VTOL Lighting Control for Guided Boarding and Operator Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles, particularly VTOL aircraft, lack advanced lighting systems to efficiently guide individuals to or away from specific locations, manage visibility for operators, and prevent interference during loading, unloading, and maintenance operations.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system for VTOL vehicles that includes a controller to manage a plurality of lights capable of turning on/off, changing color, and intensity, guiding individuals through customizable lighting schemes based on location and need.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional lighting systems are used in VTOL vehicles, then the structure is simple and cost is low, but loading and unloading operations are slow and unorganized, and individuals cannot locate specific vehicles or seats efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color-changing LED lights to indicate different states and guide individuals. Lights can display different colors to show vehicle status, seat availability, and directional guidance, enabling fast and organized loading/unloading operations while maintaining manageable system complexity through the use of multi-functional LED components
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is divided into multiple controllable light elements distributed throughout the vehicle. Each light can be independently controlled to provide specific guidance functions, allowing the system to achieve high productivity through localized, targeted illumination while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through modular design
2Ease of operation
If advanced lighting schemes are implemented to guide individuals to locations, then navigation and loading efficiency improve, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system serves multiple functions: guiding individuals to vehicles and seats, indicating vehicle status, providing directional arrows, and showing seat availability. By making the lighting system universal and multi-functional, the patent improves ease of operation without proportionally increasing complexity, as a single system accomplishes multiple tasks
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on operational needs. Lights can change patterns, colors, and intensities to provide different types of guidance information, improving ease of operation through adaptive responses while managing complexity through software-controlled flexibility rather than hardware multiplication
3Illumination intensity
If lighting is provided for visibility within the vehicle, then aesthetic and practical needs are met, but operator vision may be impaired or the operator may be distracted
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system applies different illumination characteristics to different zones within the vehicle. Passenger areas receive adequate lighting for visibility and aesthetics, while the operator area maintains reduced or filtered lighting to prevent vision impairment. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by providing appropriate illumination quality to each specific location
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes lighting parameters such as intensity, color temperature, and spectral composition to meet different operational requirements. By adjusting these parameters, the patent achieves adequate visibility in passenger areas while preventing harmful effects on the operator, resolving the contradiction through parameter optimization rather than physical separation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for lighting a vehicle. A system includes a plurality of lights disposed on a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle configured to turn on and off, change color, and/or change intensity. The system further includes a controller configured to determine a lighting scheme for the plurality of lights, the lighting scheme including a setting for the plurality of lights, the setting including one or more of turning the plurality of lights on or off, setting a color of the plurality of lights, and setting an intensity of the plurality of lights, determine a location in or associated with the VTOL vehicle, wherein the lighting scheme is configured to guide a person to the location, and transmit a signal to the one or more lights to execute the lighting scheme to guide the person to the determined location.