Waypoint Display System with Dynamic Terrain Elevation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft display systems, such as Primary Flight Displays, face challenges in maintaining the visibility of waypoints, especially when the aircraft is at a distance, due to clutter from other symbology like pitch, heading, and flight path information.
Innovation Solution
A display system that includes a processing unit, database, flight management system, navigation system, and graphics display generator to render waypoints elevated from the terrain at a distance, with dynamic size and color adjustments based on distance, and conforming to the terrain as the aircraft approaches, enhancing visibility without obscuring other critical flight information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If waypoints are displayed with large size and elevated position to increase visibility, then waypoint visibility is improved, but display clutter increases and other flight information becomes obscured
Solution Approach 1:
The waypoint symbol dynamically changes its vertical position relative to the terrain based on aircraft distance. When the aircraft is far from the waypoint, the symbol is displayed elevated above the terrain to increase visibility. As the aircraft approaches, the symbol gradually descends to conform to the terrain, reducing display clutter. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between visibility and clutter.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the vertical position parameter of the waypoint symbol based on the aircraft's distance from the waypoint. By modifying this spatial parameter dynamically, the system optimizes both visibility (when elevated) and clutter reduction (when conforming to terrain), resolving the technical contradiction.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If waypoint symbol size is increased to enhance visibility at distance, then waypoint detection is improved, but other flight information becomes harder to see
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing waypoint symbol size in the horizontal plane (which would obscure other information), the system utilizes the vertical dimension by elevating the waypoint symbol above the terrain. This allows the waypoint to be prominently visible without horizontally expanding and blocking other flight information, thus resolving the contradiction between detection difficulty and information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The terrain elevation serves as an intermediary mechanism. By placing the waypoint symbol at an elevated position relative to the terrain, the system achieves prominent visibility without directly competing for horizontal screen space with other flight information, thereby resolving the contradiction.
3Ease of operation
If waypoint information is displayed prominently to reduce pilot workload, then navigation accuracy is improved, but display complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system automatically adjusts the waypoint symbol's vertical position based on the aircraft's distance from the waypoint, without requiring pilot intervention. This self-adjusting mechanism reduces pilot workload while maintaining simple display principles, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A display system and method for a vehicle are provided. The display system includes a processor configured to receive data representative of a waypoint and terrain and to supply display commands associated with the waypoint and the terrain; and a display device coupled the processor for receiving the display commands and operable to render three-dimensional terrain and a first symbol elevated from the terrain representing the waypoint.