Adaptive Distance Display for Aircraft Ground Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the aerospace industry, passenger stairs are often damaged when moved against aircraft due to difficulty in judging the distance between the stairs and the aircraft, as operators of forklifts or tugs may struggle to accurately gauge this distance.
Innovation Solution
A guide system comprising a sensor to measure the distance between the stairs and the aircraft, a display, and a processor that determines whether the distance is within specific intervals (far or close) and displays indicators accordingly, using different scales and colors to help operators avoid collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single display scale is used for all distance ranges, then the display structure is simple, but the measurement precision is insufficient for close distances
Solution Approach 1:
The display scale is segmented into multiple ranges (first scale for far distances, second scale for close distances). Each scale is optimized for its specific distance range, allowing high precision for close distances while maintaining adequate representation for far distances. The processor automatically selects which scale to apply based on the measured distance threshold.
Solution Approach 2:
The display scale dynamically changes based on the measured distance. When the distance exceeds a threshold, the first scale is used; when it falls below the threshold, the second scale is applied. This dynamic adaptation ensures optimal measurement precision for the current distance range without requiring a permanently complex multi-scale display structure.
2Measurement precision
If high resolution display is used, then the distance indication precision is improved, but the ease of operation is reduced due to difficulty in judging actual distances
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the display have different scale properties optimized for their purpose. The first scale provides broad coverage for far distances with appropriate granularity, while the second scale provides fine-grained precision for close distances. This local optimization of scale quality ensures that operators receive appropriately detailed information for each distance range without being overwhelmed by excessive detail across all ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The display parameter (scale factor) changes based on the measured distance parameter. When distance is large, a coarser scale is applied; when distance is small, a finer scale is applied. This parameter transformation allows the display to maintain optimal readability and operational ease across the full range of distances while providing high precision when needed.
3Loss of information
If multiple distance indicators are displayed simultaneously, then the information completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system periodically evaluates the measured distance against the threshold and automatically switches between the first and second scales. Rather than displaying all possible indicators simultaneously, the system provides the appropriate scale information in real-time based on current distance conditions, maintaining information completeness while avoiding the complexity of displaying all indicators at once.
Data Source
AI summary
Guide systems for indicating a distance between a first object and a second object and a method for visually representing a distance between two objects as the distance reduces are provided. A sensor measures a distance between the first object and the second object. A processor receives a distance measurement from the sensor and determines whether the distance measured by the sensor is within one of a plurality of distance intervals. Upon determining that the distance is within one of the plurality of distance intervals, the processor displays a distance indicator on the display. The distance indicator is located on the display based on the distance according to a scale for the distance interval, where a display area on the display represents the distance interval. The scale for the distance intervals becomes finer as the distance between the first object and the second object decreases.