AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPLAYING VISUAL SEGMENT INFORMATION

• US 20120215388A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Pepitone, Dave, Burgin, Roger W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/14
• 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 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A display system and method are provided for an aircraft. The system includes a processing unit configured to determine a visual segment for the aircraft and to generate display commands based on the visual segment; and a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the visual segment as a visual segment marker.

Claims

1. A display system for an aircraft, comprising:

a processing unit configured to determine a visual segment for the aircraft and to generate display commands based on the visual segment; and

a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the visual segment as a visual segment marker.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein, during a landing situation at a runway, the processing unit is further configured to determine runway references associated with the runway, wherein the display commands are further based on the runway references, and wherein the display device is further configured to display symbology representing the runway references as runway reference markers.

3. The display system of claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to display an aircraft symbol with the runway reference markers and the visual segment marker to indicate the relative positions of the aircraft, the runway references, and the visual segment.

4. The display system of claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to display the runway reference markers and visual segment marker as a plan view.

5. The display system of claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to display the runway reference markers and visual segment marker as an elevation view.

6. The display system of claim 2, wherein the visual segment markers include at least one of approach light markers, runway threshold markers, and touchdown zone markers.

7. The display system of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the visual segment based on nose geometry of the aircraft.

8. The display system of claim 2, wherein the display commands are further based on a windshield configuration of the aircraft, and wherein the display device is configured to display symbology representing the windshield configuration.

9. The display system of claim 8, wherein the display device is further configured to display symbology representing an arrow indicating a direction of the visual segment relative to the windshield configuration.

10. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display device is a primary flight display.

11. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display device is a head down display.

12. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display device is configured to display the visual segment marker as a rectangle.

13. A method of displaying symbology during a landing operation of an aircraft onto a runway, comprising the steps of:

presenting a synthetic view of a runway environment;

determining a visual segment of the aircraft relative to the runway; and

displaying the visual segment on the synthetic view of the runway environment.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of determining runway references associated with the runway, wherein the display step includes displaying the runway references on the synthetic view with the visual segment.

15. The method of claim 14, further display step includes displaying an aircraft symbol on the synthetic view to indicate the relative positions of the aircraft, the runway references, and the visual segment.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the displaying step includes displaying the visual segment and the runway reference markers as a plan view.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the display step includes displaying at least one of approach light markers, runway threshold markers, and touchdown zone markers as the runway reference markers.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining step includes determining the visual segment based on nose geometry of the aircraft.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the aircraft includes a windshield, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of displaying a windshield configuration based on the windshield of the aircraft and displaying an arrow on the windshield configuration indicating relative position and distance of the visual segment to the windshield configuration.

20. A display system for an aircraft having a nose and a windshield during a landing operation onto a runway, comprising:

a processing unit configured to determine a visual segment for the aircraft based on the nose of the aircraft and to determine runway references associated with the runway, the processing unit further configured to generate display commands based on the visual segment, the runway references, and the windshield; and

a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and to display symbology representing the visual segment as a visual segment marker, the runway references as runway reference markers, and the aircraft as an aircraft symbol to indicate the relative positions of the visual segment, the runway references, and the aircraft, the display device further configured to display symbology representing the windshield and an arrow indicating a direction of the visual segment relative to the windshield.