The Boeing Company

Toan D Le

Darrell W Gaston, Jr

Paul W Bandy

Dwight R Schaeffer

Robert W Metzger

Dai H Pham

Richard A Bohlander

Charles R Fraser

Rex McCleary

Barrie W Hughlock

Richard M Schatz

Marshall T Okamoto

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

Method and system on an aircraft for converting plural data inputs and plural data outputs from a parallel format to a serial format is provided. The system includes an integrated software module that accepts plural variable number of inputs and generates a plural variable number of outputs; an analog input processing module that receives plural analog inputs, converts the analog inputs to digital data and sends the digital data to the integrated software module; a digital input processing module that receives discrete digital inputs and transfers the digital inputs to the integrated software module; a digital output module that receives data from the integrated software module; and an analog output module that receives digital data from the integrated software module and converts the digital data into analog data by using a digital to analog converter.

Parallel-to-serial converter

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

Growing community of inventors

Lynnwood, WA, United States of America

Toan D Le