Aircraft Display System Approach Light Zone Marking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pilots face a heavy workload during low visibility landings due to the difficulty in identifying the runway threshold, as they must simultaneously check flight parameters and locate the approach light bar, leading to a tedious and labor-intensive process.

Innovation Solution

An aircraft display system that generates a location marking of the approach light strip's presence zone on a cockpit display, using sensors to provide real-time geographical position data, allowing the pilot to observe the external space and the display-generated markings simultaneously, thereby simplifying the identification of the runway.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the pilot manually checks flight parameters and searches for the approach light bar in low visibility conditions, then the runway threshold can be identified, but the pilot workload becomes excessively heavy and the process becomes tedious

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverunway threshold identification accuracyVSAvoidpilot workload
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and displays the expected location of the approach light bar on the cockpit display before the pilot needs to locate it. By using the aircraft's current position, heading, and approach path data, the system proactively presents the search area, allowing the pilot to focus attention rather than manually scan the entire approach path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The display system acts as an intermediary between the aircraft's navigation systems and the pilot's visual search. It translates complex flight parameter data into a simple visual indication of where to look for the approach light bar, bridging the gap between instrument data and visual confirmation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the pilot focuses on locating the approach light bar in low visibility, then the runway can be identified, but the time required for the approach increases due to repeated parameter checks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverunway location detectionVSAvoidapproach time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system prepares the approach light bar location information in advance on the display, so when the aircraft reaches the appropriate phase of approach, the pilot immediately has the search area presented without needing to perform intermediate calculations or repeated parameter checks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system eliminates the need for the pilot to repeatedly check flight parameters and manually determine the light bar position by providing continuous, real-time display of the expected location based on current aircraft state, allowing the pilot to skip through the approach phase more efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Ease of operation

If no visual aid is provided for the approach light bar location, then the display system remains simple, but the pilot must perform tedious manual searches in low visibility conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepilot workloadVSAvoiddisplay system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The display system segments the complex task of runway approach into distinct visual elements: the aircraft's current position, the calculated approach path, and the specific search area for the approach light bar. This segmentation presents information in manageable portions rather than requiring the pilot to process all flight parameters simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a graphical copy or representation of the external approach environment on the cockpit display, showing where the approach light bar should appear based on calculated geometry. This virtual copy complements the actual visual search, reducing the cognitive load of matching real-world observations with expected positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3109597B1Display system of an aircraft, able to display a localization marking of a zone of location of a approach light ramp and related method
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 DASSAULT AVIATION SA
  • EP3109597B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3109597B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3109597B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Aircraft display system, comprising: - a display (36); - a display generation assembly on the display (36). The display generation assembly is suitable for displaying, on approach to a landing runway (13), a location marking (72) of a presence zone (74) of an approach light bar towards the landing runway (13).