Graphical Approach Course Generation for Avionics Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional avionics display systems lack visual representation of flight courses, increasing pilot workload during critical phases of flight and obscuring important information like terrain and traffic data due to dialog boxes covering significant portions of the screen.
Innovation Solution
A graphical display system that allows pilots to visually select and adjust flight courses, providing immediate feedback on terrain, traffic, and spatial orientation without hiding essential information, using a display device coupled with a graphics module and navigation system to render navigational maps and terminal area procedures interactively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pilots use conventional text-based selection methods for terminal area procedures, then procedure selection can be completed, but pilot workload increases during critical descent phase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the traditional text-based, linear procedure selection process into a graphical, spatial representation where procedures are displayed as visual paths on a map. This dimensional change from text to visual-spatial interface allows pilots to grasp the entire approach course at a glance, significantly reducing the time and cognitive load during procedure selection in the critical descent phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates and displays multiple viable approach courses with their complete terminal area procedures before the pilot needs to make a selection. By presenting pre-processed graphical options that already incorporate terrain, traffic, and procedure compatibility information, the system eliminates the need for pilots to manually assemble and evaluate individual procedures during the time-critical descent phase.
2Loss of information
If pilots refer to external flight charts to visualize procedures, then terrain and traffic information can be seen, but pilot workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple information sources—terminal area procedures, terrain data, traffic information, and navigational maps—into a single integrated graphical display. This consolidation presents all relevant information in one unified view, eliminating the need for pilots to cross-reference external flight charts while maintaining complete situational awareness and reducing operational workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical display system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays procedure definitions, shows terrain contours, indicates traffic positions, highlights selected courses, and provides navigational context. This multi-functional interface replaces the need for separate reference materials and tools, allowing pilots to obtain all necessary information from a single display without increasing workload.
3Loss of information
If pilots enter procedures into temporary flight plan to obtain graphical representation, then flight course can be visualized, but the process requires multiple selection and modification cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation and graphical rendering of complete approach courses, including all terminal area procedures, before the pilot needs to review or select. By pre-assembling viable flight courses with their full graphical representations, the system eliminates iterative selection and modification cycles, allowing pilots to directly compare and select from pre-processed options.
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical display provides immediate visual feedback when a pilot interacts with the interface, showing how selected procedures translate into the final flight course representation. This real-time feedback mechanism eliminates the delay inherent in entering procedures into the temporary flight plan and waiting for system processing, allowing pilots to understand the consequences of their selections instantly.
4Ease of operation
If INAV screen displays dialog box for procedure selection, then procedure can be selected, but up to 25% of screen information is obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the procedure selection interface from the traditional overlay dialog box and integrates it directly into the navigational map display. By embedding selection elements within the graphical context rather than placing them in a separate overlay, the system maintains full visibility of the navigational information while preserving complete procedure selection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional overlay approach (dialog box on top of map) to an integrated graphical interface where selection elements exist within the same spatial plane as the navigational information. This dimensional integration ensures that procedure selection capabilities are maintained while eliminating the obscuration of up to 25% of the display area.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and method for graphically creating an approach course on a navigation display is provided. A processor operatively coupled to a display and is configured to generate an approach course by (1) generating a graphical representation of at least one terminal area procedure, (2) selecting the at least one terminal area procedure on the display, and (3) displaying the approach course including the at least one terminal area procedure. The approach course is then accepted and inserted into a flight plan.