GROUND NAVIGATIONAL DISPLAY, SYSTEM AND METHOD DISPLAYING BUILDINGS IN THREE-DIMENSIONS

• US 20120072105A1
• Filed: 09/20/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Feyereisen, Thea L., Nichols, Troy, Suddreth, John G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/409
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3804 Creation or updating of map data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• 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 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A methods, apparatus and system are provided for a vehicle with a ground navigational display. The system may include a display, a navigation system determining a location of the vehicle, a database storing a map including locations of buildings on the map and a processor. The processor may be configured to display the map on the display based upon the location of the vehicle, assign a fixed height to all of the buildings displayed on the display, and render the buildings displayed on the display in three-dimensions and having the assigned fixed height.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a display;

a navigation system configured to determine a location of the vehicle;

a database storing map data, the map data including locations of buildings; and

a processor configured to;

selectively retrieve map data based upon the location of the vehicle,

display the retrieved map data on the display, and

render buildings associated with the retrieved map data in three-dimensions on the display, where all of the rendered buildings are rendered at the same height.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication system receiving a location of at least one movable object,

wherein the processor is further configured to display the at least one movable object on the displayed map data.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically adjust a height of at least one building if the at least one movable object is located behind the at least one building and a height of the at least one movable object is less than or equal to the height of the rendered building.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically adjust a transparency of at least one building if the at least one movable object is located behind the at least one building and a height of the at least one movable object is less than or equal to the height of the rendered building.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to assign a fixed height to the at least one movable object, wherein the fixed height of the at least one movable object is larger than to the height of the rendered building.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the database stores a building type associated with at least one building, and

the processor is further configured to adjust a color, texture and/or assigned height of the at least one building based upon the associated building type.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising:

a user input device,

wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to input by a user of the user input device, adjust the color, texture and/or assigned height of the at least one building based upon the associated building type

8. A method for displaying 3D buildings during group operations of an aircraft, comprising:

determining a location of the aircraft where the ground operations are occurring;

retrieving map data representative of the determined, the map data including locations of buildings at the determined location;

assigning an equal height to all of the buildings; and

displaying, on an aircraft display, the map with all of the buildings are rendered in three dimensions and having the equal height.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a location of movable objects at the location of the aircraft; and

displaying, on the map displayed on the aircraft display, a representation of the received movable objects.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a height of the movable objects at the location of the aircraft; and

dynamically adjusting the height of one of the rendered buildings when a movable object is located behind one of the one rendered building and the height of the movable object located behind the one rendered building is less than or equal to the height of the one rendered building.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving a building type associated with at least one of the buildings; and

adjusting a color, texture and/or height of the at least one building with an associated building type.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a height of the movable objects at the location of the aircraft; and

dynamically adjusting the color, texture and/or height of a rendered buildings when a movable object is located behind the rendered building and the height of the movable object located behind the rendered building is less than or equal to the height of the rendered building.

13. The method of claim 9. further comprising:

assigning a fixed height to the movable objects, where the fixed height of the movable objects is greater than the fixed height of the rendered buildings.

14. A display system, comprising:

a display;

a navigation system configured to determine a location of a vehicle associated with the display system;

a database storing map data, the map data including locations of buildings; and

a processor configure to;

selectively retrieve map data based upon the determined location,

display the retrieved map data on the display, and

render buildings associated with the retrieved map data in three-dimensions on the display, where all of the rendered buildings are rendered at the same height.

15. The display system of claim 14, further comprising:

a communication system receiving a location of at least one movable object,

wherein the processor is further configured to display the at least one movable object on the displayed map data.

16. The display system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically adjust a height of at least one building if the at least one movable object is located behind the at least one building and a height of the at least one movable object is less than or equal to the height of the rendered building.

17. The display system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically adjust a transparency of at least one building if the at least one movable object is located behind the at least one building and a height of the at least one movable object is less than or equal to the height of the rendered building.

18. The display system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to assign a fixed height to the at least one movable object, wherein the fixed height of the at least one movable object is larger than the height of the rendered buildings.

19. The display system of claim 14, wherein the database stores a building type associated at least one building, and

the processor is further configured to adjust a color, texture and/or assigned height of the at least one building based upon the associated building type.

20. The display system of claim 19, further comprising:

a user input device,

wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to input by a user of the user input device, adjust the color, texture and/or assigned height of the at least one building based upon the associated building type