Adjustable synthetic vision

• US 9,950,807 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Kneuper, Jeremy Joseph, Decker, Jason Michael, Stanfield, Isaac Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US15/218,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20160332745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• 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: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0047 Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft details of equipment G08G5/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer-storage media are provided for displaying a real-time image in a cockpit of an aircraft. Use of a synthetic vision application is provided with a gradient-type feature such that a level of synthetic enhancements applied to an image may be adjusted to a synthetic vision application value that is less than 100 percent. The synthetic vision enhancement may be overlaid with the original image, according to the synthetic vision application value, to generate a modified image. Additional information may overlay the original image with the synthetic vision application such as a three-dimensional weather representation. The synthetic vision application may be used in conjunction with a high-definition camera to generate the original image. The modified image may be updated in real-time such that an updated view is continuously modified with an updated synthetic vision enhancement to provide accurate real-time views.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a modified real-time view in an aircraft, the method comprising:

providing a touch-screen display in an aircraft cockpit;

capturing a real-time view from a camera system mounted on the aircraft, the camera system being configured to capture the view such that the view captured provides a real-time view from the cockpit on the touch-screen display;

enabling the selection of a plurality of values of synthetic vision, each value indicating a gradient-feature extent of overlay of synthetic vision enhancement to be applied over the real-time view to create the modified real-time view on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera system includes at least one high definition camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time view is panoramically displayed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the values of synthetic vision are expressed in a plurality of percentages to enable a gradient feature of the synthetic vision.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic vision includes a weather representation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time view is obscured by clouds or fog and the synthetic vision enhancement provides an ability to see through the clouds or fog.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of values of synthetic vision enable dynamic adjustment of the gradient-feature extent of overlay of synthetic vision enhancement to be applied over the real-time view.

8. A system for displaying a modified real-time view within an aircraft, the system comprising:

a display;

a user interface associated with the display;

a processor; and

a memory having embodied thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a computing device to perform a method for displaying the modified real-time view on the display within the aircraft, the method comprising;

receiving through the interface an indication of a selected level of synthetic vision, wherein the level represents an extent to which a weather representation will be superimposed over the real-time view, the real-time view remaining at least somewhat visible;

generating, in response to the indication, the modified real-time view on the display where the modified real-time view includes a weather representation which is superimposed over the at least somewhat visible real-time view.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the real-time view is captured by a camera system mounted on the outside of the aircraft.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the level of synthetic vision is expressed as a percent value indicating a gradient-level percentage of synthetic vision to apply to the real-time view.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the modified real-time view includes a combination of the real-time view and an enhancement of synthetic vision according to a percent value selected.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the display is configured such that it spans a substantial portion of the cockpit.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein both the display and interface are, collectively, a touch screen.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the touch screen extends laterally such that the touch screen is in front of, and accessible to, both a pilot and a copilot.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having embodied thereon computer-usable instructions that, when executed, facilitate a method of displaying a modified real-time image on a display within an aircraft cockpit, the method comprising:

presenting a real-time image across a substantial portion of a display;

receiving through an interface associated with the display an indication to enable a synthetic vision;

causing the display to overlay an at least partially transparent weather-related synthetic enhancement over the real-time image in response to the indication to provide the modified real-time image.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the weather-related synthetic enhancement is a three-dimensional weather representation.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein a level of transparency of the weather-related enhancement overlaid on top of the of real-time image is made to be selectable.