Enhanced pilot display systems and methods

• US 10,338,800 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Belgium BVBA (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Belgium BVBA (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rivers, Mark, Garland, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahne, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US15/011,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20160162145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/203 Specially adapted for sailing ships
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/937 of marine craft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/414 Discriminating targets with respect to background clutter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to generate navigational imagery to help users pilot and/or otherwise operate mobile structures. A pilot display system includes one or more logic devices configured to communicate with various sensors, such as a ranging sensor and a speed, position, and/or orientation sensor (SPOS) mounted to a mobile structure, and one or more user interfaces, which may include one or more displays. At least one user interface is in proximity to a mobile structure and/or a user of a mobile structure and is configured to receive user input and provide user feedback with respect to a mobile structure. The logic devices are configured to render a reference icon on a display substantially statically relative to the display, to receive user selection of a target icon, and to render a target dialog substantially statically relative to the selected target icon.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a user interface for a mobile structure, wherein the user interface comprises a display;

a controller configured to communicate with the user interface for the mobile structure, wherein the controller is configured to;

render a target icon and a reference icon on the display of the user interface, wherein the reference icon is associated with the mobile structure and is rendered substantially statically relative to the display over a first plurality of display updates;

receive user selection of the target icon from the user interface; and

render a target dialog on the display, wherein the target dialog is rendered substantially statically relative to the selected target icon over a second plurality of display updates, wherein the reference icon is rendered to remain substantially static relative to the display over the second plurality of display updates.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a speed, position, and/or orientation sensor (SPOS) coupled to the mobile structure, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a series of speeds, positions, and/or orientations of the mobile structure from the SPOS and one or more positions of a target, corresponding to the target icon, from a target database and/or a ranging sensor configured to communicate with the controller; and

render the target icon to indicate positions of the target relative to positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

the ranging sensor configured to communicate with the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

render a screen cursor on the display prior to the receiving the user selection of the target icon; and

render a target cursor on the display after the receiving the user selection of the target icon, wherein the target cursor is configured to indicate the selected target icon and/or at least partially graphically link the target dialog to the target icon.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine, based at least in part on a series of positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure and/or one or more positions of a target, corresponding to the target icon, that a position of the target relative to a position and/or orientation of the mobile structure is too large to render on the display; and

remove the target icon and the target dialog from the display.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to:

render a screen cursor in place of the removed target icon and/or dialog.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:

receive user selection of the target dialog; and

render a target menu on the display, wherein the target icon and the target menu are rendered substantially statically relative to the display until the target menu is dismissed by user selection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the receive user selection of the target icon comprises:

receiving user selection indicating a portion of the display and determining that the indicated portion intersects and/or adjoins the target icon.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the determining that the indicated portion intersects or adjoins the target icon comprises:

rendering a screen cursor at the indicated portion and determining that an area of the display, corresponding to a shape of the screen cursor, intersects and/or adjoins the target icon;

rendering a target selection dialog comprising a list of a plurality of selectable target icons intersected and/or adjoined by the area, and receiving user selection of the target icon in the target selection dialog; and

/or

rendering a zoom window configured to provide increased spatial detail at the indicated portion, displaying each of the plurality of selectable target icons intersected and/or adjoined by the area, and receiving a user drag at the display to substantially align the target icon with the indicated portion.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the receive user selection of the target icon comprises:

receiving user selection indicating a portion of the display and determining that the indicated portion does not intersect or adjoin the target icon;

rendering the target dialog on the display, wherein the target dialog is rendered substantially statically relative to the indicated portion;

receiving a user drag at the display; and

repositioning the target icon according to the received drag to substantially align the target icon with the indicated portion and determining that the indicated portion intersects or adjoins the target icon.

11. A method comprising:

rendering a target icon and a reference icon on a display of a user interface for a mobile structure, wherein the reference icon is associated with the mobile structure and is rendered substantially statically relative to the display over a first plurality of display updates;

receiving user selection of the target icon from the user interface; and

rendering a target dialog on the display, wherein the target dialog is rendered substantially statically relative to the selected target icon over a second plurality of display updates, and wherein the reference icon is rendered to remain substantially static relative to the display over the second plurality of display updates.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a series of speeds, positions, and/or orientations of the mobile structure from a speed, position, and/or orientation sensor (SPOS) coupled to the mobile structure and one or more positions of a target, corresponding to the target icon, from a target database and/or a ranging sensor; and

rendering the target icon to indicate positions of the target relative to positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising rendering marine chart data on the display, wherein:

the display is configured to indicate a position and/or orientation of the mobile structure relative to the marine chart data; and

the mobile structure comprises a watercraft.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

rendering a screen cursor on the display prior to the receiving the user selection of the target icon; and

rendering a target cursor on the display after the receiving the user selection of the target icon, wherein the target cursor is configured to indicate the selected target icon and/or at least partially graphically link the target dialog to the target icon.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on a series of positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure and/or one or more positions of a target, corresponding to the target icon, that a position of the target relative to a position and/or orientation of the mobile structure is too large to render on the display; and

removing the target icon and the target dialog from the display.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

rendering a screen cursor in place of the removed target icon and/or dialog, wherein the screen cursor is rendered substantially statically relative to the display.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving user selection of the target dialog;

rendering a target menu on the display, wherein the target icon and the target menu are rendered substantially statically relative to the display until the target menu is dismissed by user selection.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving the user selection of the target icon comprises:

receiving user selection indicating a portion of the display and determining that the indicated portion intersects and/or adjoins the target icon.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the determining that the indicated portion intersects or adjoins the target icon comprises:

rendering a screen cursor at the indicated portion and determining that an area of the display, corresponding to a shape of the screen cursor, intersects and/or adjoins the target icon;

rendering a target selection dialog comprising a list of a plurality of selectable target icons intersected and/or adjoined by the area, and receiving user selection of the target icon in the target selection dialog; and

/or

rendering a zoom window configured to provide increased spatial detail at the indicated portion, displaying each of the plurality of selectable target icons intersected and/or adjoined by the area, and receiving a user drag at the display to substantially align the target icon with the indicated portion.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving the user selection of the target icon comprises:

receiving user selection indicating a portion of the display and determining that the indicated portion does not intersect or adjoin the target icon;

rendering the target dialog on the display, wherein the target dialog is rendered substantially statically relative to the indicated portion;

receiving a user drag at the display; and

repositioning the target icon according to the received drag to substantially align the target icon with the indicated portion and determining that the indicated portion intersects or adjoins the target icon.