The Boeing Company

Dwight R Schaeffer

Robert W Metzger

Darrell W Gaston, Jr

Toan D Le

Paul W Bandy

Richard A Bohlander

James J Johnson

Mark E Smith

Mitchell J Piorkowski

Shannon J Kupfer

Dai H Pham

Steven D Flickinger

Rex McCleary

Guner Firuz

Binh C Truong

Steven L Wehr

Charles R Fraser

Julie M Shinn

Barrie W Hughlock

Richard M Schatz

Marshall T Okamoto

A security system adapted for use on an aircraft to prevent unauthorized access into a cockpit area of the aircraft via a cockpit door. The system includes a keypad accessible by individuals in a cabin area of the aircraft. A logic system is in communication with the keypad and also with a switch disposed inside the cockpit. Occupants of the cockpit, via the switch, have the ability to manually unlock the cockpit door, to deny the request for entry, or to do nothing, in which case the door will be automatically unlocked after the expiration of a predetermined time interval. A pressure sensor in communication with the controller allows the electronic door locking member to be automatically overridden, and the door immediately opened, in the event of a decompression condition occurring in the cockpit.

Avionic door lock system

An integrated communication system in an aircraft is provided. The system includes a plurality of solid state flight deck modules in an integrated flight deck panel, wherein the solid state flight deck modules include a microcontroller for interfacing with at least one data bus controller via a local bus; and a light emitting diode (LED) module for controlling backlit illumination of the integrated flight deck panel. The controller sends information to plural solid state flight deck modules via local buses and uses a system bus to communicate with aircraft subsystems. The controller also uses a central power supply module to supply regulated power to the plural solid state flight deck modules. Furthermore, at least one solid state flight deck module includes an integrated panel brightness control module, master brightness control module and/or a master dim and test control module.

System and apparatus for flight deck module integration

A Light Emitting Diode (LED) indicator that more efficiently dissipates heat generated by LEDs and other circuit components is provided. The LED indicator includes a housing and a printed circuit board contained within the housing. The printed circuit board includes first and second sides with two or more LEDs attached to the first and second sides of the printed circuit board and a regulating circuit for regulating current supplied to the LEDs. The regulating circuit includes a linear voltage regulator. The printed circuit board includes first and second thermal dissipation sections. The first thermal dissipation section is thermally connected with the two or more LEDs and the second thermal dissipation section is thermally connected with the linear voltage regulator. The housing is at least partially lined with a plurality of reflectors for reflecting light generated by the LEDs through a lens.

Light emitting diode indicator

A conventional light plate for a systems control panel is mounted on a machined front plate which, in turn, is maintained a predetermined uniform distance from a front printed wiring assembly (PWA). A plurality of systems control devices including one or more of switches (toggle switches, rotary switches, push button switches), rheostats and annunciators are mounted on the front plate and front PWA. Each of the systems control devices has one or more solid state elements mounted on the PWA. For example, the switches carry small magnets which, by manipulation of operating switch levers or knobs, move into and out of close proximity to magnet sensitive switching devices mounted on the front PWA.

Solid state flight deck modules and components thereof

Aircraft input signals of selected altitude (h.sub.s), selected vertical speed (h.sub.s), current altitude (h), current vertical speed (h), current pitch attitude (.theta.), current normal acceleration (N.sub.z) and current pitch rate (Q) are processed to produce an elevator command (.delta..sub.e) that will result in a smooth vertical transition of the aircraft for various autopilot vertical maneuvers, including altitude capture and hold, glideslope capture and hold, and flare control.

Aircraft vertical position control system

Growing community of inventors

Mercer Island, WA, United States of America

Dwight R Schaeffer