Method and apparatus for displaying a symbol for a vehicle

• US 8,335,642 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Wipplinger, Patrick Ralf, Ellerbrock, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US11/747,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/300, 701/3, 701212-214, 701/400, 701/408, 701/409, 701/428, 701/454, 701/455, 701/457, 701/466, 701/468, 701/487, 701/532, 701/538, 701/412, 701/431, 701/432, 701/436, 701/458, 701/460, 701/469, 340/988, 340/989, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.15, 340/995.25, 340/995.26, 340/995.27, 340/945, 340/971, 340/990, 340/972
• US Class Current: 701/409
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for displaying a symbol representing an aircraft. The symbol is displayed representing the aircraft at a location on a map at a first level of detail. The symbol represents a position of the aircraft on the map, moves on the map in a manner that represents movement of the aircraft with respect to features on the map, has a fixed level of detail that does not change as levels of detail change for the map, and has an anchor point at a first point on the symbol in which the anchor point is used as a point of rotation for the symbol. A second point is identified for the anchor point on the symbol such that view point of the symbol at the second level of detail remains fixed relative to the display of the symbol at the first level of detail. The map is displayed at the second level of detail. The symbol is displayed on the map using the second point for the anchor point.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a symbol representing an aircraft, the method comprising:

displaying the symbol representing the aircraft at a location on a map, the symbol having a first level of detail that does not change, wherein the symbol represents a position of the aircraft on the map, moves on the map in a manner that represents movement of the aircraft with respect to features on the map, and has an anchor point at a first point on the symbol in which the anchor point is used as a point of rotation for the symbol, the first point having a location on the symbol relative to a feature of the aircraft;

displaying the map at a second level of detail that changes with respect to a change in scale of the map while the first level of detail for the symbol remains fixed;

responsive to receiving a request to change the second level of detail, identifying, by a processor, a second point for the anchor point on the symbol such that a view point of the symbol on the map at the first level of detail remains fixed relative to the change in display of the map at the second level of detail, wherein the first point and the second point are different points; and

displaying the symbol on the map using the second point for the anchor point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

identifying the second point as being a position of the pilot for the aircraft on the map minus a distance of the position of the pilot for the aircraft to a feature of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the position of the pilot for the aircraft on the map is a position of a navigational sensor on the map plus a distance of the navigational sensor on the map to the pilot.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the feature of the aircraft is a landing gear for the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

selecting the second point on the symbol such that a distance between a view point in the aircraft and a feature of the aircraft correspond to second level of detail.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the map is selected between a map of an airport having runways and taxiways and a map of a geographic area over which the aircraft is flying.

7. A method for displaying a symbol representing a vehicle, the computer implemented method comprising:

displaying the symbol representing the vehicle at a first level of detail, wherein the symbol has an anchor point at a first location on the symbol, wherein the anchor point is a point at which the symbol rotates, and the first location on the symbol corresponds to a feature of the vehicle;

responsive to receiving a request of a second level of detail, identifying a second location for the anchor point on the symbol such that a view point of the symbol at the second level of detail remains fixed relative to the display of the symbol at the first level of detail, the second location for the anchor point is identified by calculating a proportional distance relative to a distance between a pilot position and the feature of the vehicle, wherein the first point and the second point are different points; and

displaying the symbol using the second location for the anchor point.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the view point is a location of a pilot of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying step comprises:

setting the second location of the anchor equal to a position of a pilot minus a distance of the position of the pilot to the feature of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the anchor point represents a feature in the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the feature is a landing gear.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the position of the pilot is equal to a position of a navigation sensor plus a distance of the navigation sensor to the pilot.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is selected from one of an aircraft, ship, submarine, or truck.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code for displaying a symbol representing an aircraft, the computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for displaying the symbol representing the aircraft at a location on a map, the symbol having a first level of detail that does not change, wherein the symbol represents a position of the aircraft on the map, moves on the map in a manner that represents movement of the aircraft with respect to features on the map, and has an anchor point at a first point on the symbol in which the anchor point is used as a point of rotation for the symbol, the first point having a location on the symbol relative to a feature of the aircraft;

computer usable program code for displaying the map on a graphical user interface at a second level of detail that changes with respect to a change in scale of the map while the first level of detail for the symbol remains fixed, the map located from a map database based on an aircraft location;

computer usable program code responsive to receiving a request to change the second level of detail, for identifying a second point for the anchor point on the symbol such that a view point of the symbol on the map at the first level of detail remains fixed relative to the change in display of the map at the second level of detail, wherein the first point and the second point are different points; and

computer usable program code for displaying the symbol on the map using the second point for the anchor point.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer usable program code responsive to receiving a request of a second level of detail, for identifying a second point for the anchor point on the symbol such that view point of the symbol at the second level of detail remains fixed relative to the display of the symbol at the first level of detail comprises:

computer usable program code for selecting the second point on the symbol such that a distance between a view point in the aircraft and a feature of the aircraft correspond to second level of detail.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer usable program code responsive to receiving a request of a second level of detail, for identifying a second point for the anchor point on the symbol such that view point of the symbol at the second level of detail remains fixed relative to the display of the symbol at the first level of detail comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying the second point as being a position of the pilot for the aircraft on the map minus a distance of the position of the pilot for the aircraft to a feature of the aircraft.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the position of the pilot for the aircraft on the map is a position of a navigational sensor on the map plus a distance of the navigational sensor on the map to the pilot.