Display system

Abstract

A display system for displaying a layout of controls in a simulator 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 . (canceled) 
   
   
       2 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle comprising:
 a back-projected touch sensitive display screen;   a computer controller which
 displays virtual controls for the simulated vehicle in a selected layout on said display screen, 
 senses touching of at least one of the virtual controls displayed on said display screen and changes the displaying of the virtual controls on said display screen to mimic a result of a corresponding actual vehicle control being operated, and 
 reconfigures the selected layout of the virtual controls on said display screen in response to an associated input. 
   
   
   
       3 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , further including a plurality of projectors controlled by said computer controller which project, onto a back of the display screen, images of the virtual controls. 
   
   
       4 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the input which the computer controller recognizes is an identity of a particular operator who controls the simulated vehicle such that the computer controller reconfigures the selected layout to a preselected layout associated with the recognition of the identity of the operator. 
   
   
       5 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the input which the computer controller recognizes is a touching by the operator on the display screen in a preselected area. 
   
   
       6 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein one of the virtual controls to be depicted is a dynamic information display. 
   
   
       7 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the dynamic information display is changeable by touching the screen where an associated virtual control is depicted, which touching of the associated virtual control causes the dynamic information display to change in a manner to mimic that of a corresponding actual dynamic information display of an actual vehicle when a corresponding actual control is actuated. 
   
   
       8 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the vehicle being simulated is an aircraft and wherein the virtual controls simulate aircraft actuators. 
   
   
       9 . A virtual display system for a simulated vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the virtual controls include at least one information display, at least one switch, and at least one monitoring device. 
   
   
       10 . A virtual display system for controlling an actual vehicle comprising:
 a back-projected touch sensitive display screen;   a computer controller which
 displays virtual controls for the actual vehicle in a selected layout on said display screen, 
 senses touching of at least one of the virtual controls displayed on said display screen and sends a signal to operate an associated control actuator of the actual vehicle, and 
 reconfigures the selected layout of the virtual controls on said display screen in response to an associated input. 
   
   
   
       11 . A virtual display system for an actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 10 , further including a plurality of projectors controlled by said computer controller which project, onto a back of the display screen, images of the virtual controls. 
   
   
       12 . A virtual display system for an actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the input which the computer controller recognizes is an identity of a particular operator who controls the actual vehicle such that the computer controller reconfigures the selected layout to a preselected layout associated with the recognition of the identity of the operator. 
   
   
       13 . A virtual display system for an actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the input which the computer controller recognizes is a touching by the operator on the display screen in a preselected area. 
   
   
       14 . A virtual display system for an actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein one of the virtual controls to be depicted is a dynamic information display. 
   
   
       15 . A virtual display system for an actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the dynamic information display is changeable by touching the screen where an associated virtual control is depicted, which touching of the associated virtual control causes the dynamic information display to change in accordance with actual dynamic information of the actual vehicle. 
   
   
       16 . A virtual display system for an actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the actual vehicle is an aircraft and wherein the virtual controls simulate aircraft actuators. 
   
   
       17 . A virtual display system for a actual vehicle as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the virtual controls include at least one information display, at least one switch, and at least one monitoring device.