Path Guidance Panel for Aircraft Navigation Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autopilot and flight management systems confuse pilots with unclear textual and graphic indications about the system's current and future actions, requiring significant system knowledge and time to interpret.
Innovation Solution
The system provides a path guidance panel with graphical displays showing the present and future states of a lateral and/or vertical guidance system, including separate displays for lateral and vertical information, and the ability to select guidance modes such as heading, track, navigation, and altitude hold, with intercept plans displayed when the vehicle is off the route plan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If textual indications and annunciations are used to show system actions, then information can be conveyed, but pilot understanding and interpretation become difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces textual/verbal indications with visual graphical displays on a screen. The guidance system's actions are shown through graphical representations of the vehicle's position, route plan, and guidance cues rather than through text annunciations, making the information immediately visible and understandable without requiring pilot interpretation of textual codes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses different colors to represent different guidance modes and system states. For example, colored bars and graphical elements change color to indicate active guidance modes, providing intuitive visual feedback that eliminates the need for textual explanations of system state
2Loss of information
If extensive system knowledge is required to interpret indications, then comprehensive system information can be conveyed, but interpretation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical display system is self-explanatory and does not require external knowledge or training to interpret. The visual representation of the vehicle position, route, and guidance cues naturally conveys system actions without requiring the pilot to know system codes or interpretation rules, enabling immediate understanding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the actual guidance system actions on the screen. The graphical display mirrors the physical guidance operations, showing exactly what the system is doing through visual analogies rather than requiring the pilot to mentally translate textual indications into system actions
3Ease of operation
If current systems use graphics to show guidance actions, then visual information is provided, but the graphic indications are not unique and do not show future actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays future guidance actions and predicted vehicle positions in advance on the graphical display. The system shows where the vehicle will go and what guidance actions will occur next, allowing the pilot to anticipate system behavior rather than only seeing current state
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the graphical display into distinct segments showing different aspects of guidance: current vehicle position, active guidance mode, route plan, and predicted future actions. Each segment is uniquely identified and visually separated, providing comprehensive information without confusion
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for a path guidance panel. The path guidance panel provides separate display screens for showing the lateral and vertical guidance information. Each screen shows the current state of the respective guidance system, and shows what, if anything, the respective guidance system will do next. This provides a convenient display for the pilot to see the current and future states of the guidance systems of the aircraft.