Adaptive Aircraft Surveillance Display for Approach Phase Workload Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current aeronautical surveillance systems during the approach phase overwhelm pilots with excessive information, leading to high workload and inadequate real-time decision-making capabilities, as they lack adaptive and synthetic visualization of critical landing zone information such as traffic, weather, and runway conditions.

Innovation Solution

A monitoring system that dynamically adjusts cartographic scale factors and symbol representations based on the current approach phase, automatically selecting and displaying essential information to reduce pilot workload and enhance situational awareness, using navigation data, surveillance information, and aircraft performance data to adapt the display according to the evolving phase of landing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all surveillance information is displayed simultaneously during approach phase, then complete information availability is improved, but pilot workload increases and decision-making capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidpilot workload
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The surveillance information is segmented according to approach phases (initial approach, intermediate approach, final approach, landing). The system divides the comprehensive surveillance data into phase-specific subsets, displaying only the most relevant information for each phase. This segmentation reduces the information load on pilots while maintaining completeness within each phase context.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The display system dynamically adapts the cartographic scale factor and symbol representations based on the current approach phase. As the aircraft progresses through different phases, the system automatically adjusts the level of detail and type of surveillance information displayed, transitioning from broader situational awareness at initial approach to more detailed runway-specific information at final approach and landing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If detailed surveillance information is displayed during approach phase, then situational awareness is improved, but the complexity of the display system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesituational awarenessVSAvoiddisplay system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by adapting the display characteristics (cartographic scale factor, symbol representations) to the specific requirements of each approach phase. Different regions of the display are optimized for different phases: broader geographic context is emphasized during initial approach, while local runway details become prominent during final approach and landing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes display parameters (cartographic scale factor, symbol size, information density) based on the current approach phase. This parameter adaptation allows the same display system to provide appropriately detailed information for each phase without requiring multiple complex display modes or manual adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual adjustment of display parameters is required, then adaptability to specific needs is improved, but response time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay adaptabilityVSAvoidresponse time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The display system performs self-service by automatically determining the current approach phase and adjusting the cartographic scale factor and symbol representations without pilot intervention. The system monitors navigation data and surveillance information, then autonomously configures the display to show the most relevant information for the current phase, eliminating the need for manual parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the aircraft's position, navigation data, and approach phase status, then using this feedback to automatically adjust the display parameters. This closed-loop approach ensures the display remains optimized for the current phase without requiring pilot input, maintaining both adaptability and rapid response time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2309474B1Surveillance system for an approaching aircraft
Publication Date: 2013.07.31 THALES SA
  • EP2309474B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2309474B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2309474B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a surveillance system dedicated to the landing of an aircraft comprising means (11) for receiving navigation data, means (12) for receiving a plurality of surveillance information of the landing area, and display means (18) representing by various symbols the landing area and the surveillance information, characterized in that it also comprises means (15) for determining a plurality of successive approach phases constituting the course of the landing and for signaling the current approach phase, means (16) for calculating a plurality of map scale factors of the landing area, and means (17) for selecting the surveillance information to be displayed for each approach phase.The display means (18) represent the landing area according to an evolving map scale factor and the selected monitoring information by symbols that are also evolving, the map scale factor and the symbols evolving automatically according to the current approach phase.