Airborne Terrain View Simulation via Position Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The widespread deployment of camera pods on aircraft is hindered by high costs, maintenance requirements, and bandwidth-intensive video feeds for real-time terrain viewing, limiting their availability and effectiveness, especially in poor weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that simulate a terrain view from an airborne object by correlating position and orientation information with a geo-referenced model, using telemetry and GPS/LORAN for data transmission, and rendering a viewing frustum to reduce bandwidth needs, allowing for cost-effective and low-maintenance virtual camera pod operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If camera pods are deployed on aircraft to provide terrain views and reconnaissance, then terrain viewing capability and reconnaissance effectiveness are improved, but cost, maintenance requirements, and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the camera pod's terrain viewing function by correlating airborne object position and orientation data with a geo-referenced terrain model to generate simulated terrain views. This virtual copy eliminates the need for expensive physical camera pods while providing identical terrain viewing capabilities to the pilot and ground personnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical camera pod system with a computational system that uses position and orientation data combined with a digital terrain model to generate terrain views. This substitution eliminates physical hardware requirements and associated maintenance while achieving the same functional outcome through software-based terrain view simulation.
2Ease of operation
If real-time video feeds from camera pods are transmitted to ground level for joint training, then ground personnel can see what the pilot sees, but bandwidth requirements increase and signal degradation occurs with distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the terrain view at ground level by correlating position and orientation information with the geo-referenced terrain model, eliminating the need to transmit actual video feeds. This approach provides ground personnel with the same situational awareness as the pilot without consuming bandwidth or suffering from signal degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computational intermediary process that generates terrain views locally at ground level using position and orientation data combined with the terrain model. This intermediary eliminates the need for direct video transmission between airborne and ground systems, reducing bandwidth requirements while maintaining real-time situational awareness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If video feeds are transmitted over long distances for remote monitoring, then ground-level personnel can access terrain views, but signal degradation reduces effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates local copies of terrain views at ground level through computational correlation of position and orientation data with the terrain model, eliminating the need for long-distance video transmission. This approach maintains signal quality and reliability while providing remote access capability to ground personnel regardless of transmission distance.
4Productivity
If expensive camera pods are deployed on every aircraft, then widespread terrain viewing capability is achieved, but cost prevents widespread deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual terrain views using computational methods that correlate position and orientation data with geo-referenced terrain models, providing widespread terrain viewing availability without the need to deploy expensive camera pods on every aircraft. This virtual copying approach makes terrain viewing accessible to all aircraft regardless of budget constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal terrain viewing system that can be implemented on any aircraft with basic position and orientation sensing capabilities, eliminating the need for specialized expensive camera pod equipment. This universal approach allows widespread deployment across different aircraft types without additional hardware investment.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of simulating a terrain view from the point of view of an airborne object and a terrain view simulation system which obtain a geo-referenced terrain to the airborne object, correlate in a computer the position and orientation information with the geo-referenced view of the terrain as seen from the airborne object, and display this simulated view.