Aircraft terrain information system
DCFirst Claim
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1. An aircraft terrain information system for providing a visual display to the pilot of the contours of the terrain proximate to the aircraft, the warning system comprising:
- position means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft;
terrain data means for storing terrain data representative of terrain elevations;
a cockpit display; and
contour means, responsive to said position means and said terrain data means, for displaying on said cockpit display a display of the contours of at least a portion of the terrain proximate to the aircraft wherein said contour display includes the highest hMAX and lowest hMIN terrain levels of said portion of the terrain.
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Abstract
In order to provide the pilots with a display or a map of the terrain below the aircraft, a display is generated on a cockpit display, such as a weather radar, of the contours of the terrain below the aircraft. The terrain contour display is generated from aircraft position information and a terrain data base. Terrain contours are depicted with the highest terrain colored red, intermediate terrain contours in green with varying dot densities and the lowest terrain in black.
168 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An aircraft terrain information system for providing a visual display to the pilot of the contours of the terrain proximate to the aircraft, the warning system comprising:
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position means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft; terrain data means for storing terrain data representative of terrain elevations; a cockpit display; and contour means, responsive to said position means and said terrain data means, for displaying on said cockpit display a display of the contours of at least a portion of the terrain proximate to the aircraft wherein said contour display includes the highest hMAX and lowest hMIN terrain levels of said portion of the terrain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An aircraft terrain warning and information system for providing a visual display to the pilot of a warning of terrain proximate to the aircraft and alternatively a display of the contours of the terrain proximate to the aircraft, the warning system comprising:
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position means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft; terrain data means for storing terrain data representative of terrain elevations; altitude means for generating altitude signals representative of the altitude of the aircraft; a cockpit display; warning means responsive to said position means, said altitude signal and said terrain data means, for generating on said cockpit display a warning display of terrain proximate to the aircraft in response to predetermined warning criteria; and contour means, responsive to said position means and said terrain data means, for displaying on said cockpit display a display of the contour of the terrain proximate to the aircraft, wherein said displaying of the contour of terrain is performed independently of the degree of hazard of said terrain to the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for displaying terrain information to a flight crew comprising the steps of:
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(a) obtaining information about aircraft position; (b) accessing a data base of terrain information; and (c) displaying on a display contours of at least a portion of the terrain proximate to the aircraft position wherein said contour display includes a highest hmax and a lowest hmin terrain levels of said portion of the terrain. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A device for providing terrain information to the flight crew of an aircraft comprising:
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an first input for receiving aircraft position data; a second input coupled to a terrain database; an output coupled to a display device; and a processor coupled to said first and said second input and to said display device for displaying on said display device a plurality of contours of at least a portion of terrain information stored in said terrain database, proximate to the aircraft wherein the contours displayed on said display device include a highest hmax and a lowest hmin terrain level of said portion of terrain information.
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42. A device for providing terrain information to the flight crew of an aircraft comprising:
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an first input for receiving aircraft position data; a second input coupled to a terrain database; an output coupled to a display device; and a processor coupled to said first and said second input and to said display device for displaying on said display device a plurality of contours of at least a portion of terrain information stored in said terrain database, proximate to the aircraft wherein the contours displayed on said display device include a highest hmax and a lowest hmin terrain level of said portion of terrain information and wherein a contour above an altitude of the aircraft is displayed in a first color and a contour below the altitude of the aircraft is displayed in a second color.
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43. An aircraft terrain information system for providing a visual display to the pilot of the contours of the terrain proximate to the aircraft, the warning system comprising:
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position means for receiving signals representative of the position of the aircraft; terrain data means for storing terrain data representative of terrain elevations; a cockpit display; and contour means, responsive to said position means and said terrain data means, for displaying on said cockpit displaying; a display of contours at a first altitude above the aircraft in a first color; a display of contours at a second altitude relative to the aircraft in a second color; a display of contours at a third altitude relative to the aircraft in a third color; and a display of contours at a fourth altitude relative to the aircraft in a fourth color.
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44. A device for providing terrain information to the flight crew of an aircraft comprising:
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a first input for receiving aircraft position data; a second input coupled to a terrain database; an output coupled to a display device; and a processor, coupled to said first and said second input and to said display device for displaying on the display device, a plurality of contours of at least a portion of terrain information stored in said terrain database, proximate to the aircraft wherein the contours displayed on the display device include; contours at a first altitude above the aircraft in a first color; contours at a second altitude relative to the aircraft in a second color; contours at a third altitude relative to the aircraft in a third color; and contours at a fourth altitude relative to the aircraft in a fourth color.
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45. A method for providing terrain information to the flight crew of an aircraft comprising the steps of:
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receiving aircraft position data; accessing a terrain database; displaying a plurality of contours of at least a portion of terrain information stored in said terrain database, proximate to the aircraft wherein the step of displaying contours includes the steps of; displaying contours at a first altitude above the aircraft in a first color; displaying contours at a second altitude relative to the aircraft in a second color; displaying contours at a third altitude relative to the aircraft in a third color; and displaying contours at a fourth altitude relative to the aircraft in a fourth color.
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Specification