System and method for representation of aircraft altitude using spatial size and other natural perceptual cues

• US 7,408,552 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Clausner, Timothy C., Palmer, Evan M., Kellman, Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang; Ryan R
• Application Number:
  US10/071,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20030151630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 345835-839, 345418-419, 345/581, 345/473, 345/440, 715835-839, 701/4
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A system for conveying location of an object by varying a characteristic such as size, color, or intensity of an icon located in a two dimensional display. In the illustrative embodiment, the invention represents aircraft altitude by the size of an icon. Each aircraft position and heading is plotted as location and orientation of the icon in two-dimensional space, the axes of which represent latitude and longitude. The size of the icon is selected from a limited number of discriminably different sizes to represent the aircraft altitude. Each size represents a distinct altitude range.

Claims

1. A system for conveying aircraft altitude to a human observer, the system comprising:

a processor continuously receiving latitude, longitude, and altitude information relating to an aircraft, the altitude information including information enabling determination of a numeric value for an altitude for the aircraft, wherein the processor determines, based on the numeric value of the altitude information, a shape for an icon representing the aircraft, wherein the shape is associated with at least a distinct numeric altitude range and is the sole displayed indicator of the numeric value of the altitude of the aircraft; and

a display in operable communication with the processor, the display providing a two-dimensional planar view and having a first axis representing latitude and a second axis representing longitude, wherein the processor directs the display to present the icon at a position on the display indicative of the latitude and longitude of the aircraft, wherein the shape of the displayed icon is the sole displayed indicator of information indicating at least a numeric range for the altitude of the aircraft, and wherein the processor directs the display to change the shape of the icon in response to receiving a change in the altitude information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor receives altitude information from the aircraft itself.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor receives altitude information from a radar.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the value is associated with a distinct numeric value of altitude for the aircraft.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the shape is associated with the distinct numeric value of altitude for the aircraft.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the shape is selected from a predetermined number of discriminably different shapes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the shape of the icon has a continuously variable relationship with the value of the altitude information.

8. A method of conveying location of an object, the methoc comprising:

receiving location information continuously regarding the object, the location information including a first coordinate x, a second coordinate y, and a third coordinate z, wherein the third coordinate z represents a value associated with a numeric value for an altitude of the object;

correlating the first and second coordinates (x,y) with a location of an icon on a display, the display providing a two-dimensional planar view and having a first axis representing the x coordinate and a second axis representing the y coordinate;

correlating the third coordinate z with a shape of the icon, wherein the icon shape is associated with at least a distinct numeric altitude range and is exclusively indicative, on the display, of the value of the third coordinate z; and

displaying the icon on the display, wherein the shape of the displayed icon changes in response to received changes in the value of the third coordinate z, and wherein the displayed icon has a position on the display indicative of the first and second coordinates (x,y).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the shape of the icon is selected from a predetermined number of discriminably different shapes, each respective shape associated with at least a distinct numeric altitude range.

10. The method of claim 8, furhther comprising receiving location information regarding the object from the object itself.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving location information regarding the object from a radar.

12. A method of conveying aircraft information visually to a user, the method comprising:

continuously receiving latitude, longitude, and altitude information relating to an aircraft;

selecting an icon to represent one of latitude, longitude, and altitude, wherein the shape of the icon, by itself, is capable of conveying visually to a user at least a range of numeric values for the selected one of latitude, longitude, and altitude information;

presenting the icon to a user on a display, wherein the shape of the icon is the only way that information about at least the range of numeric values for the respective one of latitude, longitude, and altitude information is visually conveyed to the user, and wherein the icon is presented on a position on the display indicative of the other two of latitude, longitude, and altitude of the aircraft; and

in response to receiving a change in the respective one of latitude, longitude, and altitude information, changing the shape of the icon, wherein the change in shape is discriminable to the user, and wherein the change shape of the icon, by itself, is the only way the change in the value of the respective one of latitude, longitude, and altitude information is visually conveyed to the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the shape of the icon, by itself, is capable of conveying visually to a user a distinct numeric value for the selected one of latitude, longitude, and altitude information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the shape of the icon has a continuously variable relationship with the range of numeric values.