WO1999028886A1

WO1999028886A1 - A device for transforming a display of a computer into a multi-function display

Info

Publication number: WO1999028886A1
Application number: PCT/IL1998/000555
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gil Keren
Original assignee: Gil Keren
Priority date: 1997-12-02
Filing date: 1998-11-15
Publication date: 1999-06-10
Also published as: IL136317A0; AU1171999A

Abstract

A device for converting a display of a PC into a multi-functional display simulative of a housing of an actual instrumentation, e.g. a radar display housing. The device comprises a box (10) placeable over the monitor of the PC. The box comprises front panel (4) and lateral walls. The frontal panel is provided with an opening for observation of the PC display. On the frontal panel are arranged controls (3, 7) simulating those of the real instrumentation. The controls are directly connected to the electronic circuit board of the PC's keyboard. Upon activating the controls the commands are transferred through the keyboard to the PC and it starts executing various simulating functions. The information resulting upon executing those functions is displayed and can be seen via the opening on the front panel.

Description

A device for transforming a display of a computer into a Multi-Function

Display

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to radar simulation displays for training merchant marine and navy radar operators in the proper use of on-board radar equipment such as automatic radar plotting aid ("ARPA") equipment.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Radar simulators are useful for training mariners in the use of radar equipment, particularly in regard to anti-collision maneuvers and radar navigation.

Prior art radar simulators for example as per US4944679 have generally used real radar displays driven by an artificial signal generator. An interface unit coordinates the simulated motions of the platform with the signal generator to provide a realistic simulation albeit at a high price.

Recent radar simulators have been built around a small desktop computer of the type commonly referred to as a 'TC". In these simulators the PC monitor is used as the radar and ARPA display and a regular, or customized keyboard is used to input commands activating the various functions of the equipment, including the platform. This solution is much cheaper than the one previously described, but lacks realism and provides operator training in a classroom environment, rather than under conditions simulating those encountered on board a ship. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides realistic and low cost radar simulation and enables training to be carried out on equipment that is built to be an exact replica of a real ship's radar. Its simplicity and versatility are its major assents, making radar simulations affordable and more widespread in their use.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises: a) a box, or housing, simulative of an actual radar display housing and having control buttons and other control elements disposed on a front surface; b) an electronic connection arrangement, disposed inside the box and connecting the front surface controls to a computer input device (which may be the circuit board of a conventional keyboard); and c) a simulation program for carrying out the various simulation functions responsive to the front panel control elements that have been actuated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a simulation apparatus of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the front surface control panel of a simulation apparatus of the invention.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of an apparatus of the invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention simulative of a wheelhouse radar installation.

Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the main features of a program used in the invention. Figure 5a is a flow chart showing the procedure for changing the screen brightness

Figure 5b is a flow chart showing the simulation of moving the electronic bearing line.

Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the connection board.

Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of the platform control box

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning initially to Fig. 1, one finds apparatus 10 of the invention comprising a box or housing 1 that is removably placed over a desktop computer monitor 2 (shown as a hidden object in hatched phantom in Fig. 1) so that the monitor 2 is visible through an opening in the front surface of the box 1. An interface or connection board 3 is connected to receive operator inputs from both a plurality of buttons 4 disposed on a front panel 9 and simulative of those on a real radar display being simulated, and from a platform maneuvering box 7 (shown in greater detail in Fig. 7), which includes controls for controlling the rudder and engine of the simulated platform. The connection board 3 and monitor 2 are connected to a PC 5 by cables 6, as is conventional in the art. A more detailed view of the control buttons 4 on the radar display is shown in Fig. 2. In some situations, it is desirable to provide an easily removable housing 1 so that the computer 5 and computer monitor 2 can be used for other tasks in addition to radar simulation. In these cases, one may consider the use of a simulator housing 1 that is open in the back (shown in Fig. 3 in heavy outline) to allow the easy insertion of the computer monitor 2 thereinto. Alternately, one can provide an embodiment of the invention that is fully simulative of a ship's wheelhouse and that has a computer 5 and monitor 2 installed within it. An arrangement of this sort is shown in Fig. 4 where the wheelhouse console is shown in heavy outline, the internal wiring is shown in irregular lines and the computer 5 and connector board 3 are shown in hidden phantom.. An overview of the computer program used to control the simulation may be seen in Fig. 5. When the process starts (Step 12), all the relevant data for the simulation (e.g., radar status, coordinates, targets' positions, courses, speed, shoreline, etc.) are read into the program. This may involve manual data entry (Step 14) or may be a matter of reading one of a plurality of predetermined simulation data sets from memory (not shown) The simulation program determines what should be displayed responsive to the input conditions to be simulated and provides the appropriate display on the monitor 2, as indicated in Step 16 Thereafter, the program enters an endless loop 18 wherein an operator or trainee (not shown) has full control of the simulator In this loop the program awaits input from the keyboard 19 (as shown in Step 20) Each time the operator presses one of the front panel buttons 4, or provides an input via the platform maneuvering box 7, his or her action is translated, by the connection board 3 into a respective keystroke so that the computer receives a sequence of keyboard inputs Each input 22a 22n has a simulation procedure 24a 24n uniquely associated therewith, and the simulation procedure generates a change to the image displayed on the monitor 2, as is known in the art of simulations It has been found that shipboard radar simulations can be made using an average of forty four key-equivalent inputs, which is far fewer than the number of keys available on a conventional keyboard 19 An example of one of the procedures 24a is depicted in Fig 5a If the operator strikes a button 4 simulative of the button 4a used to increase the radar screen brightness, this generates an input "a" (equivalent to striking the "a" key on a keyboard 19) to the procedure 24a, which increases the monitor's brightness by one incremental step (Step 26), sets a new display palette (Step 28) and returns, in Step 30, to monitoring the keyboard Another example of a procedure 24 is depicted in Fig 5b, where an operator input "f ' increases the electronic bearing line (EBL) by one (Step 32), erases the former EBL (step 34), calculates a new one (Step 36), displays the new EBL (Step 38) and returns (step 40) to monitoring the keyboard 19 for the next input Operator inputs from the front panel buttons 4 or platform input device 7 are provided to the computer 5 by means of an interface comprising a circuit board of a conventional keyboard (e g , a type 5140 keyboard) which has conductors that are connected by the action of a key For the 5140 keyboard, connecting conductor JPA1 to conductor Jl results in the letter "a" being received by the computer For the simulation, wires are brought from those two points to the appropriate push button switch (e g , a type FR5401) In this example, wires from points PA1 and Jl are brought to the button 4a that is on the left hand side of the second row of momentary contact switches 4 on the front panel 9, as shown in Fig 2 Pressing this button 4a is thus equivalent, from the computer's viewpoint, to depressing the "a" key on an ordinary keyboard Correspondingly, shorting conductors JPA1 and JP010 would give the letter "f ', as previously discussed with respect to Fig. 5b.

Other control switches 4 are conveniently placed on a simulative platform control box 7 and used in the same way as are the switches 4 placed on the front panel 9. It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that changes and modifications can be made by one ordinarily skilled in the art without deviation from the scope of the invention as will be defined below in the appended claims.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, and/or in the following claims, and/or in the accompanying examples, and/or in the accompanying drawings may, both separately and in any combination thereof, be material for realizing the present invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:What is claimed is

1. A device for transforming a display of a computer input device into a multi-function display simulative of a housing of an actual instrumentation, said device comprising - a box with a frontal panel and adjacent therewith lateral walls, said box being mechanically compatible with the computer input device, said frontal panel having an opening to enable easy observation the information appeared on the display of the computer input device, said front panel being provided with manual controls simulative of those arranged on the front panel of an actual instrumentation housing, - an electronic connection arrangement disposed within the box and connecting said controls to the computer input device, said electronic connection being capable upon activating the controls situated on the front panel to initiate various simulation functions executed within the computer input device, said display being capable to visualize the information resulting upon executing the simulating functions.

2. The device as per claim 1 in which said computer input device comprises a PC terminal provided with a display, said terminal is linked with a computer and said electronic connection arrangement comprises a circuit board of a conventional keyboard.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 in which said box is removably placeable over the terminal of the computer input device.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 in which said instrumentation housing is simulative of radar display housing.

5. The device as defined in claim 4, said device is provided with additional controls arranged outside the front panel within a platform maneuvering box, said additional controls are connected with the electronic connection arrangement.

6. The device as defined in claim 2 in which said box is open in the back to enable insertion the terminal thereinto.

7. The device as defined in claim 2 in which said box is simulative of a ship's wheelhouse and is configured to receive the terminal thereinto.