Countermeasure Display Interface for Faster Pilot Deployment Decisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing countermeasures systems for aircraft, ships, and land vehicles require pilots to expend mental energy and time interpreting text-based information for deploying countermeasures, which can be distracting and requires costly hardware upgrades for system reconfiguration.
Innovation Solution
A countermeasures control interface with a programmable user interface that displays graphic representations of countermeasure loadouts and options, allowing pilots to make intuitive deployment choices through a user-selectable format, with an electronic circuit controlling the display and activating dispensers based on user inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If text-based displays are used to show countermeasure information, then information can be displayed, but the pilot must expend mental energy and time to comprehend the data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies visual encoding through color-coded icons to represent different countermeasure types (e.g., flares, chaff) and their quantities. Instead of text descriptions, the system uses colored graphical symbols that can be quickly recognized at a glance, reducing the pilot's mental energy expenditure while maintaining complete information about available countermeasures and their status.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates visual copies or representations of physical countermeasure containers and their contents through graphical icons displayed on the screen. These visual copies mirror the actual physical state of countermeasure tanks, allowing pilots to comprehend system status intuitively without needing to interpret text data about quantities and types.
2Loss of information
If text displays are used for countermeasure information, then data can be presented, but the pilot spends time comprehending the data while making decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical icon system with color coding allows pilots to instantly grasp countermeasure status without reading text. Different colors represent different countermeasure types and quantities, enabling rapid comprehension and faster decision-making during critical combat situations while ensuring all necessary information is conveyed.
Solution Approach 2:
The display system segments countermeasure information into distinct, easily distinguishable graphical icons rather than presenting it as continuous text. Each countermeasure type and quantity is represented by a separate visual element, allowing pilots to quickly scan and comprehend the overall system status without processing lengthy text descriptions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hardware changes are made to reconfigure the control unit, then system functionality can be updated, but it is time consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical hardware reconfiguration with software-based control. The control unit uses programmable logic and software routines to change system functionality, countermeasure deployment sequences, and display configurations without requiring any physical hardware modifications. This allows rapid system adaptation through software updates alone, eliminating the time and cost associated with hardware manufacturing and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit is designed with dynamic, reconfigurable software that can adapt system behavior and functionality in real-time or through updates. Rather than static hardware configurations, the system uses programmable logic that can be modified to change countermeasure deployment strategies, display formats, and operational modes, providing adaptability without hardware changes.
Data Source
AI summary
In a countermeasures control interface for use in deploying countermeasures in response to user commands, which are deployed from a first countermeasure dispenser that deploys a first type of countermeasure and a second countermeasure dispenser that deploys a second type of countermeasure different from the first type. A user interface receives user commands regarding countermeasures deployment and includes a display that shows a user-selectable image formats. At least one of the user-selectable image formats includes a graphic representation of a loadout of the first countermeasure dispenser and the second countermeasure dispenser, as well as a graphical representation of currently-available countermeasures deployment options. The user interface also receives input regarding a user countermeasure deployment choice and generates a signal corresponding to the countermeasure deployment choice. An electronic circuit controls the display and generates the user-selectable image formats, receives the countermeasure deployment choice from the user interface and activates the countermeasure dispensers.