Airport display device

• US 20040160354A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Lemoult, Frederic, Fetzmann, Fabien, Coldefy, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 7,345,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/33
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

An airport display device including a display including at least one window, a database including data related to an airport, a selector configured to select a degree of zoom for the airport to be displayed from a plurality of different degrees of zoom, a control unit connected to the display, the database and the selector and configured to control the display to display in the at least one window the airport according to a scale value representative of the degree of zoom selected by the selector, and a changing unit configured to change the scale value representative of the degree of zoom.

Claims

1. An airport display device, comprising:

a display including at least one window;

a database including data related to an airport;

a selector configured to select a degree of zoom for the airport to be displayed from a plurality of different degrees of zoom;

a control unit connected to the display, the database and the selector and configured to control the display to display in the at least one window the airport according to a scale value representative of the degree of zoom selected by the selector; and

a changing unit configured to change the scale value representative of the degree of zoom.

2. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the selector includes a least one zoom button configured to zoom in and zoom out between a maximum zoom value and a minimum zoom value so as to display different detailed views of the airport.

3. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the selector includes:

a first button configured to display the airport in the window according to a first predefined zoom degree corresponding to general navigation including a full display of the airport;

a second button configured to display the airport in the window according to a second predefined zoom degree corresponding to proximity navigation including a plurality of details of the airport; and

a third button configured to display the airport in the window according to a third predefined zoom degree corresponding to airport details required for precision taxiing.

4. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the display system is installed in a moving airport vehicle, and

wherein the selector includes a centering button configured to automatically reconfigure the display such that the moving vehicle is displayed in a center of the window.

5. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the selector includes a selection mechanism configured to display predefined portions of the airport in a cyclic manner based on selections of the selection mechanism.

6. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the selector includes a toggle button configured to automatically display the entire airport on the window upon selection of the toggle button and to redisplay a portion of the airport being displayed prior to selection of the toggle button upon another selection of the toggle button.

7. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the selector includes a selection mechanism configured to select a portion of the airport such that the portion of the airport is displayed in the window.

8. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the selector includes a displacement button configured to displace a view of the airport being displayed on the window in horizontal and vertical directions so as to display other portions of the airport.

9. The airport display device according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to display two different degrees of zoom in a continuous manner such that a change from the first degree of zoom to the second degree of zoom appears continuous to an operator viewing the display.

11. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the selecting means includes a least one means for zooming in and zooming out between a maximum zoom value and a minimum zoom value so as to display different detailed views of the airport.

12. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the selecting means includes:

a first means for displaying the airport in the window according to a first predefined zoom degree corresponding to general navigation including a full display of the airport;

a second means for displaying the airport in the window according to a second predefined zoom degree corresponding to proximity navigation including a plurality of details of the airport; and

a third means for displaying the airport in the window according to a third predefined zoom degree corresponding to airport details required precision taxiing.

13. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the display system is installed in a moving airport moving vehicle, and

wherein the selecting means includes a means for automatically reconfiguring the display such that the moving vehicle is displayed in a center of the window.

14. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the selecting means includes a means for displaying predefined portions of the airport in a cyclic manner based on selections of the displaying means.

15. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the selecting means includes a means for automatically displaying the entire airport on the window upon selection of the automatically displaying means and for redisplaying a portion of the airport being displayed prior to selection of the automatically displaying means upon another selection of the automatically displaying means.

16. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the selecting means includes a portion means for selecting a portion of the airport such that the portion of the airport is displayed in the window.

17. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the selecting means includes a means for displacing a view of the airport being displayed on the window in horizontal and vertical directions so as to display other portions of the airport.

18. The airport display system according to claim 1,

wherein the controlling means displays two different degrees of zoom in a continuous manner such that a change from the first degree of zoom to the second degree of zoom appears continuous to an operator viewing the display.

10. An airport display system, comprising:

a display including at least one window;

means for storing data related to an airport;

means for selecting a degree of zoom for the airport to be displayed from a plurality of different degrees of zoom;

means for controlling the display to display in the at least one window the airport according to a scale value representative of the degree of zoom selected by the selecting means, said controlling means being connected to the display, the storing means and the selecting means; and

means for changing the scale value representative of the degree of zoom.