Intelligent flight tutoring system

• US 6,053,737 A
• Filed: 11/04/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Elder, Douglas Shields, Bell, Herbert Harrington, Babbitt, Bettina A., Crane, Peter Marston, Sorensen, Helen Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/964,423
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/30, 434/35, 434/38, 434/43, 434/45, 434/49, 434/59, 434/61, 434/62, 434/69, 434/307 R, 434/308, 434/372, 434/373, 395/500.23, 395/500.27, 395/500.29, 705/1, 705/8, 705/35, 705/36, 706/11, 706/16, 706/45, 706/905, 700/17, 700/83, 701/1, 701/120, 714/26, 714/46, 382/181, 382/190, 345/418, 345/473, 345/302, 345/156, 345/952, 84/477 R, 84/601
• US Class Current: 434/30
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/08 for teaching control of aircraft, e.g. Link trainer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/905 Vehicle or aerospace

Abstract

A method for tutoring a trainee in a simulator comprises the steps of defining an expert system simulating an activity, and using the expert system to provide instructional feedback to the trainee. The step of defining an expert system comprises constructing a decision support system so as to define a human factors engineering module, programming a plurality of training scenarios, and establishing automated performance measures. The method for tutoring of the present invention eliminates the need to have an expert trainer available and the consequent expense associated therewith.

Claims

1. A method for tutoring a pilot trainee in an aircraft flight simulator, the method comprising the steps of:

a) defining an expert system, the step of defining a expert system comprising;

(i) constructing a decision support system so as to define a human factors engineering module;

(ii) programming a plurality of flight scenarios;

(iii) establishing automated performance measures;

b) simulating at least one flight; and

c) using the expert system to provide instructional feedback for the trainee.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of constructing a decision support system comprises:

a) applying an abilities scale to a plurality of cognitive abilities, the abilities scale rating each of the cognitive abilities according to a number of decisions which are made to perform an associated task;

b) clustering each task for which its associated ability has been rated above a predetermined level into clusters of associated tasks;

c) using the clustered tasks to define content areas; and

d) building scenarios from the content areas.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein

the step of applying an abilities scale to a plurality of cognitive abilities comprises applying an abilities scale which ranges from one to seven;

and

the step of clustering each task for which its associated ability has been rated above a predetermined level comprises clustering each task having a rating of five to seven, inclusive.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of programming flight scenarios comprises programming a plurality of decision points.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the step of programming a plurality of decision points comprises programming at least one decision point where an incorrect decision is likely to result in loss of at least one of a pilot and an aircraft.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of programming flight scenarios comprises programming flight scenarios which commence with predetermine assumptions regarding distance between a pilot and at least one adversary, radar mode, mission time, meteorological conditions, threat axis, and threat maneuvers in relation to the distance from the nearest and most threatening adversary.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of establishing automated performance measures comprises programming standards of performance into each of the scenarios using expert system rules.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of using the expert system to provide instructional feedback comprises:

a) monitoring a flight of the trainee;

b) comparing the trainees flight to a decision support system;

c) determining how closely the trainees flight resembles an experts flight; and

d) presenting feedback to the trainee when the trainee fails to respond in a desired way upon encountering a decision point.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of presenting feedback to the trainee comprises presenting feedback to the trainee immediately following the trainee'"'"'s failed response.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises simultaneously presenting the trainee with:

a) a God'"'"'s eye view of the flight;

b) a radar display of the flight; and

c) text explaining critical decision behaviors of the trainee along with recommendations for improving the trainees performance.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises providing voice instructions to the trainee.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises using a voice synthesizer to provide voice instructions to the trainee.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises:

a) providing voice cautionaries; and

b) providing detailed voice instructions for correcting the trainee'"'"'s critical decision behaviors.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises the steps of:

a) providing voice cautionaries; and

b) providing written cautionaries.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises displaying how an expert would have performed the same flight.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of simulating at least one flight comprises simulating a plurality of flights, each flight being selected at random so as to prevent the trainee from anticipating the next flight.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructional feedback is invisible to the trainee during the simulated flight.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises providing instructional feedback at the end of the simulated flight.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises providing instructional feedback during the simulated flight.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing instructional feedback comprises showing the trainee a plurality of expert flights at the end of the simulated flight.

21. An intelligent flight tutoring system for tutoring pilot trainees, the intelligent flight tutoring system comprising:

a) an expert system, the expert system comprising;

(i) a decision support system defining a human factors engineering module;

(ii) a plurality of stored flight scenarios;

(iii) a plurality of automated performance measures;

b) a simulator for simulating the stored flight scenarios; and

c) a feedback circuit for providing instructional feedback to the trainee.

22. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the decision support system comprises:

a) an abilities scale applied to a plurality of cognitive abilities, the abilities scale rating each of the cognitive abilities according to the number of decisions which are made to perform an associated task;

b) clusters of associated tasks formed by clustering each task for which its associated ability has been rated above a predetermined level;

c) content areas defined by the clustered tasks; and

d) scenarios built from the contact areas.

23. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 22, wherein;

the abilities scale ranges from one to seven; and

the clusters comprise tasks having a rating of five to seven, inclusive.

24. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 22, wherein the flight scenarios comprise at least one decision point where an incorrect decision is likely to result in loss of at least one of the pilot and the aircraft.

25. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the flight scenarios comprises a plurality of decision points.

26. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the flight scenarios commence with predetermine assumptions regarding distance between a pilot and at least one adversary, radar mode, mission time, meteorological conditions, threat axis, and threat maneuvers in relation to the distance from a nearest and almost threatening adversary.

27. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the automated performance measures comprise standards of performance programmed into each of the scenarios using expert system rules.

28. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit comprises:

a) a circuit for monitoring the trainees flight;

b) a circuit for comparing the trainees flight to a decision support system;

c) a circuit for determining how closely the trainees flight resembles an experts flight; and

d) a circuit for presenting feedback to the trainee when the trainee fails to respond in a desired way upon encountering a decision point.

29. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 28, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to present feedback to the trainee immediately following the trainee'"'"'s failed response.

30. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to simultaneously present the trainee with:

a) a God'"'"'s eye view of the flight;

b) a radar display of the flight; and

c) text explaining critical decision behaviors of the trainee along with recommendations for improving the trainees performance.

31. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to provide voice instructions to the trainee.

32. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 31, wherein the feedback circuit comprises a voice synthesizer for providing voice instructions to the trainee.

33. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to:

a) provide voice cautionaries; and

b) provide detailed voice instructions for correcting the trainee'"'"'s critical decision behaviors.

34. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit further comprises:

a) a circuit for providing voice cautionaries; and

b) a circuit for providing written cautionaries.

35. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to displaying how an expert would have performed the same flight.

36. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the simulator is configured to simulate a plurality of flights, each flight being selected at random so as to prevent the trainee from anticipating the next flight.

37. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured so as not to interfere with the trainee during the simulated flight.

38. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to provide instructional feedback at the end of the simulated flight.

39. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to provide instructional feedback during the simulated flight.

40. The intelligent flight tutoring system as recited in claim 21, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to show the trainee a plurality of expert flights at the end of the simulated flight.

41. A method for tutoring a trainee in a simulator, the method comprising the steps of:

a) defining an expert system, the step of defining a expert system comprising;

(i) constructing a decision support system so as to define a human factors engineering module;

(ii) programming a plurality of training scenarios;

(iii) establishing automated performance measures;

b) simulating an activity; and

c) using the expert system to provide instructional feedback to the trainee.

42. An intelligent tutoring system for tutoring trainees, the intelligent tutoring system comprising:

a) an expert system, the expert system comprising;

(i) a decision support system defining a human factors engineering module;

(ii) a plurality of stored training scenarios;

(iii) a plurality of automated performance measures;

b) a simulator for simulating the stored training scenarios; and

c) a feedback circuit for providing instructional feedback to the trainee.