Aircraft Taxi Path Display With Wingtip Boundary Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face challenges in accurately judging wingtip clearance during aircraft taxiing, increasing the risk of collisions with other aircraft or static fixtures due to the size of modern aircraft.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a database with aerodrome and aircraft data, combined with GPS and steering system inputs, to predict a real-time taxiing path and generate a visual representation on a display, including wing boundaries, to assist pilots in avoiding collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the size of aircraft increases, then the aircraft can carry more passengers and cargo, but it becomes more challenging for pilots to accurately judge wingtip clearance from other aircraft or static fixtures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual judgment system with an electronic computer vision system. Cameras mounted on the aircraft capture images of the surrounding environment, and a processor analyzes these images to calculate actual wingtip clearance distances, substituting the pilot's visual estimation with automated electronic measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary electronic system between the aircraft and the pilot. The system includes cameras, processors, and display devices that act as intermediaries to measure, calculate, and present clearance information to the pilot, eliminating the need for direct visual judgment by the pilot.
2Ease of operation
If pilots rely on visual judgment during taxiing, then the operation remains simple and direct, but the accuracy of collision avoidance deteriorates due to difficulty in judging clearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pilot's visual judgment mechanism with an electronic computer vision system that automatically captures images, processes them to determine clearance distances, and presents the information to the pilot, thereby maintaining operational simplicity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback system where the electronic system continuously monitors the aircraft's position and clearance during taxiing, provides real-time feedback to the pilot through display devices, and enables continuous adjustment to maintain safe clearance, thereby improving collision avoidance reliability.
3Reliability
If a visual representation system is implemented to show predicted path, then pilot awareness and safety improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single electronic system: the same camera system and processor used for navigation and flight control are also used to generate the visual representation of the predicted path and clearance information, reducing the need for separate dedicated components and mitigating complexity increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic system uses the aircraft's existing navigation infrastructure (GPS, flight control systems, display devices) to provide the visual representation function, allowing the system to serve itself using available resources rather than requiring entirely new dedicated components.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for visualizing predicted paths of aircraft during taxiing that promote awareness of the pilot regarding potential collisions along the predicted paths. The systems include a database and a controller in operable communication with a GPS receiver, a steering system, the database, and a display device. The controller is configured to receive GPS coordinates from the GPS receiver, a front wheel steering angle from the steering system, aircraft and aerodrome data from the database, determine a predicted path of the aircraft in real-time while the aircraft is taxiing at the airport based on the GPS coordinates, the front wheel steering angle, and state parameters indicated by the aircraft data, and generate a visual representation of the predicted path on the display device, wherein the visual representation includes boundaries defined by tips of wings of the aircraft along the predicted path.