IP Library Granted Patent US 9,428,056
Granted Patent B2
US 9,428,056 · App. 14/643,510 · Granted Aug 30, 2016

Adjustable synthetic vision

Inventors: Jeremy Joseph Kneuper (Hesston, KS); Jason Michael Decker (Wichita, KS); Isaac Wayne Stanfield (Wichita, KS)
Assignee: Textron Innovations, Inc.
B60K35/00B64D43/00B64D47/08G01C23/00G06F3/0416G08G5/0013G08G5/0021G08G5/0052G08G5/0091B60K2350/1056
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,428,056
App. No.
14/643,510
Granted
Aug 30, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods and computer-storage media are provided for displaying a real-time image in a cockpit of an aircraft. Use of a synthetic vision application is provided with a gradient-type feature such that a level of synthetic enhancements applied to an image may be adjusted to a synthetic vision application value that is less than 100 percent. The synthetic vision enhancement may be overlaid with the original image, according to the synthetic vision application value, to generate a modified image. Additional information may overlay the original image with the synthetic vision application such as a three-dimensional weather representation. The synthetic vision application may be used in conjunction with a high-definition camera to generate the original image. The modified image may be updated in real-time such that an updated view is continuously modified with an updated synthetic vision enhancement to provide accurate real-time views.

Claims (36)

1. A method for displaying a real-time view within an aircraft, the method comprising:

panoramically displaying the real-time view;

receiving an indication of a synthetic vision application, wherein the indication enables the synthetic vision application for the real-time view;

identifying a synthetic vision application value to apply to the real-time view;

applying a synthetic vision enhancement to the real-time view according to the synthetic vision application value; and

generating a modified real-time view where the modified real-time view is enhanced by synthetic vision as indicated by the synthetic vision application value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time view is captured by a high definition camera mounted to the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein both the real-time view and the modified real-time view are configured for display via a touch screen display device, and the touch screen display device is used in executing both the receiving and generating steps.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic vision enhancement overlays the real-time view to create the modified real-time view.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more instructions for performing the method are embodied on one or more non-transitory computer-storage media.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic vision application value is a percent value indicating an amount with which to modify the real-time view with the opaqueness of the synthetic vision enhancement.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the percent value of synthetic vision is less than 100 percent such that the modified real-time view includes a combination of the real-time view and an enhancement of synthetic vision as indicated by the percent value.

8. A system for displaying a real-time view within an aircraft, the system comprising:

a touch-screen display;

a processor; and

a memory having embodied thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a computing device to perform a method for displaying the real-time view on the touch-screen display within the aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving on the touch-screen display an indication of a synthetic vision application, wherein the indication enables the synthetic vision application for the real-time view;

identifying a synthetic vision application value to apply to the real-time view;

applying the synthetic vision application value to the real-time view; and

generating a modified real-time view on the touch screen display where the modified real-time view is the real-time view enhanced by synthetic vision as indicated by the synthetic vision application value.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the real-time view is captured by a camera mounted to the aircraft.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the synthetic vision enhancement overlays the real-time view to create the modified real-time view.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the modified real-time view further comprises weather information.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the synthetic vision application value is a percent value indicating a percentage of synthetic vision to apply to the real-time view.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the modified real-time view includes a combination of the real-time view and an enhancement of synthetic vision according to the synthetic vision application value.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the synthetic vision application value is less than 100 percent.

15. The system of claim 8 wherein both the real-time view and the modified real-time view are configured for display via a touch screen which spans a substantial portion of the cockpit.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein both the real-time view and the modified real-time view are configured for display via a touch screen which is accessible to both a pilot and a copilot.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having embodied thereon computer-usable instructions that, when executed, facilitate a method of displaying a real-time image on a touchscreen within an aircraft cockpit, the method comprising:

receiving on the touchscreen an indication to enable synthetic vision;

based on the indication to enable synthetic vision, generating a second image on the touchscreen including a synthetic vision enhancement overlaying the real-time image;

receiving an indication on the touchscreen to include weather data in the second image; and

generating a modified second image on the touchscreen that includes each of the synthetic vision enhancement and the weather data overlaying the real-time image.

18. The media of claim 17 , wherein the weather data is a three-dimensional weather representation.

19. The media of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises: receiving an indication of a synthetic vision value using the touchscreen and implementing the value on the touchscreen.

20. The media of claim 19 , wherein the synthetic vision enhancement is applied to the real-time image according to the synthetic vision value.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2016
From: CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
To: CESSNA AIRCRAFT RHODE ISLAND
Reel/Frame 039197/0473 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2016
From: CESSNA AIRCRAFT RHODE ISLAND
To: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 039197/0579 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2015
From: KNEUPER, JEREMY JOSEPH; DECKER, JASON MICHAEL; STANFIELD, ISAAC WAYNE
To: CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Reel/Frame 036394/0484 →
Continuity (21)
Continuation In Part 14642256 · Mar 9, 2015
Provisional Application 61951189 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951260 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951231 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951240 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951243 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951157 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951168 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951201 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951152 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951195 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951208 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951220 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951234 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951166 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951215 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951253 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951216 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951223 · Mar 11, 2014
Provisional Application 61951145 · Mar 11, 2014
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