SVS Mode Switching for Aircraft Taxi Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional synthetic vision systems (SVS) provide a narrow egocentric view suitable for take-off, flight, and landing operations but are inadequate for taxiing operations, as they do not offer a wide enough field of view and lack essential exocentric perspectives, especially in scenarios with unmarked runway intersections and varying aircraft conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that transitions between SVS taxi mode exocentric view and flight mode egocentric view based on predetermined exclusion zones, using processors to determine when to switch between modes, ensuring proper configuration for take-off, and incorporating sensors and user interfaces for automatic or manual control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional SVS provides a narrow egocentric view, then the system complexity is reduced and energy consumption is lowered, but the field of view is insufficient for taxiing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between egocentric and exocentric view modes based on aircraft operational state (taxiing vs. takeoff/landing). The processor determines the current mode and selects the appropriate view type, making the field of view adaptable rather than fixed. This resolves the contradiction by providing wide exocentric views during taxiing while maintaining simpler narrow egocentric views during other operations.
2Area of stationary object
If SVS provides exocentric view for taxiing, then the field of view is improved, but mode switching may cause nuisance transitions and operational disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-defines exclusion zones around the aircraft that prevent mode switching when the aircraft is in critical positions (such as near runway intersections or during takeoff/landing sequences). By establishing these protected zones in advance, the system avoids nuisance transitions that would occur during normal operational sequences, thereby improving reliability while still allowing view mode changes when appropriate.
3Ease of operation
If SVS uses automatic mode switching, then ease of operation is improved, but false mode determination may occur due to unmarked runway intersections
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors aircraft position, velocity, and environmental features (such as runway markings or lack thereof) and uses this feedback to verify whether the detected mode matches the actual operational context. When unmarked intersections are detected, the feedback mechanism prevents false mode switching by recognizing the ambiguity and maintaining the current mode until clearer indicators are available. This resolves the contradiction by making automatic control more robust against false detections.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system may include a display (902) and a processor (904) communicatively coupled to the display. The processor may be configured to: output, to the display, a synthetic vision system (SVS) taxi mode exocentric view of an aircraft while the aircraft is performing taxi operations, while the aircraft is on ground, and when the aircraft is not in a predetermined exclusion zone, the predetermined exclusion zone including portions of a runway where the aircraft is able to begin taking off; and output, to the at least one display, an SVS flight mode egocentric view from the aircraft when the aircraft is in the predetermined exclusion zone. The display may be configured to display the SVS taxi mode exocentric view until the aircraft is in the predetermined exclusion zone and display the SVS flight mode egocentric view when the aircraft is in the predetermined exclusion zone.