Method and apparatus for heads-up critical information display on air traffic control tower glass window walls

• US 20070100499A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Government of The United States Federal Aviation Administration
• Original Assignee: Government of The United States Federal Aviation Administration
• Inventors: Staub, Kathy
• Application Number:
  US11/476,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100499A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0114 comprising dichroic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements

Abstract

A heads-up display system that can be configured to display critical information on the glass window wall in an air traffic control tower cab so an air traffic controller can view the information without taking his or her eyes off the runways or movement areas. Multiple input devices communicate critical information to a computer'"'"'s central processing unit which processes the information, creates a display, and sends it to a display device. The display device creates a substantially transparent image of the critical information on the window wall of an air traffic control tower.

Claims

1. A heads-up critical information display system comprising:

an input device that communicates critical information to a computer'"'"'s central processing unit;

a computer central processing unit and software that accepts critical information from said input device, processes it, creates a display, then sends the information to a display device;

a display device that creates an image of the critical information; and

a substantially transparent display on which the said display device creates an image of the critical information on the window wall of an air traffic control tower;

software in the Airport Surface Detection Equipment or Airport Movement Area Safety System that recognizes when aircraft have transgressed onto a runway or past hold short lines; and

,

software in the Automated Radar Terminal System and the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System that creates the visual display of radar information.

2. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a hologram generator.

3. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a projector that projects an image onto a reflective surface, onto a beam splitter, or through or onto a dichroic filter.

4. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a transparent organic light emitting device.

5. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display on the window wall of an air traffic tower comprises the air traffic control tower window wall itself.

6. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display on the window wall of an air traffic control tower comprises a substantially transparent shade.

7. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display on the window wall of an air traffic control tower comprises a reflective shade.

8. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a substantially transparent panel.

9. The heads-up critical information display system of claim 1 wherein the display comprises a reflective panel.

10. A method of using a heads-up display system to display critical information comprising:

inputting critical information from an input device into a computer'"'"'s central processing unit;

processing the critical information using software contained in the computer'"'"'s central processing unit to create a display;

sending the display information to a display device; and

using the display device to create a substantially transparent image on the window wall of an air traffic control tower.