Display system

Abstract

A display system for displaying a layout of controls including at least one of an information display, a switch such as a toggle or push-button switch, and a monitoring device such as an indicator, or a gauge, for a vehicle, the display system including a touch sensitive screen which is generally transparent over a significant portion of its area, and a plurality of projectors which project onto a back of the screen, images of the vehicle controls, the projectors each being operatively connected to a computer controller which responds to the front of the screen being touched where a depicted control is displayed, to change the display in a manner to mimic the result of a corresponding actual vehicle control being operated.

1 . A display system for displaying a layout of controls including at least one of an information display, a switch, and a monitoring device, for a vehicle, the display system including a touch sensitive screen which is generally transparent over a significant portion of its area, and a plurality of projectors which project onto a back of the screen, images of vehicle controls, the projectors each being operatively connected to a computer controller which responds to the front of the screen being touched where a depicted control is displayed, to change the display in a manner to mimic the result of a corresponding actual vehicle control being operated.  
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the layout of controls is changeable by operating the computer controller.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the display screen is of generally the same size as the depicted control layout.  
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the display screen is generally of the same shape as the depicted control layout.  
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 4  wherein the controls to be depicted are provided on an instrument panel and the display screen mimics the instrument panel shape.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the controls to be depicted include an information display, the image displayed of the information being a dynamic image.  
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 6  wherein the nature of the dynamic image is changeable by touching the screen in a position where a control is depicted, which in an actual vehicle, when the control is operated, would change the information displayed.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1  herein the computer controller receives at least one input from a modelled analogue control, which input results in a displayed control image being changed.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein the modelled analogue control, when moved, results in a change in the display analogous to the manner in which the display may change upon a corresponding control in an actual vehicle being operated.  
   
   
       10 . A control apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle including a plurality of controllable actuators, the control apparatus including a display system for displaying a layout of controls including at least one of an information display, a switch, and a monitoring device, the display system including a touch sensitive screen which is generally transparent over a significant portion of its area, the display being controllable by a computer controller which responds to the front of the screen being touched where a depicted control is displayed, to provide a signal which is used to operate a vehicle actuator.  
   
   
       11 . A control apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the computer controller of the display system in use, receives one or more inputs from sensors and the like which are responsive to changing vehicle parameters, the display including an information display which changes in response to vehicle parameters changing.  
   
   
       12 . A control apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the display system is adapted to display the images of the controls in different positions for different vehicle operators.  
   
   
       13 . A control apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the computer controller recognises the identity of a particular controller who will control the vehicle.  
   
   
       14 . A vehicle including a control apparatus, the vehicle including a plurality of controllable actuators, the control apparatus including a display system for displaying a layout of controls including at least one of an information display, a switch, and a monitoring device, the display system including a touch sensitive screen which is generally transparent over a significant portion of its area, the display being controllable by a computer controller which responds to the front of the screen being touched where a depicted control is displayed, to provide a signal which is used to operate a vehicle actuator.  
   
   
       15 . A vehicle according to  claim 14  wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.  
   
   
       16 . A method of controlling a vehicle in which the vehicle includes a plurality of actuators to be controlled, and a display system for displaying a layout of controls including at least one of an information display, a switch, and a monitoring device, the display system including a touch sensitive screen which is generally transparent over a significant portion of its area, the display being controlled by a computer controller which responds to the front of the screen being touched where a depicted control is displayed, to provide a signal which is used to operate a vehicle actuator, the method including identifying a controller who is to operate the vehicle, and displaying the images of the controls in positions depending upon the identity of the vehicle operator.