EVS Traffic Highlighting for Aircraft To-Follow Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face challenges in identifying and maintaining visual separation from traffic during reduced visibility conditions, which can lead to difficulties in transitioning between out-the-window and cockpit display views, increasing workload and potential errors.
Innovation Solution
An Enhanced Vision System (EVS) is integrated with Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) to automatically highlight and enhance the visibility of Traffic To Follow (TTF) using real-time imaging data from IR and MMW cameras, combined with CDTI data to provide a synchronized display that aids pilots in maintaining separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pilots visually search for traffic in dense traffic environment or reduced visibility conditions, then visual separation can be maintained, but difficulty in identifying correct traffic increases and workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies color-coded highlights to traffic targets on the CDTI display, with different colors indicating different priority levels and separation statuses. The target traffic to follow is highlighted in a distinct color (e.g., cyan) to differentiate it from other traffic, making identification intuitive and reducing pilot workload during visual separation procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The display system segments traffic information by priority and separation status, dividing multiple traffic targets into hierarchical groups. The target traffic requires visual separation is segmented and highlighted separately from other traffic, allowing pilots to focus on the specific aircraft they need to maintain separation from without being overwhelmed by all traffic information
2Reliability
If pilots transition between out-the-window and cockpit display views, then visual contact can be maintained, but identification accuracy decreases and errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The CDTI display uses color-coded highlights that correspond to the visual appearance of traffic, creating a consistent visual language between the external view and the display. This color consistency helps pilots maintain accurate identification when transitioning between viewing the actual traffic through the window and viewing the highlighted targets on the display
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback by displaying highlighted traffic targets on the CDTI that correspond to actual visual contacts. When pilots visually acquire traffic, the system reinforces this by highlighting the corresponding target on the display, confirming correct identification and reducing errors during transitions between visual and display-based monitoring
3Adaptability or versatility
If CDTI is used to substitute for out-the-window visual contact, then visual approaches can continue in lower weather conditions, but traffic identification difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies distinctive color highlights to traffic targets on the CDTI, making them stand out against the background and easily identifiable in reduced visibility conditions. This color enhancement compensates for the lack of visual cues available in traditional out-the-window viewing during low weather conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the visual parameters of traffic display by applying highlights and varying intensity levels based on traffic priority and separation status. This parameter modification makes traffic targets more detectable and distinguishable on the CDTI when visual approaches are conducted in lower weather conditions where natural visual cues are reduced
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying traffic to follow, TTF, on a display device. TTF, identification data identifying a vehicle to follow is received. Transmitted data is received from the vehicle to follow. Aircraft attribute data for the vehicle to follow is derived at least from the transmitted data and from target model data from a target model database. The aircraft attribute data includes position, orientation and aircraft dimensions. Enhanced vision system, EVS, imaging data is received from at least one EVS camera. An area of the EVS imaging data to be visually distinguished to highlight the traffic to follow is calculated. The area calculated is based on the aircraft attribute data including position, orientation and aircraft dimensions. Image processing is performed on the area of the EVS imaging data to visually distinguish the area so as to highlight the vehicle to follow, thereby providing highlighted EVS imaging data. A display is generated based on the EVS imaging data and the highlighted EVS imaging data.