System and method for presenting aircraft heading and track in a track-forward display format

• US 20070085707A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wyatt, Ivan
• Application Number:
  US11/249,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/979
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for displaying a Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) in which the track is projected along a forward direction, and the heading is displayed in a heading indicator that translates around the periphery of the compass card of the HSI, depending on the heading. The track is displayed at the 12:00 position of the compass card, which refers to the forward direction. The heading indicator includes a numerical display and an arrow, which points toward the center of the compass card. By displaying the HSI so that the track is at the 12:00 position, the pilot may guide the airplane along a ground track without having to mentally convert heading into track, thereby relieving the burden on the pilot.

Claims

1. A system for displaying a heading and a track of a vehicle, comprising:

a device for computing the track;

a sensor for measuring the heading;

a display device; and

a processor having an interface for communicating with the device, the sensor, and the display device, wherein the processor has a computer readable medium encoded with a program for displaying a compass card, displaying the track at a forward position on the compass card, and displaying a heading indicator at a location relative to a periphery of the compass card that corresponds to the heading.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a GPS receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an Inertial Reference System.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an Attitude and Heading Reference System.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the forward direction corresponds to a 12:

00 position relative to a periphery of the compass card

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the program for displaying the heading indicator comprises a program for displaying a numerical representation of the heading.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the program for displaying the heading indicator comprises a program for displaying an arrow part, wherein the arrow part points substantially toward a center of the compass card.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the program for displaying the heading indicator comprises a program for rotating the numerical representation according to the angle around the periphery of the compass card.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the program for displaying the track comprises a program for displaying a “

T”

along a periphery of the compass card and corresponding to the track.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer readable medium is further encoded with a program for displaying an aircraft representation substantially in the center of the compass card, wherein the aircraft representation is oriented at an angle parallel to the heading.

12. A computer readable medium encoded with a program for displaying a heading and a track of a vehicle, the program comprising:

a program for obtaining the track;

a program for obtaining the heading;

a program for displaying a compass card on a display, wherein a compass direction on the compass card corresponding to the track points in a forward direction; and

a program for displaying a heading indicator, wherein the heading indicator is located at a periphery of the compass card, and at a position corresponding to the heading.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising a program for displaying an aircraft representation substantially in the center of the compass card, wherein the aircraft representation has an angle parallel to the heading.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program for displaying the heading indicator comprises a program for displaying an arrow part, wherein the arrow part points substantially toward a center of the compass card.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the program for displaying the heading indicator comprises a program for displaying a numerical part, wherein the numerical part displays a number corresponding to the heading.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the program for displaying the numerical part comprises a program for rotating the numerical part by a rotation angle corresponding to a drift angle.

17. A method for displaying a heading and a track of a vehicle, comprising:

obtaining the heading;

obtaining the track;

displaying a compass card, wherein an angle on the compass card corresponding to the track is at a forward position; and

displaying a heading indicator along a periphery of the compass card and at a position corresponding to the heading.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the heading indicator comprises displaying a numerical value corresponding to the heading.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying the heading indicator includes displaying an arrow part of the heading indicator, wherein the arrow part points substantially toward a center of the compass card.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the forward direction corresponds to a 12:

00 position relative to a periphery of the compass card.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying a “

T”

along a periphery of the compass card and corresponding to the 12;

00 position.

22. A system for displaying a heading and a track of a vehicle, comprising:

means for computing the track;

means for measuring the heading; and

means for displaying a compass card, a heading indicator, and the track indicator, wherein the track indicator is located at a forward position relative to a periphery of the compass card, and wherein the heading indicator is located at a position relative to the periphery of the compass card corresponding to the heading.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for displaying comprises means for displaying the heading indicator having a numerical representation part and an arrow part.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for displaying comprises means for rotating the heading indicator by an angle corresponding to a drift angle.