Communications: electrical – Aircraft alarm or indicating systems – Nonalarm flight indicator
Patent
1995-08-18
1998-08-25
Swarthout, Brent A.
Communications: electrical
Aircraft alarm or indicating systems
Nonalarm flight indicator
340973, 340975, G01C 2100
Patent
active
057987130
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to method of representing flight guidance information of an aircraft, wherein a spatial representation of the airspace, comprising at least one horizon and the precalculated flight path of the aircraft, is effected with the aid of an image reproduction device.
A method such as this has become known through the published German Patent Application DE 39 30 862 A1, its corresponding European Patent No. 0,418,558 and its corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,582, which is incorporated herein by reference. It improves the procedure of imparting information by means of an image which is subsequently experienced by natural observation habits, so that the mental load on the pilot is also reduced. Moreover, the symbolism used constitutes a complete item of information which enables the position and movement in space to be monitored and predetermined flight paths and short-term navigation to be adhered to. Qualitative information, determined by the manner of the display, appears in the foreground, and is supplemented by the necessary quantitative indications. The pilot's task is made easier by a summary of the information relevant to the flight phase within an overall image which is of favorable ergonomic form.
In addition, this known method permits pre-control of the aircraft, wherein the consequences of a control input are immediately identifiable. Possible unwanted developments --for example stalling at take off--can be identified and prevented before they actually occur. The pilot's time for reaction is prolonged and safety is thereby increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is a further improvement of the known method with respect to a more intensive recording of information.
In a first embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the area above the horizon, which is preferably displayed blue, to be subdivided into strips of different hue which run parallel to the horizon, and for a predetermined pitch angle to correspond to each strip. In this respect it has been shown to be advantageous if the predetermined pitch angle is 10.degree.. By means of this embodiment of the invention, the banking of the aircraft is displayed, even at large pitch angles, if the ground or the horizon in particular is no longer visible or is only partly visible on the screen. In addition, the change in color imparts further information on the magnitude of the pitch angle. In particular, this becomes clear in another development of the invention, in which a warning color appears above a predetermined maximum pitch angle. This further form of the invention results in a clear warning before the aircraft stalls.
In another embodiment, in which numerical indications of the pitch angle are displayed in addition and, wherein the numerical indications, preferably two, are displayed in an imaginary projection of the plane of the aircraft, the indications are transparent. In this connection, provision is preferably made for the indications to be figures inside a frame, wherein the respective background (sky, ground) is visible in the part of the frame which is not covered by the figures.
By means of this embodiment of the invention, a transition from a positive to a negative pitch angle and vice versa is particularly clearly indicated in that the marker indicating the pitch angle also changes its background color--namely from the color of the sky to the color of the ground. This embodiment may preferably be employed together with the first embodiment referred to above.
If the aircraft is flying within a scheduled route lane, the altitude of the aircraft within the scheduled route lane cannot always be identified with certainty, despite the spatial representation of the scheduled route lane and the anticipated flight path. According to another embodiment of the invention, provision is therefore made for vertical deviations from a scheduled flight path displayed in the airspace to be displayed as colored markers on the perpendicular peripheries of a
REFERENCES:
patent: 3711826 (1973-01-01), La Russa
patent: 4484189 (1984-11-01), Dettmer
patent: 5150117 (1992-09-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 5181028 (1993-01-01), Sharpe et al.
patent: 5289185 (1994-02-01), Ramier et al.
patent: 5420582 (1995-05-01), Kubbat et al.
Below Christian
Kling Heribert
Viebahn Harro Von
Swarthout Brent A.
VDO Luftfahrtgerate Werk GmbH
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