SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION RELATED TO A FLIGHT OF AN AIRCRAFT AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20160343261A1
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dassault Aviation (Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault)
• Original Assignee: Dassault Aviation (Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault)
• Inventors: BRANTHOMME, Arnaud, FAIN, Igor, DARSES, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,339,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• 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: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0047 Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft details of equipment G08G5/0017
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence

Abstract

A system for displaying information related to a flight of an aircraft and an associated method are provided. The display system comprises a display device, a man-machine interface, a module for dynamically generating synthesis images, each comprising a synthetic depiction of the environment and a curve representative of a trajectory, said module being configured to generate a first synthesis image centered around a first central point of interest, to command the display thereof, and to detect an action to modify the central point of interest by an operator via said man-machine interface. The generating module is also configured to determine, as a function of said modification action, a second central point of interest, situated along said curve whatever said modification action is, to generate a second synthesis image centered around said second central point of interest, and to command the display thereof.

Claims

1. A system for displaying information related to a flight of an aircraft, the system comprising:

a display;

a dynamic synthesis image generator configured to dynamically generate synthesis images, each synthesis image comprising a synthetic depiction of the environment situated in the vicinity of a trajectory of the aircraft and a curve representative of a trajectory of the aircraft, the curve being superimposed on the synthetic depiction, the dynamic synthesis image generator being configured to generate a first synthesis image centered around a first central point of interest and to command the display, on the display, of the first synthesis image; and

a man-machine interface,

the dynamic synthesis image generator being configured to detect a modification action to modify the central point of interest by an operator via the man-machine interface,

the dynamic synthesis image generator being further configured to;

determine, as a function of the modification action, a second central point of interest, situated along the curve, the second central point of interest being situated along the curve whatever the modification action is,

generate a second synthesis image centered around the second central point of interest, and

command the display, on the display, of the second synthesis image.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the modification action to modify the central point of interest comprises a movement of a member by the operator between a first position and a second position.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the first central point of interest is situated along the curve, and the modification action to modify the central point of interest comprises a movement of a member by the operator between a first position and a second position in a direction not parallel to the tangent to the curve at the first central point of interest.

4. The system according to claim 2 wherein the first central point of interest is situated along the curve, and the dynamic synthesis image generator is configured to:

determine, as a function of a movement vector between the first position and the second position, a curvilinear distance on the curve between the first central point of interest and the second central point of interest; and

to

determine, from a position on the curve of the first central point of interest and the curvilinear distance, a position on the curve of the second central point of interest.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the dynamic synthesis image generator is configured to determine the curvilinear distance as a function of the movement vector and a vector tangent to the curve at the initial central point of interest.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the dynamic synthesis image generator is configured to determine the curvilinear distance as a function of a scalar product between a projection of the movement vector over a horizontal plane of the first synthesis image and the tangent vector.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the synthesis images are three-dimensional images, the synthetic depiction of the environment being a three-dimensional depiction and the curve being a three-dimensional curve.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first synthesis image is seen from a first point of view, and the dynamic synthesis image generator is configured to detect a rotation action of the position of the point of view relative to the first central point of interest in a vertical plane, or in a horizontal plane, respectively, the rotation action comprising a movement of a member by an operator in a vertical direction, or in a horizontal direction, respectively,

the dynamic synthesis image generator being further configured to determine, as a function of the rotation action, a modified point of view, to generate a modified synthesis image seen from the modified point of view, and to command the display, on the display, of the modified synthesis image.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the dynamic synthesis image generator is configured to display a vertical slide and/or a horizontal slide on the first synthesis image, and the rotation action comprises a movement of a member by an operator on the vertical slide, or the horizontal slide, respectively, in a vertical direction, or in a horizontal direction, respectively.

10. A method for displaying information related to a flight of an aircraft, wherein the method comprises the following successive steps:

displaying, on a display, a first synthesis image comprising a synthetic depiction of the environment situated in the vicinity of a trajectory of the aircraft and a curve representative of a trajectory of the aircraft, the curve being superimposed on the synthetic depiction, the first synthesis image being centered around a first central point of interest;

detecting a modification action to modify the first central point of interest by an operator via a man-machine interface;

determining, as a function of the modification action, a second central point of interest, situated along the curve;

generating a second synthesis image centered around the second central point of interest; and

displaying the second synthesis image on the display.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the modification action to modify the first central point of interest comprises a movement of a member by an operator between a first position and a second position.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first central point of interest is situated along the curve, and the modification action to modify the first central point of interest comprises a movement of a member by an operator between the first position and the second position in a direction not parallel to the tangent to the curve at the first central point of interest.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the modification action to modify the first central point of interest comprises a movement of the member by the operator between the first position and the second position on a touchscreen.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the first central point of interest is situated along the curve, and the determining of the second central point of interest comprises:

determining, as a function of a movement vector between the first position and the second position, a curvilinear distance on the curve between the first central point of interest and the second central point of interest; and

determining, from a position on the curve of the first central point of interest and the curvilinear distance, the second central point of interest.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the curvilinear distance is determined as a function of the movement vector and a vector tangent to the curve at the first central point of interest.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the curvilinear distance is determined as a function of a scalar product between a projection of the movement vector over a horizontal plane of the first synthesis image and the tangent vector.