Method for Optimizng the Display of Data Relating to the Risks Presented by Obstacles

• US 20080281522A1
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Subelet, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for optimizing the display of data relating to the risks associated with obstacles. The method includes extracting from an obstacle database, a list of obstacles included in the geographic zone defined by the range, the orientation and the position of the aircraft. Obstacle related information and warning lists are received. The obstacle list is regrouped by applying to the obstacles criteria relating to the proximity of the obstacles relative to the aircraft; to the proximity of the obstacles to one another; and to their warning level. The symbology adapted to the obstacle display is generated. In particular, the invention applies to optimizing the display of warnings relating to the risks of collision with point-like or linear obstacles.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing the obstacle-related data display receiving the information necessary to define the zone comprising the obstacles to be displayed, comprising the following steps:

extracting, from an obstacle database, a list of obstacles included in the geographic zone defined by the range, the orientation and the position of the aircraft;

receiving an information list and an obstacle-related warning list generated by an obstacle collision prediction and warning device;

filtering and regrouping the obstacles of the obstacle list by applying to the obstacles criteria relating;

to the proximity of the obstacles relative to the aircraft;

to the proximity of the obstacles to one another;

to their warning level;

generating the symbology adapted to the obstacle display.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filtering and regrouping step comprises a step of filtering the obstacles according to elevation in which a list of obstacles filtered according to their elevation is constructed with all the obstacles present in the obstacle list whose elevation is less than the display threshold received among the information.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filtering and regrouping step comprises a filtering step, said filtering step comprising the following steps:

a step of initializing a variable n at the value of the smallest possible position of an obstacle in the list of obstacles filtered according to their elevation;

a step of extracting the obstacle O(n) whose position in the list of obstacles filtered according to their elevation is equal to n;

a step of initializing a variable p, fixed at one unit;

a step of extracting the obstacle O(n+p) whose position in the list of obstacles filtered according to their elevation is equal to n+p.

a step of comparing the distance d(O(n),O(n+p)) between the obstacle O(n) and the obstacle O(n+p) with the minimum distance D;

if the distance d(O(n),O(n+p)) is greater than or equal to the minimum distance D, there is a move to a step of incrementing the index p by a unit;

if the distance d(O(n),O(n+p)) is less than the minimum distance D, there is a move to a step of searching;

the step of searching in the list of warnings for the warning level A(O(n)) relating to the obstacle O(n) and for the warning level A(O(n+p)) relating to the obstacle O(n+p);

if the warning level A(O(n)) is greater than the warning level A(O(n+p)), there is a move to a step of removing the obstacle O(n+p);

if the warning level A(O(n)) is less than the warning level O(n+p), there is a move to a step of removing the obstacle O(n);

if the warning level A(O(n)) is equal to the warning level A(O(n+p)), there is a move to a step of comparing;

the step of comparing the horizontal distance d(O(n)) of the obstacle O(n) relative to the aircraft and the horizontal distance d(O(n+p)) of the obstacle O(n+p) relative to the aircraft;

if the horizontal distance d(O(n)) is greater than the horizontal distance d(O(n+p)), there is a move to a step of removing the obstacle O(n);

if the horizontal distance d(O(n)) is less than the horizontal distance d(O(n+p)), there is a move to a step of removing the obstacle O(n+p);

the step of removing the obstacle O(n+p) from the filtered obstacle list, the step being followed by the step of incrementing the index p;

the step of removing the obstacle O(n) from the filtered obstacle list, the step being followed by a step of incrementing the variable n;

the step of incrementing the variable n by a unit, the step being followed by a step of verifying the existence of the obstacle O(n);

the step of verifying the existence of the obstacle O(n) in the list of obstacles filtered according to their elevation;

if the obstacle O(n) exists, there is again a move to the step of initializing a variable p;

if the obstacle O(n) does not exist, there is a move to a step marking the end of the method for filtering according to the proximity of the obstacles;

the filtered obstacle list in the state in which it exists in the step of verifying the existence of the obstacle O(n) is transmitted as a filtered obstacle list.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the minimum distance D between two obstacles displayed is computed by dividing the maximum range relative to the aircraft from the data to be displayed by a coefficient k.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, after the step, a test step is inserted verifying whether the absolute value of the difference between the latitude of the obstacle O(n+p) and the latitude of the obstacle O(n) is less than a minimum distance D:

if it is, there is then a move to the step of comparing the distance d(O(n),O(n+p));

if it is not, there is a move to the step of incrementing the index p.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of generating the symbology adapted to the display of the obstacles comprises:

a step of processing the display of the obstacle-related warnings, the linear obstacles included in the filtered obstacle list being processed as a list of point-like obstacles, the extremities of the point-like obstacles with which warnings are associated being processed as point-like obstacles having awarning of the same level as the linear obstacle, the obstacle being displayed in the same color as the corresponding terrain warning;

a step of processing the display of the obstacle representation, a different symbol being attached depending on whether the obstacle is multiple or not.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, after the step, a test step is inserted verifying whether the absolute value of the difference between the latitude of the obstacle O(n+p) and the latitude of the obstacle O(n) is less than a minimum distance D:

if it is, there is then a move to the step of comparing the distance d(O(n),O(n+p));

if it is not, there is a move to the step of incrementing the index p.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of generating the symbology adapted to the display of the obstacles comprises:

a step of processing the display of the obstacle-related warnings, the linear obstacles included in the filtered obstacle list being processed as a list of point-like obstacles, the extremities of the point-like obstacles with which warnings are associated being processed as point-like obstacles having awarning of the same level as the linear obstacle, the obstacle being displayed in the same color as the corresponding terrain warning;

a step of processing the display of the obstacle representation, a different symbol being attached depending on whether the obstacle is multiple or not.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of generating the symbology adapted to the display of the obstacles comprises:

a step of processing the display of the obstacle-related warnings, the linear obstacles included in the filtered obstacle list being processed as a list of point-like obstacles, the extremities of the point-like obstacles with which warnings are associated being processed as point-like obstacles having awarning of the same level as the linear obstacle, the obstacle being displayed in the same color as the corresponding terrain warning;

a step of processing the display of the obstacle representation, a different symbol being attached depending on whether the obstacle is multiple or not.