System and method for highlighting an area encompassing an aircraft that is free of hazards

• US 9,355,567 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Krishna, Kiran Gopala, Gurusamy, Saravanakumar, Annapureddy, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, ANA D
• Application Number:
  US13/962,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 701/455
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/44 Actuating mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A system and method display a hazard free area around an aircraft that is modified to alert a pilot if a threshold distance between a detected object and the aircraft is reached. The modification may include, for example, altering the size of the hazard free area and its color. Additional information that may be displayed includes distance to the object, width of the hazard free area, stopping distance of the aircraft, and a route to avoid the object.

Claims

1. A method for indicating a hazard free area around a vehicle on a moving map, the vehicle comprising a type, comprising:

displaying an icon representing the vehicle on the moving map;

displaying a swath icon on the moving map, the swath icon depicting a zone around the icon representing the vehicle, the swath icon representing an object free area around the vehicle;

detecting, based on a signal provided by a sensor on the vehicle, an object moving in the vicinity of the vehicle;

displaying the detected object on the moving map;

recognizing a maneuver the vehicle may take to avoid a collision with the detected object, based on the detected object, the moving map, and the vehicle type;

displaying a second icon indicating the maneuver; and

modifying the swath icon to contract based on a position of the detected object within a first threshold distance of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

modifying the swath icon further if a collision of the vehicle with the detected object is projected.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a numerical representation of the width of the area.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a numerical representation of a distance from the vehicle to the detected object.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

highlighting the numerical representation of the distance when the distance from the vehicle to the detected object reaches a threshold.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

providing a text message warning of the detected object when the first threshold distance is reached.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

indicating a position on the moving map within the swath icon where the vehicle will stop if brakes are applied.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the maneuver by analyzing a current speed of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the swath icon to contract comprises moving the swath icon representing the object free area closer to the icon representing the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a distance icon within the swath icon at a position on the moving map where the vehicle will stop if brakes are applied.

11. A method for indicating a hazard free area around an aircraft on a moving map, comprising:

displaying an aircraft icon representing the aircraft on the moving map;

detecting a hazard moving in the vicinity of the aircraft by radar system on the aircraft in a first portion of the moving map;

displaying a swath icon representing the hazard free area in a second portion of the moving map and surrounding the aircraft;

altering a size of the swath icon to contract when a distance between the aircraft and the detected hazard is within a threshold;

recognizing a maneuver the aircraft may take to avoid a collision with the detected hazard, based on the detected hazard, the moving map, and aircraft type;

displaying an icon indicating the maneuver; and

displaying the detected hazard on the moving map.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

modifying the swath icon further if a collision of the aircraft with the detected hazard is projected.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

displaying a numerical representation of the width of the hazard free area; and

displaying a numerical representation of the distance from the aircraft to the detected hazard.

14. A system for indicating a hazard free area around a vehicle on a moving map, the system comprising:

a display;

a sensor on the vehicle configured to sense an object moving in the vicinity of the vehicle;

a synthetic vision system configured to provide the moving map;

a processor coupled to the display, the sensor, and the synthetic vision system, and the processor configured to;

instruct the display to display the moving map and an icon representing the vehicle on the moving map;

instruct the display to display a swath icon depicting a zone around the icon representing the vehicle, the swath icon representing the hazard free area around the vehicle;

instruct the display to display the sensed object;

recognize a maneuver the vehicle may take to avoid a collision with the sensed object based on the sensed object, the moving map, and aircraft type;

display a second icon indicating the maneuver; and

modify the swath icon to contract based on a position of the sensed object if a distance between the vehicle and the sensed object is within a threshold.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to:

modify the swath icon further if a collision of the vehicle with the sensed object is projected.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a numerical representation of the width of the hazard free area.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a numerical representation of the distance from the vehicle to the sensed object.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to:

indicate a position on the moving map where the vehicle will stop if brakes are applied.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the maneuver by analyzing a current speed of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 14, the vehicle comprising an aircraft, wherein the processor is further configured to:

apply the brakes when an aircraft system determines a collision of the aircraft with the sensed object will otherwise occur.