Virtual Magnifier for Aircraft Chart Readability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft cockpit displays face challenges in enhancing readability of specific electronic chart elements, particularly under low light conditions, and require cumbersome zooming that can result in desired information being off-screen, diverting pilot attention from critical tasks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a virtual magnifying glass tool on touch screens for aircraft cockpit displays that allows users to magnify specific areas of electronic charts without zooming the entire chart, providing readouts of latitude and longitude, and enabling intuitive identification and creation of waypoints through touch interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the entire chart is magnified to enhance readability of specific elements, then the readability of chart elements is improved, but the overall context is lost and other desired information may go off-screen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the chart display into multiple regions: a main chart area showing overall context and a magnified inset region showing detailed view of selected elements. This segmentation allows simultaneous viewing of both global context and local details without losing information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested display structure where a magnified view of specific chart elements is embedded within the overall chart display. The inset magnified region is positioned over the main chart, allowing pilots to see detailed information while maintaining awareness of the broader chart context.
2Measurement precision
If the entire chart is zoomed in to view specific details, then readability of specific elements is improved, but pilot attention is diverted from critical tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into independent viewing regions that can be activated as needed. Pilots can quickly access magnified views of specific elements without navigating through multiple zoom levels, reducing the time and attention required to obtain detailed information while maintaining situational awareness.
3Measurement precision
If the entire chart is magnified under low light conditions, then readability is improved, but the complexity of operation increases due to cumbersome zooming controls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the magnification function from traditional multi-step zoom controls and implements it as a direct touch interaction on the chart display. Pilots can simply touch or drag on the display to activate and position magnified views, eliminating complex zoom control sequences and reducing operational complexity in low light conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for accessing information on an electronic version of an navigation information display is described. The method includes displaying navigation information (200) on a display (210) of a device, the device incorporating a touch screen, sensing a user touch on the touch screen, determining, by the device, a location on the touch screen where the user touch has occurred, correlating the location on the touch screen where the user touch has occurred with a location on the navigation information display, and displaying a magnified area (220) of a portion of the navigation information proximate the location on the touch screen where the user touch occurred.