Aircraft system and method to display three-dimensional threat image

A system may include at least one display and at least one processor installed in an aircraft. The at least one processor may be communicatively coupled to the at least one display. The at least one processor may be configured to: obtain aircraft data associated with the aircraft; obtain an azimuth value associated with an azimuth; obtain radar data associated with at least one threat; generate a three-dimensional threat image based at least on the aircraft data, the azimuth value, and the radar data; and output the three-dimensional threat image as graphical data. The at least one display may be configured to display the three-dimensional threat image to a user. The three-dimensional threat image may depict a three-dimensional relationship between the aircraft and the at least one threat. The three-dimensional threat image may convey a range dimension, a lateral dimension extended perpendicularly from the azimuth, and a height dimension.

BACKGROUND

Current implementations of a vertical weather display only show the vertical profile along a single azimuth. In order to obtain additional weather information along the selected azimuth, continual control panel adjustments are required of the pilot. The vertical display is also limited in range compared to the horizontal display, requiring constant “switching” between displays.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a system. The system may include at least one display and at least one processor installed in an aircraft. The at least one processor may be communicatively coupled to the at least one display. The at least one processor may be configured to: obtain aircraft data associated with the aircraft; obtain an azimuth value associated with an azimuth; obtain radar data associated with at least one threat; generate a three-dimensional threat image based at least on the aircraft data, the azimuth value, and the radar data; and output the three-dimensional threat image as graphical data. The at least one display may be configured to display the three-dimensional threat image to a user. The three-dimensional threat image may depict a three-dimensional relationship between the aircraft and the at least one threat. The three-dimensional threat image may convey a range dimension, a lateral dimension extended perpendicularly from the azimuth, and a height dimension.

In a further aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a method. The method may include: obtaining, by at least one processor installed in an aircraft and communicatively coupled to at least one display installed in the aircraft, aircraft data associated with the aircraft; obtaining, by the at least one processor, an azimuth value associated with an azimuth; obtaining, by the at least one processor, radar data associated with at least one threat; generating, by the at least one processor, a three-dimensional threat image based at least on the aircraft data, the azimuth value, and the radar data; outputting, by the at least one processor, the three-dimensional threat image as graphical data; and displaying, by the at least one display, the three-dimensional threat image to a user; wherein the three-dimensional threat image depicts a three-dimensional relationship between the aircraft and the at least one threat, wherein the three-dimensional threat image conveys a range dimension, a lateral dimension extended perpendicularly from the azimuth, and a height dimension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Broadly, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be directed to a system (e.g., an aircraft system) and a method configured to display at least one three-dimensional threat image. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional threat image may be a three-dimensional weather threat image. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional threat image may be a three-dimensional comprehensive airborne threat display image.

Some embodiments may provide a way to display all relevant threats at a glance without increasing pilot workload.

Some embodiments may provide a comprehensive display image capable of correlating all relevant horizontal and vertical information. This image may show relevant threats not just along the azimuth of interest but along a lateral area on either or both sides of the azimuth. For example, for a single pilot operation, this method can easily be integrated into threat objects. For normal operation, this method can give the flight crew more situational awareness in case they need to make a quick deviation decision. For example, the displayed image may include simplified depictions of threats to reduce processor processing requirements; for example, threats may be simplified into a horizontal two-dimensional planar portion (e.g., at a base of the threat) and a vertical two-dimensional planar portion extending perpendicularly from the horizontal two-dimensional planar portion. For example, the displayed image may be created by aligning a horizontal image along an azimuth (e.g., a selected azimuth) and by creating vertical image cutouts aligned to highest storm top portions of storm cores. For example, threats may be displayed as a horizontal footprint of the threat at a low altitude and a dome-shaped cross-section extending from the footprint to a peak of the threat. An aircraft intercept altitude indicator may also be shown on each cutout to show the aircraft altitude at a time that the aircraft would be expected to intercept the storm.

Some embodiments may provide significant cost savings and improve aircraft operating safety. For example, upgrading display systems in a cockpit can cost millions of dollars. Some embodiments may provide a way to show all relevant information including a vertical profile of a storm without hardware updates to existing displays. This may be especially true in case of current generation single-aisle aircraft where there is no dedicated vertical situation display (VSD). Providing all of the relevant information at a glance can enhance the situational awareness of the flight crew and may have a potential to improve safety.

Referring now toFIG.1, an exemplary embodiment of an overhead view of a horizontal two-dimensional threat image100depicting threats213A,213B is shown. For example, the threats213A,213B may be weather threats, such as storm cells; however, in some embodiments, the horizontal two-dimensional threat image100may depict any type of threats, such as air traffic or other objects detectable by radar. For example, the horizontal two-dimensional threat image100may be generated by at least one processor602of a radar computing device308, as shown inFIG.6.

Referring now toFIG.2, an exemplary embodiment of a view of a three-dimensional threat image200depicting the threats213A,213B is shown. For example, the threats213A,213B may be weather threats, such as storm cells; however, in some embodiments, the three-dimensional threat image200may depict any type of threats, such as air traffic or other objects detectable by radar. For example, the at least one threat213A,213B may be at least one storm threat, the radar data may be weather radar data, and the three-dimensional threat image200may be a three-dimensional storm threat image, as shown inFIG.2. For example, the three-dimensional threat image200may be generated by at least one processor602of a radar computing device308, as shown inFIG.6. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional threat image200may be generated based at least in part on the horizontal two-dimensional threat image100and/or radar data. For example, the three-dimensional threat image200may be displayed by a display402, as shown inFIG.4.

For example, the three-dimensional threat image200may depict a three-dimensional relationship between an aircraft302and the at least one threat213A,213B. The three-dimensional threat image200may convey a range dimension, a lateral dimension extended perpendicularly from an azimuth204(e.g., from both sides of the azimuth204), and a height dimension.

The three-dimensional threat image200may include: a graphical depiction of a height and width of each of the at least one threat213A,213B; a graphical depiction of an aircraft intercept altitude210for the aircraft302at each of the at least one threat213A,213B; a textual depiction of a threat height208(e.g., a storm top height) for each of the at least one threat213A,213B; a growth or decay indicator212(e.g., an upward pointing arrow for a growth indicator or a downward pointing arrow for a decay indicator) for each of the at least one threat213A,2136to indicate whether the threat213A,213B is growing or decaying; a graphical depiction of severity regions (e.g., a first severity region214, a second severity region216, and/or a third severity region218) for each of the at least one threat213A,213B, each severity region associated with a different predetermined range of severity levels (e.g., ranges of wind speed levels, ranges of density of lightning strike occurrence levels, and/or ranges of turbulence levels) and depicted differently (e.g., different colors, such as green, yellow, and red); a depiction of range indicators202for the range dimension and lateral distance indicators206for the lateral dimension; and/or a depiction of the azimuth204.

In some embodiments, a graphical depiction of each of the at least one threat213A,213B may include a horizontal two-dimensional planar portion and a vertical two-dimensional planar portion extending perpendicularly from the horizontal two-dimensional planar portion so as to reduce processing requirements as compared to a three-dimensionally rendered representation of surface contours for each of the at least one threat213A,213B.

As exemplarily shown, the three-dimensional threat image200has a lateral dimension of 40 nautical miles (nm) (e.g., 20 nm from each side of the aircraft302) with a range of 100 nm and with a height of at least 33,000 feet; however, any suitable dimensions may be used. In some embodiments, a user and/or at least one processor of the system may be configured to set and/or adjust the dimensions.

Referring now toFIGS.3-6, an exemplary embodiment of a system300according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein is depicted. In some embodiments, the system may include an aircraft302, which may include at least one user (e.g., flight crew and/or pilot(s)), at least one display unit computing device304, at least one aircraft computing device306, at least one radar computing device308, and/or at least one user interface310, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled at any given time. In some embodiments, the at least one display unit computing device304, the at least one aircraft computing device306, the at least one radar computing device308, and/or the at least one user interface310may be implemented as a single computing device or any number of computing devices configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform if more than one computing device) any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. The at least one display unit computing device304, the at least one aircraft computing device306, the at least one radar computing device308, and/or the at least one user interface310may be installed in the aircraft302.

The user may be a pilot or crew member. The user may interface with the system300via the at least one user interface310. The at least one user interface310may be implemented as any suitable user interface, such as a touchscreen (e.g., of the display unit computing device304and/or another display unit), a multipurpose control panel, a control panel integrated into a flight deck, a cursor control panel (CCP) (sometimes referred to as a display control panel (DCP)), a keyboard, a mouse, a trackpad, at least one hardware button, a switch, an eye tracking system, and/or a voice recognition system. The user interface310may be configured to receive at least one user input and to output the at least one user input to a computing device (e.g.,304,306, and/or308). For example, a pilot of the aircraft104may be able to interface with the user interface310to: select an azimuth to be used for an azimuth value; engage (or disengage) a mode (e.g., a “comprehensive display mode”) to cause the three-dimensional threat image200to be displayed; command an azimuth mode to be based on at least one of a track of the aircraft302, a pilot selected azimuth, and/or aircraft information from the aircraft computing device306(e.g., a flight management system (FMS) or flight data computer). For example, such user inputs may be output to the radar computing device308and/or the display unit computing device304.

The display unit computing device304may be implemented as any suitable computing device, such as a primary flight display (PFD) computing device and/or a multi-function window (MFW) display computing device. As shown inFIG.4, the display unit computing device304may include at least one display402, at least one processor404, at least one memory406, and/or at least one storage410, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled at any given time. For example, the at least one processor404may include at least one central processing unit (CPU), at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA), at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one digital signal processor, at least one virtual machine (VM) running on at least one processor, and/or the like configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the at least one processor404may include a CPU and a GPU configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any of the operations disclosed throughout. The processor404may be configured to run various software applications (e.g., a PFD application and/or an MFW application) or computer code stored (e.g., maintained) in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory406and/or storage410) and configured to execute various instructions or operations. The processor404may be configured to perform any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the processor404may be configured to: receive the aircraft data from the at least one aircraft computing device processor502; and/or overlay the three-dimensional threat image200over other information from the aircraft data or to overlay the other information from the aircraft data over the three-dimensional threat image200. The display402may be configured to display the three-dimensional threat image200to a user.

The at least one aircraft computing device306may be implemented as any suitable computing device, such as an FMS computing device or a flight data computer. The at least one aircraft computing device306may include any or all of the elements, as shown inFIG.5. For example, the aircraft computing device306may include at least one processor502, at least one memory504, and/or at least one storage506, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled at any given time. For example, the at least one processor502may include at least one central processing unit (CPU), at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA), at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one digital signal processor, at least one virtual machine (VM) running on at least one processor, and/or the like configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the at least one processor502may include a CPU and a GPU configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any of the operations disclosed throughout. The processor502may be configured to run various software applications (e.g., an FMS application) or computer code stored (e.g., maintained) in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory504and/or storage506) and configured to execute various instructions or operations. The processor502of the aircraft computing device306may be configured to perform any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the processor502of the computing device210A may be configured to: output aircraft data (e.g., FMS data, flight path data, inertial reference unit (IRU) data, flight data, and/or flight computer data) to the display unit computing device304and/or the radar computing device308.

The at least one radar computing device308may be implemented as any suitable computing device, such as a weather radar computing device. The at least one radar computing device308may include any or all of the elements shown inFIG.6. For example, the radar computing device308may include at least one radar antenna601, at least one processor602, at least one memory604, and/or at least one storage606, some or all of which may be communicatively coupled at any given time. For example, the at least one processor602may include at least one central processing unit (CPU), at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA), at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one digital signal processor, at least one virtual machine (VM) running on at least one processor, and/or the like configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the at least one processor602may include a CPU and a GPU configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any of the operations disclosed throughout. The processor602may be configured to run various software applications (e.g., a radar application) or computer code stored (e.g., maintained) in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory604and/or storage606) and configured to execute various instructions or operations. The processor602of the radar computing device308may be configured to perform any or all of the operations disclosed throughout. For example, the processor602may be configured to: obtain the aircraft data from the at least one aircraft computing device processor502; obtain the azimuth value associated with the azimuth204; obtain the radar data associated with the at least one threat213A,213B; generate the three-dimensional threat image200based at least on the aircraft data, the azimuth value, and the radar data; output the three-dimensional threat image200as the graphical data to the at least one display unit computing device processor404; use the aircraft data to accurately compute weather information to be displayed; and/or based at least on a mode and/or azimuth user input (e.g., from the user interface310and/or a processor of the system300), compute dimensions for the three-dimensional threat image200to be displayed.

For example, at least one processor (e.g., the at least one processor404, the at least one processor502, and/or the at least one processor602) may be configured to (e.g., collectively configured to, if more than one processor): obtain aircraft data associated with the aircraft302; obtain an azimuth value associated with an azimuth204; obtain radar data associated with at least one threat213A,2136; generate a three-dimensional threat image200based at least on the aircraft data, the azimuth value, and/or the radar data; and/or output the three-dimensional threat image200as graphical data.

At least one processor (e.g., the at least one processor404, the at least one processor502, and/or the at least one processor602) of the aircraft302may be configured to perform (e.g., collectively perform) any or all of the operations disclosed throughout.

Referring now toFIG.7, an exemplary embodiment of a method700according to the inventive concepts disclosed herein may include one or more of the following steps. Additionally, for example, some embodiments may include performing one or more instances of the method700iteratively, concurrently, and/or sequentially. Additionally, for example, at least some of the steps of the method700may be performed in parallel and/or concurrently. Additionally, in some embodiments, at least some of the steps of the method700may be performed non-sequentially.

A step702may include obtaining, by at least one processor installed in an aircraft and communicatively coupled to at least one display installed in the aircraft, aircraft data associated with the aircraft.

A step704may include obtaining, by the at least one processor, an azimuth value associated with an azimuth.

A step706may include obtaining, by the at least one processor, radar data associated with at least one threat.

A step708may include generating, by the at least one processor, a three-dimensional threat image based at least on the aircraft data, the azimuth value, and the radar data.

A step710may include outputting, by the at least one processor, the three-dimensional threat image as graphical data.

A step712may include displaying, by the at least one display, the three-dimensional threat image to a user, wherein the three-dimensional threat image depicts a three-dimensional relationship between the aircraft and the at least one threat, wherein the three-dimensional threat image conveys a range dimension, a lateral dimension extended perpendicularly from the azimuth, and a height dimension.

Further, the method700may include any of the operations disclosed throughout.

As will be appreciated from the above, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be directed to a system (e.g., an aircraft system) and a method configured to display at least one three-dimensional threat image.

As used throughout and as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, “at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium” may refer to as at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., at least one computer-readable medium implemented as hardware; e.g., at least one non-transitory processor-readable medium, at least one memory (e.g., at least one nonvolatile memory, at least one volatile memory, or a combination thereof; e.g., at least one random-access memory, at least one flash memory, at least one read-only memory (ROM) (e.g., at least one electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)), at least one on-processor memory (e.g., at least one on-processor cache, at least one on-processor buffer, at least one on-processor flash memory, at least one on-processor EEPROM, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof), at least one storage device (e.g., at least one hard-disk drive, at least one tape drive, at least one solid-state drive, at least one flash drive, at least one readable and/or writable disk of at least one optical drive configured to read from and/or write to the at least one readable and/or writable disk, or a combination thereof), or a combination thereof).

In the present disclosure, the methods, operations, and/or functionality disclosed may be implemented as sets of instructions or software readable by a device. Further, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods, operations, and/or functionality disclosed are examples of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods, operations, and/or functionality can be rearranged while remaining within the scope of the inventive concepts disclosed herein. The accompanying claims may present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.