Synthetic Vision System for Low-Visibility Approach
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems limit low visibility approaches to a small number of runways due to high decision heights and infrastructure requirements, making it challenging for pilots to safely descend and land in low altitude conditions without visual references.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft synthetic vision system utilizing a combination of databases (terrain, obstacle, and validated runway databases) with advanced symbology, altimetry error detection, and high precision augmented coordinates, displayed on a primary flight display, allowing pilots to descend to low altitudes without a sensor imaging system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional instrument landing systems (ILS, NDB, VOR, GPS, LAAS) are used, then pilots can navigate during approach and landing, but decision heights are limited (200-700 feet above ground) preventing lower altitude descent in low visibility conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a synthetic visual copy of the runway environment using database information about terrain, obstacles, and runway characteristics. This synthetic view is displayed to the pilot instead of requiring direct visual observation, allowing descent below traditional decision heights while maintaining situational awareness through the synthesized visual representation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension of information presentation by displaying synthetic visual data alongside or instead of traditional instrument readings. This transforms abstract altitude and position data into a visual representation that mimics actual visual references, enabling pilots to operate at lower altitudes with enhanced situational awareness
2Measurement precision
If sensor imaging systems are installed to enable low altitude descent, then pilots can see the runway environment below traditional decision heights, but the system complexity and infrastructure requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of installing physical sensors and imaging systems on aircraft or at airports, the patent creates a synthetic copy of the visual environment using pre-existing database information. This approach achieves the same goal of providing visual references at low altitude without the complexity of sensor systems, aircraft modifications, or airport infrastructure installations
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses existing database information about terrain, obstacles, and runway characteristics to generate the synthetic visual display. Rather than requiring external sensor systems to capture this data, the system serves itself by processing and displaying the information already available in aviation databases
3Productivity
If sensor imaging systems with heads up display are deployed, then low visibility approaches can be performed at lower altitudes, but the availability is limited to a small percentage of operating aircraft and runways
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a method that can be implemented using existing aviation databases and standard flight display systems. By utilizing information already contained in terrain, obstacle, and runway databases that are part of normal flight navigation systems, the approach can be applied universally across different aircraft and airports without requiring specialized sensor equipment or infrastructure modifications
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft synthetic vision system (100) is provided for increasing data input to a pilot (109) during approach and landing flight operations, and includes a runway assistance landing system (114) and a plurality of databases (106, 108, 110, 112) which may include, for example, a terrain database (106), an obstacle database (112); and a validated runway database (110). The processor (104) detects the likelihood of an error in determining the altitude from at least one of the runway assistance landing system (114), the plurality of databases (106, 108, 110, 112), and identifies the error. The processor (104) further determines augmented coordinates, and a processor (104) generates symbology commands to a first display (116) for displaying a runway environment in response to data provided to the processor (104) from each of the runway assistance landing system (114), the plurality of databases (106, 108, 110, 112), and the processor (104).