Near-to-eye Head Tracking Ground Obstruction System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face difficulties in navigating airport taxiways and runways, especially in low visibility conditions, due to the lack of clear differentiation between taxiways, runways, and obstacles in traditional electronic displays, which increases pilot workload and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A near-to-eye (NTE) display system that uses a head-tracking infrared camera to provide a graphical representation of taxiway boundaries and obstacles superimposed on the pilot's view, allowing for real-time identification of hazards and enhanced situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional electronic displays are used to show airport layout information, then pilots can access electronic flight bags and chart readers, but the displays are monochromatic and lack prominence for runways and critical markers, making it difficult to discern between taxiways, runways, and obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple display technologies (heads-up display, augmented reality glasses, and conventional electronic displays) into an integrated system that overlays critical runway and obstacle information directly onto the pilot's field of view, merging the benefits of traditional displays with advanced visual enhancement technologies
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional flat electronic displays to three-dimensional spatial overlay displays that project runway edges and obstacles directly into the pilot's visual field, adding depth and spatial context to the navigation information
2Reliability
If pilots rely on paper charts to understand airport layout, then they can gain knowledge of taxiways and runways, but this increases pilot workload and does not provide real-time obstacle awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service navigation assistance by automatically displaying runway edges, taxiway boundaries, and obstacles in the pilot's field of view without requiring the pilot to manually interpret charts or switch between multiple information sources
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time visual feedback about the aircraft's position relative to taxiways and runways by overlaying graphical representations of the airport layout that move and update dynamically as the aircraft moves, giving immediate feedback without requiring pilot interpretation
3Loss of information
If conventional heads-up displays are used to show navigation information, then pilots can see superimposed information on the visible scene, but the displays do not provide sufficient prominence for obstacles and critical markers
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses color-coded graphical overlays to represent different airport features, with obstacles and critical markers displayed in high-contrast colors that stand out against the background scene, enhancing visual prominence through color differentiation
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the visual parameters (brightness, size, and position) of obstacle and runway marker overlays based on the aircraft's distance and orientation, ensuring that critical information maintains appropriate visual prominence across varying flight conditions
Data Source
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AI summary
A near-to-eye display allows an operator of a vehicle, such as a pilot of an aircraft, to see an obstacle on a conformal pathway, such as a runway or taxiway. The obstacle may be boundaries of the pathway or an object captured by an optional Infrared camera.