Pilot-Proximal Light Source for Synthetic Terrain Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer-generated displays for aircraft lack effective means to prevent spatial disorientation of pilots by obscuring terrain threats with shadows, which can lead to controlled flight into terrain incidents.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize a terrain image engine, processor, and display to calculate and display a synthetic image of terrain illuminated by a light source positioned proximal to the pilot's viewpoint, enhancing situational awareness and visibility of terrain threats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terrain data is displayed using conventional lighting models, then the display complexity is reduced, but terrain threats are obscured by shadows reducing pilot situational awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the light source proximal to the pilot's viewpoint rather than using a fixed conventional lighting model. This allows the illumination characteristics to be optimized locally for the pilot's specific viewing position, ensuring terrain threats in the pilot's field of view are properly illuminated while maintaining manageable system complexity through targeted rather than universal complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension to the lighting model by adding the pilot's viewpoint position as a critical parameter. Instead of using a fixed external light source position, the system calculates lighting based on the pilot's location, orientation, and viewing angle, effectively adding spatial dimensionality to the lighting calculation to improve terrain threat visibility
2Loss of information
If a light source is positioned far from the pilot's viewpoint, then the rendering computation is simplified, but terrain threats become less visible due to shadow obscuration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-calculating the pilot's viewpoint position and using this information to determine the optimal light source position before rendering the terrain image. This allows the rendering process to proceed efficiently with predetermined lighting parameters rather than requiring complex real-time calculations, thus reducing computational power requirements while maintaining terrain threat visibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the pilot's viewpoint as an intermediary element between the light source and the terrain. By positioning the light source relative to this intermediary (the pilot's viewpoint rather than a fixed external position), the system ensures that terrain threats are illuminated from the pilot's perspective without requiring excessively complex rendering computations
3Reliability
If conventional display systems are used, then the system complexity is minimized, but spatial disorientation of pilots cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the lighting parameters of the display system based on the pilot's viewpoint position, aircraft attitude, and terrain data. Instead of using fixed lighting parameters, the system dynamically adjusts light source position, intensity, and angle to match the pilot's perspective, thereby preventing spatial disorientation while managing system complexity through parameter optimization rather than structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method for pilot situational awareness comprises calculating a location; providing terrain data for the calculated location; processing the terrain data and positioning a light source generally proximal to a view point of a pilot data to generate a synthetic image, the synthetic image representing an appearance of the terrain data illuminated by an appearance of the light source positioned generally proximal to the view point of the pilot; and displaying the synthetic image.