Helmet Display Virtual Wingmen for Low Visibility Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low visibility conditions, such as harsh weather or dust, pose challenges for pilots in performing maneuvers like landing and navigating terrain at low altitudes, as existing visual guiding tools fail to provide effective conformal symbology for spatial reference.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses earth-space stabilized, 3D visual symbols resembling an aircraft, embedded within a pilot's helmet display, to provide dynamic reference points that update based on flight data and environmental conditions, ensuring conformity with the pilot's view and enhancing spatial perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional visual guiding tools are used in low visibility conditions, then pilots can see some reference indicators, but the indicators fail to provide effective conformal symbology for spatial reference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of aircraft (wingmen) that appear in the pilot's helmet display, copying the appearance and behavior of real aircraft to provide spatial reference. These virtual wingmen are rendered to match the pilot's perspective and aircraft formation geometry, creating realistic visual references that conform to the actual spatial relationships in the formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes multiple parameters including the position, orientation, and visual properties of the symbology based on the pilot's line of sight, aircraft flight data, and formation geometry. The conformal nature of the display ensures that visual parameters remain accurate relative to the pilot's viewpoint and aircraft attitude throughout the maneuver.
2Measurement precision
If conformal symbology is implemented to match pilot's view, then spatial reference accuracy improves, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The helmet-mounted display acts as an intermediary between the formation geometry data and the pilot's visual perception. It processes aircraft position data, pilot heading, and formation parameters to generate the appropriate virtual wingmen symbology, translating complex spatial relationships into intuitive visual references that conform to the pilot's viewpoint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical visual aids (such as actual aircraft or traditional navigation equipment) with a digital rendering system that generates virtual wingmen through software. This substitution of mechanical/physical systems with computational rendering reduces the need for physical infrastructure while maintaining or improving spatial reference accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If dynamic updates based on flight data are implemented, then guiding accuracy in low visibility improves, but processing requirements and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system updates the virtual wingmen positions and orientations at regular intervals based on incoming flight data, rather than continuously rendering at maximum rate. This periodic updating maintains accurate spatial representation while reducing computational load and energy consumption compared to continuous high-frequency updates.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of visually guiding a pilot flying an aircraft using one or more conformal symbols whose position is dynamically updated throughout the guidance is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: determining a desired flight route of an aircraft, based on a user-selected maneuver; presenting to a pilot, on a display, at least one 3D visual symbol that is: (i) earth-space stabilized, and (ii) positioned along a future location along the desired route; computing an updated desired route based on repeatedly updated aircraft flight data that include at least one of: location, speed, and spatial angle, of the aircraft; and repeating the presenting of the at least one 3D visual symbol with its updated location along the updated desired route.