Cursor-Controlled Waypoint Setting on 3D Terrain Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft display systems require pilots to interact with menu-based interfaces to set or modify waypoints, diverting attention from critical flight procedures and lacking a visual representation of waypoint positions relative to the aircraft and flight path.
Innovation Solution
A display system with a cursor control device and electronic displays showing three-dimensional conformal views of terrain, allowing pilots to set waypoints by moving a cursor on the display to desired locations, with visual indicators for altitude, and associating latitude, longitude, and altitude values without needing menu interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a menu-based user interface is used to set or modify waypoints, then the system provides a structured method for waypoint management, but the pilot must divert attention from critical flight procedures to interact with menus and dialog boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the menu interaction requirement from the waypoint setting process. By allowing direct cursor placement on the display to set waypoints, the system removes the intermediate menu/dialog box steps that previously required pilot attention diversion. The waypoint coordinates are automatically captured from the cursor position without requiring pilot interaction with menu structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The display system performs automatic coordinate extraction and waypoint creation based on cursor position. The system serves itself by automatically determining latitude, longitude, and altitude from the cursor location on the three-dimensional display without requiring the pilot to manually input data or navigate menu options to set the waypoint.
2Device complexity
If two-dimensional views are used to display flight plan information, then the system provides a simple display format, but it cannot provide the pilot with a visual representation of the position of a waypoint with respect to the aircraft, other waypoints, or other aspects of the flight path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flight plan displays to a three-dimensional conformal display of the terrain. This dimensional enhancement allows the cursor position to visually represent waypoint location in three-dimensional space, providing the pilot with intuitive spatial awareness of waypoint positions relative to the aircraft and terrain features without overwhelming complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A display system (100) for use on a vehicle is presented. The display system (100) comprises a cursor control device (124), at least one electronic display (118) for displaying a first image (226) comprising a three-dimensional conformal view of a terrain (344) and a first movable cursor (366), and a processor (104) that is coupled to the cursor control device (124) and the at least one electronic display (118). The processor (104) is configured to move the first movable cursor (366) on the first image (226) in response to input from the cursor control device (124) and to determine a latitude and longitude that correspond to the position of the first movable cursor (366).