Graphical Threshold Indicator for Aircraft Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air traffic management systems for visual flight rules (VFR) operations do not provide clearance ranges to flight crews, leading to increased crew workload and safety risks during aircraft approaches, as they rely on minimal data for traffic identification and separation monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a processor and display to determine or adjust a threshold range based on aircraft traffic and ownship data, generating a graphical threshold indicator representing a time or distance threshold to designated traffic, which is then displayed to the user, thereby simplifying the management of threshold ranges and reducing crew workload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If air traffic control provides only minimum data to flight crews during VFR operations, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but crew workload increases and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the threshold indicator display on navigation displays) that automatically calculates and presents threshold range information to the flight crew. This intermediary processing layer transforms raw traffic data into meaningful visual indicators, reducing crew workload while maintaining safety through automated information presentation rather than manual data management
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically determining threshold ranges and generating graphical indicators without requiring crew intervention. The navigation display system autonomously processes traffic data, calculates appropriate thresholds, and presents visual indicators, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous crew management
2Productivity
If automated threshold range determination is implemented, then crew workload is reduced and productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by integrating multiple functions into the existing navigation display system. The same display infrastructure used for primary flight information is also utilized for presenting threshold indicators, allowing the system to perform multiple functions without proportionally increasing device complexity. The processor that handles navigation data also calculates threshold ranges, creating a multi-functional system
3Loss of information
If graphical threshold indicators are provided to flight crews, then information quality is improved and safety is enhanced, but loss of information is reduced (from minimal data provision)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating a graphical representation (visual indicator) of the threshold range information on the navigation display. Instead of providing raw numerical data or requiring complex data processing by the crew, the system creates a visual copy of the threshold information that can be quickly perceived and understood, reducing information loss while maintaining simplicity
Data Source
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AI summary
A system may (100) include a display (302) and a processor (202). The display (302) may be configured to present images to a user, the display (302) in an ownship. The processor (202) may be communicatively coupled to the display (302) and in the ownship. The processor (202) may be configured to: receive aircraft traffic data and ownship data; at least one of determine or adjust a threshold range based at least on the aircraft traffic data and the ownship data, the threshold range representing a time or distance threshold to designated traffic; generate and update a graphical threshold indicator, the threshold indicator representing a time or distance from the threshold range to the designated traffic; and output the graphical threshold indicator as graphical data to the display. The display (302) may be configured to display the graphical threshold indicator to the user.