Aircraft Visual Segment Display for Runway Reference Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face challenges in identifying runway references during landing, especially in low visibility, turbulent, or crosswind situations, as conventional primary flight displays are not effective in assisting with this task, leading to potential aborts due to limited time to recognize visual segments.
Innovation Solution
A visual display system for aircraft that calculates and displays the visual segment and runway references using a processing unit, database, and display device, providing a synthetic view that includes a plan view and elevation view, with markers to highlight the visual segment and runway references, aiding pilots in identifying these references more easily.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional primary flight displays are used during landing approach, then flight instrumentation and navigation information are provided, but the pilot cannot effectively identify runway references in low visibility, turbulent, or crosswind situations due to limited time and lack of visual segment information
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and displays the visual segment boundaries and expected runway reference locations before the pilot needs to identify them. By showing where the visual segment will be and what references to look for, the system prepares the pilot in advance, eliminating the time pressure of real-time search and identification during the critical approach phase
Solution Approach 2:
The system acts as an intermediary between the complex visual environment and the pilot's perception. It processes raw visual information and aircraft state data to generate synthesized visual segment overlays and reference markers, presenting simplified, highlighted information that guides the pilot's attention to the critical area without requiring the pilot to process all visual details themselves
2Ease of operation
If the pilot focuses on monitoring flight instruments and navigating, then flight control is maintained, but the pilot may miss identifying runway references due to divided attention and limited visual search time
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the complex landing task into distinct information components: flight instrumentation monitoring, navigation, and visual segment identification. By providing dedicated visual segment overlays and reference markers separate from other flight information, the system allows the pilot to process these critical visual identification elements without being overwhelmed by the total information load
Solution Approach 2:
The system enhances specific local areas of the display with heightened visual information quality. By overlaying visual segment boundaries and runway reference markers at the precise locations where they will appear in the external view, the system creates high-information-density zones that guide the pilot's attention to exactly where to look, rather than requiring uniform scanning of the entire visual field
3Reliability
If aircraft design and window configuration are fixed, then structural integrity and aerodynamics are maintained, but the visual segment may be obscured in certain flight conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the visual segment overlay and reference marker display based on real-time aircraft state data including pitch, roll, heading, and altitude. As the aircraft attitude changes during approach, the system recalculates and repositions the visual segment boundaries and reference markers to match the updated geometry, ensuring the displayed information remains accurate and visible across varying flight conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes display parameters such as overlay opacity, marker size, and information density based on aircraft state and environmental conditions. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system optimizes the visibility and usefulness of visual segment information across different flight scenarios, compensating for the fixed physical constraints of aircraft design and window configuration
Data Source
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AI summary
A display system and method are provided for an aircraft. The system includes a processing unit configured to determine a visual segment for the aircraft and to generate display commands based on the visual segment; and a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the visual segment as a visual segment marker.