Aircraft Obstacle Warning Envelope 3D Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft display systems face challenges in accurately providing flight crews with obstacle information, particularly in low-altitude flights or low-visibility conditions, as they struggle to effectively convey the distance and potential impact of obstacles, increasing pilot workload and reducing situational awareness.
Innovation Solution
A visual display system for aircraft that constructs an obstacle warning envelope using a processor and database, incorporating flight-specific parameters, to render a three-dimensional view and provide warnings based on obstacle proximity, with varying warning levels and alerts for obstacles within the envelope.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional display systems display obstacle information, then flight crews receive obstacle data, but the accuracy of distance perception and likelihood assessment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms conventional two-dimensional obstacle distance indicators into a three-dimensional envelope structure that visually represents both distance and impact likelihood. The envelope's spatial dimensions (size, shape, position) encode multiple parameters simultaneously, allowing flight crews to perceive obstacle threat level intuitively without requiring separate data interpretation.
2Reliability
If flight crews manually evaluate each obstacle to determine safety, then obstacle assessment is performed, but pilot workload increases and situational awareness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic obstacle evaluation by computing the obstacle warning envelope and comparing it with database obstacles without requiring manual pilot assessment. The envelope construction algorithm automatically determines which obstacles pose threats based on aircraft parameters and flight conditions, eliminating the need for pilots to manually track and evaluate each obstacle while maintaining high assessment accuracy.
3Loss of information
If conventional systems provide obstacle warnings, then flight crews receive alerts, but the visibility and clarity of obstacle impact information is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses color-coded visual indicators within the three-dimensional envelope to communicate different levels of obstacle threat and information clarity. Different colors represent varying degrees of obstacle impact likelihood and distance, making the warning information immediately visible and interpretable to flight crews without requiring additional cognitive processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A visual display system for an aircraft is provided. The system includes a database for storing obstacle information and a processor coupled to the database and configured to construct an obstacle warning envelope (250) for the aircraft and receive obstacle information from the database based on the obstacle warning envelope. The processor is further configured to supply display commands associated with the obstacle warning envelope and the obstacle information. The system further includes a display device coupled to the processor for receiving the display commands and operable to render a three-dimensional view, including the obstacle warning envelope and the obstacle (260). The display device provides a warning when the obstacle is within the obstacle warning envelope.