Projected synthetic vision

• US 9,366,546 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Colby, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US14/187,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 701/431, 701/3, 701/4, 701/14, 701/428, 348/115, 348/117, 340/980
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935

Abstract

Projected synthetic vision methods, systems and computer readable media are disclosed. For example, a system can include one or more sensors, a terrain database, and a projected synthetic vision controller coupled to the one or more sensors and the terrain database, the projected synthetic vision controller configured to generate and project synthetic vision images based on aircraft position, terrain information and aviator boresight information. The system can also include one or more projectors coupled to the projected synthetic vision controller.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more sensors;

a terrain database;

a projected synthetic vision controller coupled to the one or more sensors and the terrain database, the projected synthetic vision controller configured to generate and project synthetic vision images based on vehicle position, terrain information and vehicle operator boresight information; and

one or more projectors coupled to the projected synthetic vision controller,

wherein the one or more projectors are configured to display images onto a diffractive holographic member.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the vehicle includes an aircraft and the sensors include one or more of a radar altimeter, an air data system, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the terrain data includes one or more of natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more projectors each correspond to a window of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle includes one of a land vehicle, a surface water vessel, an underwater vessel, an aircraft and a spacecraft.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the projected synthetic vision controller is configured to receive vehicle operator boresight information and to adjust generated synthetic vision images based on the vehicle operator boresight information.

7. A method comprising:

obtaining, at a processor, position information from one or more sensors;

retrieving, at the processor, terrain information from a terrain database based on the position information;

obtaining, at the processor, aviator boresight information;

generating, using the processor, one or more synthetic vision images based on the position information, terrain information and aviator boresight information; and

projecting the one or more synthetic vision images, via one or more projectors, onto a diffractive holographic member of a corresponding aircraft window.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of a radar altimeter, an air data system, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the terrain data includes one or more of natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more projectors are configured to display images onto a diffractive holographic member.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more projectors each correspond to a cockpit window of an aircraft.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the aircraft is a helicopter.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the projected synthetic vision controller is configured to adjust the generated synthetic vision images based on the aviator boresight information.

14. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations including:

obtaining, at a processor, position information from one or more sensors;

retrieving, at the processor, terrain information from a terrain database based on the position information;

obtaining, at the processor, aviator boresight information;

generating, using the processor, one or more synthetic vision images based on the position information, terrain information and aviator boresight information; and

projecting the one or more synthetic vision images, via one or more projectors, onto a diffractive holographic member of a corresponding aircraft window.

15. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14,

wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of a radar altimeter, an air data system, an inertial navigation system, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, an Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)/Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) system, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) receiver, a microwave radar, a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and/or a video camera.

16. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the terrain data includes one or more of natural terrain features, vegetation, and manmade structures.

17. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more projectors are configured to display images onto a diffractive holographic member.

18. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more projectors each correspond to a cockpit window of a helicopter.

19. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the projected synthetic vision controller is configured to adjust the generated synthetic vision images based on the aviator boresight information.