US 11,656,634 B2
Apparatus and method for providing enhanced autopilot mode awareness for a pilot of an aircraft
Santosh Mathan, Seattle, WA (US); Diblik Vasco, Albuquerque, NM (US); Ondrej Klusacek, Ochoz u Brna (CZ); Jonathan Matthew Wong, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Mark Peurifoy, Rio Rancho, NM (US)
Assigned to HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC., Morris Plains, NJ (US)
Filed on Feb. 28, 2018, as Appl. No. 15/907,893.
Prior Publication US 2019/0265731 A1, Aug. 29, 2019
Int. Cl. G05D 1/08 (2006.01); B64D 43/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/04 (2006.01); G01C 23/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 1/0816 (2013.01) [B64D 43/00 (2013.01); G01C 23/005 (2013.01); G05D 1/042 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for providing enhanced autopilot mode awareness for a pilot of an aircraft, comprising:
an autopilot control interface that allows the pilot to activate an operational mode of an autopilot system for the aircraft and to set selected aviation function parameters of the autopilot system; and
an autopilot status interface that is configured to display:
the operational mode of the autopilot system,
a current status of the selected aviation function parameters that are controlled by the autopilot system, where the current status is shown on a navigation (NAV) display,
any deviation between a target value of the selected aviation function parameters and an actual value of the selected aviation function parameters as shown on the NAV display, where the amount of deviation between the target value of the selected aviation function parameters and an actual value of the selected aviation function parameter is displayed on a deviation annunciation indicator located on the autopilot status interface,
a source indicator for navigation data shown on the NAV display, and
an indicator of anticipated changes to the heading, pitch and roll of the aircraft by the autopilot system to achieve the target value of the selected aviation function parameters, where the anticipated changes to the heading, pitch and roll of the aircraft by the autopilot system include supplemental cues that display the progress towards acquisition of the target value of the selected aviation function parameter.