Synthetic Vision Final Approach Terrain Fading

Abstract

A method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a graphical display when unsafe to rely on the synthetic vision terrain and objects is provided. The method comprises receiving current position data from at least one sensor, determining when to fade out synthetic vision terrain and objects based on the position data received, and fading out synthetic vision terrain and objects gradually when determined.

Description

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a display when unsafe to rely on the synthetic vision terrain and objects according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a display according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a display according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a display according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a display when according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a display system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an image of a graphical display during flight according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an image of a graphical display during final approach according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an image of a graphical display during final approach with terrain faded out completely according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of removing synthetic vision terrain and objects from a graphical display, the method comprising: receiving current position data from at least one sensor;determining when to fade out synthetic vision terrain and objects based on the position data received; andfading out the synthetic vision terrain and objects gradually when determined.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein fading out the synthetic vision terrain and objects gradually comprises: fading out the synthetic vision terrain and objects at a substantially uniform rate over a set time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving current position data includes at least one of: receiving current altitude data; andreceiving current longitudinal/latitudinal data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when to fade out the synthetic vision terrain and objects comprises: comparing current position to a set position; andmaking a decision to fade out the synthetic vision terrain and objects once current position data indicates that the set position has been reached.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein fading out the synthetic vision terrain and objects gradually comprises: calculating an approach rate;calculating a time period T to travel from the set position to a second set position based on the calculated approach rate; andfading out the synthetic terrain and objects at a substantially uniform rate over the calculated time period T.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein fading out the synthetic terrain and objects gradually comprises: dividing the distance between a first set position and a second set position into N increments;assigning a percentage of fading synthetic terrain and objects to each of said N increments; andfading out the synthetic terrain and objects said assigned percentage upon reaching each of said N increments.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein dividing the distance between the first set position and the second set position into N increments includes one of: dividing the distance between the first set position and the second set position into N equal increments; anddividing the distance between the first set position and the second set position into N increments of varying size.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein fading out the synthetic terrain and objects said assigned percentage comprises: comparing current position data to previous position data to determine if position has changed; andchanging the percentage of fading of the synthetic terrain and objects based on the number of N increments between the current position and the previous position.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when to fade out the synthetic terrain and objects comprises: calculating an approach rate,calculating a time T to reach a set position based on the calculated approach rate;comparing time T to a set time period; andmaking a determination to begin fading when time T is less than said set time period.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein fading out the synthetic terrain and objects gradually comprises: fading out the synthetic terrain and objects over time period T.

11. A computer program product, comprising: a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for configuring a computer processor, the computer-usable medium comprising:first executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to receive current position data relative to a final destination;second executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to determine when to fade out synthetic terrain and objects on a display based on the relation of current position to the final destination; andthird executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to fade out the synthetic terrain and objects gradually when determined.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising: fourth executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to cease fading out the synthetic terrain and objects upon receiving a user input indicating that synthetic terrain and objects should continue to be displayed.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the second executable computer-readable code is further configured to cause a computer processor to:calculate a rate of movement;calculate a time T to reach a set position relative to the final destination based on the calculated rate of movement;compare the time T to a set time period; andmake a determination to begin fading when the time T is less than the set time period.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the second executable computer-readable code is further configured to cause a computer processor to fade out the synthetic terrain and objects substantially uniformly over time T.

15. A graphical display system comprising: a display element adapted to display synthetic terrain and objects;at least one sensor adapted to receive position data; andat least one processing unit adapted to receive and process position data from the at least one sensor; wherein, the at least one processing unit is adapted to determine, based on a relation of the the position data to a final destination, when and how the synthetic terrain and objects should be faded out of the display element, and to send signals to the display element directing the display element to fade out the synthetic terrain and objects.

16. The graphical display system of claim 15, wherein position data includes one of altitude data, and latitudinal/longitudinal data.

17. The graphical display system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processing unit is adapted to compare current position to a set position relative to a final destination; and to send signals to the display element to start fading out the synthetic terrain and objects when the current position is closer to the final destination than the set position.

18. The graphical display system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processing unit is adapted to send signals to the display element to fade out the synthetic terrain and objects substantially uniformly over a set period of time.

19. The graphical display system of claim 15, further comprising: a user input element adapted to provide user input to the at least one processing unit, wherein the user input indicates if fading out of synthetic terrain and objects should be aborted.

20. The graphical display system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processing unit is adapted to calculate a rate of movement; to calculate a time T to reach a set position relative to the final destination based on the calculated rate of movement; to compare the time T to a set time period; and to make a determination to begin fading when the time T is less than the set time period.