Aircraft Traffic Display Indicators for Decluttered Threat Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing air traffic density in urban air mobility (UAM) poses challenges for traffic displays, necessitating systems that can enhance situational awareness and simplify traffic avoidance for single pilot operations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for displaying comprehensive air traffic indicators that consolidate information, declutter displays, and prioritize proximity threats using combined indicators, incorporating aircraft computing devices and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional air traffic display systems are used, then all air traffic information is displayed, but display clutter increases and situational awareness deteriorates in high density traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The air traffic display is segmented into multiple priority levels. Critical traffic within the protected zone is displayed with high visibility indicators, while less critical traffic is displayed with reduced prominence or aggregated. This segmentation allows complete air traffic information to be presented without overwhelming the pilot with uniform visual clutter.
Solution Approach 2:
Different display qualities and levels of detail are applied to different regions of the display based on their significance. The protected zone around the aircraft receives enhanced visual treatment with detailed indicators, while areas farther away use simplified representations. This local differentiation maintains information completeness while reducing overall display complexity.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive air traffic information is displayed, then situational awareness is maintained, but pilot workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and highlights only the most critical air traffic information that requires immediate pilot attention, separating it from less urgent traffic data. Critical traffic within the protected zone is extracted for prominent display, while other traffic information is maintained in a more subdued manner, reducing the cognitive load on the pilot while preserving situational awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The display system provides dynamic feedback that adapts to the aircraft's operational state and traffic conditions. The system automatically adjusts which traffic information is emphasized based on factors such as aircraft phase of flight, speed, and proximity to other traffic, reducing pilot workload by presenting only the most relevant information at any given moment.
3Loss of information
If detailed air traffic indicators are displayed for all traffic, then complete traffic information is provided, but proximity threats are not prioritized
Solution Approach 1:
The display uses asymmetric visual treatment to differentiate between critical proximity threats and less urgent traffic. Aircraft within the protected zone are displayed with distinctive indicators such as enhanced color coding, larger icon sizes, or special symbolic markers, making them immediately distinguishable from other traffic. This asymmetric presentation ensures complete traffic data is shown while prioritizing threat detection.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2
AI summary
A system may include a display (402) and a processor (404) installed in an aircraft. The processor may be configured to: obtain (702) air traffic data; generate (704) a display image based at least on the air traffic data; and output (706) the display image. The display may display (708) the display image to a user. The display image may convey a range dimension and a horizontal dimension. The display image may depict at least one air traffic indicator. Each of the at least one air traffic indicator may be positioned respective to a corresponding range and horizontal location relative to the aircraft. Each of the at least one air traffic indicator may indicate at least one of: an amount of a vertical distance of air traffic above the aircraft, an amount of a vertical distance of air traffic below the aircraft, or that air traffic has an approximately equal altitude as the aircraft.