Aviation Situation Awareness System via Data Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face difficulties in maintaining situation awareness due to procedural complexity and inadequate user interfaces, which hinder their ability to effectively manage and understand the vast amount of information available in the cockpit, leading to distractions and reduced safety.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a non-avionics computing device and avionics computing devices, connected via a data network switch, that filters and organizes avionics data based on relevance to enhance situation awareness, providing a graphical user interface to present critical information to pilots in a manageable and timely manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If more systems and sensors are added to the aircraft, then the quantity of information available increases, but the complexity of integrating and monitoring this information increases, leading to pilot distraction and reduced situation awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated information integration system that acts as an intermediary between multiple avionics systems and the pilot. This system automatically collects, filters, and synthesizes data from various sensors and subsystems, presenting processed information to the pilot rather than requiring the pilot to manually integrate raw data from multiple sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically monitoring and integrating information from multiple avionics sources without requiring pilot intervention. The automated system manages the complexity of data integration itself, freeing the pilot from this cognitive burden while still providing comprehensive situational information.
2Adaptability or versatility
If procedural complexity increases in the flight deck, then more functions can be controlled, but human capacity limits are exceeded, leading to inability to focus and manage threats
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical procedures with automated electronic systems. Instead of pilots manually configuring and monitoring multiple systems through complex procedures, automated software manages these functions, reducing the procedural burden on pilots while maintaining full system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system performs multiple functions through a unified interface, allowing a single automated system to handle information integration, situation awareness monitoring, and decision support across various flight phases and scenarios, reducing the need for separate procedural knowledge for each function.
3Loss of information
If pilots are required to integrate and monitor information from multiple sources, then system knowledge increases, but the time available for decision-making decreases, leading to loss of situational awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously pre-integrating and organizing information from multiple sources in the background before decisions are needed. Data is pre-processed, correlated, and structured during normal operations, so when a decision point arises, the information is already synthesized and ready for immediate pilot review, eliminating time-consuming manual integration during critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system maintains continuous information integration and processing throughout all flight phases, ensuring that situational awareness is constantly updated and maintained without interruption. This continuous background processing ensures that comprehensive information is always available without requiring dedicated pilot time for monitoring.
4Quantity of substance
If current user interfaces are used to display information, then all available data can be shown, but the effectiveness of creating situation awareness is reduced due to inadequate organizational schemes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments information presentation into hierarchical levels and organized categories based on operational relevance. Instead of displaying all raw data simultaneously, the system divides information into structured groups (e.g., by system, by urgency, by flight phase) that can be selectively displayed, allowing pilots to access comprehensive data when needed while maintaining clear situation awareness through organized presentations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include a non-avionics computing device, a data network switch, and avionics computing devices. The non-avionics computing device may be configured to execute a situation awareness program. Each of the avionics computing devices may be communicatively coupled to the data network switch. The avionics computing devices may include a first avionics computing device communicatively coupled to the non-avionics computing device. The first avionics computing device may be configured to: receive avionics data from other of the avionics computing devices; filter the avionics data from the other of the avionics computing devices based on a predetermined relevance to the situation awareness program; and output the filtered avionics data to the non-avionics computing device.