Method and apparatus for improving situational awareness using multiple map displays employing peripheral range bands

• US 6,392,661 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trident Systems, Inc. (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Trident Systems, Inc. (Atlas Copco AB)
• Inventors: Tankersley, Leland James
• Primary Examiner(s): Razavi, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOOD JOHNSON, MOTILEWA
• Application Number:
  US09/335,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995, 340/945, 340/971, 345/439, 345/428, 345/660, 701/14
• US Class Current: 345/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

An apparatus and process for arranging and presenting situational awareness information on a computer display screen using maps and/or other situational awareness information so that greater amounts of relevant information can be presented to a user within the confines of the limited area on small computer screen displays. The map display layout for a screen display utilizes multiple, independent map displays arranged on a computer screen in order to maximize situational awareness information and display that information efficiency. By displaying single or multiple maps in a plurality of range bands arranged along the peripheral area of a display screen, wasted screen area is minimized. The ability to independently scale with respect to distance, time and velocity, as well as zoom and pan each map on the screen display further improves the display presentation. When connected to a communication network, the ability of the screen display to project real time images and the movement of objects further enhances the delivery of situational awareness information to the user.

Claims

1. A method for displaying situational awareness information, comprising:

selecting a map center coordinate;

determining an angle between an axis passing through the map center coordinate and a first ray beginning at the map center coordinate and passing through a point of interest;

determining a distance between the map center coordinate and the point of interest;

selecting a circular range band with an inner and an outer edge as well as a thickness;

determining if the point of interest is located between the inner and the outer edge of the circular range band, and if so, determining a ratio of the distance along the ray that the point of interest lies with respect to the thickness of the circular range band;

selecting an area for projecting on a screen display having a screen coordinate; and

selecting a display band having a thickness that is projected on the screen display such that the point of interest located in the circular range band is projected on the screen display within the display band along a second ray extending from the screen coordinate at the angle and located within the display band with the ratio relative to the thickness of the display band.

2. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 1, where the screen coordinate moves relative to an underlying image on the screen display.

3. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 1, where the point of interest moves relative to the screen coordinate.

4. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 1, where the projection of the point of interest on the screen display compensates for a dead zone.

5. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 1, where a plurality of the points of interest are projected independently of each other on the display screen.

6. A method for displaying situational awareness information, comprising:

selecting a map center coordinate where a first image is projected on a display screen;

selecting a first scale for projecting situational awareness information in the first image;

selecting at least one circular range band having inner and outer edges and a thickness such that the map center coordinate acts as a center for the at least one circular range band;

determining at least one point of interest;

determining an angle between an axis passing through the map center coordinate and a first ray beginning at the map center coordinate and passing through the at least one point of interest;

determining a distance between the map center coordinate and the point of interest;

determining if the point of interest is located between the inner and the outer edge of the at least one circular range band, and if so, determining for which of the at least one circular range band the at least one point of interest is located within the inner and outer edge;

determining a ratio of the distance along the first ray that extends from the map center coordinate through the at least one point of interest from the inner edge of the at least one circular range band to the at least one point of interest with respect to the thickness of the circular range band;

selecting at least one display band corresponding to the number of the at least one circular range band on a screen display having a screen coordinate; and

the at least one display band having a thickness that is projected on the screen display such that the point of interest located in the circular range band is projected on the screen display within the at least one display band along a second ray extending from the screen coordinate through the at least one point of interest and the angle and within the at least one display band according to the ratio.

7. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 6, where the first image displayed on the screen display moves relative to the screen coordinate.

8. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 6, where the screen coordinate moves relative to an underlying image on the screen display.

9. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 6, where if the at least one point of interest is located within the inner and outer edge of a first of the at least one circular range band, a dead zone is compensated for when the at least one point of interest is projected on a first of the at least one display band.

10. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 6, further comprising receiving the at least one point of interest from at least one wireless source such that as the at least one point of interest changes position relative to the map center coordinate the positional change is transmitted to the screen display.

11. A method for displaying situational awareness information, comprising:

selecting a map center coordinate where a first image is projected on a display screen;

selecting a first scale for projecting situational awareness information in the first image;

selecting a first circular range band having inner and outer edges and a thickness such that the map center coordinate acts as a center for the first circular range band;

selecting at least one additional circular range band having inner and outer edges and a thickness such that the map center coordinate acts as a center for the at least one additional circular range band;

determining at least one point of interest;

determining an angle between an axis passing through the map center coordinate and a ray beginning at the map center coordinate and passing through the at least one point of interest;

determining a distance between the map center coordinate and the point of interest;

determining if the point of interest is located between the inner and the outer edge of the first circular range band, and if so, compensating for a dead zone, and determining a ratio of the distance along the ray that extends from the map center coordinate through the at least one point of interest from the inner edge of the first circular range band to the at least one point of interest with respect to the thickness of the circular range band;

determining if the point of interest is located between the inner and the outer edge of the at least one additional circular range band, and if so, determining a ratio of the distance along the ray that extends from the map center coordinate through the at least one point of interest from the inner edge of the first circular range band to the at least one point of interest with respect to the thickness of the circular range band;

selecting a first display band corresponding to the first circular range band;

selecting additional display bands corresponding to the number of the at least one additional circular range bands;

if the point of interest is located in the first circular range band, locating the point of interest in the first display band on the screen display such that the point of Interest is projected on the screen display along a ray extending from a screen coordinate to the point of interest within the first display band according to the ratio and the compensation for the dead zone; and

if the point of interest is located in the at least one additional circular range band, locating the point of interest in the appropriate additional display band corresponding to the at least one additional circular range band such that the point of interest is projected on the screen display along a ray extending from the screen coordinate to the point of interest within the at least one additional display band according to the ratio.

12. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 11, where the first image displayed on the screen display moves relative to the screen coordinate.

13. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 11, where the screen coordinate moves relative to an underlying image on the screen display.

14. The method for displaying situational awareness information of claim 11, further comprising receiving the at least one point of interest from at least one wireless source such that as the at least one point of interest changes position relative to the screen coordinate, the positional change is transmitted to the screen display.

15. An apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to a user, comprising:

a microprocessor connected to a memory area where the memory area is capable of storing situational awareness information data;

a screen display connected to the microprocessor, where the screen display is capable of projecting a plurality of images from the situational awareness information data and displaying the images in discrete locations on the screen display;

the screen display also being capable of projecting in at least one location of the screen display a first image representing a first scale and having an outer edge, and a second image representing a second scale and having an inner edge image projected along the peripheral area of the outer edge of the first image in a display band, and where the second image is projected with a different scale relative to the first image; and

the screen display further being capable of projecting a point of interest proportionally in the display band corresponding to the point of interest'"'"'s location relative to its proportional distance from the map center coordinate.

16. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 15, where the scale of the first image and the scale of the second image is based on the relative velocity of the movement of the map center coordinate and the movement of the point of interest.

17. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 15, where the scale of the first image and the scale of the second image is based on a map distance.

18. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 17, where the scale of the first image and the scale of the second image is based on time.

19. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 15, where the situational awareness data comprises global positioning system data.

20. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 19, where the global positioning system data allows the map center coordinate to move relative to the first image projected on the screen display.

21. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 15, further comprising a receiver connected to the microprocessor such that the situational awareness data is transmitted to and received by the receiver.

22. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 19, where the situational awareness data comprises information received from airborne transmitter platforms.

23. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 19, where the situational awareness data comprises information received from ground transmitter stations.

24. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 19, where the situational awareness data comprises information received from returns from active sonar signals.

25. The apparatus for projecting situational awareness information to the user, according to claim 19, where the situational awareness data comprises information received from returns from passive sonar signals.