Aircraft Display System Segmentation for Pilot Situational Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display systems for aircraft, which combine synthetic vision system (SVS) and enhanced vision system (EVS) images, often result in confusing and difficult-to-interpret overlays, especially when pixel averaging or alpha blending is used, obscuring useful information and making it hard for pilots to discern important data.
Innovation Solution
The system augments EVS images with selected features from SVS images, such as grid lines and textures, with adaptive display characteristics, like varying brightness and color, to improve clarity and reduce noise, allowing pilots to better interpret the combined images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pixel averaging or alpha blending is used to combine SVS and EVS images, then a fused image is produced, but the display becomes confusing and noisy, obscuring useful information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the combined display into distinct regions: one showing the EVS image and another showing the SVS image. This segmentation prevents the mixing and obscuring of information that occurs with pixel averaging or alpha blending, allowing pilots to clearly distinguish between actual sensor data and synthetic database information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates the SVS and EVS images into distinct display areas rather than blending them together. This extraction approach removes the harmful effect of information obscuration while preserving the adaptability of presenting both vision systems' data simultaneously.
2Reliability
If SVS images are used to provide clean three-dimensional topographical data, then weather obstruction is eliminated, but database integrity limitations reduce image value
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the strengths of both SVS and EVS systems by displaying them side-by-side. The EVS provides real-time actual topographical data while the SVS provides clean three-dimensional visualization, allowing pilots to benefit from both the clarity of synthetic images and the accuracy of sensor data without the weaknesses of either system alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by allowing pilots to selectively focus on different regions of the display depending on needs. The distinct separation of EVS and SVS images enables pilots to attend to the region providing the most relevant information for their current situation, whether that is actual sensor data or synthetic database information.
3Measurement precision
If EVS images are used to depict actual topography, then real-time accuracy is improved, but visibility in inclement weather or darkness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the display of EVS and SVS images to compensate for the illumination limitations of EVS. When EVS images are dim or obscured by weather conditions, pilots can reference the brighter, clearer SVS images that provide the same topographical information in enhanced visibility, effectively merging the advantages of both systems.
4Loss of information
If both SVS and EVS images are displayed together, then comprehensive information is provided, but interpretation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into clearly separated regions for EVS and SVS images, which fundamentally improves pilot interpretation compared to blended overlays. This segmentation maintains complete information from both systems while making it easy for pilots to distinguish and interpret each type of data independently without confusion from mixed pixel data.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle display system displays enhanced vision images augmented with selected features of synthetic vision images that correspond to features of the enhanced vision images. The selection of the features may be predetermined, made by the pilot, or based on the operational status of the aircraft.