Visual Aid Generating System Lighting Awareness Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) and Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) in aircraft lack operational credit and cannot be used below 100 feet above the touchdown zone elevation, as they rely solely on sensor imagery, which is insufficient for natural visual references like runway lights or markings.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that combines navigation data, reference data, and image data to generate visual aid image data, specifically creating a lighting awareness zone (LAZ) to enhance situational awareness by directing the pilot's attention to runway lighting systems, allowing for increased recognition of the runway environment through a partial synthetic image.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If EFVS sensor imagery is used alone for descent below 100 feet, then operational credit and situational awareness are improved, but natural visual references like runway lights or markings become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines EFVS sensor imagery with synthetically generated lighting awareness zones to create a composite visual display. This merging allows the system to provide both the enhanced vision capabilities of sensor imagery and the natural visual references of synthetic lighting cues, enabling operational credit for descent below 100 feet while compensating for the loss of natural visual information
Solution Approach 2:
The synthetic lighting awareness zones act as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between sensor imagery and natural visual references. These zones are overlaid on the sensor imagery to provide visual cues that mimic natural lighting patterns, serving as a mediator that allows pilots to maintain situational awareness without relying solely on raw sensor data
2Loss of information
If SVS and EVS provide real-time imagery without natural vision, then situational awareness is enhanced, but operational capabilities remain unchanged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively enhancing specific regions of the visual display with lighting awareness zones rather than uniformly processing the entire scene. The synthetic lighting cues are concentrated in the touchdown zone and approach path areas, providing targeted visual information where it is most needed for operational decision-making while maintaining overall situational awareness
3Loss of information
If pilot attention is distributed across the entire scene, then comprehensive awareness is maintained, but recognition of runway environment is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual differentiation through lighting awareness zones that appear as distinct illuminated regions against the sensor imagery background. These synthetic lighting cues use brightness and contrast variations to draw the pilot's attention to the runway environment, enhancing recognition precision without compromising comprehensive scene awareness
Data Source
AI summary
Present novel and non-trivial system, device and method for generating visual aid image data are disclosed. In one embodiment, an image generator receives navigation data representative of at least one surface of interest (e.g., runway of intended landing) and aircraft position; retrieves navigation reference data representative of surface information; creates zone data representative of a lighting awareness zone for each surface of interest; receives first image data from a first source; and generates second image data as a function of the first image data and the zone data, thereby generating a visual aid to increase situational awareness of a pilot by enhancing his or her ability to detect or recognize the runway environment as presented by an enhanced image. In an additional embodiment, the image generator receives and includes third image data in the function for generating the second data.