ALTITUDE RANGE FILTER FOR COCKPIT TRAFFIC DISPLAY

• US 20090069959A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin AT, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Bowers, Craig, Grove, Robert M., Hilb, Bob, Horvath, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,696,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/8
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• 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 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A system and method for filtering various targets (such as ground vehicles, stationary objects, and aircraft) from display on a display screen within the cockpit of an “Own Ship” aircraft. The system and method withhold from display any non-exempt targets that have an altitude that is either: (1) greater than an upper-threshold altitude; or (2) less than a lower-threshold altitude. The upper-threshold altitude and the lower-threshold altitude may be set to user-specified, customized values as desired to accommodate current flying conditions. In addition, the system and method may also be configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes, each of which features a different upper threshold altitude/lower threshold altitude combination. The system and method are preferably configured to reset certain threshold altitudes to pre-defined default altitudes in response to the aircraft landing.

Claims

1. An airborne system for displaying aeronautical information on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a display screen operable to present a visual indication of a plurality of targets;

a memory including data corresponding to an altitude threshold; and

a processing unit coupled with the memory and the display screen, the processing unit operable to

identify one or more targets using the altitude threshold and an altitude of the one or more targets,

recognize an exempt target using an exempt target designation, and

withhold from presentation on the display screen one or more of the identified targets but not withholding display of the recognized exempt target.

2. The system of claim 1, further including an input device operable to be functioned by a user to specify the altitude threshold.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is operable to replace the altitude threshold stored within the memory with the user-specified altitude threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the altitude threshold corresponds to a lower-threshold altitude, an upper-threshold altitude, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is operable to present a visual indication of the exempt target on the display screen regardless of the altitude of the exempt target.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically generate an exempt target designation for a particular target based upon flight characteristics of the particular target.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically generate the exempt target designation for the particular target if the particular target is on a course to come in proximity to the aircraft.

8. The system of claim 1, further including an input device operable to be functioned by a user to provide the exempt target designation.

9. An airborne system for displaying aeronautical information on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a display screen operable to present a visual indication of a plurality of targets;

a memory including data corresponding to an altitude threshold; and

a processing unit coupled with the memory and the display screen, the processing unit operable to

identify one or more targets using the altitude threshold and an altitude of the one or more targets,

recognize an exempt target using an exempt target designation,

withhold from presentation on the display screen one or more of the identified targets, and

present a visual indication of the exempt target on the display screen regardless of the altitude of the exempt target.

10. The system of claim 9, further including an input device operable to be functioned by a user to specify the altitude threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is operable to replace the altitude threshold stored within the memory with the user-specified altitude threshold.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the altitude threshold corresponds to a lower-threshold altitude, an upper-threshold altitude, or a combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically generate an exempt target designation for a particular target based upon flight characteristics of the particular target.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically generate the exempt target designation for the particular target if the particular target is on a course to come in proximity to the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 9, further including an input device operable to be functioned by a user to provide the exempt target designation.

16. An airborne system for displaying aeronautical information on an aircraft, the system comprising:

a display screen operable to present a visual indication of a plurality of targets;

a memory including data corresponding to an altitude threshold; and

a processing unit coupled with the memory and the display screen, the processing unit operable to

identify one or more targets using the altitude threshold and an altitude of the one or more targets,

automatically generate an exempt target designation for a particular target based upon flight characteristics of the particular target,

recognize an exempt target using the exempt target designation,

withhold from presentation on the display screen one or more of the identified targets, and

present a visual indication of the exempt target on the display screen regardless of the altitude of the exempt target.

17. The system of claim 16, further including an input device operable to be functioned by a user to specify the altitude threshold.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is operable to recognize a plurality of exempt targets using a plurality of exempt target designations.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the altitude threshold corresponds to a lower-threshold altitude, an upper-threshold altitude, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is operable to automatically generate the exempt target designation for the particular target if the particular target is on a course to come in proximity to the aircraft.