Graphical Image Pattern Condensation for Flight Chart Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The storage space required for flight charts in avionics systems is large due to the need to maintain multiple charts, and existing display systems do not efficiently manage the storage of repeating patterns.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that detects and condenses repeating patterns in graphical images, such as flight charts, by converting them into hardware directives for efficient storage and recreation, reducing the file size by up to 99.6% without affecting the displayed image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If flight charts are stored in their original graphical image file format, then image quality is maintained, but storage space consumption is excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage space consumptionVSAvoidimage quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the flight chart image into repeating pattern elements and non-repeating transients. By dividing the image into these components, the system can store only the unique pattern definition once and reuse it across multiple instances, dramatically reducing storage requirements while maintaining image quality through accurate recreation of the segmented patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a condensed representation (copy) of the repeating patterns using hardware directives that define the pattern structure once. This condensed copy is then used to regenerate the full image display, preserving image quality while storing only the essential pattern information rather than the complete image data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple flight charts are maintained for different flights, then flight operation requirements are met, but storage capacity is exceeded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight chart availabilityVSAvoidstorage capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal compression method that can be applied to any flight chart image. By converting all flight charts into their condensed hardware directive representations, the system can store multiple different flight charts in a compact form, allowing the avionics system to maintain versatility in providing various flight charts while staying within storage capacity limits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Quantity of substance

If repeating patterns are stored as complete image data, then image accuracy is maintained, but storage efficiency is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage efficiencyVSAvoidimage accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the repeating pattern elements from the complete image data and separates them from the transients. By taking out only the essential repeating pattern information and storing it as hardware directives, the system achieves high storage efficiency while maintaining image accuracy through the precise recreation of these extracted patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4184441B1System and method for recreating image with repeating patterns of graphical image file to reduce storage space
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 ROCKWELL COLLINS INC
  • EP4184441B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4184441B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4184441B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system may include a computer readable medium (506, 508) and a processor (504) communicatively coupled to the computer readable medium. The processor may be configured to: obtain a graphical image file, the graphical image file including an image, wherein the image includes at least one sequence (102) of repeating pattern elements (104), each of the at least one sequence including the repeating pattern elements that are repeated along a linear direction; and convert the graphical image file to at least one file including hardware directives that when executed cause a recreation of the image of the graphical image file to be drawn, wherein a file size of the at least one file is smaller than the graphical image file.