Traffic awareness systems and methods for displaying aircraft traffic with ground-track heading

• US 6,927,703 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Watson, Jerry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHMOOD, JENNIFER
• Application Number:
  US10/300,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 340/979, 340/980, 340/952, 340/955, 343/35, 343/38
• US Class Current: 340/979
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A traffic awareness system displays ground-track heading information on a traffic information screen for other aircraft within the proximity range of the host aircraft. Symbols identify other aircraft locations by position on the traffic information screen and show ground-track heading by display and orientation of a ground-track heading indicator.

Claims

1. A method for indicating ground-track heading for aircraft traffic, comprising the steps of:

electronically collecting traffic information data from a traffic information system; and

processing the traffic information data to generate one or more symbols with ground-track heading indictors on a traffic information screen, the ground-track heading indicators showing ground-track heading of the aircraft traffic, wherein the symbols have shapes representative of collision threat, and wherein the ground-track heading indicators have a ground track heading indicator offset region to visually highlight the ground-track heading indicators.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of processing comprising providing a relative altitude and altitude change indicator for at least one of the symbols.

3. The method of claim 2, the step of displaying comprising displaying the ground-track heading indicator offset region in a background color of the traffic information screen.

4. The method of claim 3, the step of displaying comprising displaying a body of the symbols as a color different from the background color.

5. The method of claim 4, the traffic information screen having one of a black or green background color.

6. The method of claim 5, the body having one of a yellow or white color.

7. The method of claim 3, the step of displaying comprising displaying a body of the symbols as the background color with a contrasting outline.

8. The method of claim 7, the contrast outline being black.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the symbols on at least one of a weather radar screen, navigation screen, and terrain screen.

10. A traffic awareness system for a host aircraft, comprising:

a monitor;

a display processor for processing traffic information data to identify position and ground track heading of aircraft traffic;

a graphic display generator for generating a traffic information screen with one or more symbols of the aircraft traffic on the monitor, each of the symbols having a ground-track heading indicator graphically showing ground-track heading for its associated aircraft traffic and a shape representative of potential collision threat, and each of the symbols having a ground-track heading indicator offset region to visually highlight its associated ground-track heading indicator.

11. A system of claim 10, the graphic display generator comprising a ground-track synthesizer for generating the ground-track heading indicator.

13. A system of claim 10, each of the symbols having a body comprising a color different from the background color.

14. A system of claim 10, the background color comprising one of black or green.

15. A system of claim 10, further comprising (a) at least a weather radar screen, navigation screen, and terrain screen, and (b) a user input device for alternatively selecting display of the traffic information screen, the weather radar screen, the navigation screen, and the terrain screen, on the monitor.

16. A system of claim 10, further comprising a TIS unit for generating the traffic information data.

17. A system of claim 10, each of the symbols having a body comprising the background color and contrasting outline.

12. A traffic awareness system for a host aircraft, comprising:

a monitor;

a display processor for processing traffic information data to identify position and ground track heading of aircraft traffic;

a graphic-display generator for generating a traffic information screen with one or more symbols of the aircraft traffic on the monitor, each of the symbols having a ground-track heading indicator graphically showing ground-track heading for its associated aircraft traffic and a representative of potential collision threat, a ground-track heading indicator offset region comprising a background color of the traffic information screen.

18. A multi-functional display unit for displaying aircraft traffic with ground-track heading within a host aircraft, comprising:

a monitor;

a display processor for processing traffic information data from a TIS unit to identify position and ground-track heading of the aircraft traffic;

a graphic display generator for generating a traffic information screen with one or more symbols of the aircraft traffic on the monitor, each of the symbols having a ground-track heading indicator graphically showing ground-track heading for its associated aircraft traffic, and a portion representative of whether a corresponding aircraft is reporting altitude, each of the symbols having a ground-track heading indicator offset region to visually highlight its associated around-track heading indicator, the ground-track heading indicator offset region comprising a background color of the traffic information screen, each of the symbols having a body comprising either (a) a color different from the background color or (b) the background color with a contrasting outline.