Dynamic Sky-Earth Display for Unusual Aircraft Attitudes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display systems for aircraft piloting and navigation, particularly Primary Flight Displays (PFDs) with synthetic vision, face challenges in effectively indicating the sky-earth separation during unusual aircraft attitudes, leading to information overload when nominal and insufficient visibility in critical situations.
Innovation Solution
The method dynamically displays sky-earth information only in unusual attitudes, using different representation modes based on aircraft pitch and roll values, with opaque and semi-transparent disc segments and areas of distinct colors, slaved to the zero longitudinal trim indicator, to enhance visibility and distinguishability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permanent display of circular arcs indicating sky-earth separation is implemented, then pilot awareness of sky and earth position is improved, but display complexity and information overload in nominal mode increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system dynamically adjusts the visibility of sky-earth separation indicators based on aircraft attitude. In nominal flight conditions, the indicators are hidden to avoid clutter. When unusual attitudes are detected (excessive roll or pitch), the indicators automatically appear to assist the pilot. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the display simple when not needed and providing critical information when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the display parameters (visibility of circular arcs) based on aircraft attitude parameters. When roll or pitch exceeds predetermined thresholds, the display mode changes from hidden to visible, providing sky-earth separation information. This parameter-based control allows the system to maintain simplicity in normal operation while ensuring safety in critical situations.
2Device complexity
If sky-earth information is displayed at periphery of display area, then display clutter in primary area is reduced, but pilot attention to this information decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically repositions sky-earth information based on flight conditions. In unusual attitudes, the circular arcs are displayed in the primary attention area rather than the periphery, ensuring the pilot notices them when they are most needed. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by prioritizing information visibility in critical situations while maintaining display organization in normal conditions.
3Area of stationary object
If thin information strip is used on either side of ZPRL, then display area utilization is improved, but distinguishability between sky and earth information decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different visual qualities to different parts of the display. The circular arcs use distinct colors (blue for sky, brown for earth) and are positioned to ensure adequate separation and visibility. This local differentiation ensures that even in condensed display formats, the pilot can easily distinguish between sky and earth information, resolving the contradiction between space utilization and distinguishability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple representation modes with different transparency are used, then information adaptability to criticality is improved, but display system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system implements multiple representation modes that dynamically adapt to flight criticality. In moderate unusual attitudes, semi-transparent arcs are used to provide subtle guidance. In severe unusual attitudes, opaque arcs with enhanced visibility are displayed. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to provide appropriate information intensity matching the situation severity, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The general field of the invention is that of the methods for graphic representation of the relative position of the sky and of the earth in an onboard display system for aircraft, said graphic representation being displayed on a display screen comprising piloting and navigation information superimposed on a three-dimensional synthetic representation of the outside landscape. Said graphic representation is displayed only when the attitude of the aircraft is unusual, an unusual attitude corresponding to a roll value or to a pitch value located outside of a first range of nominal values. It comprises two disc segments of identical form, that are opaque and of different colour, situated symmetrically on a circle concentric to that bearing the roll scale, the straight-line segments of the two disc segments being parallel to the line representing the zero longitudinal trim indicator, the rotation of the two disc segments being slaved to the rotation of said zero longitudinal trim indicator.