System and method for providing aircraft navigational aid

Abstract

An system and method for providing navigational assistance to an aircraft pilot in real time. A series of photos with a fixed field of view are captured and combined to create a panoramic image using an inexpensive still camera mounted on an electric pan motor. The panoramic image is layered with stored terrain data having identical location, and any abnormalities (such as ground or airborne obstructions) are identified. AI software may be used to determine if / what corrective action is required to avoid a collision or other dangerous outcomes.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING AIRCRAFT NAVIGATIONAL AID

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 631 ,618, filed April 9, 2024, the entire contents of which are hereby fully incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.BACKGROUND

[0002] Navigational aids like maps and GPS are an essential tool for operating any vehicle for transportation. Traditional land-based vehicles often have these features built in without much cost and these features are changed with each new vehicle model year. Unlike land-based vehicles with these features, the aviation sector has unique constraints when looking to implement visual pilot assistance features.

[0003] First, any permanent modifications to aircraft are highly regulated and consequently incur a higher cost. The goal of this invention is to be produced in a small, portable form factor that pilots can purchase and use affordably without the need for certifications, approvals or a complicated installation.

[0004] Second, the average age of the general aviation aircraft is much older than cars, where aircraft are approximately 50 years old while cars are approximately 10 years old. Accordingly, technological upgrades in aviation are more often added in the form of retrofits, rather than consumers replacing their aircraft with a newer model.

[0005] Due to the above constraints, the hardware used for automobile driver assistance packages are not applicable to aviation, where their heavily integrated hardware package strategies would be too costly and have a much smaller total addressable market. Existing solutions either target autonomous drones (rather than manned aircraft) or are intended to be permanently-installed packages for manned aircraft.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for an aviation navigational aid that is noninvasive to the plane, provides vision-based flight assistance while being easily installed into existing aircraft and does not require certifications or approvals.SUMMARY

[0007] The present invention is directed to a navigational aid system and methods for operating that system. More specifically, the invention is a system and method for using a stabilized camera to allow for an ultrawide field of view with a single camera and lens, thereby reducing cost and allowing for higher image detail. A single, portable package comprises a camera with gimbaled per-frame motor-driven camera control that pivots the camera through a 180° field of view with an oscillating motion. The oscillating camera rapidly takes pictures in predetermined positions to be combined by a compute unit to create a 180° panoramic image. The compute unit uses these 180° panoramic images to identify airborne objects, ground features, weather, etc. Dynamic object and environment data are also analyzed to determine if corrective action ofthe vehicle needs to be taken. This analysis and applicable data are relayed to the pilot via a receiver unit.

[0008] The invention and most of its components are contained in a single, portable box that is easily mounted through standard means such as suction cups, clamp mounts, etc. The four main components of the system are a power unit, a compute unit, an imaging unit and a receiver unit. The power unit comprises a power supply such as a battery and a battery management system for supplying power to the other components. In some embodiments, the power unit may optionally be connected to or replaced by the power system of the aircraft. The compute unit comprises a compute device, optional voltage regulators, and connectors for distributing power to the imaging unit and processing data received from the imaging unit. The imaging unit comprises a camera, a stabilizing gimbal and controllers for collecting photos and simple image processing. The receiver unit is the only component not part of the main box and receives data transmitted from the compute unit via Bluetooth®, WiFi® or a wired connection. The receiver unit may be a standard tablet device like an iPad. With the portable box design, installing the navigational aid system is non-invasive to the aircraft and all software is non - integrated with existing aircraft functions. This feature avoids the need for the expensive certifications or approvals required for more integrated aircraft modifications.

[0009] In the exemplary embodiments described herein, the inventive navigational aid system is described as being used with an aircraft. The system could also be implemented in marine applications.

[0010] The following are additional aspects of the invention.

[0011] Aspect 1 : A method for providing navigational assistance to an aircraft pilot, the method comprising:(a) providing a navigational aid system comprising a pan motor, a camera mounted on the pan motor, a camera position sensor, a first controller that receives data from the camera position sensor and controls operation of the pan motor and the camera, the camera having a camera having field of view;(b) rotating the camera using the pan motor to position the camera in a plurality of image positions along a panoramic field of view, the panoramic field of view being larger than the camera field of view, each of the plurality of image positions being adjacent to at least one other image position of the plurality of image positions;(c) capturing an image with the camera at each of the plurality of image positions;(d) assembling the captured image from each of the plurality of image positions to create a panoramic image having the panoramic field of view;(e) displaying the panoramic image on a first display device;(f) repeating steps (a) through (e).

[0012] Aspect 2: The method of aspect 1 , further comprising:(g) prior to performing step (e), layering the panoramic image over stored terrain map image data to form a layered panoramic image; wherein step (e) comprises displaying the layered panoramic image on the first display device.

[0013] Aspect 3: The method of aspect 2, further comprising:(h) prior to performing step (g), providing at least one identifier in the layered panoramic image, wherein each of the at least one identifier indicating a location of an abnormality between the one of the plurality of images and the terrain data.

[0014] Aspect 4: The method of any one of aspects 1 -3, further comprising:(i) performing steps (a) through (e) with the navigational aid system located inside a cockpit of an aircraft.

[0015] Aspect 5: The method of any one of aspects 1 -4, further comprising:(j) removably mounting the navigational aid system inside of a cockpit of an aircraft.

[0016] Aspect 6: The method of any one of aspects 1 -5, wherein step (a) further comprises providing the navigational aid system comprising the pan motor, the camera mounted on the pan motor, the camera position sensor, the first controller, a gimbal having at least 2 axes, and a gimbal controller that controls the gimbal, wherein the camera is mounted to the gimbal.

[0017] Aspect 7: The method of any one of aspects 1 -6, wherein the plurality of image positions are all located in a single linear row.

[0018] Aspect 8: The method of any one of aspects 1 -7, wherein the plurality of image positions are located in a plurality of rows.

[0019] Aspect 9: The method of any one of aspects 1 -8, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least twice the camera field of view.

[0020] Aspect 10: The method of any one of aspects 1-9, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least three times the camera field of view.

[0021] Aspect 11 : The method of any one of aspects 1-10, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 120 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 60 degrees.

[0022] Aspect 12: The method of any one of aspects 1-11 , wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 180 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 30 degrees.

[0023] Aspect 13: A method for providing navigational assistance to an aircraft pilot, the method comprising:(a) removably mounting a navigational aid system within a cockpit of the aircraft, the navigational aid system comprising a camera having a camera field of view;(b) creating a plurality of panoramic images, each of the plurality of panoramic images being formed by assembling a series of still images captured by the camera, the panoramic image having a panoramic field of view, each of the series of still images being taken with the camera at a different angular position, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least twice the camera field of view;(c) sequentially displaying the plurality of panoramic images on a first display device.

[0024] Aspect 14: The method of aspect 13, wherein step (c) comprises sequentially displaying a plurality of enhanced panoramic images on a first display device, wherein each of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images comprises one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with terrain data.

[0025] Aspect 15: The method of aspect 14, wherein step (c) comprises sequentially displaying a plurality of enhanced panoramic images on a first display device, wherein each of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images comprises one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with terrain data and at least one identifier, each at least one identifier indicating a location of an abnormality between the one of the plurality of images and the terrain data.

[0026] Aspect 16: The method of aspect 15, further comprising:(d) determining and displaying on the first display device a corrective action based an abnormality provided in one of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images.

[0027] Aspect 17: The method of any one of aspects 13-16, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least three times the camera field of view.

[0028] Aspect 18: The method of any one of aspects 13-17, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 120 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 60 degrees.

[0029] Aspect 19: The method of any one of aspects 13-18, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 180 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 30 degrees.

[0030] Aspect 20: A navigational aid system comprising: a camera having a lens with a camera field of view; a pan motor, a camera and pan motor controller, and a camera position sensor, the camera and pan motor controller being electrically connected to the pan motor and the camera position sensor, the camera being affixed to the pan motor; the camera and pan motor controller being adapted to detect an angular position of the camera based on data from the camera position sensor, and to cause the pan motor to sequentially move the camera into a plurality of positions and to cause the camera to capture a plurality of series of images, each of the images in the series of images being in one of the plurality of positions; and a compute device having a processor and memory, the compute device being adapted to create a plurality of panoramic images having a panoramic field of view and generate a display signal that enables display of the plurality of panoramic images on a first display device, each of the plurality of panoramic images being created from one of the plurality of series of images.

[0031] Aspect 21 : The navigational aid system of aspect 20, further comprising a gimbal and a gimbal controller adapted to stabilize the camera.

[0032] Aspect 22: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-21 , further comprising a battery that is electrically connected to the compute unit, the camera and pan controller, the pan motor, and the camera.

[0033] Aspect 23: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-22, wherein the memory includes stored terrain data and the compute device is adapted to create a plurality of enhanced panoramic images, each of the enhanced panoramic images comprising one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with the stored terrain data.

[0034] Aspect 24: The method of any one of aspects 20-23, wherein the compute device is adapted to create a plurality of enhanced panoramic images, each of the enhanced panoramic images comprising one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with the stored terrain data and at least one identifier, each at least one identifier indicating a location of an abnormality between the one of the plurality of images and the terrain data.

[0035] Aspect 25: The method of aspect 24, wherein the compute device is adapted determine and display on the first display device a corrective action based an abnormality provided in one of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images.

[0036] Aspect 26: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-25, wherein the pan motor and the pan motor controller are adapted to rotate the camera though a linear path.

[0037] Aspect 27: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-26, wherein the pan motor and the pan motor controller are adapted to oscillate the camera along a linear path.

[0038] Aspect 28: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-27, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least twice the camera field of view.

[0039] Aspect 29: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-28, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least three times the camera field of view.

[0040] Aspect 30: The navigational aid system of any one of aspects 20-29, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 120 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 60 degrees.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the navigational aid system of the present invention depicting its four main components, their subcomponents, and interconnections;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram depicting operation of the exemplary embodiment including camera panning and photo capture functionality for creating a 180° panoramic image;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an aircraft cockpit with the exemplary embodiment situated therein to illustrate its size and location in a retrofitted aircraft; and,

[0045] FIG. 4 is a functional flowchart depicting use of the exemplary embodiment for creating, processing, and displaying panoramic images.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0046] The ensuing detailed description provides preferred exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the ensuing detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. It is understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0047] In order to aid in describing the invention, directional terms may be used in the specification and claims to describe portions of the present invention (e.g., upper, lower, left, right, etc.). These directional terms are merely intended to assist in describing and claiming the invention and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. In addition, reference numerals that are introduced in the specification in association with a drawing figure may be repeated in one or more subsequent figures without additional description in the specification in order to provide context for other features.

[0048] Unless otherwise indicated, the articles “a” and “an” as used herein mean one or more when applied to any feature in embodiments of the present invention described in the specification and claims. The use of “a” and “an” does not limit the meaning to a single feature unless such a limit is specifically stated. The article “the” preceding singular or plural nouns or noun phrases denotes a particular specified feature or particular specified features and may have a singular or plural connotation depending upon the context in which it is used.

[0049] The term “navigational assistance”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to navigational information automatically provided to a pilot by a navigational aid. A camera providing to the pilot frequently-updated 180° panoramic images of the environment around the aircraft is an example of navigational assistance.

[0050] The term “photo”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to a single image captured in real time by a camera having a fixed field of view from the camera lens. This fixed field of view is less than 180°.

[0051] The term “plurality of positions”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to a set fixed camera positions where the field of view for the photos taken at each position adds up to 180°. For example, if the field of view is 20° for each photo taken, then the plurality of positions comprises nine positions where each photo comprises a 20° position of a 180° panoramic image. Positions do not overlap.

[0052] The term “panoramic image”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to an image having a field of view that is a multiple of the field of view of an imaging device from which theimage is created, wherein the panoramic image is created by merging a plurality of images from that device.

[0053] The term “stored terrain map”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to any information regarding the environment around an aircraft that is not obtained in real time and is stored in a memory system.

[0054] The term “corresponding location”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to an identical location between two pieces of navigational data. For example, if a panoramic image and a section of a stored terrain map depict the same geographical location, then these two pieces of navigational data have a corresponding location.

[0055] The term “image data”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to data transmitted from an image processor to a compute unit. This data comprises processed photos for producing a panoramic image.

[0056] The term “control data”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to data transmitted from a camera and pan motor controller to a compute unit. This data comprises location and perspective data for the images transmitted in the image data to allow the compute unit to adequately combine the photos into a panoramic image.

[0057] The term “Al software”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to the processing software in the compute unit that converts the image data provided by the camera into the navigational assistance provided to the pilot via a receiver unit. Such software is available in existing products. An example of a commercial product containing such artificial intelligence software is a collision avoidance system manufactured by Iris Automation Inc. and sold under the mark CASIA®. See, URL https: / / www.irisonboard.com / casia.

[0058] The term “abnormalities”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to any differences between the stored terrain map and a corresponding panoramic image that could potentially pose a hazard to the aircraft. Flying objects that are foreign to the aircraft are an example of an abnormality. Such flying objects could include, for example, aircraft, helicopters, birds, drones, or balloons. Other abnormalities may include ground objects that are foreign to the aircraft such as power lines, poles, towers, trees, mountains. Other abnormalities may include weather hazards such as clouds.

[0059] The term “best response”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to the best possible corrective action to be taken by the pilot to avoid a collision or other negative interaction with an abnormality. For example, a corrective action may be turning an aircraft to the right, usually with an accompanying climb or descent.

[0060] The term “receiver unit”, as used in the specification and claims, refers to a device used to display the navigational assistance received from the compute unit to the pilot. A tablet computer, such as an iPad® tablet or Amazon Fire® tablet, is an example of a receiver unit. Many private aircraft use tablet computers for navigation.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 1 , a modular diagram of an exemplary implementation of a navigational aid system 100 of the present invention is shown. The navigational aid system 100 includes four main components, a power unit 110, a compute unit 112, an imaging unit 114 and a receiver unit 116. These components can either be separated physically and connected through wires or provided as part of a single integrated assembly. The components are preferably encased in a fire-retardant material in order to protect the aircraft in case of thermal runaway.

[0062] The power unit 110 is responsible for providing electricity to the compute unit 112 and imaging unit 114. In this implementation, the power unit 110 is a rechargeable battery 118 comprising lithium-ion cells and a battery management system 119. In alternate embodiments, the power unit 110 may include (either additionally or instead of the rechargeable battery 118) an adapter for connecting to the power system of the aircraft.

[0063] The imaging unit 114 is responsible for collecting photos to provide image data 162 and control data 160 to the compute unit 112 for processing. The imaging unit 114 comprises a camera 130, a 2-axis gimbal 132, an electric pan motor 134, a gimbal controller 136, and a camera and pan motor controller 139 . The camera 130 further comprises a camera lens 131 , a camera sensor 133, an image processor 135 and a camera rotation position sensor 137. In this exemplary implementation, the camera sensor 133 is a standard sensor with continuous video recording capabilities and the camera lens 131 is a standard lens with a deep depth of field and relatively narrow field of view (20 degrees).

[0064] The gimbal 132 and gimbal controller 136 are used to stabilize the camera 130 relative to a stationary reference point (like the ground) to keep all photos horizontally aligned. The electric pan motor 134 is responsible for constantly panning the camera 130 to allow the camera lens 131 to move through the plurality of positions. In this exemplary embodiment, the electric pan motor 134 is a stepper motor. As will be explained in greater detail in connection with FIG. 2, the camera and pan motor controller 139 dictates the camera panning 164 and feeds control data 160 from the electric pan motor 134 and data 168 from the camera rotation position sensor 137 to the compute unit 112. The camera rotation position sensor 137 tracks the horizontal rotational position of the camera 130 and is connected to the camera and pan motor controller 139 through data connection 166, which is used to keep the camera 130 within the intended rotational range and determine the best moment in time to capture an image frame. The camera rotation position sensor 137 may be a set of photoelectric sensors, an accelerometer / gyroscope / inertial measurement unit (IMU), a set of multiple sensors, or a suitable instrument that senses position and angle in six dimensions. The camera and pan motor controller 139 moves the camera 130 to a starting position, rotates the camera 130 (using the electric pan motor 134) a predetermined amount (approximately equal to the field of view of the camera lens 131), stops the electric pan motor 134 while an image is beingcaptured, and changes pan motor direction when the camera 130 reaches one of the ends of the panorama field of view (180 degrees in this exemplary embodiment).

[0065] The camera sensor 133 and camera lens 131 collect photos which are processed by the image processor 135 and sent to the compute unit 112 as image data 162 for further processing. In the embodiment shown, the camera 130 takes photos while panning both clockwise and counterclockwise. In alternate embodiments, the camera 130 may only take photos in one panning direction from a first position to a final position.

[0066] The compute unit 112 is responsible for processing the control data 160 and image data 162 received from the imaging unit 114. The compute unit 112 comprises a compute device 140 and connectors 142 to couple the components in the imaging unit 114 and power unit 110 to the compute unit 112 and may optionally comprise voltage regulators 144. In alternative embodiments, voltage regulators 144 may optionally be included in any of the major components except the receiver unit 116. In the exemplary embodiment, the compute unit 112 further comprises image stitching software for converting image data 162 and control data 160 into 180° panoramic images. In this exemplary implementation, he image stitching software does this by combining photos at the horizontal ends having corresponding locations. For example, if one camera oscillation produces nine photos each with a 20° field of view, then the image stitching software will combine those nine photos end to end to complete a 180° panoramic image. The Al software is responsible for analyzing and comparing these panoramic images with parts of a stored terrain map. The goal of these comparisons is to identify abnormalities and determine if / what corrective action must be taken to avoid any incidents, such as in-flight collisions, terrain collisions, or flying into dangerous weather, etc. Once the processing and analysis is complete, the Al software transmits the flight assistance to the receiver unit 116 via a Bluetooth® enabled wireless connection. In the current state of the art, the receiver unit 116 is usually an electronic tablet, like an iPad® tablet computer, for example. In alternative embodiments, a different wireless connection like WiFi® may be used. In other alternative embodiments, a wired connection may be used to transmit flight assistance.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic drawing depicts the camera 130 oscillation and the plurality of positions for photo capture. The purpose of this drawing is to illustrate how the photos taken at the plurality of positions combine to create a 180° panoramic image 122. FIG. 2 is a top view of the camera 130. In this example, each photo is depicted by a numbered arc- shaped segment of the panoramic image 122. Each photo taken has a 20° field of view. This means that nine photos are required to complete a 180° field of view panoramic image 122. The full 180° panoramic image 122 is depicted as a semi-circle having equally sized positions labeled 1 through 9, where each position is a 20° piece of the panoramic image 122. Each 20° photo will correspond to each 20° position in the semi-circle, and the compute unit 112 will combine photos matching positions 1-9 to create the 180° panoramic image 122 used to transmit navigational assistance.

[0068] To complete one oscillation cycle, the camera 130 takes a first photo where the 20° field of view perfectly matches position 1 , which is the first position. The electric pan motor 134 rotates the camera 130 clockwise and takes eight subsequent photos perfectly matching positions 2 through 9, which are the subsequent positions with position 9 being the final position. Once the final photo is taken at the final position (position 9), the camera 130 will now turn counterclockwise and take eight more subsequent photos matching positions 8 through 1 . The photo taken at position 9 is the final photo for the clockwise movement and the first photo for the counterclockwise movement, which will become the first portion of a second panoramic image. When the camera returns to position 1 , the photo taken is the final photo for the counterclockwise movement, completing one cycle. This photo taken is also the first photo for a third 180° panoramic image and the start of a second oscillation cycle.

[0069] The imaging unit 114 repeats this process, generating a stream of control data 160 and image data 162 to the compute unit 112 for analysis. The image data 162 provides the picture, and the control data 160 provides the location, allowing the compute unit 112 to adequately produce seamless 180° panoramic images 122 from nine individual photos. In alternative embodiments, only one set of nine photos are taken during a single oscillation cycle, where one camera direction is for photo capture and the opposite direction is only for returning the camera 130 to the first position to begin the next oscillation cycle.

[0070] In other implementations, different numbers of photos with different fields of view may be taken. For example, if the camera 130 takes photos with a 30° field of view, then only six positions for six corresponding photos will be required to create a 180° panoramic image 122. In addition, the navigational aid system 100 could be adapted to move the camera 130 in a manner that generates a different field of view, such as 160° or 200°. In addition, the electric pan motor 134 and camera and pan motor controller 139 could be adapted to provide full 360 degree view, which would require the camera 130 to be located on the exterior of the aircraft 152 at a location that allows for an unobstructed 360 degree view (such as on the bottom surface of a wing or fuselage). In addition, the electric pan motor 134 and camera and pan motor controller 139 could be adapted to provide multiple rows of images. In such an implementation, a tilt device (not shown), such as a stepper motor or servo, could be provided that enables changes in angle of the camera 139 perpendicular to the axis of movement of the electric pan motor 134. This would enable the panoramic image 122 to include multiple rows of images.

[0071] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the navigational aid system 100 installed in the cockpit 150 of an aircraft 152. FIG. 3 is intended to display the non-invasive nature of the navigational aid system 100 when properly installed. When installed, the navigational aid system 100 sits in the upper corner of the windshield 156 and is small enough to still allow a copilot to sit and complete their duties. The system is also capable of being installed and removed without modifying the aircraft. For example, the system 100 may be affixed to the interior surface of thewindshield or windscreen 156 of the aircraft using a suction cup mount, which represents the most common and practical method of attachment due to its ease of installation, adjustability, and compatibility with a wide range of cockpit configurations.

[0072] Alternatively, the navigational aid system 100 could be attached to the aircraft at a location that is exterior to the cockpit 150. For example, the camera 130 and electric pan motor 134 could be provided within a globe mount attached to the surface of the underside of the fuselage or wing, or provided within a wing-tip mount.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 4, a flowchart illustrates the process of generating navigational assistance according to an exemplary embodiment . At 210, 212, and 214, when the navigational aid system 100 begins operations, the camera 130 is moved to an initial position and captures a first image at the initial position to start an oscillation cycle. In this exemplary embodiment, the initial position could correspond to position 1 as shown in FIG. 2. At 216, the camera and pan motor controller 139 determines if the camera 130 is positioned at one end of the panoramic field of view. If not, the process flows to 218 and 220 where the camera 130 is rotated to the next image capture position and another image is captured. This process continues until at 216 the camera and pan motor controller 139 determines if the camera 130 is positioned at one of the end of the panoramic field of view. If yes, then the process flows to 222, where the captured images are combined into a single panoramic image. Thereafter, the process flows to 224 where the position of the panoramic image 122 is determined. At 226, the panoramic image 122 is then layered atop stored terrain data for the same location / position. At 228, any abnormalities are identified. At 230 any appropriate responses are determined, and at 232, the layered images and information are displayed to the pilot.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on September 15, 2025 (15.09.2025)WHAT IS CLAIMED:

1. A method for providing navigational assistance to an aircraft pilot, the method comprising:(a) providing a navigational aid system comprising a pan motor, a camera mounted on the pan motor, a camera position sensor, a first controller that receives data from the camera position sensor and controls operation of the pan motor and the camera, the camera having a camera having field of view;(b) rotating the camera using the pan motor to position the camera in a plurality of image positions along a panoramic field of view, the panoramic field of view being larger than the camera field of view, each of the plurality of image positions being adjacent to at least one other image position of the plurality of image positions, wherein the camera is rotated from an initial position in one direction through intermediate positions to a final position, and then reverses direction to return to the initial position thereby executing an oscillating motion between the initial and final positions;(c) capturing an image with the camera at each of the plurality of image positions;(d) assembling the captured image from each of the plurality of image positions to create a panoramic image having the panoramic field of view;(e) displaying the panoramic image on a first display device;(f) repeating steps (a) through (e).

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:(g) prior to performing step (e), layering the panoramic image over stored terrain map image data to form a layered panoramic image; wherein step (e) comprises displaying the layered panoramic image on the first display device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:(h) prior to performing step (g), providing at least one identifier in the layered panoramic image, wherein each of the at least one identifier indicating a location of an abnormality between the one of the plurality of images and the terrain data.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:(i) performing steps (a) through (e) with the navigational aid system located inside a cockpit of an aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:(j) removably mounting the navigational aid system inside of a cockpit of an aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises providing the navigational aid system comprising the pan motor, the camera mounted on the pan motor, the camera position sensor, the first controller, a gimbal having at least 2 axes, and a gimbal controller that controls the gimbal, wherein the camera is mounted to the gimbal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of image positions are all located in a single linear row.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of image positions are located in a plurality of rows.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the panoramic field of view is at least twice the camera field of view.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the panoramic field of view is at least three times the camera field of view.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 120 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 60 degrees.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 180 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 30 degrees.

13. A method for providing navigational assistance to an aircraft pilot, the method comprising:(a) removably mounting a navigational aid system within a cockpit of the aircraft, the navigational aid system comprising a camera having a camera field of view;(b) creating a plurality of panoramic images, each of the plurality of panoramic images being formed by assembling a series of still images captured by the camera, the panoramic image having a panoramic field of view, each of the series of still images being taken with the camera at a different angular position, wherein the camera is rotated from an initial position in one direction through intermediate positions to a final position, and then reverses direction to return to the initial position thereby executing an oscillating motion between the initial and final positions while capturing the series of still images wherein the panoramic field of view is at least twice the camera field of view;(c) sequentially displaying the plurality of panoramic images on a first display device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (c) comprises sequentially displaying a plurality of enhanced panoramic images on a first display device, wherein each of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images comprises one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with terrain data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (c) comprises sequentially displaying a plurality of enhanced panoramic images on a first display device, wherein each of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images comprises one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with terrain data and at least one identifier, each at least one identifier indicating a location of an abnormality between the one of the plurality of images and the terrain data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:(d) determining and displaying on the first display device a corrective action based an abnormality provided in one of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least three times the camera field of view.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 120 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 60 degrees.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 180 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 30 degrees.

20. A navigational aid system comprising: a camera having a lens with a camera field of view; a pan motor, a camera and pan motor controller, and a camera position sensor, the camera and pan motor controller being electrically connected to the pan motor and the camera position sensor, the camera being affixed to the pan motor; the camera and pan motor controller being adapted to detect an angular position of the camera based on data from the camera position sensor, and to cause the pan motor to sequentially move the camera into a plurality of positions by rotating the camera from an initial position in one direction through intermediate positions to a final position, then reversing direction to return to the initial position, thereby executing an oscillating motion between the initial and final positions and to cause the camera to capture a plurality of series of images, each of the images in the series of images being in one of the plurality of positions; and a compute device having a processor and memory, the compute device being adapted to create a plurality of panoramic images having a panoramic field of view and generate a display signal that enables display of the plurality of panoramic images on a first display device, each of the plurality of panoramic images being created from one of the plurality of series of images.

21. The navigational aid system of claim 20, further comprising a gimbal and a gimbal controller adapted to stabilize the camera.

22. The navigational aid system of claim 20, further comprising a battery that is electrically connected to the compute unit, the camera and pan controller, the pan motor, and the camera.

23. The navigational aid system of claim 20, whereiny the memory includes stored terrain data and the compute device is adapted to create a plurality of enhanced panoramic images, each of the enhanced panoramic images comprising one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with the stored terrain data.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the compute device is adapted to create a plurality of enhanced panoramic images, each of the enhanced panoramic images comprising one of the plurality of panoramic images layered with the stored terrain data and at least one identifier, each at least one identifier indicating a location of an abnormality between the one of the plurality of images and the terrain data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the compute device is adapted determine and display on the first display device a corrective action based an abnormality provided in one of the plurality of enhanced panoramic images.

26. The navigational aid system of claim 20, wherein the pan motor and the pan motor controller are adapted to rotate the camera though a linear path.

27. The navigational aid system of claim 20, wherein the pan motor and the pan motor controller are adapted to oscillate the camera along a linear path.

28. The navigational aid system of claim 20, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least twice the camera field of view.

29. The navigational aid system of claim 20, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least three times the camera field of view.

30. The navigational aid system of claim 20, wherein the panoramic field of view is at least 120 degrees and the camera field of view is less than 60 degrees.

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