3D Navigation Aid System and Display for Same

• US 20110210871A1
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Flotte, Laurent, De Brito, Gabrielle, Nouvel, Christian, Marty, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 8,576,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/961
• 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: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft navigational aid system with 3D display including an anti-collision device, with means of storing data representing obstructions, means for calculating a representation of the obstructions in a three-dimensional space and a device for displaying the obstructions data in three dimensions. The system includes means for augmenting the display of the representation of the area of hazardous obstructions with at least two indicator objects for the said area of hazardous obstructions disposed together in such a manner as to form a third object targeting the localization of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft. The invention also relates to the method of display of the indicator objects in a three-dimensional display.

Claims

1. An aircraft navigational aid system designed to display an area of hazardous obstructions within a three-dimensional representation of the obstructions comprising an anti-collision device, means for storing data representing obstructions, means for calculating a representation of the obstructions in a three-dimensional space and a device for displaying the obstruction data in three dimensions, the anti-collision device being designed to detect, within an area being monitored, an area of obstructions hazardous for collisions inside a current protection envelope for the aircraft, further comprising:

means for calculating the horizontal dimension, the vertical dimension of the said area of hazardous obstructions and the localization of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft; and

means for augmenting the display of the area of hazardous obstructions with at least two indicator objects for the said area of hazardous obstructions, a first object indicating the horizontal dimension and a second object indicating the vertical dimension of the said area of hazardous obstructions, the first and the second object being disposed together in such a manner as to form a third object targeting the localization of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first indicator object is displayed in the form of a symbol substantially longitudinal with a horizontal axis and in that the second indicator object is displayed in the form of a symbol substantially longitudinal with a vertical axis.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the third object, formed by the first and the second indicator objects together, comprises at least one part substantially in the form of a T targeting the localization of the point (64) in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein an indicator object is displayed in the form of at least two separate symbols depending on the localization of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft, a first symbol when the said point is localized inside the displayed area representing the obstructions and a second symbol when the said point is localized outside of the displayed area representing the obstructions.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first indicator object is displayed in the form of a third symbol in such a manner as to indicate the presence of an area of hazardous obstructions localized outside of the displayed area representing the obstructions.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the obstructions data represent obstructions of the terrain type and of the obstacle type.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the displayed obstructions data come from databases storing a digital terrain and obstacles model.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the displayed obstructions data come from an image acquisition means.

9. A display method for an aircraft navigational aid system designed to display an area of hazardous obstructions within a representation of the obstructions in three dimensions, comprising the following steps:

calculation of an area of hazardous obstructions inside a current protection envelope for the aircraft,

calculation of the horizontal dimension of the said obstruction area, of the vertical dimension of the said area of hazardous obstructions and of the localization of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft,

display of a first object representing the horizontal dimension of the obstruction area and of a second object representing the vertical dimension of the said area of hazardous obstructions, the first and the second object being disposed together in such a manner as to form a third object targeting the localization of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the horizontal dimension is the horizontal projection of the left-hand and right-hand extremities of the area of hazardous obstructions onto the horizontal axis of the area being monitored for obstructions.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the vertical dimension is the vertical projection of the top and bottom extremities of the area of hazardous obstructions onto the vertical axis of the area being monitored for obstructions.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first object is positioned vertically at the coordinate of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second object is positioned horizontally at the coordinate of the point in the area of hazardous obstructions closest to the aircraft.

14. The method according to claim 9, displaying at least two layers of information, the two layers being superposed, and, a first layer of information representing the obstructions data and a second layer of information representing the navigation data, wherein it displays the first and the second objects, representing the dimensions of the area of hazardous obstructions, in the second layer of information.