Selecting and identifying view overlay information for electronic display

• US 20080022217A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Aspen, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

A method of managing the display of overlay information in one or more views. For each overlay item available for display in a current view, it is determined whether the available item has an item type currently selected for display. For each available item having a currently selected item type, the item is included for display in the current view and the type of the item is included for display in a legend. Omitted from the legend are any item type(s) for which no item is included for display in the current view. Overall ease of use of electronic displays can be improved and electronic flight box display screens can be de-cluttered.

Claims

1. A method of managing the display of overlay information in one or more views, the method comprising:

for each overlay item available for display in a current view, determining whether the available item has an item type currently selected for display; and

for each available item having a currently selected item type, including the item for display in the current view and including the type of the item for display in a legend;

the method further comprising omitting from the legend any item type for which no item is included for display in the current view.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of one or more item types from a menu of displayable item types.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein including the item type for display in a legend comprises using one or more display characteristics associated with the item type and with a scale of the current view to display the item type in the legend.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein using one or more display characteristics comprises using at least one of a display color and a display transparency.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more display characteristics associated with the item type are further associated with one or more significance values.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a deselection of one or more selected overlay item types; and

omitting the deselected item types from the legend in response to the deselection.

7. A method of managing overlay information in a plurality of views for electronic display, the method comprising:

receiving one or more overlay item types selected for display;

receiving a selection of a first view; and

for each item of overlay information available for display in the first view;

determining a type of the item; and

if the determined type is included in the one or more selected overlay item types, including the available overlay item for display in the first view and displaying the determined type in a legend;

the method further comprising reconfiguring the legend for a second selected view to include item types only for which at least one overlay item is included for display in the second view.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the determined type in a legend comprises using one or more display characteristics associated with the overlay item and with a current view scale to display the determined type.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising using in the legend a transparency associated with an overlay item included for display.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising changing the transparency in the legend in accordance with a change in view scale.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the overlay information is weather-related.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the overlay information is navigation-related.

13. A system for managing the electronic display of overlay information in one or more views, the system comprising a processor and memory configured to:

display, in a current view, each overlay item available for display in the current view and that has an item type currently selected for display; and

display, in a legend for the current view, no item types other than item types selected for display in the current view and for which at least one overlay item is available for display.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display, and wherein the processor and memory are further configured to display the current view and legend on the display.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the display further comprises a menu for selecting item types.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the display is included in an electronic flight box (EFB) system.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the display is included in a multifunction display (MFD) system.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the display is included in a flight planning system.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor and memory are further configured to use a direction in which a mobile platform is moving to determine whether an overlay item is available for display.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor and memory are further configured to use a location of a mobile platform to determine whether an overlay item is available for display.