Animated Aircraft Display Layer Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft display systems experience abrupt transitions between layers, which can be disorienting for pilots and affect situational awareness during flight operations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating an animated aircraft display that gradually increases or decreases the opaqueness of layers from 0% to 100% or vice versa based on user input, using a flight management system (FMS) and a map layer display system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If layers are transitioned between displays using traditional methods, then the transition is completed quickly, but the transition is abrupt and causes disorientation for pilots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning display layers gradually rather than abruptly. The system dynamically adjusts the visibility of map layers over time, allowing pilots to smoothly adapt between different display views without sudden changes that cause disorientation. This dynamic transition maintains pilot situational awareness while managing the time required for layer changes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple display layers are provided for different flight views, then comprehensive flight information is available, but abrupt transitions between layers cause disorientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by preparing and pre-rendering map layers in advance before they are needed for display. This allows the system to have multiple display layers ready with appropriate fade-in/fade-out transitions already calculated, so when pilots switch between different flight views, the transitions are smooth and pre-planned rather than abrupt, preventing disorientation while maintaining versatile display options.
3Reliability
If map layers are faded in and out gradually, then pilot disorientation is reduced, but additional processing is required to manage the fading transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-rendering map layers and pre-calculating fade transitions before they are actually displayed. The system prepares the visual content in advance during periods when it is not actively needed, so when display layer changes are required, the fading transitions are already prepared and can be executed smoothly without requiring complex real-time processing, thus reducing pilot disorientation without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for generating an animated display for an aircraft. The method comprises receiving a user request for a change in a layer shown on a display that shows a view of the flight plan data for the aircraft. The user request is received by a user interface (UI) that is part of a map layer display system located onboard the aircraft. The system determines which specific layer corresponds to user request for a change to the display. When the user request is to add the layer to the display, the opaqueness of the layer increases from zero percent to one-hundred percent. When the user request is to remove the layer from the display, the opaqueness of the layer decreases from one-hundred percent to zero percent. Finally, the system generates instructions to display the layer at the opaqueness on the display.