HUD Supplemental Indicator for Peripheral Alert Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current head-up displays (HUDs) in aircraft are limited in providing comprehensive information due to insufficient display area, relying on monochrome text and graphics, which hinders the ability to convey alert severity and requires pilots to look away from their primary field of view for critical information.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a supplemental indicator, such as an LED or LCD, within the HUD system that projects images onto or through the combiner, allowing for the presentation of additional information, including color-coded alerts, to enhance situational awareness and draw attention during critical phases of flight without occupying primary display space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the display area of the HUD combiner is increased to provide more information, then the quantity of information displayed is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into two independent parts: the primary HUD combiner for essential flight information and a supplemental indicator for additional alerts and warnings. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function efficiently without requiring an oversized combiner, thus maintaining information completeness while avoiding excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A supplemental indicator acts as an intermediary device between the flight crew and the aircraft's alerting system. It provides additional information without requiring modifications to the primary HUD combiner, thereby preserving the simplicity of the main display system while still delivering comprehensive information.
2Device complexity
If monochrome text and graphics are used on the HUD combiner, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to indicate alert severity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The supplemental indicator employs color-coded alerts to convey different levels of severity (e.g., red for warnings, yellow for cautions, green for advisories). This use of color provides critical alert severity information that cannot be effectively communicated through monochrome displays, while the supplemental indicator itself remains a relatively simple additive component.
3Loss of information
If all alert information is displayed on the HUD combiner, then information completeness is improved, but the ease of operation is worsened due to requiring pilot attention away from primary field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The supplemental indicator is positioned in the peripheral field of view of the pilot, utilizing the lateral dimension of visual attention rather than requiring central focus. This allows pilots to perceive alert information without shifting their primary gaze from the flight environment, maintaining both information completeness and ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables pilots to receive critical information within their peripheral vision, improving situational awareness and alert severity recognition, while maintaining focus on the primary flight environment, thus enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The projector may be configured to project images onto or through the combiner
Implementation Method 2
In one aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a head-up display (HUD) including at least one supplemental indicator, such as a light emitting diode (LED) indicator
Data Source
AI summary
A head-up display may include a combiner, a projector, a supplemental indicator, and a processor communicatively coupled to the supplemental indicator and the projector. The projector may be configured to project images onto or through the combiner. The combiner may be configured to present the images to a user. The supplemental indicator may be configured to visibly present supplemental information to the user. The processor may be configured to output image data signals to the projector, wherein the image data signals may be configured to cause the projector to project the images onto or through the combiner. The processor may be further configured to output supplemental indicator signals to the supplemental indicator, wherein the supplemental indicator signals may be configured to cause the supplemental indicator to visibly present the supplemental information to the user.