Dynamic lateral deviation display

• US 7,432,828 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2006
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: He, Gang, Gannon, Aaron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Lam P
• Application Number:
  US11/353,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/945, 340/963, 340/967, 340/973, 340/974, 340/979, 340/980, 701 1- 14
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

A method of dynamically displaying lateral deviation in formats on a display is provided. The method comprises assigning one or more positional boundaries for displaying the lateral deviation information, wherein the one or more positional boundaries define areas on a display. The method also comprises calculating display positions of a lateral deviation symbology and determining if each calculated display position is allowed based on where the lateral deviation display would be located, if displayed at each calculated position, in relation to the one or more positional boundaries. The method further comprises, displaying the lateral deviation symbology at the calculated positions when the calculated positions are allowed, and displaying a lateral deviation indicator when the calculated positions are not allowed.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically displaying lateral deviation in formats on a display, the method comprising:

assigning one or more positional boundaries for displaying the lateral deviation information, wherein the one or more positional boundaries define areas on a display;

calculating display positions of a lateral deviation symbology;

determining if each calculated display position is allowed based on where the lateral deviation symbology would be located, if displayed at each calculated position, in relation to the one or more positional boundaries;

displaying the lateral deviation symbology at the calculated display positions when the calculated positions are allowed; and

displaying a lateral deviation indicator when the calculated positions are not allowed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the lateral deviation symbology includes displaying one of a fully conformal lateral deviation symbology and a partially conformal lateral deviation symbology.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if each calculated display position is allowed includes at least one of:

determining that a calculated display position is not allowed if at least a part of the lateral deviation symbology would be located within an area defined by the one or more positional boundaries; and

determining that a calculated display position is not allowed if at least a part of the lateral deviation symbology would not be located within an area defined by the one or more positional boundaries.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the lateral deviation symbology includes:

fading out the lateral deviation indicator if on the display; and

fading in the lateral deviation symbology if not on the display.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein fading out lateral deviation indicator and fading in the lateral deviation symbology includes one of:

fading in the lateral deviation symbology and fading out the lateral deviation indicator at a substantially uniform rateover a set period of time; and

fading in the lateral deviation symbology and fading out the lateral deviation indicator at a rate based on a rate of craft state change.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the lateral deviation indicator includes:

fading in the lateral deviation indicator if not on the display; and

fading out the lateral deviation symbology if on the display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein fading in the lateral deviation indicator and fading out the l lateral deviation symbology includes one of:

fading out the lateral deviation symbology and fading in the lateral deviation indicator at a substantially uniform rate over a set period of time; and

fading out the lateral deviation symbology and fading in the lateral deviation indicator at a rate based on a rate of craft state change.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein fading in the lateral deviation indicator includes one of:

fading in the lateral deviation indicator at a horizontal center point on the display; and

fading in the lateral deviation indicator at a position related to a position where the lateral deviation symbology was faded out.

9. A graphic display system comprising:

one or more sensors for collecting craft lateral deviation data;

a display element for displaying craft lateral deviation data; and

at least one processor coupled to the one or more sensors and the display element for processing the lateral deviation data and sending signals to the display element to direct the display element in displaying the lateral deviation data, wherein the processor calculates display positions for a lateral deviation symbology, determines if each of the calculated display positions are allowed, and sends signals to the display element to display the lateral deviation symbology at the calculated display positions when the calculated display positions are allowed, and sends signals to the display element to display a lateral deviation indicator when the calculated display positions are not allowed.

10. The graphic display system of claim 9 wherein, the processor calculates display positions for one of a fully conformal lateral deviation symbology and a partially conformal lateral deviation symbology.

11. The graphic display system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor determines if each of the calculated display positions is allowed by at least one of:

determining that a calculated display position is not allowed if, at the calculated display position, at least a part of the lateral deviation symbology would be located within an area defined by positional boundaries on the display element; and

determining that a calculated display position is not allowed if, at the calculated display position, at least a part of the lateral deviation symbology would not be located within an area defined by positional boundaries on the display element.

12. The graphic display system of claim 9, wherein signals to the display element to display the lateral deviation symbology at the calculated display positions include:

signals to fade out the lateral deviation indicator if on the display; and

signals to fade in the lateral deviation symbology if not on the display.

13. The graphic display system of claim 12, wherein signals to fade out the lateral deviation indicator and signals to fade in the lateral deviation symbology include one of:

signals to fade in the lateral deviation symbology and fade out the lateral deviation indicator at a substantially uniform rate over a set period of time; and

signals to fade in the lateral deviation symbology and fade out the lateral deviation indicator at a rate based on a rate of craft state change.

14. The graphic display system of claim 9, wherein signals to the display element to display the lateral deviation indicator include:

signals to fade in the lateral deviation indicator if not on the display; and

signals to fade out the lateral deviation symbology if on the display.

15. The graphic display system of claim 14, wherein the signals to fade in the lateral deviation indicator include one of:

signals to fade in the lateral deviation indicator at a horizontal center position on the display element; and

signals to fade in the lateral deviation indicator at a position related to a position where the lateral deviation symbology is faded out.

16. The graphic display system of claim 14, wherein signals to fade in the lateral deviation indicator and signals to fade out the lateral deviation symbology include one of:

signals to fade out the lateral deviation symbology and fade in the lateral deviation indicator at a substantially uniform rate over a set period of time; and

signals to fade out the lateral deviation symbology and fade in the lateral deviation indicator at a rate based on a rate of craft state change.

17. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of dynamically displaying lateral deviation in formats on a display, the method comprising:

determining if calculated display positions of a lateral deviation symbology are allowed based on the location of the lateral deviation symbology, if displayed at the calculated display positions, in relation to areas defined on a display by positional boundaries; and

transitioning between the lateral deviation symbology and a lateral deviation indicator based on the determination if calculated display positions are allowed.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, determining if calculated display positions of a lateral deviation symbology are allowed includes one of determining if calculated display positions of a partially conformal lateral deviation symbology are allowed and determining if calculated display positions of a fully conformal lateral deviation symbology are allowed.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein transitioning between a lateral deviation symbology and a lateral deviation indicator further comprises:

transitioning at a rate based on one of, a substantially uniform rate over a set time period, and a rate of craft state change.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein determining if calculated display positions of a lateral deviation symbology includes at least one of:

determining that calculated display positions are not allowed if, at the calculated display positions, at least a part of the lateral deviation symbology would be located within an area defined by the positional boundaries; and

determining that calculated display positions are not allowed if, at the calculated display positions, at least a part of the lateral deviation symbology would not be located within an area defined by the positional boundaries.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein transitioning between a lateral deviation symbology and a lateral deviation indicator includes:

fading out the lateral deviation symbology, if on the display, for calculated display positions determined to be not allowed;

fading in the lateral deviation indicator, if not on the display, for calculated display positions determined to be not allowed;

fading in the lateral deviation symbology, if not on the display, for calculated display positions determined to be allowed; and

fading out the lateral deviation indicator, if on the display, for calculated display positions determined to be allowed.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein fading in a lateral deviation indicator comprises:

fading in a lateral deviation indicator at one of, a horizontal center position on a display element, and a position related to a position where the lateral deviation symbology is faded out.

23. A method of dynamically displaying lateral deviation in formats on a display, the method comprising:

assigning one or more positional boundaries for displaying the lateral deviation information, wherein the one or more positional boundaries define areas on a display;

calculating display positions of a partially conformal lateral deviation symbology;

determining if each calculated display position is allowed based on where the partially conformal lateral deviation symbology would be located, if displayed at each calculated position, in relation to the one or more positional boundaries;

displaying the partially conformal lateral deviation symbology at the calculated display positions when the calculated positions are allowed; and

transitioning the partially conformal lateral deviation symbology to a non-conformal lateral deviation symbology when the calculated positions are not allowed.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein transitioning the partially conformal lateral deviation symbology to a non-conformal lateral deviation symbology includes;

terminating a center line above the lateral deviation symbology; and

fixing the position of the lateral deviation symbology at a position where the lateral deviation symbology transitioned to a non-conformal lateral deviation symbology.

25. A graphic display system comprising:

means for collecting craft lateral deviation data;

means for displaying craft lateral deviation data in a lateral deviation symbology; and

means for determining if a calculated display position of the lateral deviation symbology is allowed based on where the lateral deviation symbology would be displayed, if at the calculated display position, in relation to at least one area defined by positional boundaries, and for transitioning the lateral deviation symbology to a lateral deviation indicator when the calculated display position of the lateral deviation symbology is not allowed.