Rockwell Collins, Inc.

David A Gribble

David L Leedom

Geoffrey A Shapiro

Colin D Reed

Joel Michael Wichgers

Brent James Nelson

Roger A Dana

Bryan C Schultz

Steven E Koenck

Sarah Barber

Scott J F Zogg

Michael N Newhouse

Theodore Jay Hoffmann

Robert Newgard

Richard A Freeman

Demetri Tsamis

Tony Vander Velden

Joseph F Jiacinto

Jerzy K Richter

David W Jennings

Steven R Miller

Angelo Ruggeri

Manas K Roy

Carl H Bode

Terry L Olson

Daniel S Skultety

Seth A Cooper

Daniel E Russell

James E Winfield

Jan M Heeren

Shannon D Hauerwas

A system may include a first radio comprising a first radio processor, a first radio modem, and a first radio transmitter configured to transmit non-hopping transmissions and hopping transmissions. The system may further include a second radio comprising a second radio processor, a second radio modem, and a second radio hopping receiver, wherein the second radio hopping receiver is a non-staring second radio receiver. The first radio may be configured to: receive a message and a destination for the message, the destination being the second radio; upon a determination that the destination has a non-staring receiver, store the message; determine a time interval start time for a cyclical hop pattern associated with the second radio; output the message from the memory to the first radio modem; output the message from the first radio modem to the first radio transmitter; and/or transmit the message to the second radio.

Radio having hybrid staring and non-staring architecture

A method includes detecting an initiation command to begin outputting text data received from a voice recognition system to a text buffer of an aircraft. The method includes recognizing user speech as the text data and outputting the text data to the text buffer for presentation to a user. The method further includes detecting an end command to end outputting the text data received from the voice recognition system to the text buffer. The method also includes receiving a confirmation input from the user, the confirmation input indicating that the user has confirmed accuracy of the text data of the text buffer. The method additionally includes receiving a destination selection from the user, the destination selection indicating a destination selected by the user for the text data of the text buffer. The method further includes outputting the text data of the text buffer to the destination selected by the user.

Avionics text entry, cursor control, and display format selection via voice recognition

The present disclosure is directed to a method for managing a graphical interface viewable on a display. The method may include the step of presenting a plurality of layout options, a layout option is at least one of a full window layout or a divided window layout. The method may also include the step of receiving a selection of a layout option from the plurality of layout options. A further step of the method includes presenting a preview of the selected layout option on the display. The method also includes the step of presenting a plurality of icons, each icon corresponding to an application. A further step of the method includes receiving a selection of an icon for display within the selected layout option, the selected icon being compatible for display in the selected layout option.

Graphical method to select formats

A mobile radio has more than one channel, each channel corresponding to a programmable transceiver circuit. The mobile radio also includes at least one high gain antenna coupled to at least one of the programmable transceiver circuits. A location determining circuit is configured to determine the location of the mobile radio. A processor is coupled to the transceivers and to the location determining circuit. The processor runs a program logic that is configured to identify whether the mobile radio is in a location that enables the mobile radio to extend the reach of the network both due to its location and due to the use of the at least one high gain antenna. The processor also runs a program logic to carry out spectrum sensing to identify available spectral resources based on communication traffic on various frequency bands.

Multi-channel mesh enhanced mobile radio handset

A method includes receiving text data corresponding to user speech recognized by a voice recognition system. The method also includes determining a desired radio and a desired radio frequency based at least on the text data. Additionally, the method includes performing one or more radio tuning operations to tune the desired radio to the desired radio frequency.

Voice radio tuning

An apparatus and system for a vehicular touchscreen system. The apparatus includes a bezel configured to surround a touchscreen of a vehicular touchscreen device. The bezel includes an outwardly extending bezel portion. The outwardly extending bezel portion extends outwardly in a direction at least partially having a component direction perpendicular to a surface of the touchscreen.

Bezel for vehicular touchscreen displays

An apparatus for providing format and display configuration selection includes a display device, a user interface device, and a computer control system communicatively coupled to the display device and the user interface device, wherein the computer control system is configured to initiate a display format selection menu in a display area of the display device, wherein the display format selection menu includes an application menu area, a display configuration area, and an application configuration preview area, select an application from the application menu area, select a display configuration from the display configuration area, generate a multi-application display preview by displaying the one or more selected applications in a configuration defined by the selected display configuration in the application preview area, and implement the previewed multi-application display in response to a signal received from the user interface device indicative of acceptance of the previewed multi-application display.

Format and display configuration selection of a display device

The present invention is directed to a flight controls system and a method for navigating an aircraft via the flight controls system implemented on-board an aircraft. The flight controls system may provide a first mode for allowing the aircraft to be autonomously navigated safely to a loiter zone in the event the pilot becomes incapacitated or unable to operate the aircraft. Further, the flight controls system may provide a second mode for providing autonomous landing functionality for the aircraft when the engines of the aircraft have failed.

Autonomous flight controls for providing safe mode navigation

A system for completing a walk around inspection of an aircraft is provided. The system may include a processor, a memory, and a user interface. The user interface also includes a user input system and a user output system. The user interface is configured for presenting a graphical checklist for a walk around inspection of an aircraft. The system also includes a communications device. The communications device is configured for communicating with an Onboard Maintenance System for the aircraft. The system, including the processor, memory, user interface and communications device, can be used to perform the inspection of the aircraft and provide a compliance record for the inspection.

Automated preflight walk around tool

A schematic display for presenting vertical navigation (VNAV) data is disclosed. A planned route such as a flight plan is divided into a series of VNAV legs, and only a VNAV schematic that corresponds to the active VNAV leg is displayed. The VNAV schematic in accordance with the present disclosure is a profile-view schematic for the active VNAV leg, providing a visual representation indicating the locations of the upcoming Top of Climb (TOC) or Top of Descent (TOD). Additional VNAV data may also be presented to provide content context. Since the schematic display in accordance with the present disclosure only displays VNAV data relevant to the active VNAV leg at a given time, the complexities associated with displaying the VNAV schematic is reduced, making the VNAV data easy to read and understand.

Schematic display for vertical navigation

The present disclosure is directed to a method for updating a system for providing a centralized status indication of an aircraft. The system includes a plurality of indicators, and the method includes the step of replacing the plurality of indicators with a single display. The display is configured for presenting an emulated view of the plurality of indicators. The next step of the method involves receiving status information for at least one indicator of the plurality of indicators from an existing logic associated with the plurality of indicators. The next step of the method is to display an emulated view of the plurality of indicators. The emulated view includes an icon associated with each indicator of the plurality of indicators, and each icon is placed in a similar geographical location as the associated indicator.

Emulation of aircraft advisory panels

A system for disabling touch panel input capabilities may include, but is not limited to: a touch panel device including a touch panel controller; a touch panel input processing device; an isolation switching means coupling at least one of a touch panel device and the touch panel controller to the touch panel input processing device; and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) detection system configured to provide control signals to the isolation switching means.

Touch panel deactivation systems and methods

An enhanced flight display system for an aircraft, including primary display controls, a flight display, and processing elements. The primary display controls provide a primary capability for performing defined display functions. The flight display includes a touchscreen input device being partitioned into a plurality of fixed touch regions that are responsive to touch so as to provide a secondary capability for performing defined flight display functions. The processing elements are operatively associated with the primary display controls and the flight display for implementing the defined flight display functions in response to utilization of the primary display controls or the touch of one of the touch regions, wherein operation of the fixed touch regions is configured to be independent of the primary display controls. This system provides an intuitive, aircraft optimized touchscreen interface to an aircraft flight display with no or minimal display design changes.

Enhanced flight display with improved touchscreen interface

The present invention is a MEMS-based broadband transceiver/sensor. A MEMS-based transceiver/sensor in accordance with the present invention may comprise: (a) an antenna; (b) a front-end triplexer block; (c) a plurality of N transceiving channels; and (d) an RF energy sensor. The front end triplexer block may comprise M triplexers, each triplexer having MEMS-based filters. The transceiving channels may each comprise: (i) a local oscillator; (ii) a mixer; (iii) a first N:1 MEMS-based switch; (iv) a plurality of N MEMS-based variable bandwidth bandpass filters; and (v) a second N:1 MEMS-based switch. The RF energy sensor may comprise: (vi) an M:1 MEMS-based switch; (vii) a local oscillator; (viii) a mixer; and (ix) a plurality of MEMS-based variable bandwidth bandpass filters.

MEMS-based broadband transceiver/sensor

A software defined radio system is described. The software defined radio comprises a modem bank at least partially defined by software running on a processor. The software defined radio also comprises an antenna group translator coupled to the modem bank. The software defined radio also comprises at least one antenna coupled to the antenna group translator. Further, the software defined radio comprises a program stored in a memory and running on the processor. The program is configured to generate a test signal to be leaked by the first of the at least two channels and to be received by the second of the two channels. The program is configured to automatically and autonomously verify the availability of a function of one of the at least two channels and determine the integrity of the function of the one of the at least two channels.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

David A Gribble