Patent ID: 6750788
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: G01C,G08G

Abstract:
A method of warning an airplane pilot of dangerous proximity to an obstacle using a rear projecting display device, comprising:(d) receiving G.P.S. data providing the plane's current geographical location; (e) comparing the received G.P.S. data with topographical data stored in a computer memory and determining whether the plane is within a predetermined threshold range of an obstacle; and (f) if the plane is within the predetermined threshold, projecting a visual warning on a screen using a rear projection system, the rear projection system for projecting aviation information onto a display screen having a first geometric shape, the system further having an image generator mounted within a housing and spaced from and not coupled to the display screen, the image generator including: a rear projection LCD, which generates an image containing the aviation information to be displayed on the screen, the LCD having a total potential image generation area of a second geometric shape that is different from the first geometric shape, and a projection lens for projecting the image from the LCD to the display screen.