Pilot Report Icon Display With Age-Based Opacity and Expiry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for displaying pilot reports (PIREPs) do not indicate the age of the reports, which affects the relevance and significance of the information for flight decision-making.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that graphically display PIREPs on a user interface, where the opacity of the icons representing the reports decreases progressively based on their age, and the icons expire after a specified maximum age.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all PIREP icons are displayed with the same visibility, then all reports are equally noticeable, but the relevance and age of the reports cannot be distinguished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by modifying the opacity of PIREP icons based on their age. Older reports are displayed with reduced opacity, making them visually less prominent, while newer reports maintain full opacity. This allows pilots to quickly distinguish between current and historical reports without adding complex visual encodings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new visual dimension (opacity/transparency) to encode temporal information about PIREP age. Instead of using additional colors or symbols, the system varies the transparency level of existing icons, adding an intuitive visual layer that conveys report freshness without increasing overall display complexity.
2Productivity
If old PIREPs remain visible, then historical data is preserved, but the display becomes cluttered and decision-making is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
By progressively reducing the opacity of PIREP icons as they age, the system effectively 'fades out' older reports. This maintains them in the display for historical completeness while reducing their visual prominence, allowing pilots to focus on newer, more relevant reports without complete elimination of historical data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a temporal lifecycle management where PIREP icons are gradually discarded from full visibility and eventually removed after reaching maximum age. This controlled discarding process prevents display clutter while preserving information until it truly becomes obsolete.
3Reliability
If PIREP icons are displayed without temporal indication, then the display is simple, but pilots cannot assess the current relevance of weather reports
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses opacity variation as a visual indicator of PIREP age and relevance. This simple visual modification provides immediate temporal context to pilots, enhancing the reliability of flight decision-making by clearly indicating which reports are current versus historical, without requiring complex additional displays or annotations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for displaying pilot reports provided. The method comprises graphically displaying a flight plan for an aircraft in a user interface and receiving a number of pilot reports. Icons representing the pilot reports are displayed in the user interface in relation to the flight plan. Respective opacities of the icons in the user interface are progressively decreased according to respective ages of the icons. Each icon expires and disappears from the user interface upon reaching a specified maximum age.