Flight Display Transparency for Situational Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Primary Flight Displays suffer from visual clutter due to overlapping symbols, which obscure critical flight information such as pitch, heading, and terrain features, leading to decreased situational awareness and increased risk of navigation and control errors.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a processing unit, flight management system, navigation system, database, and graphics display generator to increase the transparency of critical flight information symbols near the flight path marker, ensuring that important data is not obscured by other indicators or tapes, thereby enhancing visibility and situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple flight information symbols are displayed at the same location on the display, then comprehensive flight information is provided, but visual clutter increases and critical information becomes obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display area into multiple zones and distributes different flight information symbols to different zones. For example, pitch information, heading information, and flight path markers are placed in separate vertical and horizontal zones rather than overlapping at the center, eliminating visual clutter while maintaining comprehensive information display
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimension (horizontal) arrangement of symbols to a two-dimensional arrangement with both horizontal and vertical separation. Flight information symbols are positioned at different vertical levels (above, below, left, right of center) in addition to horizontal spacing, creating a multi-dimensional display layout that prevents overlap
2Ease of operation
If flight path marker is displayed prominently in the center, then flight path guidance is improved, but underlying pitch and heading information becomes invisible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested arrangement where the flight path marker is positioned at the center, and pitch and heading information symbols are nested around it in surrounding zones. The flight path marker remains prominent for guidance, while pitch information is displayed above/below and heading information is displayed left/right, creating a concentric information hierarchy that prevents obscuration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual properties and positions to different information elements based on their importance and type. The flight path marker maintains high visibility at center, while pitch and heading symbols are positioned in specific local zones with appropriate size and transparency characteristics to ensure they are visible without compromising the flight path marker's prominence
3Reliability
If comprehensive flight management and navigation information is integrated into one display, then situational awareness is improved, but display complexity and symbol overlap increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the comprehensive flight information into distinct functional groups (flight path, pitch, heading, airspeed, altitude) and assigns each group to specific display zones. This segmentation maintains the integrated display's comprehensive information content while systematically organizing symbols to prevent overlap and reduce perceived complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal display layout framework that can accommodate multiple types of flight information symbols through standardized positioning rules. The same spatial distribution principles apply regardless of which specific flight parameters are displayed, simplifying the overall system design while maintaining comprehensive situational awareness
Data Source
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AI summary
An improved system and method for increasing the visibility of critical flight information on aircraft displays, such as, for example, Primary Flight Displays are disclosed. For example, an aircraft display system is disclosed that includes a processing unit, a flight management system, a navigation system, a database for storing target data and terrain data, a graphics display generator, and a visual display. The flight management system and/or the navigation system provide real-time aircraft operational and flight control information. The processing unit directs the graphics display generator to generate graphic control signals for the visual display, which increase the transparency of a segment of a zero pitch reference line in the vicinity of a flight path marker on the display. Thus, critical flight information in the vicinity of the flight path marker is not obscured by the zero pitch reference line displayed in that vicinity, which enhances a flight crew's situational awareness and facilitates aircraft control. The processing unit also increases the transparency of any flight path information indicator (e.g., heading, course, track indicator) that is located near the generated segment of the zero pitch reference line, and the transparency of the zero pitch reference line where it coincides with any flight information tape or scale (e.g., airspeed tape, altitude tape, etc.) being displayed. Consequently, critical flight information near the segment of the zero pitch reference line in the vicinity of the flight path marker is not obscured by the flight path information indicator being displayed in that vicinity, and the readings on the flight information tapes are not obscured by the zero pitch reference line.