Intuitive wind velocity and direction presentation

• US 20070085706A1
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Feyereisen, Thea, Schmitt, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,471,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

A method for displaying the direction of an external force relative to a craft is provided. The method comprises obtaining direction data for an external force, obtaining craft directional data, calculating the force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction, and displaying a graphical representation of the force'"'"'s direction relative to the direction of the craft.

Claims

1. A method for displaying the direction of an external force relative to a craft, the method comprising:

obtaining direction data for an external force;

obtaining craft directional data;

calculating the force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction; and

displaying a graphical representation of the force'"'"'s direction relative to the direction of the craft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

obtaining craft directional data includes obtaining craft directional data for a plurality of crafts being observed on a common display element;

calculating the force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction includes calculating a force'"'"'s direction relative to the direction of each of the plurality of crafts; and

displaying a graphical representation of the force'"'"'s direction relative to the direction of the craft includes displaying a plurality of graphical representations on the common display element, wherein each of the plurality of graphical representations corresponds to a force'"'"'s direction relative to the direction of one of the plurality of crafts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining direction data for an external force comprises:

obtaining direction data for wind.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining craft directional data comprises:

obtaining heading data for a craft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a graphical representation comprises:

displaying a symbol whose location on the display forms an angle with the craft'"'"'s direction representing the angle between the direction of the craft and the direction of the force.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying a symbol includes:

changing the symbol'"'"'s color to indicate the force'"'"'s magnitude.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying a symbol includes:

scaling the symbol'"'"'s size to indicate the force'"'"'s magnitude.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying a symbol includes:

displaying a triangle pointing inward toward a center point, wherein the triangle rotates about the center point to indicate changes in the force'"'"'s direction, the center point representing the center point of the craft.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

displaying a ring around the center point, the triangle rotating about the ring.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

orienting a display for displaying a graphical representation of the force direction relative to the direction of the craft.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

orienting a display comprises aligning the direction of the craft with the top of the display; and

calculating the force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction comprises calculating an angle directly between the force'"'"'s direction and the craft'"'"'s direction.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

orienting a display comprises aligning the top of the display with North and displaying a graphic of the craft to indicate the craft'"'"'s direction relative to North; and

calculating the force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction comprises calculating a first angle between North and the craft'"'"'s direction and a second angle between North and the force'"'"'s direction such that the first and second angles combine to form the angle representing the angle between the craft'"'"'s direction and the direction of the force.

13. A graphical display system comprising:

one or more sensors which obtain craft directional data and data regarding magnitude and direction of an external force acting on a craft;

at least one processor for receiving and processing data from the one or more sensors, wherein the at least one processor calculates the direction of the external force relative to the craft'"'"'s direction; and

a display element for receiving signals from the at least one processor and displaying the direction of the external force relative to the craft'"'"'s direction according to the signals from the at least one processor.

14. The graphical display system of claim 13, wherein:

the at least one processor orients a display on the display element by aligning the direction of the craft with the top of the display.

15. The graphical display system of claim 13, wherein:

the display element displays a symbol, the location of which forms an angle with the direction of the craft representing the direction of the external force relative to the craft'"'"'s direction, wherein the symbol rotates in a circular path about a center point to indicate changes in the force'"'"'s direction, the center point representing the center point of the craft.

16. The graphical display system of claim 15, wherein:

the display element scales the symbol'"'"'s size, according to signals from the at least one processor, to indicate the magnitude of the external force.

17. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of displaying the direction of an external force relative to a craft, the method comprising:

obtaining directional data for an external force and for a craft;

calculating the force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction; and

displaying a symbol whose position on a display forms an angle with the craft'"'"'s direction representing the external force'"'"'s direction relative to the craft'"'"'s direction.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein displaying a symbol includes:

scaling the symbol'"'"'s size to indicate the force'"'"'s magnitude.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

orienting a display.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein orienting a display comprises:

aligning the top of the display with a combination of the craft'"'"'s heading and track.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein:

orienting a display comprises aligning the top of the display with North; and

displaying a symbol includes displaying a graphic of the craft at a first angle between North and the craft'"'"'s direction and displaying a different graphic at a second angle between North and the force'"'"'s direction such that the first and second angles combine to form an angle representing the angle between the craft'"'"'s direction and the direction of the force.

22. A graphical display system comprising:

means for obtaining data regarding a craft'"'"'s direction;

means for obtaining data regarding the magnitude and direction of an external force acting on the said craft; and

means for displaying the direction of said external force relative to the craft.

23. The graphical display system of claim 22, wherein means for displaying the direction of said external force relative to the craft include:

means for displaying a symbol which rotates in a circular path about a center point, the center point representing the center of the craft and wherein the angle formed by the symbol and the craft'"'"'s direction represents the angle between the direction of the external force and the craft'"'"'s direction.