Perspective-view visual runway awareness and advisory display

• US 20070088491A1
• 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: He, Gang
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• 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

Abstract

A method of providing a visual runway awareness and advisor display is provided. The method comprises obtaining current craft position and trajectory, determing if a runway is being targeted, and displaying runway alerts and guides on a graphical display with the runway based on the runway being targeted, current craft position and current craft trajectory.

Claims

1. A method of providing a visual runway awareness and advisory display, the method comprising:

obtaining current craft position and trajectory;

determining if a runway is being targeted; and

displaying runway alerts and guides on a graphical display with the runway based on the runway being targeted, current craft position, and current craft trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a runway is being targeted includes:

detecting a flight path marker pointing at a runway on a display for an extended period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying runway alerts and guides includes at least one of:

fading in runway alerts and guides for a targeted runway;

displaying perspective runway distance remaining markers at fixed display positions along the displayed runway;

displaying perspective runway distance remaining markers at positions relative to current craft position, wherein the display positions of the distance remaining markers change according to movement of the craft in order to maintain the positions relative to the current craft position; and

displaying runway distance remaining in a numerical readout.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein fading in runway alerts and guides includes:

fading in runway identification numbers on a surface of the targeted runway in a perspective conformal view format.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying runway alerts and guides includes highlighting runway guides for a targeted runway.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein highlighting runway guides for a targeted runway includes adjusting brightness levels of runway guides based on the position and trajectory of the craft relative to the targeted runway.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying runway guides and alerts for a targeted runway includes outlining the targeted runway with an outline box.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein outlining the targeted runway with an outline box includes at least one of:

varying the border thickness of the outline box based on the position of the craft in relation to the targeted runway; and

varying the display size and shape of the outline box based on the position of the craft in relation to the targeted runway, and based on the surrounding terrain displayed on the graphical display.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying runway guides includes changing the color of guides gradually to indicate dangerous conditions on a targeted runway.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein changing the color of guides to indicate dangerous conditions includes at least one of:

changing the color of distance remaining markers to indicate insufficient distance remains on a targeted runway;

comparing the targeted runway with a flight plan and, when the targeted runway is not in the flight plan, changing at least one of;

runway guides colors, pavement colors, and surface textures; and

determining if the targeted runway has runway use clearance and, when the targeted runway does not have runway use clearance, changing at least one of;

runway guides colors, pavement colors, and surface textures.

11. A graphical display system, comprising:

one or more sensors for obtaining data, wherein the data obtained includes position and trajectory data for a craft and airport data;

a display element for displaying graphics and data; and

at least one processor coupled to the one or more sensors, wherein, based on data received from the one or more sensors regarding craft position and trajectory relative to an airport, the at least one processor determines if a runway is being targeted, selects which runway guides and alerts to display based on data obtained and runway targeted, and sends signals to the display element to display the targeted runway with the selected runway guides and alerts.

12. The graphical display system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor determines if a runway is being targeted by detecting a flight path marker pointing at a runway for an extended period of time.

13. The graphical display of claim 11, wherein the display element fades runway guides and alerts onto the display according to signals received from the at least one processor.

14. The graphical display of claim 11, wherein the processor sends signals to the display element to adjust the brightness levels of runway guides and alerts based on the position of the craft relative to the targeted runway.

15. The graphical display system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor sends a signal to the display element to highlight runway guides.

16. The graphical display system of claim 15, wherein a signal to the display element to highlight runway guides includes a signal to outline the targeted runway with an outline box.

17. The graphical display system of claim 16, wherein the thickness of borders of an outline box around the targeted runway varies based on the position of the craft relative to the targeted runway.

18. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of providing a visual runway awareness and advisory display, the method comprising:

receiving craft position and trajectory data;

receiving runway status data;

determining when a runway is being targeted;

selecting runway guides and alerts to display with a targeted runway based on runway status of the targeted runway, craft position and craft trajectory; and

displaying runway guides and alerts on a graphical display with the targeted runway.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein determining when a runway is being targeted includes obtaining data from a flight plan indicating a runway is to be targeted.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein displaying runway guides and alerts includes changing the color gradually of runway guides and alerts to indicate dangerous runway status.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein displaying runway guides and alerts includes adjusting the brightness levels of runway guides and alerts based on the position and trajectory of the craft relative to a targeted runway.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein displaying runway guides and alerts includes fading in runway guides and alerts gradually.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein fading in runway guides and alerts gradually includes fading in runway guides at a rate based on a rate of change in craft position relative to a targeted runway.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein displaying runway guides and alerts includes highlighting a targeted runway.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein highlighting a targeted runway includes gradually changing the color of the targeted runway pavement.

26. A graphic display system, comprising:

means for obtaining data, wherein data includes airport data and craft position and trajectory data;

means for determining if a runway is being targeted; and

means for displaying runway guides and alerts based on the data obtained and a runway being targeted.