IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,950,807
Granted Patent B2
US 9,950,807 · App. 15/218,302 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

Adjustable synthetic vision

Inventors: Jeremy Joseph Kneuper (Hesston, KS); Jason Michael Decker (Wichita, KS); Isaac Wayne Stanfield (Wichita, KS)
Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
B64D43/00B60K35/00B64D47/08G01C23/00G06F3/0416G06T19/006G08G5/0013G08G5/0021G08G5/0047G08G5/0052G08G5/0091B60K2350/1056
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,950,807
App. No.
15/218,302
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
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 (29)

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

providing a touch-screen display in an aircraft cockpit;

capturing a real-time view from a camera system mounted on the aircraft, the camera system being configured to capture the view such that the view captured provides a real-time view from the cockpit on the touch-screen display;

enabling the selection of a plurality of values of synthetic vision, each value indicating a gradient-feature extent of overlay of synthetic vision enhancement to be applied over the real-time view to create the modified real-time view on the display.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera system includes at least one high definition camera.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time view is panoramically displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the values of synthetic vision are expressed in a plurality of percentages to enable a gradient feature of the synthetic vision.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic vision includes a weather representation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time view is obscured by clouds or fog and the synthetic vision enhancement provides an ability to see through the clouds or fog.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of values of synthetic vision enable dynamic adjustment of the gradient-feature extent of overlay of synthetic vision enhancement to be applied over the real-time view.

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

a display;

a user interface associated with the 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 modified real-time view on the display within the aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving through the interface an indication of a selected level of synthetic vision, wherein the level represents an extent to which a weather representation will be superimposed over the real-time view, the real-time view remaining at least somewhat visible;

generating, in response to the indication, the modified real-time view on the display where the modified real-time view includes a weather representation which is superimposed over the at least somewhat visible real-time view.

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

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the level of synthetic vision is expressed as a percent value indicating a gradient-level percentage of synthetic vision to apply to the real-time view.

11. 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 a percent value selected.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the display is configured such that it spans a substantial portion of the cockpit.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein both the display and interface are, collectively, a touch screen.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the touch screen extends laterally such that the touch screen is in front of, and accessible to, both a pilot and a copilot.

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

presenting a real-time image across a substantial portion of a display;

receiving through an interface associated with the display an indication to enable a synthetic vision;

causing the display to overlay an at least partially transparent weather-related synthetic enhancement over the real-time image in response to the indication to provide the modified real-time image.

16. The media of claim 15 , wherein the weather-related synthetic enhancement is a three-dimensional weather representation.

17. The media of claim 15 , wherein a level of transparency of the weather-related enhancement overlaid on top of the of real-time image is made to be selectable.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2016
From: KNEUPER, JEREMY JOSEPH; DECKER, JASON MICHAEL; STANFIELD, ISAAC WAYNE
To: CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Reel/Frame 039242/0189 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2016
From: CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
To: CESSNA AIRCRAFT RHODE ISLAND
Reel/Frame 039242/0233 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2016
From: CESSNA AIRCRAFT RHODE ISLAND
To: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 039242/0282 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14643510 · Mar 10, 2015
Related Publication 20160332745A1 · Nov 17, 2016