Dynamic Weather Legend Scaling for Mobile Flight Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flight planning tools provide static legends that fail to accurately represent a wide range of weather values, leading to uncertainty and confusion, especially when displayed on mobile devices, due to their reduced size.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for dynamically adjusting a color-coded legend based on user input, altering the values, colors, and specificity of the legend to match the displayed information, particularly for wind speed and temperature, ensuring precise representation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a static legend covers the entire range of possible values for any altitude and location, then the legend provides comprehensive coverage, but the legend becomes extremely detailed and large, making it difficult to fit on mobile device screens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelegend accuracyVSAvoidlegend size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The legend transitions from a static design covering all possible values to a dynamic design that automatically adjusts its range and detail level based on the currently displayed weather data and screen size. The system monitors the data range and recalculates the legend parameters to provide appropriate detail within available space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The legend's parameter set (minimum value, maximum value, color thresholds, label intervals) is changed dynamically based on the actual weather data range and display dimensions. Instead of using fixed parameters for the entire possible range, the system recalculates parameters to match the current data subset being displayed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Area of stationary object

If the legend size is reduced to fit mobile device screens, then the legend fits the display, but the legend can only define a select group of colors, creating uncertainty and confusion about exact values

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelegend sizeVSAvoidlegend detail
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The legend provides high detail and precision locally for the specific range of values currently being displayed, rather than distributing limited detail across the entire possible range. Each section of the legend is optimized to show appropriate granularity for its corresponding data range.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The legend dynamically adjusts its information density and color differentiation based on the data range. When the displayed values span a narrow range, the legend shows more detailed increments and color variations to maintain precision, even within a compact format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a static legend is used for all weather conditions, then the legend is simple to implement, but it fails to accurately represent the specific range of values for different altitudes and locations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelegend implementationVSAvoidvalue representation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The legend system automatically adapts to different weather conditions, altitude ranges, and location-specific data without requiring manual configuration. The dynamic adjustment of legend parameters ensures accurate representation for each specific scenario while maintaining a unified implementation approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The legend system performs self-adjustment based on the displayed data characteristics. It automatically detects the data range, calculates appropriate color thresholds and label intervals, and configures itself without external intervention, maintaining both simplicity and accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4202731B1System and method for dynamic display of legend
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 JEPPESEN FOREFLIGHT INC
  • EP4202731B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4202731B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4202731B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting a legend are provided. One system comprises a display unit; a user input device configured to receive a first input indicating a first altitude value; one or more processors; and a memory configured to store one or more programs, the one or more programs being configured for execution by the one or more processors and including instructions for: retrieving weather information corresponding to the first input; generating a command signal for displaying a legend having a color-code or shading-code associated with a plurality of attributes included in the retrieved weather information; and displaying the legend, on the display unit, in association with the retrieved weather information.