System and method for graphically displaying neighboring rotorcraft

• US 9,557,416 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Sebastian, Elsa Mary, Samuthirapandian, Subash, Mohideen, Mohammed Ibrahim
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US14/513,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301
• 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: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/934 on airport surfaces, e.g. while taxiing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/916 Airport surface monitoring [ASDE]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/22 Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A system and method is provided that displays graphical symbology that enables a pilot to rapidly discern (1) that a neighboring aircraft is a rotorcraft, and (2) whether the rotorcraft is hovering. The provided system and method enables a user to define hovering, by editing a position change (distance) within a predetermined time.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a rotorcraft icon, comprising:

receiving aircraft traffic data associated with neighboring aircraft;

formatting aircraft traffic data to create a traffic category for rotorcraft;

identifying, among neighboring aircraft in the rotorcraft category, a first rotorcraft;

at a first location;

receiving user input defining a predetermined threshold distance and a predetermined threshold time;

determining whether the first rotorcraft is hovering based on the predetermined threshold distance and the predetermined threshold time; and

displaying a hovering rotorcraft icon on the display when the first rotorcraft is determined to be hovering.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a hovering rotorcraft icon comprises generating graphical symbology representative of a rotorcraft shape within a substantially circular ring.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of displaying further comprises adjusting the radius of the circular ring to indicate a hovering limit of the first rotorcraft, wherein hovering limit is defined as a distance traveled by the first rotorcraft during the predetermined threshold time.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying graphical symbology representative of a rotorcraft shape when the first rotorcraft is not hovering.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a first position data and a second position data for the first rotorcraft; and

wherein determining the distance traveled comprises determining a distance between the first position data and the second position data.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising comparing the traveling distance to the threshold distance parameter.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the location and orientation of the rotorcraft icon on the display is graphically representative of the first location.

8. A method for displaying a rotorcraft icon on a monitor included within an avionic display system of a host aircraft, comprising:

receiving aircraft traffic data associated with neighboring aircraft;

formatting aircraft traffic data to create a traffic category for rotorcraft;

identifying, using the traffic category for rotorcraft, a first rotorcraft at a first location;

displaying a rotorcraft icon representative of the first rotorcraft;

receiving user input defining a predetermined threshold distance and a predetermined threshold time;

receiving a first position data and a second position data for the first rotorcraft;

determining a distance traveled by the first rotorcraft between the first position data and the second position data;

determining whether the first rotorcraft is hovering based on the predetermined threshold distance, the predetermined threshold time, and the distance traveled; and

overlaying the rotorcraft icon with a substantially circular ring when the first rotorcraft is determined to be hovering.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of displaying a hovering rotorcraft icon comprises generating graphical symbology in the shape of a rotorcraft.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising adjusting a first radius of the ring to indicate a hovering limit of the first rotorcraft, wherein hovering limit is defined as a distance traveled by the first rotorcraft during the predetermined threshold time.

11. An avionic display system for deployment onboard an aircraft including an air traffic data source that provides the avionic display system with aircraft traffic data, the system comprising:

a monitor included within the avionic display system, the avionic display system receiving and graphically displaying surrounding aircraft traffic data on the monitor; and

a processor operatively coupled to the monitor and configured to

format aircraft traffic data to create a traffic category for rotorcraft,

identify, using the traffic category for rotorcraft, a first rotorcraft among surrounding aircraft traffic;

at a first location;

receiving user input defining a predetermined threshold distance and a predetermined threshold time;

receive position data associated with the first rotorcraft,

determine whether the first rotorcraft is hovering based on the predetermined threshold distance, the predetermined threshold time, and the position data and

graphically display a hovering rotorcraft icon on the display when the first rotorcraft is determined to be hovering.

12. The avionic display system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to display a rotorcraft shaped icon on the display representative of the first rotorcraft'"'"'s location and orientation.

13. The avionic display system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to display a substantially circular ring around a rotorcraft shaped icon when the rotorcraft is determined to be hovering.

14. The avionic display system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the radius of the circular ring to indicate a hovering limit of the rotorcraft, wherein hovering limit is defined as a distance traveled by the first rotorcraft during the predetermined threshold time.

15. The avionic display system of claim 11, wherein determining the hovering limit comprises comparing the distance traveled to the threshold distance parameter.