Patent ID: 9165383
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: G01C,G01S,G05D,G06T

Abstract:
1. A method of real-time point cloud visualization on a color display of a piloted aircraft to provide situational awareness to pilots flying under obscured condition, comprising the steps of: receiving point cloud data from a LIDAR, including range data of vertical obstructions between a piloted aircraft and multiple points in the point cloud indicating vertical obstructions with respect to the piloted aircraft; dividing the multiple points into a plurality of zones, each zone including points indicating positions of the vertical obstructions within a respective interval of range away from the piloted aircraft; determining an index vector for each zone of the plurality of zones using an altitude value for the piloted aircraft; coloring the multiple points in each zone using a plurality of colors defined by the index vector; indicating a range of the vertical obstructions from the piloted aircraft by displaying, on the color display device of the piloted aircraft, the multiple points indicating positions of the vertical obstructions in each zone with the plurality of colors with reference to the piloted aircraft; calculating a derivative of the index vector as a function of range; and changing the color between points, if the derivative is not continuous between the points.