System and method for displaying airport features on a dynamic airport moving map display

• US 9,517,844 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Khatwa, Ratan, Ziarnick, Melissa
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US14/036,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20150084793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 340/969, 340/971, 340/972, 340/980, 340/979, 701/16, 701/10, 342/104, 342/175, 348/844
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/065 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. for taxiing or rolling

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for enhancing situational awareness onboard an aircraft during an aircraft ground maneuver such as when taxiing on a runway or taxiway. A three-dimensional view including airport features is rendered in a first airport region that extends a first predetermined distance (D₁) from the aircraft when the aircraft speed is less than a predetermined speed (V₁). A three-dimensional view including airport features in a second airport region is rendered that extends beyond D₁ when the aircraft speed exceeds V₁.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing situational awareness onboard an aircraft during an aircraft ground maneuver, the method comprising:

increasing the depth of the field-of-view of a three dimensional flight deck display element in response to the aircraft attaining a speed that exceeds a predetermined speed;

displaying airport features that fall within a first predetermined distance from the aircraft when the aircraft is taxiing below a predetermined speed;

increasing the area displayed to a second predetermined distance from the aircraft in accordance with aircraft speed such that, when the aircraft exceeds the predetermined speed, the second predetermined distance increases according to (i) a step function or (ii) a linear function in combination with a step function; and

increasing the second predetermined distance in relation to the distance travelled by the aircraft in a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving aircraft position and heading data; and

retrieving airport feature data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising increasing the second predetermined distance in discrete steps that correspond to discrete increases in aircraft speed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating symbology representative of at least one of a taxiway and a runway;

displaying on the display the symbology of the at least one of a taxiway and a runway;

generating symbology representative of the aircraft; and

generating symbology representative of airport features;

displaying the aircraft and airport features that are within the first predetermined distance of the aircraft when the speed of the aircraft is below a predetermined speed; and

displaying the aircraft and airport features that are within the first predetermined distance of the aircraft and airport features that are within a second predetermined distance when the speed of the aircraft exceeds the predetermined speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the airport feature data comprises one or more of runways, taxiways, runway markings, taxiway markings, center lines, identification signs, hold bars, and hold short lines.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising coordinating the display of airport feature markings with the onset of aural alerts in the aircraft.

7. A method for displaying a dynamic synthetic view of an airport moving map on a flight deck display system on an aircraft, comprising:

receiving airport feature data;

receiving aircraft speed data;

rendering on the display system a three-dimensional view including airport features in a first airport region that extends a first predetermined distance (D₁) from the aircraft when the aircraft speed is less than a predetermined speed (V₁);

rendering on the display a three-dimensional view including airport features from the first airport region and airport features in a second airport region that extends to a second predetermined distance (D₂) from the aircraft when the aircraft speed exceeds the predetermined speed (V₁), wherein (i) the second predetermined distance is greater than the first predetermined distance and (ii) the second predetermined distance is related to the speed of the aircraft as (a) a step function or (b) a combination of a linear function and a step function; and

increasing the second predetermined distance by a distance travelled in a predetermined period of time at the current aircraft groundspeed.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising increasing the second airport region by predetermined amounts in discrete steps that correspond to discrete increases in aircraft speed.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined period of time is substantially four seconds.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein airport features in the first airport region are rendered using a first set of visually distinguishable characteristics, and wherein airport features and the second airport region are rendered using a second set of visually distinguishable characteristics, the second set different than the first set.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the visually distinguishable characteristics may be related to one or more of color;

brightness;

transparency level;

translucency level;

fill pattern;

shape;

size;

flicker pattern;

focus level;

sharpness level;

clarity level;

shading;

dimensionality (2D or 3D);

resolution; and

outline pattern.

12. A flight deck display system, comprising:

a first source of airport feature data;

a second source of aircraft speed data;

a third source of aircraft position data;

a display element; and

a processor operatively coupled to the first, second, and third sources and to the display element and configured to (1) access the first, second, and third sources;

(2) render on the display element a three-dimensional view including airport features in a first airport region that extends a first predetermined distance (D₁) from the aircraft when the aircraft speed is less than a predetermined speed (V₁); and

(3) render on the display a three-dimensional view including airport features in the first airport region and a second airport region that extends a second predetermined distance (D₂) from the aircraft when the aircraft speed exceeds the predetermined speed (V₁);

wherein a relationship between D2 and V₁ comprises one of (i) a step function, and (ii) a linear function in combination with a step function; and

wherein D₂ is greater than D₁; and

wherein the processor is further configured to increase the second predetermined distance (D₂) by a distance travelled by the aircraft in a predetermined period of time at a current aircraft groundspeed.