Display device for aircraft and method for displaying detected threats

• US 20040140912A1
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: Rosenblad, Tomas, Alfredsson, Jens, Skinnars, Orian
• Granted Patent: US 7,161,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft

Abstract

This invention concerns a display device for aircraft comprising a display surface (15) that has a punctual marking (11) arranged so as to represent the pilot'"'"'s own airplane and one or more threat markings, each of which is arranged so as to represent a direction to an associated detected threat. The display device is characterized in that each threat marking comprise an indicator (14, 15) that contains information about the time to the associated threat, and in that it is arranged so as to present, on a display surface (15), a current time discrepancy relative to a planned mission and a remaining amount of fuel relative to the planned mission. The invention also concerns a method for presenting one or more detected threats in relation to an aircraft.

Claims

1. A display device (1) for aircraft comprising a display surface (15) that presents a symbol (9) comprising of an outer edge (10) surrounding a symbol center (11), wherein the symbol center (11) marks the aircraft and wherein one or more threat markings are positioned in relation to the outer edge (10) in such a way that each of them indicates a direction to an associated detected threat, characterized in that:

each threat marking comprises an indicator (14, 15) that extends from the outer edge (11) in the direction toward the symbol center and whose length is chosen so that the distance between the end of the indicator and the symbol center represents the time until the associated threat,

the display device (1) is arranged so as to present, on a display surface (15), a current time discrepancy in relation to a planned mission and the amount of fuel left in relation to the planned mission.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that only those threats for which the time to the threat is less than a pre-selected value are assigned an indicator.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer edge (10) is placed at a distance from the symbol center (11) that corresponds to said pre-selected value.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the outer edge (1) is circular in shape.

5. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the time discrepancy is presented in the form of a first bar (12) whose length and direction depend on the current time discrepancy.

6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that the first bar (12) is placed outside of the symbol (9) and extends along a portion thereof.

7. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that the first bar (12) has its zero point at the outer edge (10) and extends in toward the symbol center (11) when the time discrepancy is negative, i.e. when the flight is behind a timetable for the planned mission, and in the opposite direction when the time discrepancy is positive.

8. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of fuel left in relation to the planned mission is presented in the form of a second bar (13).

9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the second bar is placed outside of the symbol (9) and extends along a portion thereof.

10. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the second bar (13) has its zero point at the outer edge (10) and extends in toward the symbol center (9) when the fuel is not expected to suffice for the entire mission, and in the opposite direction when there is a surplus of fuel.

11. A method for displaying one or more detected threats in relation to an aircraft, wherein each and every one of the detected threats is represented as a threat marking on a display surface (15), wherein the aircraft is placed at a center (11) surrounded by an outer edge (11), and where a direction to each threat is marked by the placement of the associated threat marking in relation to the outer edge (10), characterized in that:

each threat marking is represented by an indicator (14, 15) that extends from the outer edge (10) in the direction toward the symbol center, wherein the length of the indicator is chosen so that the distance between the end of the indicator and the symbol center represents the time until the associated threat, and

a current time discrepancy in relation to a planned mission and the remaining fuel left in relation to the planned mission are presented on a display surface (15).