Abstract: An objective lens is mounted to the lower exterior portion of a canopy to focus sunlight into an attached fiber optic bundle. The bundle then carries the light a relatively short distance to an instrument panel where it may be disbursed at a diffuser for projection through an LCD. The readability of the display becomes enhanced when sunlight causes the greatest visual interference with a pilot's vision.

Abstract: A data processing station and a method of operating a data processing station for processing and transmitting data between first and second devices. The data processing station comprises first and second interface units. The first interface unit has a multitude of states including a remote terminal state to receive data from and to transmit data to the first device, and a bus controller state to transmit data to the second device. The first interface unit also includes a first processor to generate an interrupt signal and to transmit the interrupt signal to the second interface unit-in response to predetermined events. The second interface unit is provided to receive data from and to transmit data to the second device, and this interface unit includes a second processor adapted to generate control signals and to transmit the control signals to the first interface unit to change the state thereof at predetermined times.

Abstract: A fault tolerant interface station for processing and transmitting data, comprising first, second, third and fourth interface units. Each of the first and second interface units includes a receiver to receive input data, first and second memory sections, data lines to transmit data between the receiver and the first and second memory sections, and a controller to control the transmission of data between the receiver and the first and second memory sections. Each of the third and fourth interface units includes an output section to generate a multitude of output signals, a controller to control the output section, and data lines to transmit data between the controller and the output section.