Flight training and synthetic visualization system and method
First Claim
1. A method of detecting, recording, coprocessing and simultaneously displaying aircraft flight data and corresponding terrain data, which method comprises the steps of:
- providing a self-contained mobile data recording unit (MDRU) on the aircraft;
providing said MDRU with an MDRU microprocessor;
gathering with said MDRU microprocessor flight data including navigation and flight information captured by said MDRU;
providing said MDRU with a computer readable media and storing said navigation and flight information on said MDRU computer readable media;
computing a 3-D recreation of a flight path of the aircraft based on said navigational and flight information;
computing a digital terrain model for an area of the Earth'"'"'s surface including at least a portion of the flight path;
generating a 3-D display of said 3-D recreation including;
said terrain model;
a representation of the aircraft superimposed on the terrain model; and
a data ribbon representing the flight path superimposed on the terrain model;
computing altitude readings from said navigational and flight information at pre-defined intervals along the flight path;
using said altitude readings and said navigational and flight information to compute a 3-D display comprising a vertical synthetic flight wall extending downwardly from said flight path data ribbon to a ground level on said terrain model;
subdividing said flight wall graphically into a vertically-oriented checkerboard configuration comprising multiple rectangular segments separated by multiple, horizontally-spaced vertical striations each representing a pre-defined horizontal distance and multiple, vertically-stacked horizontal striations each representing a pre-defined vertical distance, said pre-defined vertical and horizontal distances corresponding to altitude and distance of travel along said flight path respectively;
dynamically displaying in 3-D on said display device said flight wall including said vertical and horizontal striations below said flight path data ribbon;
dynamically displaying in 3-D on said display device with said graphics software engine the progress along said flight path of the aircraft on top of said flight wall and over said terrain model; and
dynamically displaying aircraft altitudes at respective rectangular segments along said flight path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low-cost training and synthetic visualization system and method directed to improving an individual'"'"'s airborne performance in general aviation, skydiving, and other aerial applications. The system is comprised of a self-contained mobile sensor and data storage device for recording the travel path, orientation, and forces acting upon an object as it moves through space, a desktop graphics software program for creating a playback of the recorded data on a three-dimensional representation of the environment through which the object moved, a means of linking the sensor and data storage device to the software program for the purpose of exchanging information, and a centralized data storage and retrieval system designed to accept, assimilate and redistribute the recorded data.
75 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of detecting, recording, coprocessing and simultaneously displaying aircraft flight data and corresponding terrain data, which method comprises the steps of:
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providing a self-contained mobile data recording unit (MDRU) on the aircraft; providing said MDRU with an MDRU microprocessor; gathering with said MDRU microprocessor flight data including navigation and flight information captured by said MDRU; providing said MDRU with a computer readable media and storing said navigation and flight information on said MDRU computer readable media; computing a 3-D recreation of a flight path of the aircraft based on said navigational and flight information; computing a digital terrain model for an area of the Earth'"'"'s surface including at least a portion of the flight path; generating a 3-D display of said 3-D recreation including;
said terrain model;
a representation of the aircraft superimposed on the terrain model; and
a data ribbon representing the flight path superimposed on the terrain model;computing altitude readings from said navigational and flight information at pre-defined intervals along the flight path; using said altitude readings and said navigational and flight information to compute a 3-D display comprising a vertical synthetic flight wall extending downwardly from said flight path data ribbon to a ground level on said terrain model; subdividing said flight wall graphically into a vertically-oriented checkerboard configuration comprising multiple rectangular segments separated by multiple, horizontally-spaced vertical striations each representing a pre-defined horizontal distance and multiple, vertically-stacked horizontal striations each representing a pre-defined vertical distance, said pre-defined vertical and horizontal distances corresponding to altitude and distance of travel along said flight path respectively; dynamically displaying in 3-D on said display device said flight wall including said vertical and horizontal striations below said flight path data ribbon; dynamically displaying in 3-D on said display device with said graphics software engine the progress along said flight path of the aircraft on top of said flight wall and over said terrain model; and dynamically displaying aircraft altitudes at respective rectangular segments along said flight path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of sensing and computing aircraft flight data associated with an aircraft flight path, and simultaneously displaying an aircraft flight path, flight wall and terrain model for a flight, which method comprises the steps of:
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generating signals representative of a 3-D, GNSS-based flight path of said aircraft with said position detector; providing a computer including a microprocessor on the aircraft and connected to the IMS and the position detector; providing a digital terrain model of a portion of the Earth'"'"'s surface including at least a portion of the flight path; computing a 3-D display of said flight path including;
said terrain model;
a primary aircraft image model superimposed on and simulating movement relative to the terrain model; and
a data ribbon representing the flight path superimposed on the terrain model;computing with said altitude readings and said navigational and flight information a 3-D vertical flight wall extending downwardly from said flight path data ribbon to a ground level on said terrain model; said flight wall being subdivided graphically into a checkerboard configuration comprising multiple rectangular segments each representing a pre-defined horizontal and vertical distance corresponding to altitude and distance of travel along said flight path respectively; providing a display device and connecting said display device to said microprocessor; displaying with said display device said 3-D display with said primary aircraft image model on top of said flight wall and said aircraft altitudes over said terrain model; generating a secondary ghost image model of the aircraft; computing an ideal flight path corresponding to locations of said secondary ghost image aircraft model; superimposing on said 3-D display said secondary ghost image model in relation to said primary aircraft image model; displaying with said display device discrepancies between said ideal flight path and the actual flight path by simultaneously and dynamically displaying the positions of said primary and secondary aircraft image models relative to each other and the flight wall; collecting navigational and flight information in-flight with said computer; providing a secondary computer; connecting said secondary computer to said aircraft computer; and post-processing said navigational and flight information and displaying said 3-D recreation with said secondary computer after a flight is completed.
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13. A system for simulating an aircraft flight, which system comprises:
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an inertial measurement sensor (IMS) installed on the aircraft and adapted for sensing orientation of the aircraft and generating orientation signals; a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) position detector installed on the aircraft and adapted for generating signals representative of a 3-D, GNSS-based flight path of said aircraft; a computer including a microprocessor installed on the aircraft and connected to the IMS and the position detector; said microprocessor being connected to and receiving input signals comprising navigational and flight information from said IMS and said GNSS position detector; said computer being adapted for receiving a digital terrain model of a portion of the Earth'"'"'s surface including at least a portion of the flight path; said computer being adapted for computing a 3-D display of said flight path including;
said terrain model;
a model of the aircraft superimposed on and simulating movement relative to the terrain model; and
a data ribbon representing the flight path superimposed on the terrain model;said computer being adapted for computing altitude readings from said navigational and flight information at predetermined intervals along the flight path; said computer being adapted for computing with said altitude readings and said navigational and flight information a 3-D vertical flight wall extending downwardly from said flight path data ribbon to a ground level on said terrain model; said flight wall being subdivided graphically into a checkerboard configuration comprising multiple rectangular segments each representing a pre-defined horizontal and vertical distance corresponding to altitude and distance of travel along said flight path respectively; and a display device connected to said microprocessor and adapted for displaying said 3-D display with said aircraft model on top of said flight wall and said aircraft altitudes over said terrain model. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification