Attitude direction indicator with supplemental indicia

• US 6,173,220 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schmitt, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/416,577
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 701/4, 701/10, 701/14, 701/200, 345/115, 345/121, 345/7, 345/9, 345/8, 340/971, 340/972, 340/973, 340/974, 340/975, 340/979, 340/980, 340/982, 340/945, 731/78.R
• US Class Current: 701/4
• 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: G02B 23/10 reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator

Abstract

An attitude direction indicator (ADI) display includes a horizon line that divides an upper colored portion, which represents the sky, from a lower colored portion, which represents the Earth. The ADI display includes indicia incorporated into the upper and/or lower portions for enhancing the operator'"'"'s situational awareness of the vehicle. The indicia may be configured as a texturing of the colored portions and/or as a gradient color scheme associated with the colored portions. The texturing scheme or gradient color scheme may be utilized to convey viewable information related to the vehicle'"'"'s altitude or position relative to a reference such as a runway. Furthermore, the texturing scheme or the gradient color scheme may be utilized to render a directional marker that indicates a direction toward the horizon line.

Claims

1. An attitude direction indicator (ADI) for displaying the position of a vehicle, said ADI comprising:

a display element configured to generate a viewable image associated with the position of said vehicle relative to at least one reference location;

a dividing line image representative of a reference altitude;

a first image portion generated on said viewable image, wherein said first image portion is defined by an area above said dividing line image;

a second image portion generated on said viewable image, wherein said first image portion is defined by an area below said dividing line image; and

indicia, incorporated into at least one of said first and second image portions, configured to convey situational information associated with the position of said vehicle.

2. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said dividing line image is representative of a horizon line.

3. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said first image portion is representative of the sky.

4. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein:

said indicia is incorporated into said first image portion; and

said indicia comprises a gradient color pattern configured such that areas of said first image portion associated with higher altitudes are shaded differently than areas of said first image portion associated with lower altitudes, wherein said higher and lower altitudes are relative to each other.

5. An ADI according to claim 4, wherein areas of said first image portion associated with higher altitudes are darker colored than areas of said first image portion associated with lower altitudes, wherein said higher and lower altitudes are relative to each other.

6. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said second image portion is representative of the Earth.

7. An ADI according to claim 6, wherein:

said indicia is incorporated into said second image portion; and

said indicia comprises a gradient color pattern configured such that areas of said second image portion having a first shade indicate an approach target for said vehicle and areas of said second image portion having a second shade indicate deviation from said approach target.

8. An ADI according to claim 7, wherein said approach target is represented by areas of said second image portion having a lighter color relative to areas of said second image portion that indicate deviation from said approach target.

9. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said indicia comprises a texturing pattern configured to emulate a three dimensional surface roughness associated with said at least one of said first and second image portions.

10. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said indicia comprises a gradient color pattern.

11. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said indicia comprises a directional marker for directing said vehicle toward a reference point.

12. An ADI according to claim 11, wherein:

said directional marker is incorporated into said first image portion; and

said directional marker identifies a direction toward said reference altitude.

13. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said dividing line image, said first image portion, and said second image portion rotate in response to changes in roll of said vehicle.

14. An ADI according to claim 1, wherein said dividing line image, said first image portion, and said second image portion translate in response to changes in pitch of said vehicle.

15. An attitude direction indicator (ADI) system for displaying the position of a vehicle, said ADI system comprising:

a processor configured to generate position information associated with the position of said vehicle relative to at least one reference location;

a display element configured to receive at least one position signal representative of said position information and to generate a viewable image in response to said at least one position signal;

a dividing line image representative of a reference altitude, said dividing line image being rendered on said display element;

a first image portion defined by an area above said dividing line image, said first image portion being rendered on said display element;

a second image portion defined by an area below said dividing line image, said second image portion being rendered on said display element; and

indicia, defined within at least one of said first and second image portions, configured to convey situational information associated with the position of said vehicle.

16. An ADI system according to claim 15, wherein:

said processor is further configured to receive and process information associated with an approach target for said vehicle; and

said indicia is configured to indicate the proximity of said vehicle to said approach target.

17. An ADI system according to claim 16, wherein:

said second image portion is representative of the Earth;

said indicia is incorporated into said second image portion; and

said indicia comprises a gradient color pattern configured such that areas of said second image portion having a first shade indicate said approach target and areas of said second image portion having a second shade indicate deviation from said approach target.

18. An ADI system according to claim 15, wherein:

said first image portion is representative of the sky;

said indicia is incorporated into said first image portion; and

said indicia comprises a gradient color pattern configured such that areas of said first image portion associated with higher altitudes are shaded differently than areas of said first image portion associated with lower altitudes, wherein said higher and lower altitudes are relative to each other.

19. An ADI system according to claim 15, wherein said indicia comprises a texturing pattern configured to emulate a three dimensional surface roughness associated with said at least one of said first and second image portions.

20. An ADI system according to claim 15, wherein said indicia comprises a directional marker that identifies a direction toward said reference altitude.

21. A method for indicating the attitude of a vehicle with a display element configured to generate a viewable image associated with the position of said vehicle relative to at least one reference location, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a dividing line image on said display element, said dividing line image representing a reference altitude;

(b) generating a first image portion on said display element, said first image portion being defined by an area above said dividing line image;

(c) generating a second image portion on said display element, said second image portion being defined by an area below said dividing line image; and

(d) producing indicia, incorporated into at least one of said first and second image portions, configured to convey situational information associated with the position of said vehicle.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said step (d) produces a gradient color pattern configured such that areas of said first image portion associated with higher altitudes are shaded differently than areas of said first image portion associated with lower altitudes, wherein said higher and lower altitudes are relative to each other.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said step (d) produces a gradient color pattern configured such that areas of said second image portion having a first shade indicate an approach target for said vehicle and areas of said second image portion having a second shade indicate deviation from said approach target.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein said step (d) produces a texturing pattern configured to emulate a three dimensional surface roughness associated with said at least one of said first and second image portions.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein said step (d) produces a gradient color pattern.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein said step (d) produces a directional marker that identifies a direction toward a reference point.