(CRT) face 69 for use in front of instruments displayed on the face 69. 
Alternatively, face 69 would be the viewing face of a back projection 
screen. 
Referring again to FIGS. 8 and 8A and also to FIGS. 9 and 10 the plate 
static instrument indication portrayal 70, replaceable one for another, 
are received in three sided 66L, 66R and 66B grooved 67 receptacle backed 
by a six compartmented back lighting box 71 with the six compartments 71 
(A-F). These are carried in a container 72 along with control box 27 that 
is removed from container 72 when the training system is being used. The 
control box 27 is the same as with the other embodiments with, however, 
line 56 connected through cable 68 in common to all the light bulbs 73 
(A-F) and the lines 63 (A-F) connected individually as the other lead of 
each of the light bulbs 73 (A-F). Batteries 74 are also carried in 
container 72 for dc power with control box 27 modified for dc power 
control if desired. Light bulbs 73 (A-F) are rated to the voltage power 
supplied from control box 27. 
Whereas this invention has been described with respect to several 
embodiments thereof, it should be realized that various changes may be 
made without departure from the essential contributions to the art made by 
the teachings hereof.