Spherical Shell Aircraft Attitude Display for Unusual Flight Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft attitude display systems, both egocentric and exocentric, can be complex and difficult for pilots to interpret, especially in unusual flight conditions, and often require reference to multiple instruments, increasing the risk of misinterpretation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generates a display image on a spherical shell with a graphical aircraft attitude indicator, showing roll, pitch, and yaw angles, using a virtual three-dimensional model and adjustable camera perspective, allowing intuitive visualization of aircraft attitude directly on a screen, reducing the need for additional instruments and minimizing misinterpretation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional egocentric or exocentric attitude indicators are used, then aircraft attitude information is provided, but the display is complex and difficult to interpret, increasing the risk of misinterpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional flat displays to a three-dimensional spherical shell display. The spherical shell represents the earth's surface, with the aircraft position marked on it and the flight path vector shown as a trajectory on the sphere. This dimensional change provides intuitive spatial representation of attitude information, making it easier to interpret while reducing display complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical shell display integrates multiple attitude parameters (roll, pitch, yaw, flight path angle, heading) into a single unified visual representation. Instead of requiring multiple separate instruments, the spherical display simultaneously shows aircraft position, orientation, and flight path information, reducing the need for additional instruments and minimizing misinterpretation.
2Reliability
If multiple instruments are referenced for attitude information, then comprehensive data is available, but interpretation time increases and misinterpretation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple attitude indication functions into a single spherical shell display. The aircraft position, flight path vector, heading information, and vertical angle are all integrated into one cohesive visual representation. This consolidation allows pilots to obtain comprehensive attitude information from a single display rather than cross-referencing multiple instruments, thereby reducing interpretation time and eliminating the risk of misinterpretation that arises from integrating information from separate sources.
3Ease of operation
If a spherical shell display with three-dimensional model is used, then intuitive visualization of aircraft attitude is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional spherical shell that can be displayed on conventional display screens. Rather than requiring complex three-dimensional hardware, the system creates a visual copy or projection of the spherical geometry using graphical elements (spherical shell outline, aircraft position marker, flight path vector lines, angular scales) that simulate three-dimensional space on a flat display surface. This approach maintains intuitive visualization while avoiding the need for complex three-dimensional display hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for displaying an attitude of an aircraft includes receiving a roll angle, a pitch angle and a yaw angle of the aircraft, generating a display image indicating the roll angle, the pitch angle and the yaw angle, and displaying the display image on a display device. The display image includes a spherical shell with a track angle scale projected onto the spherical shell along a latitude line of the spherical shell and with a pitch angle scale projected onto the spherical shell along a longitude line of the spherical shell. Furthermore, the display image includes a graphical aircraft attitude indicator inside the spherical shell rotated with respect to the spherical shell such that the graphical aircraft attitude indicator indicates the roll angle, the pitch angle and the yaw angle of the aircraft with respect to the spherical shell.