System and method to display differential ground speed on a cockpit display
Systems and methods are provided for displaying differential ground speed for traffic surrounding an aircraft. The system includes an aircraft control panel in a cockpit of an ownship aircraft and a digital traffic display located on the control panel. The digital traffic display provides cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) that shows a speed scale with a graphical display of the ground speed of the ownship aircraft and the ground speed of traffic to follow (TTF). The separation scale also shows a graphical display of a separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF. A change in separation distance is calculated based of the difference in ground speed between the ownship aircraft and the TTF. An advisory/warning indicator that shows a color-coded status of the change in separation distance in comparison a pre-determined desired separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF.
1 . A system for displaying differential ground speed for traffic surrounding an aircraft, comprising:
an aircraft control panel in a cockpit of an ownship aircraft; and
a digital traffic display for providing cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI), where the digital traffic display is located on the control panel and shows,
a speed scale that shows a graphical display of ground speed of the ownship aircraft and ground speed of traffic to follow (TTF),
a separation scale that shows a graphical display of a separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF, where the separation scale is graphically co-located with the speed scale and where a change in the separation distance is calculated based on the ground speed difference between the ownship aircraft and the TTF over a pre-determined time period, and
an advisory/warning indicator that shows a color-coded status of a predicted change in separation distance in comparison a pre-determined desired separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF.
2 . The system of claim 1 , where the ground speed of the TTF is faster than the ground speed of the ownship aircraft.
3 . The system of claim 1 , where the ground speed of the TTF is slower than the ground speed of the ownship aircraft.
4 . The system of claim 1 , where the advisory/warning indicator shows a color that indicates the separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF is less than the pre-determined desired separation distance.
5 . The system of claim 1 , where the advisory indicator shows a color that indicates the separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF is greater than the pre-determined desired separation distance.
6 . The system of claim 1 , where the warning indicator shows a color that indicates the separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF is less than a minimum pre-determined desired separation distance.
7 . The system of claim 1 , where the change in separation distance is increasing.
8 . The system of claim 1 , where the change in separation distance is decreasing.
9 . The system of claim 1 , where the change in separation distance is stable.
10 . The system of claim 1 , where the change in separation distance is determined with reference to a specific time period.
11 . The system of claim 1 , where the digital traffic display is located on a handheld electronic device.
12 . A method for displaying differential ground speed for traffic surrounding an aircraft, comprising:
showing a speed scale that depicts a graphical display of ground speed of an ownship aircraft and ground speed of traffic to follow (TTF) on a digital traffic display for providing cockpit display of traffic information (CDTI) of the ownship aircraft;
showing a separation scale that shows a graphical display of a separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF, where the separation scale is graphically co-located with the speed scale and where a change in the separation distance is calculated based on the ground speed difference between the ownship aircraft and the TTF over a pre-determined time period; and
showing an advisory/warning indicator of a color-coded status of a predicted change in separation distance in comparison a pre-determined desired separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF.
13 . The method of claim 12 , where the ground speed of the TTF is faster than the ground speed of the ownship aircraft.
14 . The method of claim 12 , where the ground speed of the TTF is slower than the ground speed of the ownship aircraft.
15 . The method of claim 12 , where the advisory/warning indicator shows a color that indicates the separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF is greater than the pre-determined desired separation distance.
16 . The method of claim 12 , where the advisory/warning indicator shows a color that indicates the separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF is less than the pre-determined desired separation distance.
17 . The method of claim 12 , where the advisory/warning indicator shows a color that indicates the separation distance between the ownship aircraft and the TTF is less than a minimum pre-determined desired separation distance.
18 . The method of claim 12 , where the change in separation distance is increasing.
19 . The method of claim 12 , where the change in separation distance is decreasing.
20 . The method of claim 12 , where the change in separation distance is determined with reference to a specific time period.