Method, apparatus and article to display flight information

• US 6,702,229 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Huff, Elizabeth A. Anderson, Norman G. Anderson
• Original Assignee: Douglas Huff, Elizabeth A. Anderson, Norman G. Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Norman G., Anderson, Elizabeth A., Huff, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holzen, Stephen A.
• Application Number:
  US10/215,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 244/1.R, 244/118.5, 345/7, 345/205, 345/200, 296/21, 701/1-19, 340/973, 340/974, 340/980
• US Class Current: 244/1.00R
• 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

Abstract

Flight information is displayed using visual indications that resemble real world visual cues. For example, left and right side attitude displays extend vertically along each side of the windshield and a yaw display extends along a lower edge of the windshield. The attitude displays employ reference indications and outermost indications which track the position of the actual horizon. The yaw display employs outermost indications spaced from a reference indication a distance proportional to the rate of turn. Indexing of indications between the references and the outermost indications provides the appearance of movement representing climb, descent and turns. The rate and direction of indexing may be proportional to the rate and direction of change. Alternatively, indications such as lines are presented on a display screen, the lines being vertically displaced from a reference to represent angle of attack, slanted or angled to indicate the degree and direction of bank, and indexed to create the appearance of movement representing climb, descent and turns.

Claims

1. A flight information visualization system for use in an aircraft, comprising:

a first set of visual indicators extending generally vertically with respect to an interior of the aircraft, the first set of visual indicators including a first static reference indicator, at least a number of the visual indicators on either side of the first static reference indicator being selectively actuable to produce a visual indication;

a second set of visual indicators extending generally vertically with respect to the interior of the aircraft and laterally spaced across a pilot'"'"'s field-of-view from the first set of visual indicators, the second set of visual indicators including a second static reference indicator, at least a number of the visual indicators on either side of the second static reference indicator being selectively actuable to produce a visual indication; and

at least one processor coupled to selectively activate at least some of the visual indicators of the first and the second set of visual indicators, the processor activating one of the indicators in the first set of visual indicators spaced from the first static indicator in a direction and by a distance proportional to a distance between an actual horizon on a first side of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the first side of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions as a most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the first set of visual indicators from the first static indicator and activating one of the visual indicators in the second set of visual indicators spaced from the second static indicator in a direction and by a distance proportional to a distance between the actual horizon on a second side of the aircraft during the current set of flight conditions and the reference horizon on the second side of the aircraft for the nominal set of straight and level flight conditions as a most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the second set of visual indicators from the second static indicator.

2. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the first and the second static visual indicators are positioned within the aircraft such that an axis extending between the first and the second static visual indicators is approximately aligned in the pilot'"'"'s field-of-view with a position of the horizon under the nominal set of straight and level flight conditions.

3. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the processor activates a number of visual indicators between the first static indicator and the most distal activated one of the activated indicators in the first set of visual indicators and activates a number of visual indicators between the second static indicator and the most distal activated one of the activated indicators in the second set of visual indicators.

4. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the most distal activated one of the visual indicators in each of the first and the second sets of visual indicators from the respective first and second static indicators produces an indication different from any more proximate activated ones of the visual indicators in each of the first and the second sets of visual indicators.

5. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the processor sequentially activates the visual indicators between the first static indicator and the most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the first set of visual indicators and the visual indicators between the second static indicator and the most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the second set of visual indicators in a generally downward direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a climb of the aircraft and in a generally upward direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a descent of the aircraft.

6. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the processor sequentially activates the visual indicators between the first static indicator and the most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the first set of visual indicators and the visual indicators between the second static indicator and the most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the second set of visual indicators at a rate proportional to a rate of change in altitude for the aircraft.

7. The flight visualization system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third set of visual indicators extending generally horizontally with respect to the interior of the aircraft, the third set of visual indicators including a third static reference indicator, wherein the processor is coupled to selectively activate at least some of the visual indicators of the third set of visual indicators, the processor activating at least one of the visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators spaced from the third static indicator by a distance proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft, as a most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators.

8. The flight visualization system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third set of visual indicators extending generally horizontally with respect to the interior of the aircraft, the third set of visual indicators including a third static reference indicator, wherein the processor is coupled to selectively activate at least some of the visual indicators of the third set of visual indicators to produce a first indication for a turn in a first direction and a second indication for a turn in a second direction, different from the first direction.

9. The flight visualization system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third set of visual indicators extending generally horizontally with respect to the interior of the aircraft, the third set of visual indicators including a third static reference indicator, wherein the processor is coupled to selectively activate at least some of the visual indicators of the third set of visual indicators, the processor activating at least one of the visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators spaced from the third static indicator by a distance proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft, as a most distal activated one of the visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators, the processor successively activates the visual indicators between the third static indicator and the most distal activated ones of the visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators in a generally right to left direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a turn to the right of the aircraft and in a generally left to right direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a turn to the left of the aircraft.

10. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the visual indicators are light sources.

11. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the visual indicators are elements of a display screen.

12. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the static visual indicator is selectively activated by the processor.

13. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the static visual indicator is not selectively activated by the processor.

14. The flight visualization system of claim 1, further comprising:

a light level detector positioned to detect a level of light in the interior of the aircraft and coupled to provide a light intensity signal to the processor to automatically adjust an intensity of at least some of the visual indicators.

15. The flight visualization system of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor is coupled to receive a warning indication signal and configured to successively activate and deactivate at least some of the visual indicators in response to the warning indication signal.

16. A peripheral visualization system for displaying flight information in an aircraft, comprising:

a first set of visual indicators extending along one approximately vertical side of a windshield of the aircraft including a first level flight visual indicator;

a second set of visual indicators extending along another approximately vertical side of the windshield of the aircraft, including a second level flight visual indicator, the first and the second static visual indicators in approximate registration with a reference horizon in a field-of-view from the aircraft, the visual indicators of the first and the second sets of visual indicators selectively activated such that an imaginary line extending between an outermost activated one of the indicators from each of the first and the second sets of visual indicators is in approximate registration with an actual horizon in a defined field-of-view through the windshield of the aircraft; and

a third set of visual indicators extending along one approximately horizontal side of the windshield of the aircraft, including a centerline visual indicator, the visual indicators of the third set of visual indicators selectively activated such that a distance between an outermost activated one of the third set of visual indicators on either side of a centerline is proportionate to a rate of turn of the aircraft.

17. The peripheral visualization system of claim 16, further comprising:

a set of flight sensors to produce flight information corresponding to a set of current flight conditions for the aircraft; and

a processor coupled to receive the flight information from the set of flight sensors and configured to activate at least some of the visual indicators of the first, the second and the third sets of visual indicators.

18. The peripheral visualization system of claim 16 wherein the visual indicators between a straight and level visual indicator and the outermost activated visual indicator in the first set of visual indicators are sequentially activated from top-to-bottom from a pilot perspective during a climb of the aircraft at a rate proportional to a rate of climb of the aircraft, and from bottom-to-top from the pilot perspective during a descent of the aircraft at a rate proportional to a rate of descent of the aircraft.

19. The peripheral visualization system of claim 16 wherein the visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators provide a first indication for a turn of the aircraft in a first direction and a second indication different than the first indication for a turn of the aircraft in a second direction, different from the first direction.

20. The peripheral visualization system of claim 16 wherein the visual indicators between the centerline and the outermost activated visual indicators in the third set of visual indicators are sequentially activated in a direction from right-to-left from a pilot perspective during a turn to the right of the aircraft, and from left-to-right from the pilot perspective during a turn to the left of the aircraft.

21. A peripheral visualization system for displaying flight information in an aircraft, comprising:

means for providing a first static visual indication within a predefined field-of-view from an interior of the aircraft;

means for providing a second static visual indication within the predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft, the second static visual indication spaced horizontally across the field-of-view from the first static visual indication;

means for providing a most distal first dynamic visual indication spaced vertically from the first static visual indication by a distance proportionate to a distance between an actual horizon on a first side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the first side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions; and

means for providing a most distal second dynamic visual indication spaced vertically from the second static visual indication by a distance proportionate to a distance between an actual horizon on a second side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the second side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions.

22. A method of providing visual flight information in an aircraft having an interior, comprising:

providing a first static visual indication within a predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft;

providing a second static visual indication within the predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft, the second static visual indication spaced horizontally across the field-of-view from the first static visual indication;

providing a most distal first dynamic visual indication spaced vertically from the first static visual indication by a distance proportionate to a distance between an actual horizon on a first side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the first side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions; and

providing a most distal second dynamic visual indication spaced vertically from the second static visual indication by a distance proportionate to a distance between an actual horizon on a second side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the second side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first dynamic visual indication is vertically spaced above the first static visual indication with respect to the interior of the aircraft.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the first dynamic visual indication is spaced vertically below the first static visual indication with respect to the interior of the aircraft.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein providing a first static visual indication within a predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft includes aligning the first static visual indication with an approximate position of the reference horizon on a first side of the aircraft in the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein providing a most distal first dynamic visual indication includes aligning the first dynamic visual indication with an approximate position of the actual horizon on the one side of the aircraft in the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a set of current flight conditions.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a number of first dynamic visual indications between the first static indication and the most distal first dynamic visual indication, different from the most distal first dynamic indication; and

providing a number of second dynamic visual indications between the second static visual indication and the most distal second dynamic visual indication, different from the most distal second dynamic indication.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

sequentially providing a number of first dynamic visual indications between the first static indication and the most distal first dynamic visual indication in a generally downward direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a climb of the aircraft and in a generally upward direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a descent of the aircraft; and

sequentially providing a number of second dynamic visual indications between the second static indication and the most distal second dynamic visual indication in a generally downward direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a climb of the aircraft and in a generally upward direction with respect to the interior of the aircraft during a descent of the aircraft.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

sequentially providing a number of first dynamic visual indications between the first static indication and the most distal first dynamic visual indication at a rate proportional to a rate of change in altitude for the aircraft; and

sequentially providing a number of second dynamic visual indications between the second static indication and the most distal second dynamic visual indication at a rate proportional to a rate of change in altitude for the aircraft.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a third static visual indication within a predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft;

providing at least one distal dynamic visual indication of a first type spaced horizontally from the third static visual indication for a turn of the aircraft in a first direction; and

providing at least one distal dynamic visual indication of a second type spaced horizontally from the third static visual indication for a turn of the aircraft in a second direction different than the first direction, the second type of dynamic visual indication different than the first type of dynamic visual indication.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a third static visual indication within a predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft; and

providing at least one most distal third dynamic visual indication spaced horizontally from the third static visual indication by a distance proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein the predefined field-of-view corresponds to peripheral field-of-view from a pilot seat.

33. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a warning indication signal; and

successively activating and deactivating at least some of the visual indicators in response to the warning indication signal.

34. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a ground proximity warning indication signal; and

successively activating and deactivating at least some of the visual indicators in response to the ground proximity warning indication signal at a frequency proportional to a distance between the aircraft and the ground.

35. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a warning indication signal from an instrument onboard the aircraft; and

successively activating and deactivating at least some of the visual indicators in response to the warning indication signal, the visual indicators selected based on a direction of a perceived danger with respect to the aircraft.

36. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving a warning indication signal from a source external to the aircraft; and

successively activating and deactivating at least some of the visual indicators in response to the warning indication signal, the visual indicators selected based on a direction of a perceived danger with respect to the aircraft.

37. A computer readable media storing instructions for causing a computer to display flight information on a number of indicators in an aircraft, by:

providing a first static visual indication within a predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft;

providing a second static visual indication within the predefined field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft, the second static visual indication spaced horizontally across the field-of-view from the first static visual indication;

providing a most distal first dynamic visual indication spaced vertically from the first static visual indication by a distance proportionate to a distance between an actual horizon on a first side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the first side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions; and

providing a most distal second dynamic visual indication spaced vertically from the second static visual indication by a distance proportionate to a distance between an actual horizon on a second side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the second side of the field-of-view from the interior of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions.

38. A method of providing visual flight information in an aircraft having an interior, comprising:

providing a first set of visual indications extending generally vertically with respect to an interior of the aircraft, the first set of visual indications including a first static reference indication and a most distal indication spaced from the first static indication in a direction and by a distance proportional to a distance between an actual horizon on a first side of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the first side of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions;

a second set of visual indications extending generally vertically with respect to the interior of the aircraft and laterally spaced across a pilot'"'"'s field-of-view from the first set of visual indications, the second set of visual indications including a second static reference indication and a distal most indication spaced from the second static indication in a direction and by a distance proportional to a distance between the actual horizon on a second side of the aircraft during the current set of flight conditions and the reference horizon on the second side of the aircraft for the set of straight and level flight conditions; and

providing a third set of visual indications extending generally horizontally with respect to the interior of the aircraft, the third set of visual indications including a third static reference indication and a most distal third visual indication on either side of the third static indication, spaced from the third static indication by a distance proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein providing a first set of visual indications includes sequentially providing visual indications between the first static reference indication and the most distal indication in the first set of visual indications in a top-to-bottom direction during a climb of the aircraft and in a bottom-to-top direction during a descent of the aircraft.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein providing a third set of visual indications includes sequentially providing visual indications between the third static reference indication and the most distal third visual indications in a left-to-right direction during a left turn of the aircraft and in a right-to-left direction during a right turn of the aircraft.

41. A computer readable media storing instructions for causing a computer to display flight information on a number of indicators in an aircraft, by:

providing a first set of visual indications extending generally vertically with respect to an interior of the aircraft, the first set of visual indications including a first static reference indication and a most distal indication spaced from the first static indication in a direction and by a distance proportional to a distance between an actual horizon on a first side of the aircraft during a current set of flight conditions and a reference horizon on the first side of the aircraft for a nominal set of straight and level flight conditions;

a second set of visual indications extending generally vertically with respect to the interior of the aircraft and laterally spaced across a pilot'"'"'s field-of-view from the first set of visual indications, the second set of visual indications including a second static reference indication and a most distal indication spaced from the second static indication in a direction and by a distance proportional to a distance between the actual horizon on a second side of the aircraft during the current set of flight conditions and the reference horizon on the second side of the aircraft for the set of straight and level flight conditions; and

providing a third set of visual indications extending generally horizontally with respect to the interior of the aircraft, the third set of visual indications including a third static reference indication and a most distal third visual indication on either side of the third static indication, spaced from the third static indication by a distance proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft.

42. A flight information display system for providing flight information in an aircraft, comprising:

a display;

a static horizon reference indicator; and

a processor coupled to the display and configured to produce an image on the display including a number of substantially parallel pitch lines, at least a first one of the pitch lines having a first visual characteristic and at least a second one of the pitch lines displayed at a same time as the first pitch line having a second visual characteristic, different from the first visual characteristic, a distance between the horizon reference indicator and an interface between the first and the second pitch lines being proportional to a pitch of the aircraft under current flight conditions, where the pitch lines scroll perpendicularly across the display at a rate proportional to a rate of altitude change of the aircraft, if any.

43. The flight information display system of claim 42 wherein the pitch lines in the image produced by the processor are displayed at an angle to the horizon reference indicator equal to an angle of a bank about a roll axis of the aircraft, if any.

44. The flight information display system of claim 42, further comprising:

a static heading reference indicator wherein the image produced by the processor further includes a number of substantially parallel yaw lines, the yaw lines substantially perpendicular to the pitch lines, where the yaw lines scroll perpendicularly across the display with respect to the static heading reference indicator at a rate proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft, if any.

45. The flight information display system of claim 42 wherein the first and the second visual characteristics are a first color and a second color, respectively.

46. The flight information display system of claim 42 wherein the static horizon reference indicator is one of an image on the display and a fixed icon next to the display.

47. The flight information display system of claim 42 wherein the pitch lines are segmented.

48. The flight information display system of claim 42, further comprising:

an aircraft icon fixed in a center of the display.

49. A method of providing a display of flight information for an aircraft on a display, comprising:

receiving a set of flight information for the aircraft;

determining a number of successive images based on the received flight information, the images including a number of substantially parallel pitch lines, at least a first one of the pitch lines having a first visual characteristic and at least a second one of the pitch lines having a second visual characteristic in the same image, different from the first visual characteristic, a distance between a horizon reference indicator and an interface between the first and the second pitch lines being proportional to a pitch of the aircraft under current flight conditions; and

displaying the determined images.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein determining a number of images based on the received flight information includes determining successive positions of the pitch lines in the images at successive intervals to scroll the pitch lines perpendicularly across the display at a rate proportional to a rate of altitude change of the aircraft, if any.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein determining a number of images based on the received flight information includes canting the pitch lines in the images at an angle to the horizon reference indicator equal to an angle of a bank about a roll axis of the aircraft, if any, under the current flight conditions.

52. The flight information display system of claim 49 wherein determining a number of images based on the received flight information includes determining successive positions of a number of substantially parallel yaw lines substantially perpendicular to the pitch lines at successive intervals in the images to scroll the yaw lines perpendicularly across the display with respect to a static heading reference indicator at a rate proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft, if any, under the current flight conditions.

53. A computer readable media storing instructions for causing a computer to display flight information on a number of indicators in an aircraft, by:

displaying a number of substantially parallel pitch lines, at least a first one of the pitch lines having a first visual characteristic and at least a second one of the pitch lines displayed at a same time as the first pitch line having a second visual characteristic, different from the first visual characteristic, a distance between a horizon reference indicator and an interface between the first and the second pitch lines being proportional to a pitch of the aircraft under current flight conditions, where the pitch lines scroll perpendicularly across the display at a rate proportional to a rate of altitude change of the aircraft, if any; and

displaying a number of substantially parallel yaw lines, the yaw lines substantially perpendicular to the pitch lines, where the yaw lines scroll perpendicularly across the display with respect to a static heading reference indicator at a rate proportional to a rate of turn of the aircraft, if any.