Weather Event Indicator on Aircraft Mission Timeline
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft display systems lack the ability to effectively communicate the significance, severity, and extent of weather events on a mission timeline, making it difficult for pilots to assess potential impacts on flight plans.
Innovation Solution
A flight plan display system that automates the processing of weather data to create a weather event indicator with associated severity, start, and end on the mission timeline, using a controller circuit with a processor to receive and prioritize weather data, and align indicators based on snap-to percentages for accurate representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a graphic symbol is placed alongside the mission timeline to indicate a weather event, then the presence of weather events is visible, but the significance, severity, and extent of the weather event are not effectively communicated
Solution Approach 1:
The weather event indicator is segmented into multiple distinct visual components: a graphical symbol representing the weather type, a severity indicator showing the level of impact, and an extent indicator displaying the duration or spatial coverage. This segmentation allows each aspect of weather significance to be communicated separately and clearly on the mission timeline without overwhelming the display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds visual dimensions to the weather event representation by incorporating severity levels (e.g., color coding or intensity variations) and extent measurements (e.g., temporal duration bars or spatial coverage indicators) alongside the basic graphic symbol. This multi-dimensional visualization transforms a simple presence indicator into a comprehensive information display that conveys significance, severity, and extent simultaneously.
2Loss of information
If detailed weather information is presented on the mission timeline, then pilot awareness is enhanced, but the display becomes cluttered and harder to interpret
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the display are assigned different visual qualities and information densities. The mission timeline maintains its primary navigation function with minimal markings, while weather event indicators are localized to specific time segments with enhanced visual properties (colors, icons, bars) that draw attention only where needed. This local differentiation allows detailed weather information to be presented without cluttering the entire display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs color coding to represent different weather severity levels and types, allowing pilots to quickly assess weather significance at a glance. For example, color gradients or distinct color palettes indicate increasing severity, while different hues represent different weather phenomena. This visual encoding reduces the cognitive load required to interpret detailed weather information by transforming quantitative data into intuitive visual cues.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for automating processes of receiving, prioritizing, and grouping weather data into a weather event, extent of weather event, and an associated duration for presentation on a displayed mission timeline in an aircraft having a flight plan (FP). The method includes: receiving, by a controller circuit, weather data, aircraft state data, and aircraft system status data; identifying a weather phenomenon that impacts the FP and creating an information structure for the weather phenomenon, the information structure including at least a type, a subtype, a severity, a start of impact and an end of impact. The method also includes presenting a weather event indicator overlaid on the mission timeline to indicate the weather phenomenon. The rendering of the weather event indicator on the mission timeline additionally depicts on the mission timeline: a start, an end, and duration of the weather event.